Administrative Assistant

Administrative Assistant

The Los Angeles County Development Authority (LACDA) is seeking an Administrative Assistant to support the Assistant Director and provide administrative support to the Finance and Development Unit. Under general supervision, this position performs a wide varietyof responsible, confidential, and complex administrative duties in support of management, supervisorial, and division staff in a dynamic and fast-paced environment. This role requires exceptional communication, organization, and problem-solving abilities, with a focus on confidentiality, strategic support, and high-level administrative coordination.

Essential Job Duties

The below statements are intended to describe the general nature and scope of work performed by this position. This is not a complete listing of all responsibilities, duties and/or skills required. Management reserves the right to add, modify, change, or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job.

• Performs a variety of administrative functions involved in the operation of the assigned department; researches, prioritizes, and addresses incoming issues and concerns; provides information and handles issues that may require sensitivity and use of sound, independent judgment.
• Composes, types, edits, and proofreads a variety of documents, including forms, memos, contracts, administrative, staff reports, and correspondence for division staff from rough draft, handwritten copy, verbal instructions, or from other material using a computer; inputs and retrieves data and text using a computer; checks draft documents for punctuation, spelling, and grammar; makes or suggests corrections.
• Prepares and processes reports, forms, contracts, and records, requests for payments, purchase orders, timecards, invoices, requests for proposals, bid packages, contracts, and agreements.
• Assists or administers division projects and/or programs as assigned by management staff; provides assistance to division staff in various research and division-related projects.
• Organizes and carries out administrative assignments; researches, compiles, and organizes information and data from various sources on a variety of specialized topics related to programs in assigned area; checks and tabulates standard mathematical or statistical data; prepares and assembles reports, manuals, articles, announcements, and other informational materials.
• Manages and tracks the routing of a variety of documents and uses tracking systems to coordinate billing and payment.
• Screens calls, visitors, and incoming mail; receives and responds to calls received by the division; provides information to the public, including contractors and vendors, by phone or in person to ensure contract compliance and an understanding of division and Authority policies and procedures; listens to questions and interprets and applies regulations, policies, procedures, systems, rules, and precedents according to existing guidelines; responds to general public and staff inquiries and complaints; refers public to the appropriate division source; coordinates or resolves problems when appropriate.
• Monitors and orders office and other related supplies; prepares, processes, and tracks purchase requisitions for services and materials; receives vendor invoices; prepares request for payment for department head approval; collects fees and issue permits.
• Creates, organizes, and maintains division records; organizes and maintains databases and determines how information can be extracted for various division or departmental reports.
• Verifies and reviews forms and reports for completeness and conformance with established regulations and procedures; applies division and program policies and procedures in determining completeness of applications, records, and files.
• Schedules and/or coordinates meetings, seminars, conferences, and training sessions for division staff; acts as meeting and/or committee secretary including preparing agendas and informational packets and setting up the room.
• Coordinates and integrates division services and activities with other Authority divisions and outside agencies.
• Plans, organizes, coordinates, and evaluates the effectiveness of work processes, systems, and procedures to achieve efficiency and effectiveness in work standards; implements and utilizes various methods to analyze, manipulate, store, and retrieve a variety of department related data.
• Operates a variety of standard office equipment, including job-related computer hardware and software applications, copiers, postage meters, fax machines, and telephones; may operate other department-specific equipment.
• May notarize and certify official documents.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Knowledge of:

• Organization and function of the Authority, including the role of an appointed Board.
• Operations, services, programs, policies, procedures, and processes of the assigned division or department.
• Administrative principles and practices, including goal setting, time management, prioritization of tasks, and project management.
• Authority-wide and departmental and divisional administrative procedures, practices, and principles.
• Authority ordinances, rules, programs, processes, and labor agreements applicable to division operations.
• Rules and procedures governing the notice and conduct of public meetings.
• Research techniques, methods, and procedures, including the use of department databases.
• Business arithmetic.
• Principles and practices of data collection, database input, maintenance, and querying, and report preparation.
• Business letter writing and the standard format for reports and correspondence.
• Principles and practices of sound business communication.
• Writing and editing skills, including proofreading, grammar checking, and formatting of memoranda, templates, policies, and procedures.
• Recordkeeping, filing, purchasing, accounting, and budgeting practices and procedures.
• Authority and mandated safety rules, regulations, and protocols.
• Applicable federal, state, and local laws, codes, regulations, and ordinances, as well as industry standards and best practices relevant to the assigned area of responsibility.
• Techniques for providing a high level of customer service by effectively dealing with the public, vendors, contractors, and Authority staff
• The structure and content of the English language, including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Modern equipment and communication tools used for business functions and program, project, and task coordination, including computers and software programs relevant to work performed.

Ability to:

• Perform responsible, complex, and difficult administrative support work with accuracy and speed.
• Maintain confidentiality and ensure discreet handling in all aspects of personnel or sensitive situations.
• Provide varied and responsible office administrative work requiring the use of tact and discretion.
• Interpret, apply, and explain administrative and division policies and procedures.
• Prepare clear, accurate, and concise records and reports.
• Enter and retrieve data from a computer system and prepare written materials with enough speed and accuracy to perform the work.
• Respond to and effectively prioritize multiple phone calls and other requests for service.
• Make accurate arithmetic calculations.
• Compose correspondence and reports independently or from brief instructions.
• Prepare meeting agendas and transcribe minutes and other recordings from committee or commission meetings.
• Understand and follow written and oral instructions.
• File and maintain automated and hardcopy records, logs, and inventories with accuracy.
• Review, complete, and submit contracts, applications, agreements, and other documents for signature approval.
• Organize and maintain specialized and sensitive department personnel files.
• Prepare a variety of confidential documents.
• Handle disputes and complaints and resolve problems in a calm and tactful manner.
• Organize and prioritize a variety of projects and multiple tasks in an effective and timely manner, organize own work, set priorities, and meet critical time deadlines.
• Understand, interpret, and apply all pertinent laws, codes, regulations, policies and procedures, and standards relevant to work performed.
• Use tact, initiative, prudence, and independent judgment within general policy and procedural guidelines.
• Independently organize work, set priorities, meet critical deadlines, and follow-up on assignments.
• Effectively use computer systems, software applications relevant to work performed, and modern business equipment to perform a variety of work tasks.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing, using appropriate English grammar and syntax.
• Establish, maintain, and foster positive and effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Education and Experience: Any combination of education and/or experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the essential functions of the position. Additional experience, as outlined below, may be substituted for required education on a year-for-year basis.

• Equivalent to completion of the twelfth (12th) grade.
• Two (2) years of increasingly responsible office administrative or secretarial experience.

Desirable Qualifications:

• Fluent in Spanish, including speaking, reading, and writing, highly desirable