Office Administrator - Public Works Administration

Full Job Description

The Director’s Office of the Public Works (PW) and Planning and Development Services (PDS) Departments is currently recruiting for the position of Office Administrator. As a member of the PW and PDS Director’s Office team, the incumbent will be responsible for providing confidential varied and complex administrative support to the 11+ Director’s Office team members directly and 300+ PW employees and 120+ PDS employees indirectly. The Office Administrator will serve as lead and a central point of contact for preparing, processing, and monitoring complex transactions for PW and PDS, various divisions, and internal/external customers, under the guidance of PW and PDS Office Managers. This position reports to the PW Office Manager while supporting the PDS Office Manager.

The successful 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 and must be able to work under pressure at times to handle a wide variety of activities and confidential matters with discretion.

Knowledge of SAP and HR processes is highly preferred. The incumbent also must be highly computer savvy and have a strong working knowledge of the Microsoft Office Suite and SharePoint; and possess exceptional written and verbal communication skills, 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 Coordination

• Lead and coordinate a variety of complex departmental documents for processing, ensuring timely response and follow-through.
• Provide direct administrative support to the Director’s Office team members.
• Act as lead and liaison for information and record management, including paper/electronic files and webpages.
• Manage and process public disclosure requests and community inquiries.
• Manage the departmental employee recognition program.
• Manage conference rooms and coordinate, schedule, and/or facilitate meetings.

Personnel Coordination

• Act as a dual department liaison for recruitments and trainings.
• Manage recruitment process in consultation with the Office Managers and HR.
• Manage and coordinate onboarding and offboarding processes.
• Ensure adherence to HR policies, labor agreements, and employment regulations; escalate complex issues appropriately to the Office Managers.
• Handle confidential information related to employee relations, changes in the organization, performance appraisals/reviews, and other sensitive HR-related matters.

Legislative Management

• Act as lead and liaison for legislative action requests pertaining to the City Council, Transportation Benefits District, and Contracts and Awards Board.
• Manage various legislative action requests, including the quality of submittals, efficient processes, clear communications with customers and end-users, and ensure compliance with laws, rules, policies, procedures, and standards.
• Consult and communicate with a variety of City departments, administrators, and staff to define and resolve problems, provide expertise and expectations, exchange accurate information, and coordinate the appropriate timeline.

Financial Coordination

• Support the Office Managers with managing the office’s budget and monitoring department budget.
• Support financial activities for the Director’s Office team members.
• Purchase and arrange travel accommodations and maintain accurate financial documentation, including the coordination for trainings, conferences, and professional development opportunities.

Requirements

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

Licensing, Certifications and Other Requirements
Some positions may require a Washington State Driver's License

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

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS (TRAINING AND EDUCATION):
Bachelor's degree in business administration, public administration or closely related field and three years of progressively responsible office experience at a senior clerical support level or higher. Related work experience may be substituted for education on a year-for-year basis.

Notary license will be required, with maintenance thereafter. The license can be obtained after starting the employment. The Director’s Office will pay for any costs associated with licensing.

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 & TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE:

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

COMMUNICATIONS EFFECTIVENESS:

• Effective communication (both written and verbal) 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 and enhance professional skills through continued education and/or training and continue to apply those skills to all aspects of the position.
• 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.

Additional Information

City of Tacoma’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, 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 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.

If you have a less traditional background, we want to hear about your transferrable skills and experience. We value a variety of perspectives and are excited to see what you bring to the table.

The Community

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!

View this exciting video to learn more about the City of Tacoma: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n5MWl8KFvI

Apply
Interested City of Tacoma current employees should apply online and attach a detailed resume and cover letter that includes job experience, major responsibilities and accomplishments related to this position.

Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will have their responses to the supplemental questions evaluated by a panel of subject matter experts. These questions will be scored on the basis of the information provided; therefore, it is the responsibility of the applicant to carefully list all pertinent experience and training. The evaluation committee will not have access to the candidate's application. Providing false information will result in disqualification. Candidates must pass this evaluation in order to be placed on the eligible list for interview and hiring consideration.


Communication from the City of Tacoma:
We primarily communicate via e-mail during the application process. E-mails from tacoma.gov and/or governmentjobs.com must 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 e-mail folders.

If you have any additional questions regarding this position, please contact the Human Resources Department at 253.591.5400 prior to 4pm on the date of this posting closing.

Compensation & Benefits

Pay Details:

Hourly Rate: $34.35- $48.36

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

Employee Benefits | City of Tacoma