Administrative Assistant, Health & Safety- Provisional RB # 26-034

Civil Service Residency Requirements apply (The City of Buffalo Civil Service does not require residency within the City of Buffalo for Native Americans. Tribal enrollment or community recognition as a Native American is required).

Salary: $54,031 - $64,518

Location: Health & Safety, 406 City Hall, Buffalo NY 14202

About the role

This is an important administrative position involving office management and liaison work requiring frequent exercise of independent judgment in planning and coordinating the non-technical activities of a department or major unit. Incumbents assist a department head or administrator in handling the details of the business office to free the administrator for planning, policy-making, programming, and coordinating. Incumbents gather data for administrative studies and may make determinations or recommendations of methods for handling a wide variety of administrative problems.

This position differs from Senior Administrative Assistant in that the duties of the latter are concerned with the responsibility for the management of a complex business office and may also be responsible for decisions in a technical field subject to the approval of the head of the department. Routine duties for the Administrative Assistant are performed with general directions regarding objectives, policies, and procedures. Supervision is received from the department head or administrator, and incumbents exercise supervision over assigned personnel.

Responsibilities

• Assists department head/administrator in carrying out the details of a business office, including reading incoming mail, conducting general correspondence, and routing mail to the proper official or unit.
• Processes and follows up on various types of requests and claims.
• Interviews office callers, media, salesmen, and others, furnishing general information about departmental functions and activities.
• Coordinates and supervises the maintenance of departmental account-keeping records, personnel records, and preparation of payrolls.
• Supervises the requisitions, purchasing, receipt, and inventory of departmental supplies and equipment, and the processing of related records.
• Assists in the preparation of the departmental budget, secures budget estimates, performs budget estimate studies, and maintains budget control.
• Collects and compiles data and statistics, prepares organizational workflow and efficiency studies, and submits recommendations for the improvement of procedures and solutions to administrative problems.
• Maintains contacts with units within the department, other city departments, public and private agencies to assist in solving mutual problems, developing improved services, and building goodwill.
• Coordinates compliance with civil service job procedures, appointments, promotions, and transfers.
• Provides guidance and training for new employees in office procedures, routines, and methods.
• Monitors departmental programs or projects and recommends adjustments when needed.
• Maintains and updates various departmental records used in carrying out the details of a business office.
• Inputs data and information using word processors, personal computers, etc.
• Performs related work as required.

Requirements

Full Performance Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Personal Characteristics:

• Thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of office management and personnel management.
• Working knowledge of principles of account keeping and budgets.
• Ability to organize, assign, coordinate, and review the work of others.
• Strong public relations skills.
• Ability to understand and interpret written material.
• Ability to get along well with others.
• Ability to present oral comments and opinions clearly and concisely.
• Ability to operate a personal computer using application programs.
• Physical condition commensurate with the demands of the position.

Qualifications

Promotional: Continuous and permanent status in any city department as an Assistant Collections Officer, Assistant Operations Supervisor, Associate Account Clerk, Associate Tax Clerk, Legal Secretary, Principal Clerk, School Clerk, Senior Account Clerk, Senior Account Clerk-Typist, Senior Account Clerk-Stenographer, Senior Clerk, Senior Data Processing Equipment Operator, Senior Inventory Clerk, Senior Rate Clerk, Senior Typist, Senior Stenographer, Stenographic Secretary, Contract and Specifications Clerk, Chief Teller, Head Teller, Teller, Traffic Clerk, Traffic Record Technician, or Water Service Adjustor for one year.

Open Competitive:

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university and two years of full-time office management experience in the field of accounting, public administration, personnel administration, financial management, or a closely related field; one year of which must have been in a responsible administrative or supervisory capacity.
• Associate’s Degree from an accredited college, technical, or business institute and four years of full-time office management experience in the field of accounting, public administration, personnel administration, financial management, or a closely related field; one year of which must have been in a responsible administrative or supervisory capacity.
• Graduation from High School, GED, or Equivalency Diploma and six years of full-time office management experience in the field of accounting, public administration, personnel administration, financial management, or a closely related field; one year of which must have been in a responsible administrative or supervisory capacity.
• An equivalent combination as defined within the limits of the above options.

Note: Verifiable part-time experience will be pro-rated to meet full-time experience requirements. Proof of education must be presented at the time of appointment.