Staff Specialist

Job Description

This is intermediate level, moderate to complex administrative and staff work supporting middle to upper middle level managers who oversee diverse activities in their divisions. Some judgment and discretion are required to perform duties that are mostly cyclical and recurring in nature and are covered by existing procedures or precedents from which the incumbent normally selects the correct procedure and applies it. Matters of policy interpretation or of significance are normally referred to the supervisor for decision making. Positions allocated to this classification typically report to a middle or upper middle level manager of a diverse functional area such as a division and work under general supervision. Work in this class is distinguished from other classifications by its application of recurring but varied, moderately complex and innovative administrative duties in support of multiple functions.

Essential Job Functions

• Assists supervisor with administration of labor agreements.
• Gathers information, reviews, and compiles complex files on sensitive/confidential issues.
• Aid in planning and executing meetings and department sponsored events.
• Maintain operation and recommend repairs or upgrades to office equipment and coordinate repair/upgrade of new equipment.
• Receive and screen visitors and/or telephone calls that require the use of judgment, tact, and diplomacy.
• Schedule, coordinate, and maintain assigned calendars.
• Act as the department resource for procurement of needed services, supplies, materials and equipment.
• Assist in the planning, design, development and promotion of special events, goals, objectives, plans, and programs of supervisor’s assigned area.
• Draft moderately-complex to complex documentation on sensitive/confidential issues.
• Serve as staff liaison to City Commission, Charter Officers, department heads, special committees, boards, standing commission committees or other entities.
• Initiate agenda items, prepare supporting materials and documentation, collect, prepare, and maintain official minutes.
• Prepare, process, review, and monitor grant documentation.
• Oversee and prepare division travel, accounting, payables, contract billing, timekeeping functions and project budgets.
• Enter and maintain purchase requisitions into automated system and processes associated with purchase orders and invoices.
• Receive and screen incoming electronic and regular mail correspondence, records and reports.
• Investigate subject matter and respond to issues and questions not requiring the attention of the manager.
• Record retention liaison for Department.
• Cook up and maintain recordkeeping, filing system, and destruction of records.
• Provide training & development to new hire support staff and act as liaison for departmental employees to ensure understanding and compliance of department and organizational policies and procedures.
• Remain abreast of current City policies and procedures, to ensure compliance while processing procurement and payables documents; coordinate with staff and vendors to resolve any issues in receipting invoices timely.
• Act as HR liaison by facilitating onboarding of new hires, employee separations, and retirements, in accordance with City policies and procedures.
• Absorb and resolve routine to moderately-complex complaints.
• Assign work to other subordinates of the assigned supervisor; coordinate work flow, and facilitate work completion.
• Provide coaching/mentoring to subordinate staff.
• Assist in development, preparation, and monitoring of annual and project budgets and reports.
• Perform limited analyses and prepare and summarize moderately complex statistical data.
• Takes real time or machine dictation.
• Write, edit, produce, and distribute informational, publicity, and promotional materials.
• Monitor administrative and operational directives from upper management to ensure compliance for area.
• Attend work on a continuous and regular basis.

Qualifications

• An Associate degree from an accredited college with major coursework in secretarial science, administrative assistance or related field or equivalent vocational/technical training and two (2) years of responsible administrative and staff support experience; or graduation from an accredited high school or possession of an acceptable equivalency diploma and three (3) years of responsible administrative and staff support experience.
• A Certified Administrative Professional (CAP) certificate or Certified Professional Secretary (CPS) certificate is preferred and may substitute for the Associate degree or equivalent vocational/technical training.