About the role
Job Introduction
This is highly responsible, specialized office support work, including advanced technical work preparing complex draft agendas and supporting materials, recording and preparing minutes for City Council and major boards and committees, and processing official records and/or documents for the City. Bargaining unit position.
Nature Of Work
Employees serve as administrative secretaries or records specialists in the City Clerk’s office. Employees perform varied and highly specialized technical research and document preparation, including preparing draft agendas and supporting documents, recording and transcribing minutes for City Council meetings, and reviewing and processing official records and legal documents. Duties are of considerable difficulty and involve dealing with highly technical and/or legal terminology and complex secretarial or administrative assignments. Work products are often used in policy making and legal proceedings, necessitating a high degree of accuracy, completeness, and conformance to standards. Position requires significant typing and transcription of accurate minutes with the ability to meet recurring deadlines. Although under direction, many tasks are performed independently requiring considerable initiative and independent judgment because of the highly responsible nature of work assignments. Work is reviewed through conferences, observation, and results obtained.
Examples of Duties
Receives and screens incoming telephone calls, determines the nature of inquiries, and directs callers to the appropriate staff or department as necessary; greets and assists office visitors in a professional and courteous manner; responds to questions from the public, elected officials, and other stakeholders, providing accurate information regarding ordinances, minutes, and other public records; conducts research using internal databases and records management systems to identify, retrieve, and ensure the correct documents are provided; instructs members of the public on procedures for accessing records through the City’s online portal and provides guidance on navigating available resources; prepares and issues copies of requested documents in accordance with established public records laws and office procedures; receives, records, and accounts for payments related to copies, Code Enforcement fines, and other applicable fees, ensuring proper handling and reconciliation of funds.
Attends City Council meetings and records official proceedings and other designated functions, including evening sessions as required, or alternatively attends Code Enforcement hearings and performs related duties such as preparing agendas and minutes, coordinating with staff in the scheduling of hearings, preparing and mailing public notices, and drafting post-hearing correspondence; prepares draft minutes for City Council, ensuring that all actions are thoroughly documented and accurately reflected as a matter of public record; reviews and confirms that all back-up materials and files for current City Council agenda items are complete and properly distributed; verifies the status of variance and zoning petitions; prepares and distributes letters and motions to the appropriate entities; prepares resolutions and ordinances for transmittal to the Mayor with an accompanying transmittal letter; and ensures that all official documents and copies are properly executed, including required signatures, stamps, numbering, and dating; maintains thorough records and documentation in compliance with established legal and administrative procedures.
Attends meetings of a variety of boards and committees, including City Council, the Community Redevelopment Agency, Code Enforcement, Public Nuisance Abatement Board, and/or Civil Service Board, and records their sessions and prepares draft minutes; may prepare and distribute Notice of Hearings, written orders, and subpoenas pursuant to established procedure; prepares and processes a wide variety of official records and/or legal documents.
Performs related work as required, including assisting with special projects, supporting colleagues during peak workloads, providing coverage for staff absences, and carrying out additional assignments as directed.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Knowledge of: business English, spelling, punctuation, grammar and composition; basic mathematical calculations; standard office practices and procedures.
Skilled in: taking and transcribing dictation; operation of office equipment; accurate and concise data entry.
Ability to: search for, compile data and prepare reports from files and other sources; make decisions in accordance with laws, regulations and policy and apply these to work problems; rapidly acquire knowledge of administrative and procedural regulations and work independently on complex administrative matters; understand and carry out complex oral and written instructions; establish and maintain effective working relationships with public officials, employees and the general public and deal with public relations problems effectively, courteously, and tactfully.
Physical Requirements
Mostly sedentary, indoors, requires extended use of computer, typing and viewing a monitor.
Minimum Qualifications
Graduation from an accredited high school and three (3) years of office support or secretarial experience utilizing various computer programs, including six (6) months in a City Clerk’s office or similar environment preferred; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
Licenses or Certifications
Possession of a valid Florida Driver's License preferred.
Comments
Employees may be required to work rotating shifts, including nights, weekends, holidays and overtime as needed. During periods when the Mayor issues an emergency declaration for the City of Tampa, all employees may be required to work in preparation, response or recovery activities related to the stated emergency.