What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Office Assistant - Department of Public Safety position at City of Sunnyvale, CA?
Salary : $36.69 - $46.82 Hourly
Location : Sunnyvale, CA
Job Type : Full-Time
Job Number : 25-00037
Department : Public Safety
Opening Date : 02 / 18 / 2025
Closing Date : 3 / 11 / 2025 5 : 00 PM Pacific
Description
SENIOR OFFICE ASSISTANT - DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
Regular Full-Time Employment Opportunities
The City of Sunnyvale is currently recruiting for Senior Office Assistant vacancies in the Department of Public Safety. The Department of Public Safety is a fully integrated police and fire department. The recruitment process for positions in the Department of Public Safety require a comprehensive background investigation.
The eligibility list established from this recruitment will only be used for vacancies in the Department of Public Safety.
The position opens Tuesday, February 18, 2025, and the final filing date is Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at 5 : 00 pm or after receiving 100 qualified and completed applications, whichever is first.
Under general direction of an assigned supervisor, organizes, assigns and reviews the work of assigned personnel engaged in the performance of general clerical work including the preparation of correspondence and other written materials, the maintenance of files and records, and the receipt and response to questions from the public; and performs related work as required.
Distinguishing Characteristics
Senior Office Assistant is the advanced journey level in the Office Assistant series. Positions at this level are distinguished from other classes within the series by the level of responsibility assumed, complexity of duties assigned and independence of action taken. Employees perform the most difficult and responsible types of duties assigned to classes within this series, including providing technical and functional supervision over assigned personnel. Senior Office Assistant is distinguished from the higher-level classification of Principal Office Assistant in that the Principal Office Assistant has full supervisory responsibility.
Essential Job Functions
May include, but are not limited to, the following) :
- Plans, prioritizes and reviews the work of staff assigned to a variety of clerical duties in support of an assigned department or program.
- Develops schedules and methods to accomplish assignments ensuring work is completed in a timely and efficient manner.
- Participates in evaluating activities of staff, recommending improvements and modifications.
- Provides and coordinates staff training; works with employees to correct deficiencies.
- Performs difficult clerical work requiring an understanding of departmental or specialized functions to support departmental staff.
- Answers telephones, receives visitors, schedules appointments and supplies information.
- Types letters and other materials from rough draft, marginal notes or verbal instruction and proofreads documents; prepares letters and notices.
- Receives and processes facility use requests; provides information and communicates policies and procedures to the public.
- Assists with the purchase of supplies and materials; receives, reviews and processes invoices for payment.
- Issues routine permits; calculates and accepts fees.
- Receives, reviews and processes department timecards; researches and resolves discrepancies; assists with the preparation of personnel records and documents.
- Develops and maintains general and confidential files.
- Checks forms, records, reports and other materials for accuracy, completeness and confirmation with established procedures.
- Assists with budget input and monitoring; runs periodic budget reports.
- Uses specialized computer databases to input, retrieve, query and manipulate data for statistical reporting.
- Arranges meetings, makes appointments, compiles agendas and assists in preparation of materials for meetings.
- Collects, compiles, audits and posts information to records.
- Establishes and maintains systems to assure accountability and control.
- Searches records to obtain information.
- Processes, audits and cross-references materials related to data processing and payments.
- Checks erroneous, unusual or machine rejected data to ensure proper disposition and reintroduction into the processing cycle.
- Collects information from a variety of sources and compiles data for special and periodic reports.
- Updates and maintains department website.
- As assigned, provide support and services, including preparation of minutes, for Boards, commissions, public hearings and private meetings in an efficient and effective manner.
WORKING CONDITIONS
Position requires prolonged sitting, standing, walking, reaching, twisting, turning, kneeling, bending, squatting and stooping in the performance of daily activities. The position also requires grasping, repetitive hand movement and fine coordination in using a computer keyboard. Additionally, the position requires near and far vision in reading reports and work related documents and using a computer. Acute hearing is required when providing phone and personal customer service. The need to lift, drag and push files, paper, books and documents weighing up to 25 pounds is also required. Some of these requirements may be accommodated for otherwise qualified individuals requiring and requesting such accommodation.
Minimum Qualifications
Education and Experience :
The minimum qualifications for education and experience can be met in the following way :
Graduation from high school or the tested equivalent and
Three years of progressively responsible clerical experience.
Knowledge of :
Ability to :
Willingness to :
Occasionally work varying hours or on weekends and holidays.
Licenses / Certificates :
Possession and continued maintenance of a valid class C California driver's license or the ability to provide alternate transportation as approved by the appointing authority and a safe driving record.
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS
Application and Selection Process
APPLICATION PROCESS
If you are interested in this opportunity, please submit a City of Sunnyvale employment application and responses to the supplemental questions to the Department of Human Resources no later than Tuesday, March 11 , 2025, at 5 : 00 pm. If you are interested in this position, you should apply as soon as possible as only the first 100 qualified and complete applications will be considered.
