Lead Secretary

JOB TITLE: Lead Secretary 

DEPARTMENT: Land and Resource Management Department 

STATUS: Full Time; 37.5 hours per week. Generally, Monday through Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm.  

STARTING SALARY: The starting salary for this position is $44,616 annually. ($22.88/hr), receive anniversary step increases for earning potential of $56,940 annually. ($29.20/hr). In addition, receive annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) per the current Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Benefits- We also offer no-cost/low-cost health insurance plan options. Douglas County contributes to a Health Savings Account and a (PERA) pension plan. Become vested in as little as 3 years of employment for lifetime benefits upon retirement! Douglas County is also a qualified Employer for the Public Sector Loan Forgiveness Program.

Life Insurance– as a County employee you will be covered by $40,000 of life insurance at no expense. Supplemental coverage is available for you, your spouse, and your dependents.

The official holidays for this Douglas County postion are: *New Year’s Day *Martin Luther King Jr Day *Presidents’ Day *Memorial Day *Fourth of July *Veterans’ Day *Thanksgiving Day *Day after Thanksgiving (in place of Columbus Day) *Christmas Eve Day. *Christmas Day  *Juneteenth *Labor Day *Personal Holiday.

Sick Leave/Earned Safe and Sick Time: An employee shall be credited with 1 day of sick leave for each month of service accumulative to 90 days. The first 48 hours (or up to 80 hours if any eligible time was carried over) will be counted as ESST.  

Vacations:
Employees will accrue vacation according to the following schedule:
0 - 5 years - 10 working days.
6 -10 years - 15 working days.
11 - 15 years - 20 working days.
16 - 20 years - 25 working days.
Over 20 years - 30 working days.

JOB OBJECTIVES:

The Lead Secretary assists in providing quality service in assisting customers and the administration of the Douglas County Subdivision and Zoning Ordinances by supporting the day-to-day operation of the Land and Resource Management office.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:  The duties listed are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed.  The omission of those specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position. 

• Provides receptionist services including greeting clients, answering questions, answering phones and directing requests/questions to applicable technical staff, and scheduling appointments.
• Receives applications for land use, shoreland alteration, and septic installation permits, and licenses.
• Prepares placards and certificates once applications have been approved.
• Receipts payments following accounting procedures. 
• Supports technical staff by drafting and mailing correspondence, answering and directing phone calls, scheduling appointments, and making travel arrangements and training/conference registrations for Director and technical staff.
• Picks up mail and distributes. Assists with the preparation and sending of large mailings.
• Reconciles permit ledger and receipts.
• Deposits fees with the treasurer.
• Prepares office bills for Director approval and payment.
• Inventories and orders office supplies.
• Maintains parcel records and files in both paper and computer systems.
• Inputs data to databases and generates reports as requested.
• Assists with monthly and annual reports.
• Provides orientation and mentoring for new administrative employees.
• Ability to work under stressful conditions. 
• Reliable, predictable attendance and punctuality.  
• Complies with all rules and policies in order to maintain a safe work environment. 
• Performs other related duties as assigned or needed.

Access to Not Public Data

The incumbent may encounter not public data in the course of these duties. Any access to not public data should be strictly limited to accessing the data that are necessary to fulfill the employment responsibility. While data are being accessed, incumbent should take reasonable measures to ensure the not public data are not accessed by individuals without a work reason. Once the work reason to access the data is reasonably finished, incumbent must properly store the not public data according to the provisions Ch. 13.

If a new work assignment requires access to not public data, the incumbent is permitted to access not public data for the work assignment purposes only. Any access to not public data must be strictly limited to the data necessary to complete the work assignment and after the assignment is completed, the employee’s work assignment no longer requires access.

REQUIRED MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AT HIRE:

Education

High school diploma or equivalent.

Experience

Experience with computers/common office software competency (MS Office, Outlook, Word, Excel, Access).

Licenses and Other Requirements: 

Currently possess a valid Class D, Minnesota State Driver's License, or ability to obtain upon start of employment. 

REQUIRED MINIMUM KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES, & QUALITIES AT HIRE:

• Competency with computers and common office software including spreadsheets and databases.
• Must be competent in accounting mathematics and have basic knowledge of measurement.
• Ability to effectively communicate with the public.
• Ability to prioritize and organize work.
• Ability to be detail-oriented.
• Ability to work alone and as part of a team.
• Knowledge of general office procedures and office equipment use.
• Ability to multi-task.

