Executive Secretary - Public Defender

About the role

An Executive Secretary provides typing, organizational and related support to the highest-level elected executives or members of the Judiciary. Work includes traditional secretarial support services and substantive assistance in the organization and implementation of management or judicial functions. The position reports directly to an elected executive or judicial official and carries greater responsibility and accountability for the orderly and efficient accomplishment of assistance provided.

Responsibilities

• Evaluates efficiency and effectiveness of existing office procedures and workflow; develops new or revised processes; coordinates with other offices to improve timeliness, completeness and effectiveness of work.
• Maintains calendar for executive or judge; schedules appointments and meetings; reminds individual of commitments; places telephone calls to secure and provide information; coordinates conference participants, develops agendas, arranges meeting rooms and equipment, prepares background summaries, takes notes, writes and distributes minutes.
• Reviews incoming mail; determines priority, required actions, and need for executive review; assembles related records and correspondence; forwards items with summaries; greets visitors and callers; explains circumstances, decisions, and status of items; assists or refers visitors to appropriate offices.
• Types correspondence, memoranda, reports, opinions, petitions, agreements, contracts and similar materials from dictation, notes, drafts or other sources; proofreads and corrects errors; composes routine correspondence; establishes and maintains office files and record-keeping systems.

Required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Comprehensive knowledge of procedural and processing requirements governing record keeping, documentation and similar office functions in governmental or judicial offices.
• Comprehensive knowledge of English usage, grammar, spelling and punctuation as used in clerical-processing assignments in governmental or judicial offices.
• Thorough knowledge of administrative clerical methods and techniques used to manage and coordinate meetings, workflow, and similar functions.
• Thorough knowledge of the organizational and functional relationships within the County, the Court and related organizations.
• Skill in gathering information from and explaining procedural and/or processing requirements to visitors, callers, clients, members of the public and officials of public and private organizations.
• Skill in operating typewriting, word-processing, copying and other office equipment, as required by work assignment.
• Ability to use word-processing, spreadsheet, database, graphics and/or similar computer programs, when required by work assignment.
• Ability to take accurate notes of discussions and dictated material to produce draft and/or final correspondence, documents and other items.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates, callers, visitors, clients, representatives of other offices and members of the public.

Qualifications

• GED or High School Diploma.
• Five years clerical experience in a government or judicial setting, three years of which shall have been performing secretarial work at the full performance level.
• Bilingual in Spanish is preferred.
• Or any equivalent combination of acceptable training and experience which has provided the required knowledge, skills and abilities.