DEFINITION:
Under general direction, the Senior Administrative Assistant performs a wide variety of complex office, administrative and technical tasks and duties in support of department management, department staff, and department programs requiring knowledge of a specialized function or service; researches, collects and analyzes data and prepares reports; tracks and reports operational data; assists the public by personally or directly providing information to requests according to established procedures; sorts, logs, and maintains records and other documents; follows policies, procedures, and work methods associated with assigned duties; and performs related work as required in a manner that is responsive, cost effective and innovative.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:
The Senior Administrative Assistant is the advanced journey-level class in the Administrative Assistant series. Positions at this level are distinguished from other classes within the series by the level of responsibility assumed, complexity of duties assigned, independence of action taken, by the amount of time spent performing the duties, and the nature of public contact made. Incumbents perform a full range of technical and administrative support duties, including organizing and coordinating workload; preparing reports; coordinating, reviewing, and interpreting technical documents; performing entry level plan review and permit and license issuance; and explaining Town ordinances, all requiring considerable department/program knowledge.
Working Conditions
Work is conducted primarily in an office setting and includes occasional trips to other agencies and offices to conduct administrative work. Pressures may be generated by deadlines, volume of work, frequent interruptions, or seasonal peak work periods.
Physical and Mental Demands
Physical: Position requires prolonged sitting, standing, walking, reaching, twisting, turning, kneeling, bending, squatting, and stooping in the performance of daily office activities. The position also requires grasping, repetitive hand movement and fine coordination in preparing statistical reports and data using a computer keyboard. Additionally, the position requires near and far vision in reading correspondence, statistical data and using the computer, and acute hearing is required when providing phone and personal service. The need to lift, drag, and push files, paper, and documents weighing up to 25 pounds also is required.
Mental: While performing the duties of this class, the incumbent is regularly required to use written and oral communication skills; read and interpret data, information and documents; analyze and solve complex problems; use math and mathematical reasoning; perform highly detailed work under changing, intensive deadlines, on multiple concurrent tasks; work with constant interruptions; and interact with other staff, officials and the public.
Supervision Received/Exercised
This position receives direction from the Director of an assigned department. Incumbents in this class may exercise functional and/or technical supervision over assigned staff or volunteers.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
- Performs a wide variety of complex office, administrative support, and technical tasks and duties, including organizing and coordinating work; sets priorities and meets deadlines.
- Assists the public by phone and receives visitors at the counter; listens to and receives complaints; responds to requests for documentation related to assigned area of responsibility; explains and interprets area policies and procedures to internal and external customers, demonstrating an understanding of applicable policies, procedures, and work methods associated with assigned duties; represents the Town to callers and visitors in a professional and customer-friendly manner.
- Performs technical and paraprofessional duties related to area of assignment including interpreting, analyzing, and determining compliance or acceptance of information and materials; prepares reports to document results of duties performed.
- Assists professional staff in performing and conducting studies, special projects, administrative and technical functions; performs data collection, research and analysis; prepares draft reports and technical documents; provides project oversight for the less complex or political projects.
- Establishes and maintains systems related to assigned technical area of responsibility; monitors area activities and reports progress as required.
- Ensures areas of responsibilities are in compliance with related laws, codes, ordinances, and legislation; advises staff of any irregularities in compliance.
- Reviews, verifies and processes documents related to department activities including budgets, contracts, grants, claims, legislation, purchasing, and other specialized documents based on area of assignment.
- Compiles and develops information for special studies and reports from a variety of resources; collects, compiles and reports findings and recommendations.
- Uses computers to enter, prepare, and proofread drafts, labels, forms, envelopes, and a variety of documents, which may include complex correspondence, agendas, press releases, reports, and memos; prepares and distributes a variety of documents; creates logs, maps, databases, and forms; prepares and distributes public hearing notices; maintains accurate files and records.
- Orders supplies; creates purchase orders; prepares invoices for payment; monitors expenditures; submits demands for payment; sorts and distributes mail.
- Edits, updates and uploads current information to the Town website on a regular basis.
- Prepares time sheets for assigned department for full-time, part-time and contract employees.
- When assigned, reviews routine plans for compliance with Town standards and issues permits; collects permitting fees.
- Assists customers with applications for appropriate permits; ensures applications are complete; oversees application process and forwards applications to appropriate location; receives plans and forwards to the appropriate staff member; locates and retrieves specific documents and plans for the public; provides information regarding procedures and services, tracks applications in a database.
- Assists supervisor and managers with a variety of administrative operations; prepares, recommends and implements procedural modifications.
- Coordinates and assists in the development and administration of a department budget; prepares budget reports; compiles annual budget requests; monitors and classifies expenditures; tracks and reconciles bills; produces budget reports; researches and resolves discrepancies.
- Independently responds to letters, e-mail and general correspondence based on areas of assignment.
- Coordinates, compiles and drafts communications, as requested.
- Coordinates and sets up public hearings, meetings and workshops on a regular basis. This requires agenda preparation, meeting set-up (whether in person or in an online portal), preparation and distribution of meeting minutes and agenda packets, coordination with staff, and technical proficiency in running Zoom meetings and webinars to provide public access to meetings and provides support to staff to conduct the meetings.
- Assists in supporting other departments as needed; depending on assignment, may support contract staff.
- Builds and maintains positive working relationships with co-workers, other Town employees and the public using principles of good customer service.
- Performs related work as required.
- Create forms, documents and applications for the public.
*The employer will make reasonable accommodation in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.*
