Office Administrator - ES Director's Office en City of Tacoma, WA

About the Department

In the Environmental Services Department, we believe everything we do supports healthy neighborhoods and a thriving Puget Sound, leaving a better Tacoma for all. 

The Environmental Services Department is currently recruiting for an appointive position of Office Administrator as a member of the Director’s Office Management Team. The incumbent will be responsible for leading the division’s administrative tasks for approximately 26 direct team members. In addition, the Office Administrator will be responsible to assist the Department Office Manager in leading the administrative duties for the Department of approximately 540 total staff. Primary responsibilities for the Office Administrator are oversight and review of payroll, accounts payable, purchasing, division correspondence, general reception and clerical duties, records management, division correspondence, HR management, employee development and evaluation, and other related duties as assigned.

The ideal candidate will be a proven leader and highly motivated strategic thinker.  Must possess the ability to exercise good judgment in a variety of situations with strong written and verbal communication, administrative and organizational skills, and the ability to maintain a realistic balance among multiple priorities. This position is required to work independently on projects from conception to completion while handling sensitive and confidential matters with discretion. 
 
Knowledge of SAP and HR processes is preferred. The incumbent also must be highly computer savvy and have a strong working knowledge of the Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and SharePoint; along with the ability to relate positively to all types of people and personalities. Must be able to work in a high-pressure environment, understand and respect deadlines, mentor and train others, maintain confidentiality and possess a professional attitude.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

Administrative Management

• Manages all administrative functions, whether directly or indirectly, for the Department.
• Serves as the facilitator and liaison for administrative matters within the Department in representation of the Office Manager, other City departments, and outside agencies.
• Consults and communicates with a variety of City departments, administrators, community members and staff to define and resolve problems, provide expertise, exchange information, and coordinate administrative/logistical matters relating to projects and programs.

Personnel Management

• Department liaison for all HR functions within the Department for a staff of 540+ positions, approximately half which are covered by one of four collective bargaining agreements.  
• Responsibilities include the coordination and management of (and with proper consultation): new hires, separations, terminations, discipline, promotions/demotions, SAP roles, OJI’s, safety issues, Core Conversations tracking, position creation and reclassifications.
• Manage the Department’s processes relating to personnel selection, evaluation, coaching, training, guidance, mentoring and discipline as necessary.
• Handles confidential information related to employee relations, changes in the organization, performance appraisals (or equivalent/related) and other sensitive HR-related matters.

Legislative Management

• Coordinates the Departments City Council legislative actions; by oversight of processing, coordinating, and assembling Council requests and correspondence; communicates and coordinates with various staff to ensure complete and accurate information is presented to the City Council; and ensures compliance with state law and City Council Rules of Procedure.
• Originate, prepare, and/or process departmental documents and letters for Director and Deputy Director signatures; review routine work of staff for completeness and ensure compliance with laws, rules, policies, procedures and standards.

Office Supervisor

• Assist in the development of the Department's future administrative team.  
• Coordinate workload management and recommend actions related to proper staffing and classification requirements to meet Departmental expectations.
• When requested by others, provide work direction and review staff output for corrections and provide suggestions and/or improvements if needed.
• Provide back-up support as required.

Record Management Coordinator

• Department liaison for information and record management.  
• Coordinate Department record keeping standards including SharePoint records, Public Disclosure Requests, archive manager, file management and website information.

Position Duties

Minimum Education*
High School Diploma or GED

Minimum Experience*
5 years of office administration and/or program support experience including 1 year of prior advanced level experience

*Equivalency: 1 year of experience = 1 year of education

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor's degree in business administration, public administration or closely related field and three years of senior level support of progressively responsible office / management experience.

Minimum Qualifications

Analysis

• Use data and information in a clear and rational process to assess and understand issues, evaluate options, form accurate conclusions and make decisions.  
• Gather, assemble, analyze and evaluate facts to draw logical conclusions and make proper recommendations and prepare clear, concise, and comprehensive written reports which require displaying and presenting statistical, graphical, and other reporting methods to audiences of varying technical sophistication.

Research

• Effectively identify, collect, organize and document data and information in ways that make the information most useful for subsequent assessment, analysis, and investigation using current software and techniques.  
• Compile and maintain reports, records and various other forms of pertinent information in an organized and professional manner.

Problem Solving and Technical Knowledge 

• Use intelligence, common sense, hard work and tenacity to solve particularly difficult or complicated challenges. 
• Operate assigned software in support of business unit goals.

Communications Effectiveness

• Effective communication (both verbal and in writing) including the compilation of reports, presentations and records; and interacting respectively and sensitively with individuals and groups to develop and maintain productive relationships and achieve results.  

Professionalism

• Conduct all assignments in a professional and timely manner.  
• Work with confidentiality and discretion.  Maintain professional skills that apply to all aspects of field of assigned specialty through continued education and/or training.  
• Model effective group behavior such as listening, discussing, negotiating, encouraging and motivating.  
• Remain current by reading and interpreting applicable ordinances, rules, regulations, policies and procedures.

Other Qualifications

Selection Process & Supplemental Information
Interested individuals should apply online by completing the application and attaching a resume and cover letter by the closing date and time listed on the job announcement. Applications received without attaching the required materials may not progress in the selection process.

Please note, there may be a writing assignment at the time of interview as well as a requirement for a drivers abstract.

City of Tacoma Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

At the City of Tacoma, we're on a mission to make our workforce as diverse and inclusive as the community we serve. We're committed to eliminating racial and other disparities, and we actively seek out candidates from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures. Join our team at the City of Tacoma and help us build a more vibrant, inclusive, and equitable community for all.

Tacoma is centrally located just 32 miles south of the city of Seattle and 31 miles north of the state capital, Olympia. The City of Tacoma is also home to the Port of Tacoma, which is among the largest container ports in the United States. Like most cities in the northwest, Tacoma is surrounded by beautiful nature, offering residents many opportunities for outdoor adventures.

Largely suburban in nature with a small, but dense, urban core, Tacoma is home to numerous institutes of higher learning that attract students from across the country. The University of Washington Tacoma, Pacific Lutheran University, University of Puget Sound, a satellite campus of the Evergreen State College, three community/technical colleges, and several trade and business schools are within Tacoma's geographic area. Downtown's Cultural District is the site of the Washington State History Museum, Museum of Glass, the Tacoma Art Museum, and America's Car Museum.

With its affordable housing and distinctive neighborhoods and business districts, the city has been recognized numerous times as a best city to live in the nation. To see a few of the great things Tacoma has to offer, view this YouTube Video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n5MWl8KFvI

Get Assistance

For assistance with the application process or questions regarding this job announcement please contact the Human Resources office at (253) 591-5400 by 4:00 p.m. of the closing date of the job announcement.

For technical difficulties using the Neogov system, call the applicant support line at 1-855-524-5627 between 6:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. This will allow us to assist you before the job announcement closes.

Communication with the City of Tacoma

We primarily communicate via email during the application process. Emails from Tacoma.gov and/or governmentjobs.com should be placed on your safe domain list to ensure that you receive notifications in a timely manner. As a precaution, you may also want to check your junk email folders.

Compensation & Benefits

Pay Details: 

Hourly Rate: $34.35 - $48.36 

Annual Salary: $71,448.00 - $100,588.80

Employee Benefits | City of Tacoma