Full-Time and Permanent; Non-Exempt; 7.5 Hours/Day; 252 Days/Year; 12 Months/Year; Grade: KK
General Responsibilities
This position is responsible for serving as administrative assistant to a senior Norfolk Public Schools (NPS) administrator, along with responsibilities for designated department and customer support duties. Relieves supervisor of routine administrative tasks and ensures smooth and efficient operation of the supervisor's office and department. Employees assigned to this position are responsible for the administrative operation of the subdivision, requiring frequent contacts with top-level officials of the school system, schools, departments, and business leaders/vendors; and the handling of unusually difficult, complex, and confidential matters within the field. The work involves all facets of secretarial and advanced administrative functions and activities, including use of office software, e-procurement applications, web content management/maintenance, Enterprise Resource Program (ERP) financial and payroll applications, and public relations. Employees frequently work independently when dealing with complaints, information research and dissemination, vendors, and other departments within the school system. Position requires an understanding of system-wide and administrative procedures.
SUPERVISION
Work is performed under general supervision of a director. Incumbents set own daily priorities based on knowledge of the overall functions of the office and requirements from both internal and external customers. Assignments are self-generated or received in the form of suggestions or general outlines for specific requirements. Employees in this position develop and refine their own work routines and are expected to independently complete assignments; frequently assists vendors and other departmental and school office managers or secretaries in basic e-procurement applications, including ERP systems functions.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
This position also acts as an independent office manager, overseeing the department budget and expenditures; conducting basic office purchasing following small purchase procedures in accordance with the Virginia Public Procurement Act, to include Purchase and Corporate Card purchasing with a web-software tools; maintaining and updating the web content of departmental information; maintaining the ERP vendor and contract data for the District; plus assisting other Purchasing users with basic ERP and e-procurement software application issues.
Education and Experience
Graduation from high school, including or supplemented by courses in office software applications and business and office practices (college level administrative assistant and office management courses, Associate Degree), and considerably progressively more responsible office management experience, preferably in a setting similar to this position; or any equivalent combination of education and experience that would provide the above noted knowledge, skill, and ability.
Essential Job Functions
- Plans, initiates, and carries to completion office administrative support activities; develops, monitors and modifies office and District procedures, and organizes office projects and processes.
- Serves as liaison between administrator(s)__arranges meetings, conferences, and obtains general information.
- Maintains Departmental inventory of office supplies, software, and equipment.
• Maintains the departmental Purchase and Corporate Travel Cards. Makes travel arrangements. Acts as office customer service liaison for all internal and external customers.
• Prepare, process, and issue Purchase Orders (POs) based on purchase requisitions.
• Match receiving slips, purchase orders, and supplier invoices to resolve 3-way matching discrepancies before submitting to Accounts Payable.
• Maintain organized purchasing files, vendor database, price sheets, and lead-time records.
• Reviews outgoing correspondence from a number of subordinate sections for format, spelling, punctuation, and grammar; drafts and types a variety of routine correspondence and reports using word processing, excel, PowerPoint, web and database applications.
• Composes routine correspondence, newsletters and other communications; compiles data for questionnaires; prepares in service materials; maintains control records on incoming correspondence and action documents.
• Organizes office projects such as dissemination of program materials, preparation of invitations, special mailings, or assembly of guides, manuals, and training materials.
• Attends meetings and conferences, taking official minutes; researches and develops material for use in official engagements.
• Prepares reports, logs, agendas, and other document proposals for distribution by copying, collating and binding materials.
• Utilizing the District’s ERP Financial and Payroll System, prepares requisitions, receipt certifications, budget reports and other payroll and financial data; maintains and reconciles detailed financial records on each purchase order, warehouse stock requisition, and request for payment submitted by appropriate budget accounts.
• Organizes and maintains filing systems, according to standard filing procedures, and at times according to local, state or federal guidelines; maintains and reconciles various records such as employee time and leave, and inventories of supplies and equipment.
• Tabulates and prepares reports of financial and statistical data; gathers and compiles data for inclusion in the yearly budget.
• Provides Munis support to other Munis users with requisitions, purchase orders, and receiving file maintenance.
• Creates file for bids, bid log sheet, and active current bids announcement for departments lobby board. Processes all incoming sealed bids and file them appropriately.
• Updates and maintains vendor database in Munis. Creates reports of missing information on database. Requests data from vendors (including federal tax information) and updates and reconciles database.
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES
- Thorough knowledge of basic departmental office manager and administrative functions, modern office terminology, procedures, equipment, and office software applications and e-procurement and ERP systems.
- Basic knowledge of the organization and functions of the school system and general business and vendor relations..
- Thorough knowledge of microcomputer functions, including hardware and software applications relating to Purchasing in an e-Commerce and e-Procurement environment. Ability to manage administrative and purchasing support activities.
- Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
- Ability to make relatively complex mathematical computations rapidly and accurately.
- Ability to interact with top level officials and all staff with tact, courtesy and diplomacy.
- Ability to follow complex oral and written instructions.
- Ability to work well under pressure with constant deadlines and frequent interruptions.
- High level skill and experience in the use of technology, including web and database software programs, SharePoint, Artificial Intelligence, (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio, Access, MUNIS) and rapid data entry keyboarding functions.
LICENSE/CERTIFICATION
Virginia Contracting Associate (VCA) certification is highly desirable but not required.
PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES
Most tasks are performed in a sedentary work environment, attributes include those required in normal, everyday activities including sitting, walking, standing, bending, reaching, or carrying light items.
Ability to operate keyboard on production basis to complete long, time-sensitive reports or documents may be required.
HAZARDS
Work involves exposure to normal, everyday risks involved in contact with the public, and at times with children and young adults.
UNUSUAL DEMANDS
Work is performed in an office and is subject to frequent interruptions.
Attendance at after hour, evening, and weekend meetings, conferences or in-service training sessions may be required of some positions.