Approval to hire for this position is subject to City Council approval on January 22, 2025.

About Oceanside’s Water Utilities Department & Our Administrative Division

The Oceanside Water Utilities Department is an innovative and forward-looking organization whose goal it is to ensure ongoing access to safe & affordable drinking water, reliable wastewater collection & treatment services, and environmental sustainability by maintaining top talent, resource resiliency, dependability, and system efficiency.

The City of Oceanside is accepting applications for the position of Administrative Secretary in the Administrative Division of the Water Utilities Department. This division conducts the administrative and clerical functions of the department as a whole providing reliable support to the many operational divisions of the utility and to the Water Utilities Director, and Division Managers, and Principal Water Engineer.

About the position

This Administrative Secretary is the lead staff member responsible for conducting and ensuring the efficient workflow of front-office, customer service, and general administrative tasks.

This role provides support to all divisions of the Water Utilities Department, which range from water and sewer operations staff to administrative and white collar staff. Additionally, this position performs a critical tasks such as assisting department leadership with email and calendar management, managing standard operating procedures, and special events planning. The incumbent in this position may also have oversight for the department’s Staff Payroll, Accounts Payable, Events and Conference Travel Planning, and will become a subject matter expert for a myriad of administrative policies and procedures, in accordance with Departmental and City directives.

This position may also be assigned to take on special tasks as required by the Water Utilities Director and administrative Supervisors.

You should be excited about this opportunity because you will…

• Lead the day-to-day operations of the administrative and clerical support team
• Be a central point of contact & subject-matter expert for 160+ utility operations and management staff
• Help residents and developers resolve issues regarding water, wastewater and other services
• Become knowledgeable in local water and wastewater practices
• Lead the planning of department-wide employee events
• Empower our department to continue innovating by ensuring reliable administrative support to operations!

Who we are looking for…

If you have experience in a clerical or secretarial role, work collaboratively, are able to proactively oversee complex and diverse front-desk duties, can confidently provide customer service over the phone and in person, and have excellent writing skills and an aptitude for process improvement and you will succeed in this role!

Prior experience in utilities or a municipal organization are preferred, but not required.

• Modern office procedures, methods and equipment including computers and applicable software applications.
• Principles of supervision and training
• Research and analysis techniques.
• English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
• Principles and procedures of record keeping.
• Principles of business letter writing and basic report preparation.
• Practices used in minute taking and preparation.
• Basic principles and practices of budget preparation and administration.
• Methods and techniques of public relations and customer service.
• Methods and techniques of proper phone etiquette.
• Pertinent Federal, State, and local laws, codes, and regulations.
• Mathematical principles and applications.
  

• Perform responsible administrative and secretarial work involving the use of independent judgment and personal initiative.
• Understand the organization and operation of the City and of outside agencies as necessary to assume assigned responsibilities.
• Plan, organize, coordinate and supervise the work of others;
• Implement and maintain standard filing systems.
• Maintain and update accurate records and files.
• Interpret and apply administrative and departmental policies and procedures.
• Independently prepare correspondence and memoranda.
• Type at a speed necessary for successful job performance.
• Take and transcribe dictation at a speed necessary for successful job performance.
• Maintain confidentiality of work performed.
• Operate and use modern office equipment including computers and supporting word processing and spreadsheet applications.
• Research, compile, and summarize a variety of informational materials.
• Work independently in the absence of supervision.
• Work cooperatively with other departments, City officials, and outside agencies.
• Respond tactfully, clearly, concisely, and appropriately to inquiries from the public, press or other agencies on sensitive issues in area of responsibility.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Establish and maintain effective relationships with those contacted in the course of work.