Office Assistant - Temporary

Salary : $45,427.20 - $52,241.28 Annually

Location : Austin, TX

Job Type : Temporary

Job Number : 24-09813

Department : Juvenile Public Defender

Opening Date : 02 / 25 / 2025

Closing Date : 3 / 11 / 2025 11 : 59 PM Central

Job Summary

Travis County's Juvenile Public Defender is looking for a temporary Office Assistant.

The Office Assistant is under close supervision, performs a variety of office / clerical functions related to division / department. Performs a service such as greeting the public over the telephone or in person and refers them to the appropriate individuals, departments, or agencies or may provide counter service. Performs routine office / clerical tasks to include correspondence, basic spreadsheets, mail distribution, file and record maintenance, and assistance or information to customers. Maintains logs and simple databases. Uses some independent judgment interpreting and applying general office / clerical practices and procedures.

Distinguishing Characteristics :

This is the first in a series of three general clerical-related job classifications within the Administrative Support job family. This classification is distinguished from the Office Specialist by the general nature of clerical responsibilities (copying and filing) performed as opposed to the Office Specialist whose work requires specialized functional knowledge with independent decision-making within established limits.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Performs receptionist duties, answers telephone, and directs calls. Takes and relays accurate messages. Provides information to telephone callers or transfers calls to appropriate personnel. Logs phone calls and visitors. Faxes information, as required. Courteously greets and receives the public. Answers general questions about the department, its functions and activities, and its interrelationships with County departments and outside agencies. Refers individuals to appropriate persons, departments, or agencies. Performs messenger duties and picks up and delivers information to other County departments. Delivers verbal and written messages to unit members. Maintains a ready reference list for referrals. Maintains records of staff member's whereabouts. May produce and monitor staff and visitor identification badges. May schedule meeting rooms and appointments.
• Performs mail distribution duties. Opens, sorts, counts and distributes mail. Picks up and delivers mail, printing, equipment, and / or other material from various sites and / or office locations. Updates postage meter machine ensures sufficient postage for mailings, and meters outgoing mail. Updates mailing lists. Prepares materials for mail outs.
• Performs general office clerical duties. Makes copies, orders and maintains adequate supplies. Coordinates pick-ups and deliveries. Maintains time keeping system, attends assigned meetings and records minutes. Develops forms, rosters, and mailing lists. Maintains appropriate suspense files and monitors suspense items regularly. Looks up information in files, replaces file folders, and generates labels on folders. Purges items from files and / or pulls and destroys inactive files. Issues file or case numbers. Reviews, validates, codes and processes a variety of documents. Reviews and verifies documents and submits to departments and agencies. May scan data and maintain electronic files. Drafts and responds to inquiries. Assists clientele in completing forms. Maintains statistical data, records and logs. Performs data entry duties. Enters, maintains, and updates data or information on a computer. Types correspondence, labels, envelopes, spreadsheets and / or databases, reports, bills, vouchers, dockets, receipts, schedules, minutes, requisitions, notices, court waivers, discharge forms and other related items. May update records management documentation and maintain computerized tracking system.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements

Education and Experience :

Any combination of education and experience that has been achieved and is equivalent to the stated education and experience and required knowledge, skills, and abilities sufficient to successfully perform the duties and responsibilities of this job.

Licenses, Registrations, Certifications, or Special Requirements :

None required.

Preferred :

Bilingual in English and Spanish

Data entry, general office machines, copiers and computer equipment, including word processing, spreadsheets, databases and a variety of software packages experience.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities :

Knowledge of :

Skill in :

Ability to :

Work Environment & Other Information

Physical requirements include the ability to lift / carry up to 20-50 pounds occasionally, visual acuity, speech and hearing, hand and eye coordination and manual dexterity necessary to operate a computer and office equipment. Subject to sitting, client / customer contact, standing, walking, vision to monitor, repetitive motion, stooping / kneeling, squatting, bending, and reaching to perform the essential functions.

Travis County employees play an important role in business continuity. As such, employees can be assigned to business continuity efforts outside of normal job functions.

This job description is intended to be generic in nature. It is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. The essential duties, functions and responsibilities and overtime eligibility may vary based on the specific tasks assigned to the position.

Work Hours : 9 : 00 AM to 1 : 00 PM; Monday through Friday

This is a temporary assignment.

