ESCONDIDO UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT                                                      CLASS SPECIFICATION

SECRETARY I/II

SECRETARY I/II – BILINGUAL (LANGUAGE)

DEFINITION

Under the direction of a Director, Coordinator, or other departmental administrator, Secretaries I perform a variety of responsible secretarial, office management, and clerical duties to relieve the supervisor of routine administrative detail, facilitate his/her program management, and assist in effective departmental communications; Secretaries II typically have more delegated responsibility in departments that are larger and/or have other operational complexity factors; and to perform related duties as assigned.

TYPICAL DUTIES

Assists a departmental administrator by performing a variety of responsible secretarial and office management duties such as making appointments, maintaining the administrator’s calendar (and that of his/her assistants), making arrangements for meeting and events, and taking minutes at meetings.

Secretary II level positions typically have more delegated responsibility to speak for the administrator in some defined areas related to the department or assignment.

Maintains some or all of a department budget (often larger for Secretaries II) initiates purchase requisitions and budget transfers, and authorizes expenditures for supplies, substitutes, and similar office management expenditures. 

Performs clerical and/or technical duties in support of program operations including drafting reports and/or compiling and preparing agenda and supporting documents.  Performs a wide variety of general clerical tasks in support of departmental functions including typing, proofing, and editing correspondence and reports, maintaining logs and records, duplicating and distributing materials.

Composes a variety of routine correspondence with no or minimal direction.

Organizes and maintains office records and files, compiles information, and completes a variety of data-based reports; utilizes the computer for word processing, data base, and spreadsheet applications.

Screens callers and answers a wide variety of telephone and personal inquiries, including both routine informational requests and questions requiring more knowledge of program operations, policies, and administrator’s preferences.

May supervise temporary and regular office clerical staff; trains, monitors work, and assists in assessing performance of the same; Secretary II level positions typically supervise a group of regular employees and have greater responsibility for training, supervising, and handling public relations or more difficult work problems referred by subordinates. 

Performs other duties as assigned.

Bilingual positions also interpret between English and a designated second language for meetings and conferences and personal or phone inquiries; they may translate correspondence, reports, records, legal documents, and other written materials.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

Secretary I is the journey level classification, with incumbents performing responsible secretarial duties to assist a departmental manager by relieving him/her of routine administrative details such as office management, scheduling/coordinating activities, preparing routine correspondence, and maintaining departmental records; some supervision may be exercised over temporary helpers and one or more regular employees.  Secretary II assists a departmental manager in those larger departments where duties are more complex or responsible because of departmental size/number of subordinates supervised (typically three or more), and or a combination of indicators such as size of budget maintained by secretary, physical isolation of office, and/or delegated responsibility for technical program work or contacts requiring more specialized knowledge.  A Secretary III is the advanced-level secretarial position reporting to a senior-level director where the department is of major size, scope, and impact; and duties are characterized by a high degree of delegated responsibility for administrative detail, personnel and budgetary tracking, and supervision over a larger group of employees (usually 4 or more).

Positions designated as confidential differ from others in this class as they have access to information relating to employer-employee relations.

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS

Knowledge of: Modern office practices, procedures, and equipment; computer operation and common office software applications; knowledge of correct English grammar, vocabulary, and basic composition; basic accounting procedures for departmental budget applications; (II) basic supervisory principles.

Ability to: Establish and maintain effective working relationships with District administrators and employees, parents, the general public, vendors and consultants, and subordinates and coworkers; utilize correct and effective English language skills in oral and written communications; compose routine business correspondence; learn and utilize new software applications, as necessary, for departmental and secretarial functions; work independently within general guidelines, to organize work and establish priorities, and to use good judgment in operating within position limitations and keeping supervisor informed of activities and issues; learn necessary program regulations and procedures; maintain some or all of the departmental budget records; and supervise temporary workers and any regular subordinates; type at a speed of 45 net words per minute.  Some positions also require the ability to speak, read, and write in a designated second language.

Essential Physical and Mental Activities and Work Environment: Work is performed in typical office environments, although some positions may require walking through maintenance/operations locations to communicate with departmental employees.  With or without reasonable accommodation, incumbents must have sufficient visual acuity to read computer screens, regulations, reports, and other data all day; sufficient hearing to comprehend ordinary phone and personal conversation; sufficient clarity of speech to explain regulations and procedures by telephone and in person; sufficient mental ability to understand and apply regulations and procedures, analyze and organize data, and learn software applications; physical ability to operate a computer and other common office equipment. The job generally requires 80% sitting, 10% walking, and 10% standing.

Typical Background: High school graduation or the equivalent, preferably supplemented by courses in office practices, bookkeeping, and/or computer operation.  (I) Any combination of two years of responsible clerical experience with the District and/or two years of secretarial experience.  (II) Any combination of three years of the above secretarial/EUSD clerical experience with at least one year at the Secretary I or Clerk Typist III level including responsibility for budget, supervision, or working with complex regulations.

Qualifications: In order to be considered qualified for a vacancy in this classification, a candidate must possess the required background and successfully demonstrate such background, knowledge, skills and abilities through an examination process.

5/24/00.  Approved by the Personnel Commission on May 30, 2000

Revised 11/2006.  Approved by the Personnel Commission on 11/16/06

Revised 07/24/2009-AT

Draft submitted to the Personnel Commission on 7/14/14-AL

Approved by the Personnel Commission on 07/14/2014