JOIN THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY!
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The San Diego County Water Authority is an independent public agency that serves as San Diego County's regional water wholesaler. The mission of the Water Authority is to provide a safe and reliable water supply to its 22 member agencies serving the region's $268 billion economy and 3.3 million residents.
The Water Authority is executing a long-term strategy to diversify the region's supplies, make major investments in the region's water delivery and storage system, and improve water use efficiency. Through dynamic leadership, thoughtful planning, and prudent fiscal policies, the Water Authority is cost effectively managing the region's water portfolio, while continuing to diversify supplies to enhance current and future reliability.
The Operations & Maintenance Department
The Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Department is responsible for operating the Water Authority's aqueduct delivery system; ensuring facility security and emergency preparedness; and maintaining and managing the fleet and various other assets. Specifically, the department controls water deliveries to meet member agency demands; manages dam and reservoir operations; ensures water quality; oversees water treatment plant and power generation operations; maintains all vehicles and heavy equipment; provides electro-mechanical support; implements the Asset Management Program (AMP); complies with all applicable environmental regulations; manages emergency incident command and control; and develops and manages computerized Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) and system maintenance programs.
Operations & Maintenance Administration Division
The Operations & Maintenance Administration Division provides administrative support to the 91 personnel located at the Water Authority's Escondido Operations Center, and includes the Director of O&M. The division is responsible for all administrative functions including leadership support, department budget management, procurement and invoice processing, contract negotiation and administration, emergency management support, records management, Board of Directors support, technical writing, strategic and business planning, special project management, departmental personnel coordination and other related functions.
The Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate is resourceful, flexible, organized, adaptable, dynamic, confidential and responsible, with sharp political acumen and a versatile background in all facets of administrative support.
They will possess:
- An innate sense of urgency and the ability to prioritize.
- Dedication to providing stellar customer service and support.
- Aptitude and competency to attend and support regular and special board committee meetings.
- Experience providing support in a maintenance environment.
- Broad administrative support experience, including records management and processing confidential documentation.
- Meticulous attention to detail, strong grammar and language skills, and the ability to identify and correct errors in written content, including spelling, punctuation, and formatting.
- Creative problem solving and decision-making abilities.
- Strong Microsoft Office Suite skills, including experience creating, tracking, maintaining, and editing documents, spreadsheets, and presentations.
The ideal candidate works independently, takes initiative, and communicates easily and professionally with a variety of people and personalities. Experience in accounts payable, budget, data manipulation, website management or contracts is a plus.
The Administrative Assistant performs a variety of difficult, responsible, specialized and confidential secretarial and office management functions; and performs related duties as assigned.
Distinguishing Characteristics
Administrative Assistants provide highly responsible and confidential secretarial services to department directors and managers and/or independently perform a variety of difficult, specialized administrative support and office management functions that require a thorough knowledge of departmental terminology, procedures and practices, with a significant degree of independence and accountability for results.
Representative Duties
The duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the class.
Secretarial Duties
- Prepares (creates, types, formats, edits, revises, and proofreads) from rough notes, drafts, dictation, standard templates, and oral instructions, a variety of documents ranging from routine to complex, including narrative and statistical reports, correspondence, memoranda, contracts and agreements, policies and procedures, specifications, presentations, informational materials, manuals, logs, mailing lists, and rosters.
- Prepares charts, tables and spreadsheets involving data manipulation.
- Reviews documents for clerical accuracy, completeness and compliance with Water Authority requirements.
- Finalizes and packages documents in hard copy and electronically for internal and external distribution.
- Supports the departmental calendars for department executives, managers, and front-line supervisors; coordinates, schedules, and confirms conferences, special events, and internal and external meetings and events.
- Arranges departmental travel, including preparing and processing travel authorizations, making reservations, and assembling expense and reimbursement reports.
- Coordinates and facilitates hosting of onsite and offsite meetings and events; prepares and distributes meeting agendas and minutes; coordinates refreshments/catering and facilities and conferencing equipment needs; assists with greeting of guests and other day-of needs.
- Supports Board committee meetings by managing agendas; reviewing, revising, and routing memoranda; attending and supporting meetings and preparing minutes.
- Reviews, determines priority, and routes incoming correspondence; alerts staff to high priority items.
- Coordinates department deliverables and submittals to other departments, the public, and officials.
- Maintains a high level of customer service; provides in-person and telephone customer service to officials, Water Authority and member agency staff and the public; provides information and handles issues that may require sensitivity and the use of sound independent judgment and critical thinking; responds to requests for information, conducts research, and refers requests to appropriate staff; responds to complaints and refers complaints to appropriate staff, as needed or takes or recommends action to resolve customer issues; provides receptionist coverage as needed.
- Maintains various departmental human resources activities including, calendars of performance review dates emergency contact lists, leave schedules, and the Flex Program; acts as liaison between department management and human resources staff to transmit confidential records such as status change forms, performance reviews, disciplinary actions, etc. and ensures departmental hard copy and electronic personnel records are maintained securely.
Administrative Support Duties
- Monitors monthly expenditures against the approved budget; prepares and manages purchase requisitions and orders; works with centralized Purchasing Division and department managers to resolve purchasing, contract and/or invoicing issues; assigns account code numbers, verifies invoices for accuracy and completeness, obtains approval for payment, and scans and vouchers invoices; resolves discrepancies with the Finance Department.
- Maintains departmental records including effective and systematic management of departmental records from creation or receipt, to ultimate disposition, in accordance with the Water Authority's Records Management Program.
- Maintains department website, ensuring information is up to date and accessible. Regularly evaluate staff needs and available information.
For further details regarding the duties and responsibilities, and qualification guidelines for this class specification, please click on the following link:
Administrative AssistantWork Schedule: Employees assigned to work at the Escondido office work a 4/10 schedule, 10 hour days from Monday through Thursday. Normal business hours for the Escondido Operations Center are 6:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The successful candidate will be required to work primarily onsite during the probationary period. Following the probationary period, this position may be eligible for occasional remote work, subject to consideration of the job activities being performed and depending on business needs.
The qualification guidelines generally describe the knowledge and ability required to enter the job in order to successfully perform the assigned duties. Any combination of experience and training that would provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities will be considered.
Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade supplemented by five years of increasingly responsible office clerical or secretarial experience. Completion of an Associate's degree or certification as a professional secretary is desirable. Experience in a government or public utility setting is highly desirable.
To be considered for this position, please submit an employment application and supplemental questionnaire by Wednesday, May 21, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application and supplemental questionnaire.
All applications and supplemental questionnaires will be evaluated in relation to the criteria outlined in this job announcement. The selection process may consist of an appraisal interview, writing exercise, and/or other appropriate screening devices.
To ensure timely and successful navigation, please consider applying early if you are new to the governmentjobs.com application system. For technical assistance with the online application system, please review the Government Jobs online application guide, or contact their toll-free applicant support line at (855) 524-5627. If you have questions regarding the position, please contact Patricia Duran, Human Resources Analyst, at (858) 522-6663.
The San Diego County Water Authority is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy status), gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, age, genetic information, mental or physical disability (whether perceived or actual), ancestry, military or veteran status, citizenship status, medical condition, and/or national origin.
Should you have any questions regarding the recruitment process or require accommodations pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact Patricia Duran, Human Resources Analyst, at (858) 522-6663.
