Location
Description
About this role
The San Mateo Consolidated Fire Department is looking for highly motivated individuals to be part of our support staff team at the Administrative Assistant level. Successful candidates should be highly organized, professional, friendly, able to handle confidential materials, have thorough knowledge of department policies & Memorandums of Understanding and be able to work independently.
What You’ll Do
- Provide excellent customer service for the Fire Prevention, Fire Administration, or Training Divisions.
- Perform a wide variety of complex and difficult administrative duties.
- Implement and assist in developing procedures and policies related to functions assigned.
- Research, compile, assemble and analyze data for special projects and a variety of statistical, financial, and narrative reports, and compile budget requests.
- May plan and assign the work of several clerical personnel in the performance of one or more important department functions or independently perform all the clerical work of a department function; review work upon completion for conformance to established requirements.
- Act as receptionist; answer the telephone and wait on the general public, giving information on department policies and procedures as required.
- Maintain a variety of statistical records; input, format, and process statistical data; check and tabulate data; prepare simple statistical reports.
- Maintain inventory records; process purchase requisitions; maintain purchase records; resolve errors in orders received and invoices.
- Perform general clerical work including filing, scheduling appointments, and processing personnel, payroll and purchasing information.
For a complete list of duties, reference our job specifications at www.smcfire.org/administration.
Ideal Candidate
Who You Are
A highly motivated individual that can:
- Perform responsible and difficult administrative work involving the use of independent judgment.
- Learn department policies, procedures, organization, and operating details.
- Understand the organization and operation of City government and of outside agencies as necessary to assume assigned responsibilities.
- Learn, understand, interpret, and apply a body of technical information beyond normal department policies and procedures.
- Plan and assign work and train other clerical employees.
- Independently prepare correspondence and memorandums.
- Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
- Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
What You Bring
Any combination of education, training, and work experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge, skills, and abilities would be:
Experience:
General clerical experience comparable to that of an Administrative Assistant.
Training:
Equivalent to completion of the twelfth grade supplemented by specialized clerical training.
ADA Special Requirement
Ability to work in a standard office environment.
Benefits
What We Offer
Benefits will be in accordance with the MOU agreed upon by AFSCME and the San Mateo Consolidated Fire Department and include but are not limited to the following:
- CalPERS retirement: 2% at 62 based on three years final compensation
- Health benefits: Department contribution of up to 100% cost of Kaiser (CalPERS Region One) family coverage
- Dental: Department paid coverage for employee and dependents
- Vision: Department paid coverage for employee and dependents
- Employee Assistance Program: Department paid coverage for employee and dependents
- Vacation: 11-25 days of vacation leave accrual each year, depending on length of service
- Sick leave: 96 hours of sick leave accrued each year
- Holidays: 13 official holidays per year, plus one floating holiday earned each year after one year of service
- Education Incentive: Up to $200/month
- Life Insurance: Department paid $50,000 policy and access to voluntary supplemental coverage for employee, spouse, and dependents
- Deferred Compensation: voluntary program offered to employee
- Long Term Disability Coverage: Department paid coverage for employee
- State Disability: Department is enrolled in the plan, and cost is paid by employee
Special Instructions
Are You Ready? Apply.
Submit an online application, supplemental questionnaire, and résumé (required) at www.calopps.org or to:
San Mateo Consolidated Fire Department, Human Resources Department, 2121 S. El Camino Real, Building B, Suite 100, San Mateo, CA 94403
Recruitment will close Tuesday, May 19, 2026 or when 50 qualified applications are received.
Examination Process:
All applications, résumés and supplemental questionnaires received will be reviewed for minimum qualifications. A resume does not take the place of a completed application, including work history. A limited number of the most highly qualified applicants will be invited to participate in the examination process, which will consist of an oral panel interview and skills exercise, tentatively scheduled for June 2, 2026. Those moving on in the process will have a second interview on June 4, 2026.
An employment list will be established for those who pass the examination process. Current and future vacancies may be filled from this list. The list will remain in effect for at least twelve months with the possibility of an extension for an additional 12 months. Once placed on an employment list, and at the time a vacancy occurs, eligible candidates may be contacted by the Department and scheduled for additional department interviews.