Job Description

Administrative Assistant III

The Position: Recruitment update: As of 06/30/26, this job posting has been reopened with a new application deadline of 5 pm PST on Monday, July 6, 2026. Candidates who have already submitted their application are not required to reapply and will be notified of their status. Application review and interview dates have been updated accordingly in the recruitment timeline. The current vacancy is for Administrative Assistant III in the Public Works Department. This recruitment is open to candidates who participated in and passed the May 2026 Administrative Assistant III Examination (26-EXAM-01) through the City of Santa Cruz. The Public Works Department is the largest City department and is organized into seven major divisions: Administration; Engineering; Operations; Parking; Resource Recovery; Transportation Engineering; and Wastewater. The primary goals of the department are to efficiently deliver a broad range of municipal services to residents, businesses, and visitors of Santa Cruz in a manner that is safe, professional, sustainable, and cost-effective, with a focus on community responsiveness and customer service.

The Administration division supports all department divisions. A key function to the Administration division is providing customer service to the residents of Santa Cruz, providing accurate information about Public Works programs and projects, and connecting the community to the appropriate resources. The Administration division leads the Transportation and Public Works Commission and the Downtown Commission. Administration leads the department budget process, supports expenditure control, project reimbursements. The Administration division also provides administrative support for human resources functions. The typical schedule for this position is Monday-Friday from 7am-3:30pm.

Application and Selection Process: The following process may be changed as deemed necessary by the Human Resources Director. The information contained within this announcement may be modified or revoked without notice and does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract.

Who is eligible to apply: Candidates who participated in and passed the May 2026 Administrative Assistant III Examination (26-EXAM-01) through the City of Santa Cruz are eligible to apply and submit an application.

On Monday, 07/06/26 recruitment will close. All application materials must be received by the Human Resources Department by 5:00 pm; postmarks are not accepted. To apply, submit:

1. Application - online application only. Resumes are not accepted in lieu of filling out the application form completely. Click the Apply button to begin the online process.
2. Response to supplemental questions - will be a primary tool in the evaluation of your qualifications for this position. Any work experience described here must also be included in your employment history on the main application.

Week of 06/29/26: Qualified candidates who have successfully passed the application process and Administrative Assistant III Examination will have their applications competitively screened based on the minimum qualifications and supplemental questions for this position. Candidates will be notified of their status in the recruitment by 07/10/26.

Week of 07/27/26: Interviews will be tentatively scheduled for top candidates. The examination process will include an interview and may include a written and/or performance exercise.

Basic Function: Under general supervision of Department Director or assigned manager, performs a full range of both clerical and administrative support functions for the Department Director or assigned manager, includes performing responsible, confidential, and complex clerical work, including but not limited to assisting with the departmental budget, processing personnel, payroll and other relevant records, and coordinating the work of other departmental clerical staff as assigned or needed.

Distinguishing Characteristics: Positions in this class are distinguished from the Office Assistant and Administrative Assistant I/II classes by the more difficult, complex, responsible, confidential and sensitive duties. Work involves a high degree of independent judgment requiring a thorough knowledge of department programs, procedures and policies, applicable legal statutes and the ability to choose among a number of alternatives in determining procedures, interpreting policies, and performing a variety of assignments without instruction. Incumbents may lead a small number of subordinate clerical positions.

Typical Duties:

• Prepares various departmental materials from meetings, drafts, and/or machine dictation.
• Answers telephone and in--person inquiries for the Department Director and staff.
• Interprets City policies, procedures, and regulations; exercises discretion in determining the nature of inquiries and how they may be most appropriately expedited.
• Coordinates appointments and itineraries for the Department Director and management staff.
• Makes logistical arrangements for advisory bodies, committees and other meetings; notifies all participants including any public noticing requirements as required by State Law and/or the Municipal Code; prepares agendas, coordinates the production and distribution of agenda packets.
• Maintains procedures that comply with legal statutes and the Santa Cruz Municipal Code.
• Independently composes correspondence and reports relative to routine departmental business.
• Takes notes of open meetings as required; and prepares final minutes of meetings.
• Processes and manages filing systems for various department records including personnel, legal, safety, and technical materials; maintains the security of confidential files as required.
• Researches, collects, and provides records for Public Records Requests.
• Enters staff reports into the City's document management system for City Council meetings.
• Prepares, processes, and maintains all personnel and payroll records for department staff.
• Orders, issues and maintains departmental supplies and equipment; maintains inventory controls.
• Coordinates facility/building maintenance and repairs.
• Organizes, assigns, and reviews the work of other department clerical staff as assigned.
• Assists in preparing the departmental budget and controlling expenditures, coordinates the processing of purchasing documents.
• Responds to inquiries of a complex and technical nature requiring personal discretion and some familiarity with the subject matter.
• May prepare administrative reports by researching, assembling, and summarizing information and data.
• May perform any of the duties of an Administrative Assistant II including updating department websites and social media.
• Performs other related duties that may be reasonably expected as part of this classification.

Working Conditions: Position requires prolonged sitting, standing, walking, reaching, twisting, turning, kneeling, bending, squatting and stooping in the performance of daily activities. The position also requires grasping, repetitive hand movement and fine coordination in using a computer keyboard. Additionally, the position requires far and near vision when reading and using a computer. Acute hearing is required when providing phone and personal service. The need to lift, drag and push files, paper and documents weighing up to 25 pounds is also required. Some of these requirements may be accommodated for otherwise qualified individuals requiring and requesting such accommodations.

Minimum Qualifications: The minimum qualifications for Education, Experience, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities are the following:

Education and Experience:

• High school graduation or tested equivalent and,
• Four years of increasingly responsible clerical experience.

OR

• High school graduation or tested equivalent and,
• Successful completion of two years of college-level course work (60 semester units) in Business or Public Administration or a directly related- field and,
• Two years of clerical experience.

Knowledge:

• Standard office procedures, practices, and equipment.
• Proper grammar, spelling, punctuation and business correspondence format.
• Modern office practices, methods, and computer equipment and applications, including word processing, database, and spreadsheet applications.
• Principles and practices of data collection and report preparation.
• Filing and record-keeping systems.
• Techniques for providing a high level of customer service to public and City staff, in person and over the telephone.

Skills:

• Type 55 words per minute or better.
• Effectively compose correspondence, assemble routine administrative reports, and edit the work of others.
• Effectively develop and coordinate office systems, arrange meetings and itineraries, and to work under pressure to meet deadlines.

Abilities:

• Perform responsible administrative and clerical support work with accuracy, speed, and minimal supervision.
• Communicate information clearly and concisely, orally and in writing.
• Organize own work, set priorities, and meet critical time deadlines.
• Maintain confidentiality of sensitive information.
• Understand and carry out oral and written directions.
• Analyze situations appropriately and adopt effective courses of action.
• Frequently exercises independent judgment and

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