PREFERRED / DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Bachelor's or Associate's Degree.

Experience

Experience with customer service desired. 

Excellent written and oral communication skills.

3-5 years of experience working in an office environment.

PREFERRED / DESIRABLE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES, & QUALITIES:

• Experience with customer service desired.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Experience with local government regulatory agency or real estate.
• Bookkeeping or accounting experience.

  

 

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Public building. Office setting.    

HOURS

Generally, Monday through Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm.  37.5 hours per week. 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS CAN INVOLVE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:                  

Amount Lifted:
Amount Lifted Up to 10 lbs.: Occasional: = Range: 49 min to 2 hrs., 39 min or 29 to 86 days
Amount Lifted 11 to 20 lbs.: Rare: = Range: 5 min to 48 min or 2.6 to 26 days
Amount Lifted 21 to 101 lbs.: Not Present
Amount Pushed or Pulled:
Amount Pushed or Pulled Up to 20 lbs.: Occasional: = Range: 49 min to 2 hrs., 39 min or 29 to 86 days
Amount Pushed or Pulled 21 to 40 lbs.: Rare: = Range: 5 min to 48 min or 2.6 to 26 days
Amount Pushed or Pulled 41 to 101 lbs.: Not Present
Vision:
Near & Far Vision: Constant: = Range: 5 hrs., 18 min to 8 hours or 174 days
Depth, Color & Field of Vision: Not Present
Contact With Others:
Works Alone: Rare: = Range: 5 min to 48 min or 2.6 to 26 days
Works with & Around Others: Constant: = Range: 5 hrs., 18 min to 8 hours or 174 days
Customer/Public Contact: Constant: = Range: 5 hrs., 18 min to 8 hours or 174 days
Clients with Behavior Challenges: Not Present
Communications:
Talking, Hearing & Reading: Constant: = Range: 5 hrs., 18 min to 8 hours or 174 days
Basic Body Positions:
Sitting: Frequent: = Range: 2 hrs., 40 min to 5 hrs., 17 min or 88 to 172 days
Standing: Occasional: = Range: 49 min to 2 hrs., 39 min or 29 to 86 days
Walking/Moving About: Occasional: = Range: 49 min to 2 hrs., 39 min or 29 to 86 days
Climbing, Balancing, Crouching, Kneeling & Crawling: Not Present
Motor Skills:
Handling & Grasping: Frequent: = Range: 2 hrs., 40 min to 5 hrs., 17 min or 88 to 172 days
Using Fingers: Frequent: = Range: 2 hrs., 40 min to 5 hrs., 17 min or 88 to 172 days
Reaching: Occasional: = Range: 49 min to 2 hrs., 39 min or 29 to 86 days
Feeling: Rare: = Range: 5 min to 48 min or 2.6 to 26 days
Driving: Not Present  
Exposures To:
Mechanical, Moving, Electrical, Pressurized & Burning Material Equipment: Not Present
Explosive, Gases & Radiant Energy: Not Present
Heights: Not Present
Fumes/Odors & Dirt/Dust: Rare: = Range: 5 min to 48 min or 2.6 to 26 days
Work Environment:
Inside: Constant: = Range: 5 hrs., 18 min to 8 hours or 174 days
Outside: Not Present
Confined: Not Present
Extreme Hot & Cold: Not Present
Extreme Cold, Wet, Noise & Vibration: Not Present
Infectious Diseases and/or Body Fluids: Not Present  

See also the Physical and Environmental Factors Form. 

EXAMPLES OF EQUIPMENT USED

• General office equipment, computer, software, telephone, copier, fax, stapler, and calculator. 
• Software:  Database software, GIS (map viewer software), Microsoft products (Access and Excel), customized software developed specifically for the county (CRM and AS400 databases) Land Shark, and Landlink software.

OTHER 

All listed above are essential functions of the job. 

Supervision Received: Director, Land and Resource Management
Supervision Exercised: None
Labor Group: Non-Union
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
Grade: 5
EEO Job Category: 8810-Administrative Support
Work Comp Code: 8810

This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee, and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and the requirements of the job change.

 Revised: 2/2023; updated 1/2025

Salary : $44,616 - $56,940