Executive Assistant Description

About Marin Housing Authority / Careers

Established: August 1968

Revised: January 31, 1984

Revised: April 2005

Definition

Under general supervision, provides varied, complex and often confidential office administrative and secretarial assistance; performs confidential and routine clerical and secretarial work for the Executive Director; follows up on executive assignments and activities, transmits information, maintains calendars, arranges meetings and keeps informed of pertinent issues and activities; and performs related work as required.

Supervision Received and Exercised

Receives general supervision from the Executive Director and lead direction from other administrative management staff.

Class Characteristics

This senior level administrative support class provides the full range of secretarial services to the Executive Director of the Housing Authority and assists the senior management team by providing administrative support. Within broad agency policies and procedures, duties assigned require a high degree of initiative, independent judgment, and discretion. These duties typically include processing and producing sensitive and confidential information related to the daily operations of the Marin Housing Authority.

Example of Duties (Illustrative Only)

• Screens incoming visitors and calls to determine nature of business or inquiry and takes appropriate action as necessary; screens, sorts and distributes incoming correspondence and prioritizes and refers those requiring the Executive Director's attention; responds to inquiries and complaints and personally resolves or refers messages and/or forwards urgent matters to management staff as appropriate.
• Coordinates and oversees personnel recruitments, compiling and tracking information and processes as they occur; maintains files, develops and drafts recruitment and selection materials and provides support to the Chief Financial Officer with other personnel functions as assigned.
• Develops general correspondence and memoranda, letters and directives on routine matters for the Executive Director’s signature; makes appointments and maintains calendar of conferences, meetings and travel arrangements.
• Researches, compiles and organizes information necessary for the completion of reports and projects.
• Sets up and maintains a variety of office files, records, statistical data, including confidential material; makes recommendations on procedural changes as appropriate to increase operational efficiency.
• Takes and transcribes minutes of meetings and organizes notes of discussion into summarized statements in the form of minutes and prepares agendas.
• Types a variety of material from handwritten or typed draft copy including correspondence, reports, charts and statistical data.
• Performs routine clerical tasks such as filing, duplicating, photocopying and assembling bulk mailings.
• May train, direct, supervise and participate in the selection of agency clerical staff.
• Handles and secures confidential information and releases information to authorized parties.
• Perform other related work as assigned.

Qualifications

Knowledge of

• Modern office practices and procedures including business correspondence.
• Procedures, work practices, forms and documents associated with secretarial responsibilities to commissions, boards and governmental agencies.
• Correct English usage including grammar, spelling, punctuation, filing systems, and vocabulary covering common administrative terminology.
• Communication business practices including electronic, telephone or direct public contact.
• Account clerical procedures related to the processing and recording of data processing documents and financial records and transactions.
• Policies, procedures and forms related to personnel files and documentation.

Skill in:

• Exercising discretion and sound judgment in coordinating, organizing, prioritizing, and performing the work assigned.
• Following clear directions, instructions and protocol in the course of duties assigned.
• Independently prioritizing and solving problems related to deviations in work assigned in order to meet fixed or fluctuating deadlines and achieve work objectives.
• Understanding, interpreting, applying and explaining Housing Authority policies and procedures, ordinances and laws.
• Compiling and summarizing data for use by executive/managerial staff or to comply with procedural or administrative requirements.
• Recording information accurately and preparing reports; setting up, maintaining and reconciling financial records, personnel files and confidential files.
• Reading and comprehending legal materials and documents and compose correspondence and minutes from marginal notes.
• Making arithmetic computations including addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of whole numbers, fractions, decimals and percentages.
• Identifying and securing confidential, highly sensitive records and written or verbally communicated information.
• Communicating effectively in English both verbally and in written form sufficient to convey information and instructions to the public.
• Operating standard office equipment, including job-related computer hardware and software applications, facsimile equipment and multi-line telephones.
• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of the work.
  

Education and Experience:

Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:

Equivalent of four years of substantial, increasingly responsible, administrative support experience, which has included exercising initiative and independent judgment within broad parameters of legal, policy and procedural guidelines.

License: 

Must possess a valid California class C driver's license and have a satisfactory driving record.

Physical Demands:

While performing the duties of this job the employee is frequently required to sit for extended periods of time, talk and hear within standard ranges. The employee is required to walk, use hands to handle objects, tools, or computer controls; and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus. Work is performed in a normal office setting with moderate noise levels.

Marin Housing Authority is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. Minorities, women and individuals with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.  Upon request, reasonable accommodations will be made for persons with disabilities and for religious reasons.