THE CITY OF OCEANSIDE IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.
Approval to hire for this position is subject to City Council approval on January 22, 2025.
About Oceanside’s Water Utilities Department & Our Administrative Division
The Oceanside Water Utilities Department is an innovative and forward-looking organization whose goal it is to ensure ongoing access to safe & affordable drinking water, reliable wastewater collection & treatment services, and environmental sustainability by maintaining top talent, resource resiliency, dependability, and system efficiency.
The City of Oceanside is accepting applications for the position of Administrative Secretary in the Administrative Division of the Water Utilities Department. This division conducts the administrative and clerical functions of the department as a whole providing reliable support to the many operational divisions of the utility and to the Water Utilities Director, and Division Managers, and Principal Water Engineer.
About the position
This Administrative Secretary is the lead staff member responsible for conducting and ensuring the efficient workflow of front-office, customer service, and general administrative tasks.
This role provides support to all divisions of the Water Utilities Department, which range from water and sewer operations staff to administrative and white collar staff. Additionally, this position performs a critical tasks such as assisting department leadership with email and calendar management, managing standard operating procedures, and special events planning. The incumbent in this position may also have oversight for the department’s Staff Payroll, Accounts Payable, Events and Conference Travel Planning, and will become a subject matter expert for a myriad of administrative policies and procedures, in accordance with Departmental and City directives.
This position may also be assigned to take on special tasks as required by the Water Utilities Director and administrative Supervisors.
You should be excited about this opportunity because you will…
- Lead the day-to-day operations of the administrative and clerical support team
- Be a central point of contact & subject-matter expert for 160+ utility operations and management staff
- Help residents and developers resolve issues regarding water, wastewater and other services
- Become knowledgeable in local water and wastewater practices
- Lead the planning of department-wide employee events
- Empower our department to continue innovating by ensuring reliable administrative support to operations!
Who we are looking for…
If you have experience in a clerical or secretarial role, work collaboratively, are able to proactively oversee complex and diverse front-desk duties, can confidently provide customer service over the phone and in person, and have excellent writing skills and an aptitude for process improvement and you will succeed in this role!
Prior experience in utilities or a municipal organization are preferred, but not required.
The Administrative Secretary provides highly responsible, confidential and complex administrative, secretarial, and clerical support to assigned Department Director and other management staff; serves as liaison between the assigned office and other City staff and the general public; screens calls, visitors, and mail; answers questions and provides information to City staff and the public regarding City and departmental procedures and policies; follows up on sensitive customer complaints and inquiries; participates in administrative duties relating to the assigned office; researches, compiles, analyzes, and summarizes data for special projects; prepares various comprehensive reports; verifies and reviews materials, applications, records, and reports for completeness and conformance with established regulations and procedures; assists in the preparation of the department budget; compiles budget requests and recommends expenditure requests for designated accounts; serves as the office manager for the assigned office; oversees office functions including supervising and scheduling personnel; assigns work activities; reviews and evaluates work products, methods and procedures; meets with staff to identify and resolve problems; recommends improvements in work flow, procedures, and use of equipment and forms; establishes and maintains a variety of files and records of information pertinent to the administration of the Department and specific programs; handles confidential and sensitive information regarding personnel and controversial matters; maintains department supplies and equipment; contacts vendors and orders supplies as necessary; maintains calendar of activities, meetings, and various events for assigned staff; coordinates travel arrangements; attends a variety of meetings; prepares presentation materials for meetings; prepares and compiles agenda packets; takes and prepares minutes of official board, committee, or commission meetings; disseminates information as appropriate; takes and transcribes dictation from shorthand notes or recorded dictation; independently composes correspondence; operates a variety of office equipment including copiers, facsimile machine and computer; utilizes various computer applications and software packages; enters data, maintains, and generates reports from a database or network system; types, creates, proofreads, and edits a wide variety of reports, letters, memoranda, correspondence, and statistical charts using word processing software.
Knowledge of: - Modern office procedures, methods and equipment including computers and applicable software applications.
- Principles of supervision and training
- Research and analysis techniques.
- English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
- Principles and procedures of record keeping.
- Principles of business letter writing and basic report preparation.
- Practices used in minute taking and preparation.
- Basic principles and practices of budget preparation and administration.
- Methods and techniques of public relations and customer service.
- Methods and techniques of proper phone etiquette.
- Pertinent Federal, State, and local laws, codes, and regulations.
- Mathematical principles and applications.
Ability to:
- Perform responsible administrative and secretarial work involving the use of independent judgment and personal initiative.
- Understand the organization and operation of the City and of outside agencies as necessary to assume assigned responsibilities.
- Plan, organize, coordinate and supervise the work of others;
- Implement and maintain standard filing systems.
- Maintain and update accurate records and files.
- Interpret and apply administrative and departmental policies and procedures.
- Independently prepare correspondence and memoranda.
- Type at a speed necessary for successful job performance.
- Take and transcribe dictation at a speed necessary for successful job performance.
- Maintain confidentiality of work performed.
- Operate and use modern office equipment including computers and supporting word processing and spreadsheet applications.
- Research, compile, and summarize a variety of informational materials.
- Work independently in the absence of supervision.
- Work cooperatively with other departments, City officials, and outside agencies.
- Respond tactfully, clearly, concisely, and appropriately to inquiries from the public, press or other agencies on sensitive issues in area of responsibility.
- Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
- Establish and maintain effective relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
Experience and Training
Experience: Four years of increasingly responsible administrative and secretarial experience including one year of supervisory or lead responsibility.
Training: Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade supplemented by specialized training in office procedures or a related field.
Environmental Conditions: Office environment; exposure to computer screens; extensive public contact.
Physical Conditions: Essential functions may require maintaining physical condition necessary for sitting and standing for prolonged periods of time; speaking and hearing to exchange information; visual acuity to read and interpret information.
Selection Process: All properly completed applications will be reviewed and the most appropriately qualified individuals will be invited to continue in the selection process. Failure to provide all required application materials will result in disqualification from the selection process. The process may include any combination of written exam, oral exam, and/or skills assessment to further evaluate job-related qualifications. Candidates who successfully complete the selection process will be placed on the Eligibility List for a minimum of six months.
RESUMES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED IN LIEU OF COMPLETED APPLICATION FORMS, BUT MAY BE ATTACHED.
CANDIDATES WHO REQUIRE A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION IN THE SELECTION PROCESS SHOULD STATE THEIR NEEDS IN WRITING WHEN SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION PACKAGE.
THE PROVISIONS IN THIS BULLETIN DO NOT CONSTITUTE AN EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED CONTRACT. ANY PROVISION CONTAINED IN THIS BULLETIN MAY BE MODIFIED OR REVOKED WITHOUT NOTICE.
