Job Details

Job Title: Administrative Assistant

Under general supervision, provides a variety of secretarial and office administrative assistance to various departments. Provides customer service, record keeping, and communication with various Commissions, Committees, and handles public inquiries. Support for front office and assist with telephones and meeting schedules. Sensitivity to confidential matters may be required. Bilingual in Spanish is preferred; we offer a $0.88 per hour bilingual incentive. Typical Hours of Operation:

• Mondays 9:00 am 6:00 pm
• Tuesdays 10:00 am 7:00 pm
• Wednesdays - 9:00 am 6:00 pm
• Thursdays 10:00 am 7:00 pm
• Fridays 8:00 am 5:00 pm

Examples of Duties:

• Receives and screens visitors and telephone calls, manages calendars, makes travel and meeting arrangements;
• Provides factual information which may require the interpretation of policies and procedures;
• Takes messages or refers the caller to the proper personnel;
• Researches and compiles a variety of informational materials from sources both inside and outside the office;
• Types drafts and a wide variety of finished documents from notes, brief instructions, or prior materials;
• Prepares reports;
• Provides training and support to other support staff;
• Work well with all levels of internal management as well as outside clients and vendors.
• Initiates specified correspondence independently for signature by appropriate management, supervisory or professional staff;
• Initiates invoices and prepares purchase requests and purchase orders and formal bid documents;
• Follows up on projects; transmits information; sets priorities and meets critical deadlines;
• May be required to attend evening meetings; take minutes; prepare and distribute agendas;
• May be responsible to receive and maintain supplies;
• Negotiating and arbitrating customer and public relations;
• Maintains records and files,
• Assist with overflow work from others and fill in as office receptionist, as needed; and
• Performs related duties as requested.

Typical Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalent supplemented with secretarial training; or
• Three (3) years of progressive clerical experience preferably in a municipal environment.
• Valid California driver's license with a good driving record at time of appointment.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Office administration and secretarial practices and procedures including business letter writing;
• Operation of common office equipment; i.e. personal computer, calculator, fax machine, copy machine;
• Basic communication and telephone skills;
• Skilled in public relations;
• Record keeping and filing methods;
• Correct English usage, including spelling, grammar, punctuation, and vocabulary;
• Provide various secretarial and office administrative assistance to supervisory, professional and technical staff;
• Use initiative and independent judgment within established guidelines;
• Compose correspondence independently or from brief instructions;
• Organize work, set priorities, meet critical deadlines, and follow up assignments with a minimum of direction;
• Use of a computer keyboard at an acceptable speed.
• Successfully pass a pre-employment physical including a drug test and live scan.

Working Conditions:

• Environmental Conditions: Office environment, exposure to computer screens.
• Physical Conditions: Essential and marginal functions may require maintaining physical condition necessary for sitting for prolonged periods of time.

Probationary Period: Employees in this classification serve a probationary period of one (1) year.

Employee Leave: The City offers a generous Vacation and Sick leave program, plus 10 annual holidays and one (1) floating holiday. Employees accrue 80 hours per year of sick leave; employees accrue 80 hours of vacation leave for the first five years; after five years, employees accrue additional vacation leave based on years of service.

Bachelor Degree Program: The City of Desert Hot Springs participates in the Civic Scholars Program and offers its full-time employees the opportunity to earn a bachelor's degree at no cost to the employee. Civic Scholars is an employer sponsored college pathway for the employees of Desert Hot Springs that is fully online and self-paced. Built to be mobile friendly, it allows the working adult to start or complete their bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited, non-profit university with no disruption to their work life balance. Details about this program, and how employees can obtain a bachelor's degree at no cost, is available from Human Resources.

Retirement: The City participates in the Social Security system and all employees are covered by the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS). Employees pay the Member's contribution depending on their prior PERS eligibility. Membership is mandatory. The retirement formula for new employees is 2% at 60, or 2% at 62, depending on prior PERS eligibility, with highest three-year compensation average.

Insurance: The City contributes a maximum amount per month towards the cost of medical, dental and vision coverage available to employees and dependents; life insurance is paid by the City.

Deferred Compensation Plan: Available for interested employees, offered through ICMA.

Drug Free Workplace: In compliance with the DRUG FREE WORKPLACE ACT OF 1988 it is City policy to maintain a drug free workplace.