CLASS SPECIFICATION

SENIOR EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATIVE AIDE

DEFINITION OF CLASS:
This is advanced level administrative assistant work supporting the appointed Director of a County Department or Principal Office of the Executive Branch with diverse programs and operations and critical impact; or, an equivalent high level official such as an Assistant CAO, Special Assistant to the CE, or Regional Services Center Director. The assignment requires knowledge of the paramount issues and top initiatives and priorities of the principal executive(s) and key staff of the organization of assignment and the key programs and issues of most County departments as well as various State, federal and private sector organizations to make the appropriate initial response and/or referral and to effectively follow through on a wide variety of issues and a wide range of questions and problems. The organization of assignment has a wide range of functions and a high public profile and the top-level supported principal has substantial civic and/or professional obligations requiring highly effective administrative support. This work situation requires the administrative aide to use many, deep sources of job information, perform substantive planning and scheduling, make important administrative judgments, identify the significance of events thoroughly, and keep his or her job knowledge updated frequently and thoroughly. Personal contacts include elected officials, County Government managers and employees at all levels including department/agency heads and their staff, business leaders, leaders of various State and federal agencies, and the staff of other organizations to exchange routine and non-routine information, facilitate actions that affect County and departmental programs, services, processes; plan and coordinate events and schedules; arrange meetings and briefings; and disseminate information to key personnel and their staffs throughout the organization and, as appropriate, within and outside County government. Employees in this class provide direct public service and assistance by responding to public inquiries and complaints relating to the organizations or County's programs and services.
An employee in this class performs a wide variety of administrative support assignments requiring a thorough knowledge of administrative support to top management echelons, and the administrative systems, structure and operations of a complex, typically large, department, together with extensive knowledge of the structure and operations of County Government. The employee independently plans and carries out administrative tasks in accordance with instructions, policies, and/or accepted practices. Guidelines applicable to the work include County Codes, administrative procedures, manuals, interoffice memoranda and/or verbal instructions from staff. The employee uses mature judgment in selecting and applying or modifying, adapting and or deviating from existing guides depending on the task. The work consists of a variety of processes and methods including the use of office automation systems and software applications to produce correspondence, reports, and similar documents related to departmental programs and operations. Work includes confidential information and requires tact and diplomacy. Employees are required to address a variety of conventional problems affecting the administration of the office. The work environment is characterized by the demands associated with providing administrative support to a high level executive having diverse functions and high-visibility programs. Work is primarily sedentary. The work typically is not supervisory, although some employees in this class may perform supervisory duties ranging from work assignment and review, and training, to full first level supervision of support staff.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES: (Illustrative Only)
Provides administrative assistance to the appointed Director of a County Department or Principal Office of the Executive Branch as defined in the County Code, or, an equivalent high level official such as an Assistant CAO, Special Assistant to the CE, or Regional Services Center Director.
Advises the principal(s) on administrative aspects of key programmatic issues and initiatives based on knowledge of key stakes and stakeholders.
Manages the organization's correspondence control system; monitors and tracks correspondence prepared by staff for the department director's, CAO's, or County Executive's signature; develops and/or modifies automated systems for tracking correspondence to meet departmental needs; develops and revises the departmental correspondence manual, including procedures and forms for use by all staff; reviews incoming correspondence addressed to the principal and the County Executive; prepares reply or assigns action to appropriate staff; reviews outgoing correspondence to ensure correspondence is responsive to initiator's concern and meets County standards in terms of tone, format, mechanical accuracy, and timeliness; monitors the organization's performance (quality and timeliness) in responding to inquiries and shares results with officials.
Researches issues and drafts correspondence in response to inquiries and complaints that do not fall within the area of responsibility of a specific subset of the organization; writes administrative correspondence such as commendations, congratulations, and invitations to speakers.
Develops and conducts or coordinates training and development programs for all department support staff; identifies training needs through focus groups with staff and/or observation; identifies and makes arrangements for speakers and trainers or conducts training sessions; may administer a support staff training and development budget.
Through on-going communications and special programs, ensures that support staff understand departmental goals and objectives and their role in meeting objectives in such areas as customer service, written and oral communication standards and expectations, and administrative procedures; recommends employee recognition and other programs to enhance a sense of teamwork among support staff.
