Location
Description
Join the City of Menlo Park! We're seeking a dedicated full-time Office Assistant or Senior Office Assistant to provide vital administrative support that enhances our service to the community. We are currently evaluating candidates for placement in the Community Development Department based on their interests, experience, and education. An eligibility list of successful applicants will be maintained for subsequent Office Assistant/Senior Office Assistant vacancies.
THE DEPARTMENT
The Community Development department is responsible for ensuring a sustainable and vibrant community that supports a high quality of life for residents, businesses and visitors. It includes the Building, Planning and Housing divisions, and core services include building permits, plan check, inspections, affordable housing administration and housing initiatives, as well as long range planning and development review.
THE POSITION
Office Assistant
Under general supervision, incumbents provide a variety of office support activities to an assigned program or division, which may include word processing, data entry and organization, telephone and counter reception, document processing, record keeping, and filing; creating routine forms, memoranda, correspondence, and/or reports; performing routine operation of equipment; providing information and assistance to staff and the general public; and performing related work as required. This is the first working-level class in the Office Assistant classification series responsible for providing clerical and administrative support to an assigned department, division or program. Incumbents are expected to work independently and exercise judgment and initiative. Incumbents with clerical experience learn the policies, procedures, and methods of the assigned department or division and perform more routine administrative and office support duties, including document preparation, record-keeping, researching, compiling, and organizing information from various sources, screening phone calls, visitors, and mail, and directing questions to the appropriate staff. This class is distinguished from the Senior Office Assistant in that the latter performs more advanced administrative and office support duties requiring additional training and/or experience and may provide technical and functional direction to lower-level office support staff.
Senior Office Assistant
Under general supervision, incumbents perform a variety of office support activities including the more difficult or complex transactions to an assigned department, which may include word processing, data entry and organization, telephone and counter reception, processing of documents including work orders, record keeping and filing; typing routine forms, memoranda, correspondence, and/or reports; providing information and assistance to staff and the general public; providing lead direction and training to related staff; and performing related duties as assigned. This is the full journey-level class in the office support series. Incumbents at this level are capable of performing the full range of advanced and difficult clerical and office support duties, including taking and transcribing meeting minutes and assisting in department-related projects and programs. Positions at this level receive only occasional instruction or assistance as new or unusual situations arise and are fully aware of the operating procedures and policies of the work unit. This class is distinguished from the administrative assistant in that the latter performs more advanced technical and specialized administrative support duties requiring additional training and/or experience and is typically assigned to a division manager or department head.
Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate possesses a genuine desire to serve the Menlo Park community, is highly organized and detail-oriented, successful in meeting deadlines, and exhibits curiosity and a strong desire to learn and grow professionally. Key qualities of a successful candidate include excellent oral and written communication skills, ability to juggle various assignments in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, strong customer service skills, and resourceful and taking initiative to find answers. Spanish bilingual skills are highly desirable.
Responsibilities:
- Performs document preparation, record-keeping, and researching, compiling and organizing information.
- Provides professional and courteous customer service at all times.
- Schedule and coordinate meetings and appointments.
- Processes consultant invoices.
- Performs other routine clerical support work as required, which may include but is not limited to copying documents, filing/retrieving files, processing mail and creating noticing mailers, collating documents, maintaining lists and logs, scanning/imaging/indexing documents, ordering and maintaining inventory of supplies and forms, etc.
- Uses English effectively to communicate in person, over the telephone, and in writing.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Minimum Requirements:
Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:
Office Assistant
- Equivalent to completion of twelfth grade
- One year of general clerical or office support
Senior Office Assistant
- Equivalent to completion of the twelfth grade
- Three years of responsible general clerical or office support experience
Benefits
Office Assistant: $59,820 - $72,712 annually*
Senior Office Assistant: $63,339 - $76,989 annually*
*Effective the beginning of the first full pay period following July 1, 2025, the pay rates for employees in this representation unit shall be increased by an amount equal to three and one half percent (3.5%).
The City offers an excellent benefit package consisting of:
- Health Insurance: City contribution up to $2,655 per month towards a Cafeteria Plan which can be used to purchase medical insurance and participate in a flexible spending account for health care and/or child care reimbursement
- Dental: City-paid coverage for employee and dependents
- Vision: City-paid coverage for employee and dependents
- Vacation: 88 - 176 hours of vacation leave accrual each year, depending on length of service
- Sick Leave: 96 hours of sick leave accrued each year
- Holidays: 11 official holidays; 34 hours of floating holiday time per year; 8 “Day of Reflection” hours per year in recognition of holidays of individual and community importance
- Retirement: CalPERS: For classic members 2.0% @ 60 formula. For all others, 2.0% @ 62 formula
- Deferred Compensation: Voluntary participation in City Plans.
- Life Insurance: City-paid policy equal to 1.5 times regular annual wage
- Long Term Disability: City-paid coverage
- Educational leave and tuition reimbursement
- A City-paid Caltrain GoPass. The Menlo Park campus is centrally located within walking distance from Caltrain and downtown Menlo Park.
- A City-paid BayPass. This pilot program offers employees unlimited travel for both work and personal trips on 25 Bay Area transit agencies that use the Clipper card.
- A transportation allowance program provides employees with $1.50 per day when they walk, bicycle or carpool to work at least once per week.
- Employees are provided with access to an on-site gym at no cost
For additional benefit information, visit www.menlopark.gov and review the City of Menlo Park and SEIU Memorandum of Understanding.
Special Instructions
IMPORTANT: Please be sure to fill out the required City application completely, including all relevant work experience. Applications with “See Resume” as a substitution for the work experience description and/or unclear past employment information will not be considered.
Applications will be screened according to the qualifications outlined in this announcement. Not all applications which may meet the minimum requirements will proceed to the next phase of the recruitment process. If 25 or fewer qualified applications are received, the eligibility list will be established based on application review. If 26 or more qualified applications are received, candidates will be invited to participate in an Oral Board Panel Examination or a Spark Hire One-Way Video Interview Examination tentatively scheduled for the week of June 30, 2025. All applicants will be notified by email as to whether or not they are invited to participate further in the selection process.
An Eligible List will be established as a result of this examination process and will be valid for a period of six (6) months. The list may be extended up to a maximum of two (2) years. The hiring department will review the Eligible List to determine which candidates will be invited to the department selection process.
The City of Menlo Park is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the City of Menlo Park not to discriminate against all qualified applicants or employees. We will make reasonable efforts in the selection process to accommodate persons with disabilities. Please contact Human Resources at (650) 330-6670 or jobs@menlopark.gov prior to the closing date for accommodation requests.
Before receiving an offer of employment, the candidate will be required to successfully complete a reference check, criminal conviction history questionnaire, OccuScreen background, DOJ fingerprinting, and a physical examination.
Applicants must be successful in all phases of the selection process to be considered for this position.
In accordance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act, all potential employees are required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship or authorization to work in the United States. The City will not sponsor applicants for work visas.