Secretary to the Superintendent (Confidential) presso Compton Unified School District, CA

About the Department

Under direction of the Superintendent, to perform responsible administrative and technical staff assistance work and executive-level secretarial duties; to plan and organize, schedule and calendar activities and work flow; to coordinate communication  for a complex district-wide office; to interpret and apply knowledge of policies, rules, regulations and procedures, programs, and organization to specific situations and issues in a timely manner and error free; and to do other related work as directed.

 JOB RELATIONSHIPS:

This one-position class is differentiated from the classification of Executive Secretary by the assignment to perform complex executive-level secretarial work in a district-wide and multi-functional office under the supervision of eight distinct supervisors. This assignment requires varied and responsible administrative staff work exercising independent to act and make decisions on behalf of the Superintendent and Board Members in accordance with instructions, precedent, established policies and procedures, and a thorough understanding of the programs and personalities of the offices of the Superintendent and Board of Trustees. Position also requires understanding philosophy, plans, and priorities of the Superintendent and Board Members. The level of multi-tasking in this position requires excellent judgment.  The position will have regularly assigned administrative staff assignments and special projects which are performed independently and which require initiative, the development of an in-depth understanding of specialized areas of the work, and an advanced level of computer technology skill.  In addition, the position is expected to compose difficult correspondence; statistical and narrative reports; under minimal or no supervision. This position makes decisions scheduling the time of the Superintendent and Board Members; screens work submitted to their offices for conformity with policy, regulation and procedure; returns the work product to the originator after execution or for further completion when work does not comply with established standards. This position uses excellent judgment and highly developed skill in communicating with a broad range of people on behalf of the Superintendent and Board.  The position will participate in the employer's labor relations activities by compiling data and performing administrative support work that requires access to the employer's position on labor relations matters. Further, this position must staff and attend night Board Meetings and provide staff support for multiple and diversified Board committees.

Position Duties

Multi-tasking for eight (8) separate positions of authority with some simultaneous assignments without becoming overly stressed.

Above average patience with having weekends, holidays and other time-off disrupted by emergency circumstances requiring immediate attention at the request of the Superintendent and Board Members.

Organize and manage the workflow of the Superintendent and Board of Trustee's office, assuring efficiency and quality of administrative support operations; relieve the Superintendent and the Board of Trustees of administrative detail; plan, develop, improve, and implement processes to complete assigned projects and on-going operations of the district-wide office.  This position coordinates the work of the office of the Superintendent and Board Members and the work of other divisions.

Perform specialized administrative staff work and special assignments.  Collect information, statistical data and backup material; prepare and edit statistical, financial, and administrative reports for approval. Participate in meetings related to assigned projects and functions and attend meetings on behalf of the Superintendent and Board Members, as assigned.  Remain current in areas of assignments and in areas of special interest to the Superintendent and the Board Members.  Screen professional literature and bring important issues and developments to the attention of the Superintendent and the Board Members and appropriate staff district-wide.

Assign, monitor, guide, check, correct, evaluate, and supervise the work of assigned staff of the office.

Interview callers, both in person and on the telephone; screen and refer to other individuals as appropriate.  Receive highly complex messages and technical reports from a variety of sources, such as attorneys, auditors, department managers, etc. and transmit the information to the Superintendent and the Board Members in either written summary form and/or by oral communication.  Schedule appointments and meetings of the Superintendent and the Board Members.  Use discretion in evaluating the relative importance of requests for appointments and make and reschedule appointments, as appropriate.  Initiate calls to obtain and transmit information.  Make or monitor travel and hotel arrangements.

Provide authoritative information to administrators, other employees, students, parents and the public as necessary; interpret and explain State and Federal laws and guidelines, and District policies, programs, rules, and procedures.  Maintain an understanding of the programs and functions of the division and their relationship to the district/program operations as a whole.  Serve as a resource to others by understanding and verbalizing the philosophy, standards, and expectations of the Superintendent and the Board Members to guide others in answering questions, resolving problems, and making plans.

Ensure that confidential and time sensative information is communicated to the Superintendent, Board Members and District personnel.

Assign agenda item numbers issued for the Superintendent's office.

Verify, record and submit payroll for Superintendent and Board of Trustees.

Plan, organize, prepare and assemble Board agenda items and reports of the office of the Superintendent and the Board.  Maintain follow-up files to ensure the timely placement of items on the agenda.  Review Board agenda materials submitted by division staff for conformance with requirements and standards, making corrections or returning the materials to the originator, as appropriate.  Give direction to staff to insure timely and accurate materials for presentation to the Board. Prepare and follow-up on certification reports.

Responsible for posting regular, special, ROP and Board Sub-Committee meeting notices and agendas as specified in the California Education Code and Government Code.

Assist with coordinating dinner menus for the Board meetings.

Prepare and distribute meeting notices and agendas; attend regular and special board meetings, workshops and conferences,  as assigned; Transcribe, proofread, edit, prepare and distribute comprehensive Board Meeting and Committee minutes.. Attend and participate in division  management meetings.  Prepare executive reports of management meetings.  Remind departmental managers of assignments and deadlines.  Use discretion to extend deadlines.  Give direction to staff on behalf of the Superintendent and Board Members to insure that urgent issues are addressed in a timely manner, that assignments are completed, and that decisions are implemented in accordance with direction given by the Superintendent and the Board.

Serve as a resource to administrative support personnel in the use of office automation hardware and software and in the development of office procedures.  Meet periodically with office secretaries and clerks to coordinate work and standardize practices and procedures.

Compose and keyboard correspondence and reports, including that of a confidential nature, from notes, rough drafts, transcription machine tapes, or verbal instructions.

Operate computer terminals and microcomputers and a wide range of advanced office software including word processing, spreadsheets, graphics and desktop publishing and specialized software, to create and prepare documents and presentations and to access information for reports and decision making.

Monitor budget of office of Superintendent and the Board Members; prepare and maintain an up-to-date record of budget expenditures and account balances for the assigned programs.

Maintain complex and confidential files and records such as records of various Federal and State projects, personnel and labor relations.

Responsible for researching, gathering, and assembling information for the purpose of all Public Record requests.

Prepare minutes of the meetings of the Board and Board Committees.

Perform related work as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Five years of office experience, including four years of administrative secretary/office manager experience.  One year of supervisory experience and an Associate of Arts degree in Secretarial Science or designated as a Certified Professional Secretary (CPS) may be substituted for two years of the required non-supervisory experience.  Baccalaureate degree in business administration, public administration, or closely related field may be substituted for Associated of Arts degree or CPS Certificate requirement. Above average patience and tolerance for multi-tasking for eight (8) positions of authority that the position has accountability to serve.