General Description of Class
The EXECUTIVE SUPPORT SPECIALIST 2 provides confidential administrative support and performs or coordinates secretarial work for top level agency management positions. Some employees in this class may supervise the work of clerical employees who provide secretarial and related support in the offices of top level managers.
Distinguishing Features
This is the second level of a two-level series. It is distinguished from the lower level by active participation in the agency management team, responsibility for completion of assignments received in management team meetings, and responsibility for decisions which regularly relate to highly sensitive matters. These decisions may concern the appropriate application and interpretation of policies and procedures to nonroutine matters.
Duties and Responsibilities
Employees in this classification report to top level agency managers. These positions perform a variety of administrative-related liaison activities on a statewide basis between their administrative superior and agency or department staff, the Governor's office, the public, the press, legislators, legislative staff, other State agency directors or administrators and their staff, and the Federal government.
Allocation of positions to this class will depend on the total work performed which may include one or a combination of the duties or tasks listed below.
- Administrative Duties. Typical tasks: actively participates in agency management team meetings to help resolve agency problems and discuss agency goals and objectives; completes assignments received in management team meetings; assists the administrative superior in formulating and implementing agency policies and procedures; performs session and interim legislative tracking activities by working with legislators and staff to coordinate work sessions and hearings; maintains a central filing system for all agency related legislation and/or supporting testimony, scheduling and other information for agency managerial staff; solicits information for monthly or quarterly agency newsletter; serves as member or chairperson of various agency task forces and committees as assigned; coordinates, plans, and leads regularly scheduled meetings with office support staff to discuss and resolve common problems such as implementation and consistent application of policies and procedures, needs and uses of automated office equipment, budget tracking, and record keeping systems; maintains appropriate records for agency related Administrative Rules; makes arrangements for Administrative Rules hearings by scheduling hearing room and court reporter and notifying all appropriate persons; monitors monthly and quarterly expenditure reports to assure the expenditures are within budget allowance; may assist in the preparation of the biennial budget by providing information (e.g., projected salary and wages, service and supply, travel); may perform a variety of research activities and write reports at the request of the administrative superior; may present findings and/or make recommendations to administrative superior or agency management team.
- Secretarial Support. Typical tasks: anticipates supervisor's needs by furnishing information required for official reply to correspondence and other official acts; independently researches, locates, assembles, edits and summarizes material, information and data for administrative action; maintains written control of materials received, routed, assigned, or disposed of in the agency; may take and transcribe dictation of confidential or legal information; records and transcribes proceedings of meetings and conferences; may use word processing equipment or personal computer with word processing capabilities; maintains supervisor's calendar and advises supervisor of commitments; makes arrangements for meetings and special conferences; arranges travel itinerary and accommodations, prepares and submits travel and expenses claims; maintains files of correspondence, reports, instructions, guidelines, and similar material requiring rapid retrieval and presentation; opens, scans or reads, and distributes mail; receives, interviews, and screens callers and visitors; provides information, resolves problems, responds to complaints, or routes callers and visitors to appropriate official for action.
- Office Management. Typical tasks: acts as communications link between the administrative superior's office and other Federal, State, local, and private agencies, and the general public; coordinates work activities between sections within the agency or between agencies; reviews and updates monthly attendance reports for administrative superior's immediate staff; maintains personnel records, inventory records of supplies, equipment, and materials and orders supplies for immediate office.
- Supervision. Typical tasks: may supervise employees providing secretarial and related support in the office of top level managers; plans, assigns and distributes work; reviews completed work; prepares work and vacation schedules; authorizes overtime; interviews and hires or effectively recommends hiring of clerical staff; trains employees; evaluates staff performance; initiates disciplinary actions; prepares position descriptions and work plans; resolves problems related to the work performed by the clerical staff. All information received by an administrative superior is channeled through employees in this class who are responsible for smoothly and efficiently prioritizing and scheduling the people, events, and items requiring attention. Employees represent the agency and act on behalf of the administrative superior when making decisions on a daily basis about any information provided to other agencies, the Legislature, the press, and the public, when scheduling and arranging appointments, meetings and conferences, and when coordinating specific agency-wide projects or activities. Employees in this class have final authority for the procedural activities within the scope of assigned work. Decisions regularly relate to highly sensitive and/or confidential matters and are concerned with the appropriate application of policy to nonroutine matters.
Relationships with Others
Employees in this class have regular telephone and in person contact on a daily basis with staff throughout the agency, staff from other departments and agencies, legislators and legislative staff, the press, and the public. Employees represent the agency and act on behalf of the administrative superior when providing or receiving information, when scheduling and arranging appointments, meetings, and conferences, and when performing special projects or assignments. Employees in this class often deal with sensitive issues which require confidentiality, and the individuals involved must be handled with tact and diplomacy.
Supervision Received
Employees in this class work with a high degree of independence under general direction of an administrative superior. Work is reviewed on a daily basis through informal conferences, and written assignments are reviewed upon completion for accuracy, timeliness, and conformance to State laws, Administrative Rules and bulletins, agency policies and procedures, and correct secretarial and office practices and procedures.
SUPERVISION EXERCISED
Employees in this class plan, assign, and review the work of clerical employees who provide secretarial and related support in the administrative office of top level managers. Employees in this class evaluate the performance of clerical employees by reviewing completed forms, documents and records, observing employees handling in person and telephone contacts with agency staff, private business and professional people, and the general public, and by holding regular conferences with individual employees.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Positions are found in central and remote locations throughout State government (e.g., general government agencies, human or natural resource agencies, correctional, mental health, or higher education institutions, hospitals, etc.). They require the willingness to work within the environment associated with the position's location.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
One year of experience performing administrative duties in support of agency projects or programs. Qualifying experience would involve data collection and analysis; project evaluation and/or analysis; interpretation and application of laws, rules, and regulations; or similar experience.