Executive Secretary, ACERA

THIS IS A NEW ASSEMBLED EXAMINATION.  The eligible list resulting from this examination will cancel any existing list and may last approximately one year, but can be extended.

Applications must be in the possession of the Human Resource Services Department by 5:00 p.m. on the Last Day for Filing.  Postmarks are not accepted.  Applications will only be accepted on-line.

Supplemental Questionnaire:  A properly completed Supplemental Questionnaire must be submitted with each application.  Applications and Supplemental Questionnaires must be in the possession of the Human Resource Services Department by 5:00 p.m. on the Last Day for Filing. Postmarks are not accepted.  Failure to submit the Supplemental Questionnaire will result in disqualification.

ABOUT ACERA

The Alameda County Employees Retirement Association (ACERA) is currently recruiting to fill one position of Executive Secretary, ACERA

The Alameda County Employee's Retirement Association (ACERA) is a retirement system organized under the County Employees Retirement  Law of 1937, which provides retirement, disability and death benefits to the employees, retirees and former employees of the County of Alameda, and certain other participating public employees. 

The retirement plan provides lifetime benefits to members of the retirement system who meet the minimum age and length-of-service requirements and is a significant and fundamental part of the comprehensive benefits package ACERA provides to eligible employees.   Current Services   Over the years, ACERA has expanded its member services to include employees of the Alameda County-based Superior Court of California and the five special districts of the County, as well as to administer retiree health care, dental care, vision care, and supplemental cost-of-living benefits.   Mission   To provide ACERA members and employers with flexible, cost-effective, participant-oriented benefits through prudent investment management and superior member services.   Commitment (Board and Staff)   To carry out our Mission through a competent, professional, impartial and open decision making process. In providing benefits and services, all persons will be treated fairly and with courtesy and respect. Investments will be managed to balance the need for security with superior performance. We expect excellence in all activities. We will also be accountable and act in accordance with the law.   Goals   I.   To create an environment in which Board Members can maximize their performance as trustees II.  To improve the level of benefits and delivery of services provided to members and employees III. To improve communications with members and employers IV. To attract, develop and retain competent and professional staff V.  To achieve and maintain top quartile investment performance as measured by the Public Fund Universe

THE POSITION

Under general supervision, to provide a wide variety of difficult and complex secretarial and administrative support to the Chief, Executive Officer ACERA, the Retirement Board of Trustees and to senior managers; and to perform related work as required.

This is a single-position classification providing high-level secretarial support to the Chief, Executive Officer ACERA and the Retirement Board of Trustees and senior managers requiring frequent use of discretion, initiative and independent judgment. Responsibilities include contact with officials from the county and other governmental agencies, private organizations, consultants and investment professionals, as well as the public to exchange information and to explain administrative policies and procedures.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications stated below the Executive Secretary, ACERA, will possess the following critical attributes:

• Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize work and manage multiple assignments simultaneously.
• Political astuteness, possessing the skills necessary for identifying, navigating and successfully interacting within the dynamics of the organization while maintaining sensitivity to the competing needs of internal and external customers.
• Demonstrated administrative support background with high standards  for quality work products.
• Computer savvy individual with the ability to monitor and maintain information which can be made available immediately upon request.
• Ability to maintain effectiveness even when experiencing changes in work responsibilities and deadlines.
• Excellent communicator with the ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing to a wide variety of audiences, such as co-workers, customers, officials and board members.
• Strong collaborator with the ability to work with others to achieve goals.

 

Either I

The equivalent of two (2) years of experience in the class of Secretary II, or an equivalent of higher-level secretarial or administrative class in Alameda County classified service (Non-classified includes District Attorney’s Office, Hospital Authority, and the Consolidated Courts.);

AND

Possession of an Associate of Arts degree, or higher, at an accredited community college or a recognized certified business school;

Or II

The equivalent of two (2) years’ increasing responsible experience serving as Executive Secretary for a public retirement system or the equivalent of four (4) years’ increasing responsible experience serving in some other Executive Secretary capacity; AND

Possession of an Associate of Arts degree, or higher, at an accredited community college or a recognized certified business school.

Additional years of experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis.

NOTE: The Civil Service Commission may modify the above Minimum Qualifications in the announcement of an examination.

NOTE: The level and scope of the following knowledge and abilities are related to duties listed under the “Examples of Duties” section of this specification.

The most suitably qualified candidates will possess the following competencies:

Knowledge of:

• Modern office practices, procedures, and techniques including records management and operation of standard office equipment and software.
• Office administrative principles and practices.
• Practices and techniques of administrative analysis and report preparation.
• Organization and functions of county government.
• 1937 Retirement Act, Ralph M. Brown Act, and Board of Retirement Policies and Procedures.
• Word Processing, spreadsheet and professional presentation software.

Ability to:

• Speak clearly and concisely and listen attentively to obtain and relay information.
• Write clear and concise reports; compose correspondence from brief or minimal oral or written instructions; understand, interpret, and apply laws, rules and written directions to specific situations.
• Interact effectively with employees, retirees, public officials and the general public in routine and in stressful situations requiring tact, poise and flexibility.
• Evaluate demands on administrator’s time and arrange his/her schedule accordingly; recognize when more information is necessary and research and obtain the information through a variety of methods involving analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Identify and choose appropriate decisions from a variety of alternate choices; use sound judgement in recognizing scope of authority.
• Set priorities, coordinate and schedule tasks or events so as to maximize staff and material resources, increase efficiency and anticipate problems.
• Adapt to changing circumstances and work with people from diverse backgrounds.
• Perform difficult clerical work involving independent judgment and requiring speed and accuracy;
• Develop and maintain office records of a confidential nature.
• Effectively use word processing, spreadsheets and professional presentation software to prepare material in a professional manner.