Evaluates organization-wide administrative work processes such as inter- and intra- departmental communications, and recommends changes to improve efficiency and effectiveness, including the use of modern office technology and methods; confers with information technology staff and others to coordinate the development and implementation of automation changes; develops procedure manuals, forms and similar materials as necessary; and monitors effectiveness of changes.
Manages and coordinates high profile events such as media events and regional conferences; makes arrangements for speakers, entertainment, catering services, transportation, and lodging; administers participant registration; administers or monitors event budget; ensures all materials and equipment are provided; resolves problems encountered during the event.
Transmits and explains organizational policies, directives, and instructions to staff members, management of other County organizations, outside organizations, and the public.
Manages the principal's calendar; schedules and coordinates meetings and appointments; receives requests to speak with the director and determines, based on knowledge of organizational priorities and operations, whether issue needs immediate attention by the director or can be deferred or handled by others within the organization.
Researches and develops materials for use in official engagements.
Prepares formats for staff papers and reports.
Collects and organizes data and information from a variety of sources for preparation of reports, budgets and other documents.
Acts as liaison between the principal and his/her key staff, other government employees, outside organizations, elected officials, and the public.
Responds to inquiries from County employees and the public regarding the organization's programs and services.
Receives calls from the general public, organizational staff, and staff and executives in other departments and agencies; responds to inquiries and/or refers to appropriate staff.
Uses a variety of office automation equipment and computer applications to track and monitor documents and activities and to generate correspondence, reports, databases, and other documents including confidential reports required by the principal; identifies opportunities to use new technology to benefit the principal's office and organization-wide administrative processes.
Provides staff support to designated committees and task forces including, but not limited to, development of agenda and preparation of minutes or summaries.
Keeps abreast of developments in the field of administrative support, key County programs, issues and initiatives, and related State, federal and private programs, issues and initiatives needed to provide initial response or referral and follow through.
Performs related duties as required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Experience: Seven (7) or more years of administrative aide experience.
Education: Completion of high school or High School Certificate of completion recognized in the State of Maryland.
Equivalency: An equivalent combination of experience and education may be substituted.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Considerable knowledge of County Government operations, procedures, policies, organization and personnel. This includes knowledge of key issues and initiatives, stakes and stakeholders concerning the functions, programs, operations and priorities of the organization of assignment and of other key offices within and outside County government as pertinent to administrative support functions.
Considerable knowledge of and skill in the use of business English, grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
Considerable knowledge of standard office practices and procedures.
Thorough knowledge of standard, accepted accounting systems, methods, and practices, as required by the position of assignment.
Skill in using modern office software suites, such as Microsoft Office, and other computer applications, such as desktop publishing, and computer equipment to communicate, create spreadsheets, use databases, maintain calendars, prepare documents and presentations, etc.
Skill in oral communication to effectively exchange routine and non-routine information (facts and ideas) with others verbally. This includes information exchange with a wide range of individuals, including executives and the general public, about diverse issues, and the ability to encourage effective oral communication by personal contacts.
Skill in written communication to effectively exchange routine and non-routine information (facts and ideas) with others in writing. This includes information exchange with a wide range of individuals, including executives and the general public, about diverse issues, and the ability to encourage effective written communication by personal contacts.
Interpersonal skills to interact effectively with personal contacts in a business-like, service-oriented manner.
Skill in multi-tasking to work on more than one task at a time and to switch seamlessly between tasks.
Mature judgment to make effective recommendations and decisions about administrative matters.
Ability to maintain complicated, confidential and/or multiple records and to prepare accurate reports.
Ability to perform mathematical computations, as required by the assigned position.
Ability to keep abreast of developments in the field of administrative support, key County programs, issues and initiatives, and related State, federal and private programs, issues and initiatives needed to provide initial response or referral and follow through.
Ability to utilize stenographic skills, as required by the assigned position.
Willingness to attend meetings and perform other assignments at locations outside the office.

PROBATIONARY PERIOD:
The probationary period must be 12 months for a full-time or part-time employee appointed to a merit system position and 6 months for a promoted employee, during which time work performance will be carefully evaluated. Continuation in this class will be contingent upon successful completion of the probationary period.

MEDICAL PROTOCOL: Medical History Review

Class Established: July 1999
Revised: March 2004 (M)
April, 2010