Job Abstract

San Mateo County Health is seeking experienced individuals for the position of Administrative Secretary III - Health Services to, under general supervision, perform varied secretarial and office administrative support tasks; provide payroll and personnel functions in support of multiple divisions; and may provide lead direction to office support staff.

There are currently two regular vacancies that will support multiple Divisions within San Mateo County Health. Positions are located in San Mateo, CA, but may occasionally travel/drive throughout the County to perform duties of the job.

This Administrative Secretary III will ensure confidentiality and compliance with Memorandums of Understanding (MOU), Resolutions, Salary Resolution Amendments (SRA), and County policies; thoroughly follow instructions for various processes, perform general payroll and personnel tasks such as weekly payroll and running reports using ATKS system, personnel transactions and running reports using Workday system, and opening requisitions and manage hire processes using Neogov system; update instructional materials as needed; independently research, verify, and respond/follow-up promptly and accurately to various payroll and personnel inquiries via Outlook, Teams, or in-person; effectively anticipate needs and managing expectations; schedule tasks, reminders, meetings, and events (onboarding, annual) meeting all critical deadlines; and provide continuous process improvement for payroll and personnel functions.

Primary responsibilities will include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Collaborate within a dynamic team that supports payroll and personnel functions for multiple County Health divisions: Public Health Policy & Planning, Family Health Services, Health Coverage Unit, Emergency Medical Services, Health Administration, LEAP Institute and Health IT.
• Perform technical and specialized office support work, relating specifically to payroll and personnel at a departmental level, which requires the use of confidentiality, independent judgment, and the application of technical skills.
• Evaluate existing workflows, identify inefficiencies, and implement strategic improvements to enhance productivity, and quality. Conduct thorough data analysis, solicit feedback, and collaborate cross-functionally to drive continuous process optimization.
• Process time reporting forms, verifying information and calculations, specific payroll rates related to such items as holiday, overtime, off-shift, and predetermined premium rates; monitor leave and compensatory time totals.
• Regularly generate and analyze audit reports related to time entry, job and compensation changes to ensure accurate entry and completion of tasks by various department staff; identify and correct errors; notify individual employees of corrections or action needed and elevate communications to a supervisor as appropriate.
• Perform all personnel action processes including job changes, compensation changes, initiating hires, processing retroactive pay, etc.; research and assemble information from a variety of sources and make associated arithmetic and/or statistical calculations.
• Prepare and process personnel requisition forms for filling permanent, temporary and part-time vacancies.
• Coordinate and execute employee onboarding and off-boarding in conjunction with supervisors/managers and the Human Resources Department; process and scan live and legacy paperwork required for new employees; provide employees guidance on how to navigate through available onboarding resources.
• Receive and screen in-person visitors, emails/centralized inbox, video, and telephone calls; provide information which may require the interpretation of policies and procedures; take messages or refer callers to the proper persons.
• Organize and maintain various office documents and files; purge files as required.
• Assist with the administrative processing of the division budget; may prepare or maintain statistical, fiscal or payroll reports/information.
• Provide backup coverage to other payroll, personnel, and administrative staff as needed.

• Experience performing complex secretarial and office administrative support functions in a government setting.
• Experience performing payroll and/or personnel functions in a government setting.
• Ability to research and find information as needed.
• Ability to organize workload and set priorities to meet critical deadlines.
• Ability to quickly adapt and maintain accuracy and attention to detail when managing multiple assignments.
• Proven ability in using initiative and independent judgment.
• Handling and maintaining extremely confidential materials and information.
• Proficiency in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Workday, Neogov and ATKS.
• Ability to establish effective working relationships with those encountered on the job.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Research and compile a variety of informational materials from sources both inside and outside the office; summarize such information as directed.
• Receive and screen visitors and telephone calls; provide factual information which may require the interpretation of policies and procedures; take messages or refer callers to the proper persons.
• Process incoming and outgoing mail as required.
• Type drafts and a wide variety of finished documents from stenographic notes, brief instructions, or printed materials; may use word processing equipment and input or retrieve data and prepare reports using an online computer system.
• Initiate specified correspondence independently for signature by appropriate management, supervisory or professional staff; review finished material for completeness, accuracy, format, compliance with policies and procedures, and appropriate English usage.
• Organize and maintain various office files, including personnel and tickler files; purge files as required.
• Independently research and verify information in order to respond to customer inquiries accurately and promptly.
• Follow up on projects, transmit information, and keep informed of division activities.
• Schedule and arrange meetings and events.
• Organize own work, set priorities and meet critical deadlines.
• Attend meetings involving regular contact with governmental officials, the County Board of Supervisors or Commission members, representatives of business or community members, the public and all levels of County personnel to exchange information and explain administrative policy and procedures.
• May provide lead direction to office support staff; may instruct staff in work procedures and/or review work for format, accuracy and consistency.
• Assist in special projects as assigned.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Knowledge of:

• Standard office administrative and secretarial practices and procedures, including filing and business letter writing.
• The operation of common office equipment, including a word processor and personal or on-line computer equipment.
• Policies and procedures related to the division to which assigned.
• Correct English usage, including spelling, grammar, punctuation, and vocabulary.
• Business arithmetic, including percentages and decimals.
• Record keeping principles and practices.
• Basic supervisory principles and practices.
• Basic budgeting principles and practices.

• Provide varied secretarial and office administrative assistance to management, supervisory and professional staff.
• Organize work, set priorities, meet critical deadlines, and follow up assignments with a minimum of direction.
• Use tact, discretion, initiative and independent judgment with established guidelines.
• Interpret, apply and explain complex policies and procedures using tact, discretion, initiative and independent judgment within established guidelines.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships.
• Compose correspondence independently or from brief instructions.
• Organize and maintain accurate records and files.
• Make arithmetic calculations with speed and accuracy.
• Operate standard office equipment, including a word processor, personal or on-line computer and multi-line telephone equipment.
• Direct and train others in work procedures.
• Some positions may require the ability to type at a rate of 50 words per minute.

• One year of secretarial experience providing responsible office and administrative support assistance OR three years of general clerical or office support experience.

Open & Promotional. Anyone may apply. Current County of San Mateo and County of San Mateo Superior Court of California employees with at least six months (1040 hours) of continuous service in a classified regular, probationary, Confidential and Management extra-help/limited term positions prior to the final filing date will receive five points added to their final passing score on this examination.

The examination process will consist of an application screening (weight: pass/fail) based on the candidates' application and responses to the supplemental questions. Candidates who pass the application screening will be invited to a panel interview (weight: 100%). Depending on the number of applicants, an application appraisal of education and experience may be used in place of other examinations or further evaluation of work experience may be conducted to group applicants by level of qualification. All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase of the examination. All examinations will be given in San Mateo County, California and applicants must participate at their own expense.

IMPORTANT: Applications for this position will only be accepted online. If you are currently on the County's website, you may click the "Apply" button. If you are not on the County's website, please go to https://jobs.smcgov.org/ to apply. Responses to the supplemental questions must be submitted in addition to our regular employment application form. A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for the required employment application and supplemental questionnaire. Online applications must be received by the Human Resources Department before midnight on the final filing date.

TENTATIVE RECRUITMENT SCHEDULE
Final Filing Date: July 1, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. PST
Application Screening: July 9, 2024
Civil Service/Departmental Panel Interviews: July 24 and/or 25, 2024