Job Abstract

• Excellent attention to detail and ability to prepare documents accurately
• Demonstrates excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Relevant office/computer skills to use a variety of equipment such as computers, and various software programs
• Maintain strict confidentiality
• Excellent business correspondence formatting skills
• Exercise tact, diplomacy ,flexibility and positive attitude
• Demonstrated experience prioritizing time and tasks to meet critical deadlines
• Previous legal and administrative/office experience is highly desirable

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

• Provides administrative support in the City Attorney's Office by assisting with duties of a complex and confidential nature related to City Council subject matter; acts as a liaison between the department and other staff or the public, coordinating resolutions when appropriate, processes invoices from outside counsel and vendors.
• Develops legal documents such as memoranda, legal pleadings, contracts, and general correspondence.
• Prepares, proofreads, and processes legal papers and documents requiring knowledge of legal format and procedures; ensures completeness and conformance within established standards, timeframes, and procedures.
• Assists with monitoring lawsuits, claims and potential liability, and prepares relevant documents; compiles supportive documentation to legal document requests.
• Assists with providing information to staff relating to public contracting processes and contract templates.
• Performs legal research, summarizes newly issued state and federal court opinions as directed, prepares written and verbal reports for City Attorney.
• Assists with maintaining legal resources, updates books and manuals.
• Screens calls, visitors, and incoming mail; provides information to the public by phone or in person requiring an understanding of department services and City policies and procedures; responds to citizen and staff inquiries and complaints; refers citizens to the appropriate department source; coordinates or resolves problems of a moderate nature when appropriate.
• Responds to questions regarding departmental policies, procedures, and practices ensuring appropriate release of information designated as confidential.
• Assists with coordination of general office activities, special projects, performs administrative functions and acts as liaison between various departments as well as outside agencies; arranges meetings and schedules appointments.
• Establishes and maintains logs and record keeping systems, prepares City Council and Planning Commission agenda packet binders for City Attorney.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

Knowledge of:

Organization and function of public agencies, including the role of an elected City Council and appointed boards and commissions; sufficient legal terminology necessary to assume assigned responsibilities; procedures, methods, and practices involved in composing, processing, typing, formatting, and filing a variety of legal documents; applicable Federal, State, and local laws, rules, regulations, ordinances, and organizational policies and procedures relevant to assigned area of responsibility; administrative procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology; computers and electronics; computer software; principles and processes for providing (internal or external) customer services including customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for service, structure and content of the English language and grammar; laws, legal codes, government regulations, and agency rules.

Ability to:

Maintain confidentiality and discretion in handling and processing confidential information and data; interpret, apply, explain, and ensure compliance with applicable policies, and procedures; understand operations of the City and of outside agencies as necessary to assume assigned responsibilities; compose legal documents, correspondence, and reports independently or from brief instructions; make accurate mathematical, financial, and statistical computations; establish and maintain a variety of filing, record-keeping, and tracking systems; organize and prioritize a variety of projects and multiple tasks in an effective and timely manner; organize own work, set priorities, and meet critical time deadlines; operate office equipment and computer applications related to the work; communicate effectively in person, over the telephone, and in writing; use tact, initiative, prudence, and independent judgment within general policy and legal guidelines in politically sensitive situations; establish, maintain, and foster positive and effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

License/Certifications:

Certificate of completion of a paralegal program approved by the American Bar Association. Possession of a California Notary Public certificate is desirable.

Education and Experience: Any combination of education, experience, and training that would provide the best qualified candidates. A typical way to obtain the knowledge, skills, and abilities would be:

A high school diploma, or G.E.D. equivalent, supplemented by college level coursework. Three (3) years of responsible administrative support, including one (1) year of experience in the research, review, and preparation of legal documents.

Special Requirements:

Possession at the time of hire and continued maintenance of a valid California Class C driver’s license may be required.

Applications may be submitted online at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/pittsburg. The City of Pittsburg utilizes a merit-based selection system. Such a system is competitive and based on broad outreach efforts and equal opportunity for qualified applicants to take part in a process designed to determine the qualifications, fitness and ability of competitors to perform duties of the vacant position. Although, a resume and cover letter provide helpful added detail in reviewing qualifications, the job application may be rejected if the sections are considered to be incomplete. You will be notified of the next steps in the process via email! In the meantime, Let’s stay in touch through social media. Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

What Happens Next?

• We will review your application and all supplemental materials to select the best qualified applicants to continue in the process. Screening will include a review of qualifications, application appraisal rating of education, training and experience and relevance of background qualifications related to the target job as well as supplemental questions if applicable.
• Applicants selected to move forward in the process may be asked to participate in any combination of the following (at any phase of the selection process): a written examination, job related exercise, physical test or job simulation, phone interview, in-person or video interview(s), and/or web-based testing.
• All offers of employment are conditional and new hires are subject to complete a pre-employment background screening that will consist of reference checks, livescan/fingerprint check and a civil check. Some positions require a medical examination, psychological examination, credit check, polygraph, drug testing, and full background investigation depending on the job characteristics. All new hires are required to show that they are eligible to work in the United States. All of these processes must be successfully completed before employment begins.
• The final phase of the selection process is the probationary period, which in most cases is twelve months.