Candidates are asked to fully describe any training, education, experience, or skills relevant to this position; resumes are not accepted in lieu of an application. Electronic applications may be submitted online through the City's employment page at and click on JOBS. Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted.
EXAM PROCESS
Applications will be competitively screened based on the minimum qualifications of this position. Based upon a review of the application materials, the most qualified candidates will be invited to participate in the examination process, which may consist of a written examination tentatively scheduled for the week of March 24, 2025 (Note : The examination process may be changed as deemed necessary by the Director of Human Resources).
SELECTION PROCESS
Those candidates that receive a passing score on the examination will be placed on an eligibility list for up to one year, in accordance with the City's Civil Service Rules and Administrative Policies. Top candidates on the eligibility list will be invited to participate in a selection interview with the department.
Any candidate selected by the hiring department will be required to successfully complete a pre-employment process, which may consist of a comprehensive background investigation, as well as medical exam(s) administered by a City-selected physician(s) before hire. Prior to starting work, all newly hired employees will be fingerprinted to check conviction history. A conviction history will not necessarily disqualify an applicant from appointment; however, failure to disclose conviction history will result in refusal of employment or termination. Positions which are covered by the Department of Transportation regulations are required to submit to a pre-employment drug test and to random drug and alcohol testing.
INFORMATION ABOUT PROOF OF EDUCATION
Any successful candidate, selected by the hiring department will be required to submit proof of education (i.e. original copy of the diploma or college / university transcripts). An applicant with a college degree obtained outside the United States must have education records evaluated by a credential evaluation service at the candidate's expense. Candidates may utilize any third-party agency for the evaluation. If you search 'education equivalency verification' or similar online, you will obtain results for agencies that provide this evaluation service. A conditional job offer cannot be made until the education has been evaluated and submitted to the Department of Human Resources.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Positions in this job classification are represented by the .
For assistance on how to fill out your job application, watch the following video :
The information contained within this announcement may be modified or revoked without notice and does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract.
The City of Sunnyvale is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the City of Sunnyvale not to discriminate against all qualified applicants or employees on the basis of actual or perceived race, religion (including religious dress or grooming practice), color, sex (includes gender, pregnancy, childbirth, medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth, breastfeeding or medical conditions related to breastfeeding), gender identity and / or gender expression, sexual orientation (including heterosexuality, homosexuality and bisexuality), ethnic or national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, uniformed service member status, marital status, family relationship, age, cancer or HIV / AIDS related medical condition, genetic characteristics and / or genetic information, and physical or mental disability. Applicants needing special accommodations for testing should submit a request to the Department of Human Resources at time of application.
Summary of Sunnyvale's Employees Association (For Full Time Positions)
Summary of Service Employees International Union, Local 521 (For Part Time Positions)
Instructions for completing the supplemental questionnaire :
This supplemental questionnaire will be a primary tool in the evaluation of your qualifications for this position. The supplemental information that you provide will be evaluated along with your completed application. Please limit your response to one page per question. In answering the question(s), be as specific as you can. Some questions may include multiple parts (i.e., (a), (b), (c), (d), etc.). Please make sure to address each part of each question in the supplemental questionnaire below.
Please be advised that you will be 'timed out' of this page after 30 minutes. Therefore, it is best to copy the supplemental questions that require text answers from this page into a document that you can save on your computer, produce your responses in that document, and then copy and paste the responses into the space provided below. Additionally, please save your work continuously.
The completed application and responses to supplemental questions constitute an examination. Note : qualifying experience must be reflected on the education, work experience, Certificates / Licenses section of the job application form. Please note the information provided in the supplemental question will not be accepted in lieu of completing the work experience section of the application.
Resumes may be attached, but they will not be accepted in lieu of completing the work experience section of the application or the supplemental questions. The information you provide will be used to further identify those applicants who are best qualified to continue in the selection process for this position.
Your responses to the questions that require you to detail your background and experience should include the following information :
Additionally, I certify that I have completed the following supplemental questionnaire on my own; the answers accurately reflect my training, education and experience; and, I understand that my responses are subject to verification.
Do you have a high school diploma or an equivalent (GED)?
Do you have at least three years of progressively responsible clerical experience?
If you answered "yes" to the question above (Question 3), please describe your three years of progressively responsible clerical experience below. Please include the agency you worked for, how long you worked for the agency, and the specific job duties you were responsible for. If you do not have this experience, please indicate N / A below.
Positions in the Department of Public Safety require a comprehensive background investigation. By checking the 'Yes' response below, I acknowledge that I will be required to participate in a comprehensive background investigation during the recruitment process.
Required Question
Salary : $37 - $47