Secretary Series

California State Personnel Board Specification

Series established June 8, 1977

Scope

This series specification describes three classes in the California state service which perform secretarial duties for high-level State administrators.

Definition of Series

Incumbents screen incoming correspondence, refer to appropriate staff member for reply, and follow up to insure that deadlines are met; arrange correspondence for administrator's personal reply in order of priority with appropriate background material attached for reference; independently or in accordance with general instructions, compose correspondence on a wide range of subjects requiring a thorough knowledge of the procedures and policies of the office; review outgoing correspondence prepared by other staff members for administrator's signature for consistency with administrative policy as well as for format, grammatical construction, and clerical error; gather and summarize data; brief reports and correspondence; attend meetings and conferences, take and/or summarize notes into minutes, and distribute minutes; screen a variety of visitors and telephone calls, and where appropriate, refer to other staff members or personally provide authoritative information on established agency programs and policies; arrange meetings for administrator, prepare agenda, and make adjustments as necessary in scheduled meeting times; relieve the administrator of routine office details; maintain confidential and administrative files.

Factors Affecting Position Allocation

Relative level of difficulty, variety, complexity of duties, independence of action and decision, the degree of supervision received and the level of the administrator to whom the secretary reports are factors used in differentiating between levels.

Although there is a direct relationship between the scope of the administrator's responsibility and the possible scope of the secretary's responsibility, secretarial positions are not classified solely on the basis of the level of the supervisor. Other factors affecting the scope of the secretary's responsibility are the willingness of the supervisor to delegate to his/her secretary, the secretary's willingness to assume delegated responsibilities, the presence of other positions that tend to dilute the secretary's responsibilities, and the limitations of clerical and administrative tasks that may be delegated to the secretary due to the technical nature of the supervisor's function.

Definition of Levels

Secretary

This is the journeyperson level. Under general direction and following general procedures, incumbents in a secretarial capacity receive and screen telephone calls and visitors, use considerable judgment in providing factual information in response to numerous inquiries; establish and maintain confidential and administrative files and prepare summaries of data pertinent to the work of the supervisor or the office. The work typically requires a detailed knowledge of the programs, policies and activities of the employing unit.

Executive Secretary I

This is the advanced journeyperson level. Under direction of the administrator of a major subdivision of a large State agency or a comparable level executive, incumbents perform difficult and responsible secretarial work and relieve the administrator of a variety of administrative and office details.

Positions at this level typically exist in major subdivisions or large field installations of large State agencies. The secretary's supervisor must have complex program responsibility requiring careful coordination of activities supervised, a considerable amount of responsible policy determination and a substantial amount of demanding personal contact with citizen groups and officials of other governmental agencies.

Positions are allocated to this level where the administrator who is the secretary's supervisor has delegated a substantial amount of administrative detail and nonroutine work to the secretary. The potential for the level of delegated duties is directly related to the importance and responsibility of the position of the administrator, the nature and scope of the functions for which the administrator is responsible, and the level of public contacts.

Executive Secretary II

This is the most advanced level in this series. Under direction of the chief administrative officer of a State agency, with widest latitude for independent action, incumbents perform especially difficult and responsible secretarial work, relieve the administrator of a wide variety of administrative and office details, and to do other related work.

Minimum Qualifications

Secretary

Either I

In the California state service, one year of experience performing clerical duties at a level of responsibility not less than that of an Office Assistant, Range B.

Or II

Two years of experience in clerical work. [Academic education above the twelfth grade may be substituted for one year of the required general experience on the basis of either (a) one year of general education being equivalent to three months of experience; or (b) one year of education of a business or commercial nature being equivalent to six months of experience. Students who are enrolled in the last semester or its equivalent of course work, which upon completion will fulfill these requirements, will be admitted to the examination, but they must submit evidence of completion before they can be considered for appointment.]

Executive Secretary I

Either I

In the California state service, one year of experience performing secretarial duties at a level of responsibility not less than that of Secretary.

Or II

Three years of experience in clerical work at least one year of which shall have been in a responsible secretarial position performing a variety of difficult secretarial work. (Experience in California state service applied toward the special one-year requirement must be in a class with a level of responsibility not less than that of Office Technician.) [Academic education above the twelfth grade may be substituted for one year of the required general experience on the basis of either (a) one year of general education being equivalent to three months of experience; or (b) one year of education of a business or commercial nature being equivalent to six months of experience. Students who are enrolled in the last semester or its equivalent of course work, which upon completion will fulfill these requirements, will be admitted to the examination, but they must submit evidence of completion before they can be considered for appointment.]

Executive Secretary II

Either I

One year of experience in the California state service in a secretarial position performing the duties of an Executive Secretary I.

Or II

Two years of experience in the California state service performing secretarial duties at a level of responsibility not less than that of Secretary.

Or III

Four years of experience in clerical work at least two years of which shall have been in a responsible secretarial position performing a variety of difficult secretarial work. (Experience in California state service applied toward the special two-year requirement must be in a class with a level of responsibility not less than that of Office Technician.) [Academic education above the twelfth grade may be substituted for one year of the required general experience on the basis of either (a) one year of general education being equivalent to three months of experience; or (b) one year of education of a business or commercial nature being equivalent to six months of experience. Students who are enrolled in the last semester or its equivalent of course work, which upon completion will fulfill these requirements, will be admitted to the examination, but they must submit evidence of completion before they can be considered for appointment.]

Knowledge and Abilities

Secretary

Knowledge of: Modern office methods, supplies and equipment; business English and correspondence.

Ability to: Read and write English at a level required for successful job performance; type at 40 words per minute; perform difficult clerical work; make clear and comprehensive reports and keep difficult records; prepare correspondence independently; communicate effectively; meet and deal tactfully with the public; and direct the work of others.

Executive Secretary I

Executive Secretary II

Knowledge of: Modern office methods, supplies, equipment and procedures with particular reference to the work involved in the office of an administrative official; business English and correspondence.

Ability to: Type at a speed of 45 words per minute; read and write English at a level required for successful job performance; direct the work of other support staff; perform difficult clerical work; keep difficult records; make briefs of reports and correspondence and compose letters or reports independently or from instructions, utilizing a wide knowledge of vocabulary, grammar, and spelling; perform minor administrative assignments independently; handle with courtesy and tact a wide variety of public contacts both on the telephone and in person; communicate effectively; understand and carry out directions following a minimum of explanation; analyze situations accurately and take effective action.

Special Personal Characteristics

All Levels:

A demonstrated interest in assuming increasing responsibility; mature judgment; loyalty; poise; tact; and discretion.

Additional Desirable Qualifications

All Levels:

Education equivalent to completion of the twelfth grade; ability to take dictation at 110 words per minute.

Class History