THE EXAMINATION WILL CONSIST OF the following steps: 1) A review of candidates' applications to verify possession of minimum requirements. Those candidates who possess the minimum requirements for the class will move on to the next step in the examination process. 2) A review of candidates’ Supplemental Questionnaires to select the best qualified applicants to continue in the process.  3) An oral interview which will be weighted as 100% of the candidate's final examination score. The oral interview may contain situational exercises.  CANDIDATES MUST ATTAIN A QUALIFYING RATING ON EACH PORTION OF THIS EXAMINATION.  We reserve the right to make changes to the announced examination components.

Alameda County utilizes a Civil Service Selection System founded on merit.  Such a system is competitive and based on broad recruitment efforts and equal opportunity for qualified applicants to test in an examination process designed to determine the qualifications, fitness and ability of competitors to perform duties of the vacant position.  Many of our recruitments are targeted and specific to the needs of a current vacant position, in which case, the eligible list may be exclusively used for that current vacant position.  Other recruitments many be more broadly used for both current and future vacancies, or for other alternate jobs with comparable scopes of work.

To learn more about our recruitment and selection process, please visit the “What You Need to Know” section of our website, www.acgov.org/hrs.

Applicants will be informed via email with reasonable notice in advance of any examination process which will require their attendance.  The following dates are tentative and subject to change based on the needs of the Agency:

TENTATIVE SELECTION PLAN

Deadline for Filing:                                Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2014

Review of Minimum Qualifications:     Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2014  

Review for Best Qualified:                    Thursday, Sept. 11, 2014

Panel Interviews:                                    To Be Determined

                           

Alameda County and the Human Resource Services Department will make reasonable efforts in the examination and/or selection process to accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities and/or medical conditions in accordance/compliance with the State Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), Federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Alameda County’s Reasonable Accommodation Policy and applicable statutes.  To request an accommodation due to a disability/medical condition during this or other phases of the examination/selection process, please contact the assigned Human Resources Representative listed on the job announcement before the last date of filing. Alameda County requires applicants to provide supporting documentation to substantiate a request for reasonable accommodation. In order to qualify for a reasonable accommodation, applicants must have a disability/medical condition pursuant to the ADA, FEHA and applicable statutes.

For more information regarding our Reasonable Accommodation procedures, please visit our website, www.acgov.org/hrs

Alameda County offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that affords wide-ranging health care options to meet the different needs of a diverse workforce and their families. We also sponsor many different employee discount, fitness and health screening programs focused on overall well being.  These benefits include but are not limited to*:

For your Health & Welfare Benefits

• Medical – HMO & PPO Insurance
• Dental – PPO & DHMO Insurance  
• Vision
• Basic Life Insurance 
• Supplemental Life Insurance (with optional dependent coverage) 
• County Allowance
• Health Flexible Spending Account
• Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account
• Accident, Critical Illness & Hospital Indemnity
• Long Term Care Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program

For your Financial Future

• Short-term Disability Insurance
• Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Retirement Plan – (Defined Benefit Pension Plan)
• Deferred Compensation Plan

For your Work/Life Balance

• 11 paid holidays
• Vacation and sick leave accrual
• Vacation purchase program
• Management Paid Leave**
• Group Auto/Home
• Commuter Benefits Program
• Guaranteed Ride Home
• Employee Wellness Program (e.g. At Work Fitness, Incentive Based Programs, Gym Membership Discounts)
• Employee Discount Program (e.g. theme parks, cell phone, etc.)
• Child Care Resources
• 1^st United Services Credit Union 

*Eligibility is determined by Alameda County and offerings may vary by collective bargaining agreement.  This provides a brief summary of the benefits offered and can be subject to change.

** Non-exempt management employees are entitled to up to three days of management paid leave. Exempt management employees are entitled to up to seven days of management paid leave.

All notices related to County recruitments for which you have applied will be sent/delivered via email. Please add @acgov.org and alamedacountyHR@acgov.org as accepted addresses to any email blocking or spam filtering program you may use. If you do not do this, your email blocking or spam filtering program may block receipt of the notices regarding your application for recruitments. You are also strongly advised to regularly log into your County of Alameda online application account to check for notices that may have been sent to you. All email notices that will be sent to you will also be kept in your personal online application account. You will be able to view all of your notices in your online application account by clicking on the 'My applications' button on the Current Job Openings page.

Please take the steps recommended above to insure you do not miss any notices about a recruitment for which you have applied. The County of Alameda is not responsible for notices that are not read, received or accessed by any applicant for a County recruitment.

NOTE: All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. Replies to the email box alamedacountyHR@acgov.org are routed to an unmonitored mailbox. If you have questions please go to our website at www.acgov.org/hrs. You may also contact the Human Resources Analyst listed on the bulletin for the recruitment for which you have applied.

Anna Montoya, Human Resources Analyst III
Human Resource Services Division, County of Alameda
510-272-6459
www.acgov.org/hrs