Department Juvenile Public Defender

Location : 2201 Post Rd., Austin

Criminal Background Check Required.

Benefits

Employment at Travis County comes with a full array of benefits. We offer comprehensive health insurance, a no-cost, on-site Health and Wellness clinic, longevity pay, paid vacations, sick time and personal holidays, not to mention an industry competitive salary structure and a friendly, stable work environment.

FY2025 Travis County Benefit Guide

In this valuable you will find benefit summaries, eligibility requirements, costs, contact numbers and addresses as well as other general information on the benefits available to Travis County Employees and Retirees.

Credit Union

Employees may join the Travis County Credit Union which offers low-interest loans, savings plans through payroll deduction, safe deposit boxes and other benefits.

Deferred Compensation

Employees may enroll in a tax- free sheltered investment plan through payroll deduction.

Direct Deposit

Employees may sign up for direct bank deposit.

Employee Assistance Program

Travis County provides a confidential counseling and referral service free of charge to county employees and their family.

Employee Organizations

Membership in the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Union is available through payroll deduction.

Employee Health & Wellness Clinic

Employees may access the clinic for a variety of wellness program and health care services with no co-pay, no deductible and no co-insurance costs.

Holidays

An average of eleven paid holidays are designated by the Travis County Commissioners Court at the beginning of each fiscal year.

Insurance

Employees may select from four plans : an Exclusive Physician Organization (EPO), Choice Plus Preferred Physician Organization (PPO), Consumer Choice or a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) with a Health Savings Account (HSA). All four options include a Pharmacy Plan. Travis County's current policy is to pay 100% of the employee's health insurance premium for the Consumer Choice and HDHP. Employees will pay a premium for both the EPO and PPO. Other insurance benefits include $50,000 Basic Life and AD&D paid by the County.

The following benefits are employee paid :

New employees are covered on the first day of the month following 28 calendar days of employment.

Longevity

Longevity pay is paid for each year completed after three years of continuous service. Peace Officers in a law enforcement activity, whose job requires state peace officer certification, receive pay after one year of certification.

On the regular payday on or after the employee's fourth and subsequent adjusted service dates, he or she receives a single payment for the previous year.

Parking

A limited number of assigned parking spaces are available to employees in the Courthouse Complex.

Personal Holidays

Regular, full-time employees are eligible for up to three paid personal holidays each calendar year. Part-time employees shall be granted personal holidays on a prorated basis. New employees earn personal holidays for the calendar year in which he / she begins employment, based on the month in which employment begins :

January - March

3 personal holidays

April - June

2 personal holidays

July - September

1 personal holiday

October - December

None

New employees are eligible to take personal holidays after 90 days of employment.

Retirement

Travis County is a member of the Texas County & District Retirement System with mandatory participation by certain classes of employees. Seven percent (7%) of the gross salary is deducted each pay period. An employee is fully vested after eight years of service. Benefits are prorated for part-time employees.

Sick Leave

Regular employees earn sick leave at a rate of eight hours per month with unlimited accrual during employment. Part-time employees earn sick leave on a pro-rated basis.

Parental Leave

Each Full-time Paid Parental Leave Eligible (PPL) Employee is entitled to a total of 320 hours of Paid Parental Leave in a 12 month period. Paid Parental Leave for Part-time PPL Eligible Employees is prorated based on the number of hours that they are regularly scheduled to work.

Tuition Refund

Certain classes of full-time employees may receive reimbursement for fees associated with pre-approved, job related course work completed satisfactorily.

Vacation

Based on years of county service, regular, full-time employees earn vacation time at the following rates :

0 to 5 years

4.0 hours per pay period

6 to 10 years

4.5 hours per pay period

11 to 15 years

5.0 hours per pay period

16 to 20 years

5.5 hours per pay period

21 plus years

6.0 hours per pay period

Part-time employees earn vacation leave on a pro-rated basis.

Workers' Compensation

The county provides all employees workers' compensation coverage with benefits in accordance with state statute, if the employee sustains an injury out of, or in the course of work.

Are you bilingual in English and Spanish?

How many years of office / clerical experience do you have?

How many years of experience do you have working with the public / customer service?

Do you have experience handling multiple phone lines?

The work hours are 9 : 00 AM to 1 : 00 PM. Are you available to work this shift?

Required Question

Salary : $45,427 - $52,241