Administrative Assistant - Office of Information and Technology (HELP Program)

The Syracuse City School District is undergoing a new phase of innovation and transformation with the goal of ensuring that all students graduate high school with the skills needed to be ready for college and career. For Syracuse, all means all - including students who fall behind or have been considered "hard to serve" for a host of reasons. The School Board and Syracuse community have charged the Superintendent with improving student achievement, and he is seeking a dedicated and diverse team of school leaders and teachers to partner with him in moving the district toward its goals. The Syracuse City School District represents 34 schools and 4 alternative education programs, serving 19,000+ students Pre-K-12 of whom 77% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, 18% are served by the Office of Special Education and 78% are students of color.

Location: Office of Information and Technology 

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS

 The work involves responsibility for assisting department heads or program administrators in the performance of a wide range of administrative duties. Under the general supervision of an administrative superior, this is professional level work in providing assistance in planning, coordinating or administering a municipal program. The work may involve the performance of technical tasks of that particular program or may be responsible for the performance of administrative tasks freeing the executive officers of the department of routine details and allowing their concentration on matters of administration. The assignments may involve planning, program coordination and research duties, or any combination of duties that assist administrators in policy making. Routine duties are performed in accordance with general directions regarding objectives, policies and procedures of the office while more complex problems are discussed with a superior. Supervision may be exercised over subordinate professional, paraprofessional and clerical employees. Incumbents may be required to successfully pass a background check. Does related work as required.

 TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES

• Performs professional duties in the area of fiscal management. That is, may research and write the department's request and justification for additions, deletions and changes to the annual budget. May monitor department spending at regular intervals throughout the fiscal year to examine spending trends, assess department needs and problems, and recommend to administration appropriate solutions such as increase or decrease of monetary allocations, or the addition or deletion of staff positions.
• Performs professional duties in the area of personnel management. That is, recruits applicants for staff positions; interviews interested candidates; makes recommendations to administrative superior on the final selection of personnel; possible supervision of staff members, i.e. assigning work, monitoring progress and work product, and evaluating work performance.
• Performs professional duties in the area of public information. That is, researches and writes news releases; interviews office callers, newspaper reporters, salespersons and others, to furnish general information about departmental functions and activities; replies orally or in writing to inquiries for information about agency goals, objectives and programs.
• Performs professional duties in the area of research. That is, gathers from agency records and other governmental and non-governmental sources, pre-existing, written, textural and arithmetic data, exists from that data appropriate portions, and assembles into a format which an administrator uses in ways such as evaluating program progress, identifying scope of services or client popularity reached, or in carrying out planned projects.
• Performs various other administrative tasks such as reading incoming mail, answering general correspondence and routing balance to proper official or unit; preparing written and oral reports; meeting with departmental staff members to identify and define administrative difficulties; maintaining contacts with units within department and with other public and private agencies to assist in solving mutual problems, develops improved services and public relations; when assigned, may represent department head in attending meetings and conferences.

 FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

• Good knowledge of office terminology, procedures and methods;
• Good knowledge of business arithmetic and English;
• Good knowledge of modern principles and practices of office and personnel management
• Good knowledge of the principles and modern practices of record keeping and budget control.
• Good knowledge of the function