Administrative Assistant

Statement of Duties:

The Administrative Assistant is responsible for supporting the work of the Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development’s (OSPCD) Housing Division and Office of Housing Stability. The Administrative Assistant is responsible for supporting operations of these two OSPCD divisions located in Somerville City Hall Annex, with the expectation that time providing essential functions will be shared as evenly as possible between the divisions. Employee is required to perform all similar or related duties.

Essential Functions:

The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various type of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position. Unless otherwise indicated functions should be assumed to be required for both the Housing Division and the Office of Housing Stability (OHS).

• Greet members of the public as they arrive at City Hall Annex and assist in directing them to appropriate Housing Division or OHS staff member(s) or other departments in the complex
• Coordinate all office supply orders including paper, water and other supplies; process and track invoices
• Maintain attendance records and report attendance information needed for weekly payroll
• Assist in processing and routing of time-off requests; maintain office and time-off calendars
• Field and direct incoming phone calls to Housing Division information line (ext. 2577) and direct calls to appropriate Housing Division staff
• Assist with onboarding new staff, includes activities such as preparing office signs, updating sign-in sheet and phone directories, and coordinating with IT and others information
• Assist OHS Housing Intake Specialist with returning calls to the OHS intake line as requested
• Receive packages from FedEx, UPS, office supply companies, etc. and direct delivery persons to appropriate offices and storage areas
• Manage copier/printer maintenance by contacting vendor and processing invoices
• Organize and maintain organization of 1st floor office supply cabinet and 2nd flr. supply room
• Update and help maintain electronic and paper file directories; assist with file maintenance activities such as digitizing (scanning and saving) electronic files
• Pick up and deliver interoffice mail and US Mail on at least a weekly basis
• Maintain in office and work at home schedules for OHS and Housing Division
• Assist with occasional mass mailings and large printing/copying jobs
• Assist with Housing division staff meetings, including agenda preparation and note taking
• Attend OHS staff meetings and take notes if requested
• Lock and unlock outside doors at beginning and end of standard work hours
• Other administrative tasks as assigned

Recommended Minimum Qualifications:

Education and Experience: High School diploma or equivalent and 1-3 years of administrative or related experience or any equivalent combination of education, training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

Knowledge, Abilities and Skills:

• Knowledge: Thorough working knowledge of office procedures and machines; some knowledge of municipal government.
• Abilities: Ability to meet and deal with the public effectively and appropriately; ability to handle problems and emergencies effectively; ability to communicate clearly, both orally and in writing; ability to operate a computer; ability to maintain confidential information; ability to maintain, manage, and organize records; ability to deal appropriately with City employees, City officials and the disgruntled members of the general public; ability to achieve deadlines to meet legal obligations
• Skills: Excellent organizational skills; excellent data processing skill in the use of personal computers and office software including word processing, database and spreadsheet applications; detail oriented. Proficiency in, Portuguese, Spanish, Haitian Creole and/or Nepali preferred.

Work Environment:

The work environment involves everyday discomforts typical of offices, with occasional exposure to outside elements.  Noise or physical surroundings may be distracting, but conditions are generally not unpleasant.  Employee may be required to work beyond normal business hours on occasion to support division work as needed, at City Hall Annex or another public space in Somerville.

Physical and Mental Requirements:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the position’s essential functions.

Physical Skills:
Little or no physical demands are required to perform the work. Work effort principally involves sitting to perform work tasks, with intermittent periods of stooping, walking, and standing. There may also be some occasional lifting of objects such as books, office equipment and computer paper (up to 30 lbs.)

Motor Skills:
Duties are largely mental rather than physical, but the job may occasionally require minimal motor skills for activities such as moving objects, operating a telephone system, computer and/or most other office equipment, typing and/or word processing, filing, and sorting.

Visual Skills:
Visual demands include constantly reading documents for general understanding and for analytical purposes and routinely reviewing maps and blueprints with a need for color vision.

Hours: Full-Time (Mon-Weds 8:30am-4:30pm; Thurs 8:30am-7:30pm; Fri 8:30am-12:30pm)
Union: Non-Union
Salary: $54,121.61 annualized benefits
Date Posted: May 2, 2023

City of Somerville residents are especially encouraged to apply.

The City of Somerville is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, disability or any other protected category. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Auxiliary aids and services, written materials in alternative formats, and reasonable modifications in policies and procedures will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities free of charge, upon request. Persons with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication (i.e., CART, ASL), written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures in order to access the programs, activities, and meetings of the City of Somerville should please contact Adrienne Pomeroy at 617-625-6600 x 2059 or apomeroy@somervillema.gov.

Pre-Employment Requirements for All Employees:

• MA Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) clearance
• Proof of COVID-19 vaccination
• Completition of Conflict-of-Interest Law Education training for municipal employees

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement:

To better protect the health and safety of staff and the public, all City of Somerville employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of November 1, 2021. Exemptions and/or reasonable accommodations are not guaranteed and will be reviewed by the City of Somerville Human Resources Department on a case-by-case basis. Learn more at www.somervillema.gov/HR/COVID19.

Benefits Somerville Offers:

• 4 weeks annual vacation (for non-union positions) & for union positions this varies by contract
• Medical insurance through the Group Insurance Commission (GIC)
• Dental coverage low and high plans through Cigna
• Vision care through the Vision Service Plan (VSP)
• Long term disability through Sun Life
• Group and voluntary life insurance through Boston Mutual
• Flexible spending plans through Benefit Strategies
• Deferred compensation through a choice of three vendors
• Employee assistance through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provided by E4Health
• Cancer screening & wellness release
• Somerville Retirement Pension System
• Tuition reimbursement
• MBTA pass program
• FREE Blue Bikes membership
• Eligible employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)

Benefits listed are for benefits-eligible positions and the above information is meant to be a general overview of the benefit programs offered by the City of Somerville and not a binding contract.

Salary : $54,122 - $0