Administrative Assistant

Job Title: Administrative Assistant

Department: Police Department

Pay Grade: 12

Benefits Information

• Comprehensive Health Coverage
• Medical plan options
• Vision and dental coverage for employees and their families

Paid Time Off

• 14 Paid holidays (as established by City Council)
• Vacation leave accrues from the date of hire
• Sick leave accrues from the date of hire

Retirement & Financial Benefits

• Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS): 7% employee contribution with a 2-to-1 City match
• Voluntary supplemental retirement plans
• Voluntary flexible spending accounts (FSA) & health savings accounts (HSA) for health and dependent care

Professional Development & Additional Benefits

• Tuition reimbursement for continued education
• Certification pay for eligible employees
• Longevity Pay 
• Safety Bonus

General Description

The Assistant performs routine, often detailed, clerical and administrative functions including but not limited to administrative and office support activities. Duties may include fielding telephone calls, receiving and directing visitors, word processing, creating spreadsheets and documents, drafting letters, and filing. Good software skills are required, as well as Internet research abilities and strong communication skills. He or she will assist other staff members as needed. The Assistant performs receptionist functions, handles purchasing duties, and other duties as assigned.

Essential Job Duties

The Assistant must be able to perform the following essential job duties with or without reasonable accommodation.

1. Greet and assist customers and co-workers, handle messages and inquiries over the telephone and in person, and provide exceptional customer service.
2. Greet visitors and callers, answer telephone calls, respond accurately and promptly to inquiries and direct customers to the appropriate persons according to their needs; communicate with guests to obtain required information.
3. Assist others; be helpful, cooperative, and courteous, and demonstrate a good attitude in all dealings with the public, co-workers, the media, and others.
4. Use computers for various applications, such as database management or word processing; create, maintain, and enter information into databases.
5. Perform routine data entry and other record support activities, including creating, sorting, copying, distributing, scanning, emailing, and filing documents.
6. Research and locate police reports, make copies, make mail runs, order supplies, and make shopping runs as needed.
7. Make phone calls, confirm meetings, scan and e-mail memos, coordinate schedules for applicants, visitors, tours, dignitaries, and the general public.
8. Work the lobby window, demonstrating a high level of customer service.
9. Typing, formatting and proofreading documents to be sent out by the Police Department.
10. Set up and manage paper or electronic records and filing systems for customers, employees and others; record information, update records and documentation, and maintain records.
11. Operate office equipment, such as personal computers, fax machines, copiers, cameras and phone systems and arrange for repairs when equipment malfunctions.
12. In accordance with procedures, manage form processing.
13. Copy, scan, fax, type and file forms, letters, email messages and other documents and pick up, distribute and properly handle mail.
14. Update licensing, training, and other records manually and using computer terminals.
15. Use discretion and maintain appropriate confidentiality related to Department and City business.
16. Maintain adequate office supplies and forms.
17. Assisting Command Staff with administrative work as needed.
18. Communicate effectively with Department and City management, co-workers and others (internally and externally) in order to provide, exchange, or verify information, answer inquiries, address issues, or resolve and/or report problems or complaints.
19. Use good judgment and make good decisions in matters related to the job.
20. Know and follow City and Department policies and procedures and the instructions of the Assistant Police Chief.
21. Report in a timely manner all issues, concerns or questions to the Assistant Police Chief or others as appropriate in the chain of command.
22. Discuss matters affecting the job or performance with the Assistant Police Chief and follow the chain of command.
23. Be punctual and in attendance on a regular basis; work after normal business hours and attend meetings when required.
24. Dress appropriately and in compliance with the City Policy.
25. Demonstrate initiative and diligence in the prompt and proper completion of all job duties, whether or not listed in this Job Description.
26. Safeguard City property and recognize and report needed repairs.
27. Work safely, follow safety rules and training, and maintain a clean, safe work environment.
28. Perform other duties as assigned.

Education and Basic Requirements

1. Four years or more of satisfactory experience in work with substantially similar essential job duties.
2. High school diploma or equivalent.
3. Successfully complete pre-employment background and personnel evaluation survey checks and tests, medical exam and drug screen.
4. Maintain CJIS compliance for data security and encryption as outlined by Texas DPS.
5. Have and maintain a valid Class C Texas Operator’s License and an acceptable driving record.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Bilingual language skills – strong English and Spanish

Other Qualifications

The Assistant should possess the following qualifications and abilities.

1. Knowledge of principles and processes for providing good customer and personal services. This includes the ability to assess customers’ and co-workers’ needs, meet quality standards for services and evaluate customer and co-worker satisfaction.
2. Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems including but not limited to word processing, managing files and records and designing or completing forms.
3. Ability to communicate in English effectively, both orally and in writing, including but not limited to
4. Talking clearly with and listening effectively to others in order to convey information effectively.
5. Having good English grammar skills.
6. Giving full attention to what others are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking appropriate questions and not interrupting inappropriately.
7. Being aware of others' reactions, understanding the reasons they act/react as they do and having the ability to act and respond appropriately. This requires showing a professional level of patience and bearing with victims, suspects, witnesses, and upset or distressed people of the public.
8. Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience. This includes understanding written documents.
9. The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken and written words and sentences.
10. The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
11. Acquire and maintain working knowledge of laws and government regulations.
12. Ability to understand, learn, remember, and communicate information about the job.
13. Ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce logical solutions.
14. Use logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
15. Have a service orientation, that is, actively look for, and engage in ways to help the public and co-workers.
16. Knowledge of basic media-relations concepts.
17. Ability to recognize a problem, that is, to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong and be able to formulate and implement solutions.
18. Must be able to work independently with limited supervision.
19. Ability to type at least 35 words per minute using a word processor.
20. Ability to operate common office equipment including but not limited to a personal computer, copier, fax machine and postage machine.
21. Advanced knowledge of Microsoft programs such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
22. Acquire and maintain proficiency in the use of the City’s accounting software.
23. Ability to effectively manage multiple calls, requests for help and critical tasks simultaneously.
24. Ability to follow City and Department policies and procedures and the supervisor’s directions.
25. Good judgment and the ability to solve problems and assist co-workers and others with solutions to problems.
26. Good interpersonal skills and the ability to get along well with the public, co-workers and others.
27. Ability to be on time and regular in attendance, work outside of normal business hours, attend meetings as required, and be flexible so as to handle other assignments.
28. Possess a keen eye for detail and diligence in identifying and correcting errors.

Physical and Mental Requirements

In order to successfully achieve the goals of the Departments, the Assistant must meet the following physical and mental requirements with or without accommodation.

1. The ability to understand, learn, remember and communicate information about the job.
2. The ability to understand the meaning of, and use and speak words understandably and effectively in the English language.
3. Good hearing and listening abilities, that is, the Assistant must be able to hear spoken words from co-workers, supervisors, and others.
4. The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet).
5. Good motor coordination skills, that is, the Assistant must be able to coordinate his or her eyes, hands, and fingers rapidly and accurately in order to handle precise movements such as typing and in response to visual, auditory, and other stimuli.
6. Make/use repetitive hand motions over an extended period, as when typing.
7. Work under pressure and under deadlines in order to respond to co-workers and the public.
8. Sit, stand, move around, bend, reach, stretch, push and pull and remain upright for extended periods of time in one room. Must be able to lift or move objects weighing as much as 35 pounds. The activities and the approximate amounts of time required per day for each are shown below.
9. Sitting - 75%
10. Bending - 15%
11. Standing - 20%
12. Lifting or moving objects of 35 pounds or less - 5%
13. Pushing or pulling - 5%
14. Reaching - 10%
15. Moving within and without the office environment - 10%