Secretary (StarrZapata) at AVANCE Inc – Rio Grande City, Texas

Job Overview

The Secretary provides clerical and administrative support to the Deputy Director. This position assists in the implementation of administrative procedures, maintains organized records, supports communication efforts, and ensures efficient day-to-day office operations in alignment with AVANCE policies and procedures.

The secretary will have a central office location and travel will be required for each of the centers and partnering ISDs.

Job Responsibilities

• Communication and Service Coordination
• Answer and direct incoming telephone calls and emails; take accurate messages and respond appropriately.
• Greet and assist visitors in a courteous, professional, and helpful manner.
• Prepare routine correspondence, memos, and reports as directed.
• Assist with preparation and distribution of meeting agendas and materials within established timelines.
• Record and transcribe meeting minutes as assigned.
• Maintain confidentiality of sensitive staff, family, and program information.
• Support communication between departments to ensure timely information flow.
• Assist with scheduling meetings and reserving facilitates as directed.
• Provide clerical support for Policy Council and other meetings as assigned.
• Maintain a professional and welcoming office environment.
• Makes local and out of town travel and meeting arrangements as advised and attends to amenities, facility arrangements, and documentation accordingly.

Record Keeping and Reporting

• Maintain organized filing systems (electronic and paper).
• Sort and distribute incoming mail and deliveries.
• Maintain logs, forms, and documentation as required.
• Assist with purchase orders, reimbursement documentation, and expense tracking as assigned.
• Maintain inventory of office supplies, child care supplies and coordinated reordering as needed.
• Maintain reports, records and proper documentation of all business-related expenditures for reimbursements and purchase orders made by the Deputy Director.
• Maintain and track office supplies and child care supplies expenses and budgets.
• Support Human Resources with filing, scanning, and organizing personnel documents as directed.
• Ensure documents are maintained in accordance with Head Start Performance Standards, Texas Child Care Licensing regulations, CACFP requirements (as applicable), and AVANCE policies.

Ongoing Monitoring/Self-assessment

• Support administrative tracking systems and documentation required for program monitoring.
• Assist with organizing documents for audits, licensing reviews, and compliance visits as directed.

Planning, Implementation & Staff Development

• Provide clerical support for program initiatives and projects as assigned.
• Assist with preparation of reports and documentation needed for implementation of administrative plans.

Establish and maintain a safe, healthy, and positive office environment

• Maintain organized and clutter-free office space.
• Follow all AVANCE safety procedures and reporting protocols.
• Maintain professionalism and positive interactions that reflect AVANCE’s commitment to respectful and inclusive practices.

Other Duties

• Participate in assigned meetings, events, and training as required.
• Maintain confidentiality regarding staff and family information.
• Fulfill the role as mandated reporter under the Child Abuse and Neglect Policy.
• Perform any other work-related duties as requested by your supervisor.
• Be present at work to provide consistency of services.
• Be a contributory team member in a positive/productive manner
• Demonstrate commitment to mission, values, and policies in daily duties.
• Meet with supervisor to resolve problems and track goals.
• Maintain regular and reliable attendance.

AVANCE Core Competencies?

• Execution & Accountability
• Problem Solving & Decision-Making
• Communication & Influence
• Collaboration & Teamwork
• Stakeholder Focus
• Adaptability & Continuous Learning

Education

Required:

• High School Diploma or equivalent

Work Experience

Required:

• Minimum one (1) year of clerical or office support experience

Preferred:

• Experience in Head Start and Early Head Start programs.

Additional Skills

• Ability to interact effectively with people from diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to communicate effectively, verbally and in writing.
• Demonstrated computer literacy skills, using MS Office applications and other basic data systems including internet navigation.
• Ability to collaborate with multiple stakeholders to successfully implement program plans
• Strong analytical skills in order to quickly assess situations, identify trends, develop solutions and apply critical assessments to the larger context
• Must be honest, dependable and able to meet deadlines.
• Self-motivated and able to work independently.

Travel?

• Ability to travel to various sites: Dependable transportation is required daily with a valid driver’s license, a clean driving record (subject to annual MVR (Motor Vehicle Report) check and policy), current auto liability insurance and be bondable by AVANCE, Inc.
• Travel required up to 10% of the time for work-related site visits, meetings, and functions.

Equipment

• Standard office equipment generally used includes:
• Telephone
• Personal Computer (monitor, keyboard, and mouse) or Tablet
• Printer/Photocopy Machine
• Calculator
• Fax Machine

Working Conditions

• Work is generally performed in an office environment.
• Noise level in the work environment is moderate to occasionally loud (examples: business office with computers and printers, light to moderate traffic, human voices).
• May be required to operate a motor vehicle during the course of duties.

Mental and Physical Demands??

Maintain emotional control under stress; work with interruptions and deadlines; walking, standing, stooping, bending, pulling and pushing, use hands to finger, handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; occasional: lifting/carrying, pulling/pushing 10-30 pounds.?Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Environmental Factors??

Occasional exposure to: biological hazards (communicable diseases, bacteria, insects, mold, fungi, etc.). Occasional expose to weather related conditions when working in outside environment /neighborhoods and events.

ADA/ADAAA Statement

AVANCE is committed to equal opportunity in employment for persons with disabilities and complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), as amended, and any other applicable state and federal laws. Accordingly, AVANCE does not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities in regard to application, hiring, advancement, discharge, compensation, training or other terms, conditions and privileges of employment. Moreover, it is AVANCE’s policy to provide reasonable accommodations in employment to qualified individuals with disabilities so that they can perform the essential functions of the job, unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of AVANCE’s business or would change the essential functions of the position. Retaliation against an individual with a disability for utilizing this policy or seeking a reasonable accommodation is prohibited.? Individuals with any questions or requests for accommodation should contact the Human Resources Department.?