This Series provides professional administrative and staff support to executives, program managers and staff, boards, or commissions by managing budgeting, personnel, and business services for an organization or program, conducting special studies and research projects, and managing office and support activities.
Levels in this Series are distinguished from each other by an overall evaluation of the following factors:
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT: performance level; appointee must complete a two-year traineeship for appointment; performs the full range of professional administrative activities.
SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT: highest level in series; performs a wide variety of administrative and program activities.
Administrative Officers direct and coordinate all staff administrative activities in assigned agencies and facilities, including financial administration, human resources management, administrative analysis, and management planning.
Other administrative positions, such as Personnel Administrators, Administrative Analysts, and Budgeting Analysts, are characterized by the full-time performance of professional activities in an administrative specialty, as indicated by their titles.
Budgeting Analysts prepare budget estimates, program justifications, workload forecasts, and expenditure reports and monitor agency expenditures.
Personnel Administrators perform a variety of personnel activities, including position classification, examinations, recruitment and placement, benefits administration, and employee counseling.
Administrative Analysts conduct studies, analyze and evaluate organizations and their work, evaluate and prepare procedures and work methods, and develop recommendations for organizational and work improvements.
Assists in preparing and administering the annual budget and financial plan and may prepare and manage the plan for a program.
Manages the purchase of goods and services.
Manages personnel activities.
Manages office support activities.
Prepares and revises work methods and procedures.
Performs staff services for executive staff and program managers.
May be assigned to supervise and administer small programs or parts of programs.
Supervises professional and support staff assigned to the office by performing the full range of supervisory activities.
Administrative Assistants and Senior Administrative Assistants work under the general direction of program managers and executive staff who establish work priorities and make assignments. Incumbents work with considerable independence within the scope of their assignments and are expected to produce completed work. Although work assignments are performed with only limited review and technical direction, written program and administrative procedures, policies, and guidelines are usually available and followed. In addition, general direction and supervision is provided for the more complex and difficult assignments. Incumbents are expected to advise their supervisors about problems and difficulties encountered and discuss solutions and alternate approaches to problems with them.
Administrative Assistants and Senior Administrative Assistants apply a good understanding of the organization and work environment, personalities, programs, policies, and procedures of the agency or program to which the positions are assigned to perform their work activities. The work may be complicated by changes in the organization, legislation, program requirements, budget, and work environment. Frequently, work plans and activities are altered or disrupted in response to priorities and needs of the executive and management staff.
While many work activities are covered by established procedures and guidelines, other activities require understanding of a variety of factors to complete or accomplish objectives. Work objectives may be presented or described in a very general manner, with incumbents expected to determine the best methods and procedures to do it and to produce a completed product with limited guidance. Mistakes or misunderstandings may result in embarrassment to the agency and officials and executive staff.
Administrative Assistants and Senior Administrative Assistants have frequent written and oral communications with a wide variety of people, including executive and management staff, co-workers, program and administrative staff, representatives of businesses and organizations, elected and appointed officials and their staff, and the general public. They answer questions, exchange information, provide assistance and advice, clarify policies and procedures, and represent the program and its officials and staff. Effective working relationships must be established and maintained to foster assistance and cooperation and to represent the executive and management staff and the program.
Written communications include the preparation of narrative and tabular reports, letters, forms, policies, work plans, and procedures of varying complexity and length and requiring a strong understanding of policies, procedures, and work activities.
Oral communications may be by telephone or in person, including face-to-face dialogue and participation in and presentations at meetings, seminars, and conferences.
Although supervision of other staff is not required for classification of these positions, Administrative Assistants and Senior Administrative Assistants generally supervise directly clerical and secretarial staff and may supervise professional staff assigned to the office. In addition, they may provide functional supervision over certain work activities and programs.
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Promotion: three years of permanent competitive service in a position allocated at or above Grade 7, or two years of permanent competitive service in a position allocated at or above Grade 11, or one year of permanent competitive service in a position allocated at or above Grade 14 and completion of a two-year traineeship.
Open Competitive: Bachelor's Degree and completion of a two-year traineeship.
SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Promotion: one year of permanent competitive service as an Administrative Assistant or in a staff administrative title at or above Grade 18.