Office Assistant

Office Assistant

DePaul Community Resources seeks a full-time (37.5-hour workweek) Office Assistant at the Chesapeake office location.

The Office Assistant is primarily responsible for front office coverage and administrative support tasks. Given the location and nature of the work, the position must exercise sound professional judgment, confidentiality, exceptional customer service, and a welcoming and problem-solving attitude. The Office Assistant will interact with employees and the public, who may stop by the office or communicate through other modalities such as telephone, email, and virtual meetings. The time, duration, and frequency allocated to specific duties and public interaction may vary depending on the assigned office(s) and department(s).

The Office Assistant will report directly to the Support Services Supervisor.

This list is not an exhaustive & all-inclusive list of job responsibilities. The distribution of time allotted for any function or duty is subject to change with or without notice. Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign other responsibilities to this job or reassign them elsewhere at any time.

• Act as the receptionist and receive and screen visitors and telephone calls, take and relay messages, and serve as a liaison with vendors who, for example, may need to access the office location to conduct repairs or maintenance of equipment
• Provide office support activities such as opening and distributing mail for most staff; process outgoing mail and mass service program communications; track and order office supplies, petty cash and credit card receipts, and general clerical support for assigned programs and services such as mailing new hire packets; complete assigned errands and or shopping needs related to office and or service programs. Act as receptionist and receive and screen visitors and telephone calls and take and relay messages
• Assist with billing for departments as assigned and provide support services to the Finance department
• Assist with monitoring, maintaining, and coordinating fleet (oil changes, inspections, tag expiration, etc.) as well as buildings (monthly review of exit lights, smoke detectors, first aid kit supplies, etc.)
• Support electronic recordkeeping systems/databases by completing tasks such as scanning and uploading documents, placing documents in respective placeholders for applicants, provider home, case record, or other designated categories; creating and maintaining parts of case or home records related to applicants, referrals, intake, etc; entering data directly from an application or document to the general tab section or other designated section of an electronic database case record. (Note: assigned program service workers are responsible for the content of the documents.)
• Process, track, and report LEIE search and other background check results for applicants, resource parents, sponsored residential providers/DSPs, their household members, and others as assigned; maintain related appendix files as applicable. (Note: assigned program service workers are responsible for the content of the documents.)
• Assist with local office events, gatherings, and meetings, such as scheduling, ordering food, meals, and supplies, preparing and distributing documents and materials, and supporting opening and closing activities such as setup, greeting, and cleaning
• Complete duties specific to the needs of a program, office, or department, may include but are not limited to managing Q&C closed paper file storage and access, note taking/minutes for assigned meetings, scheduling appointments/managing calendars

Knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics or KSAOs are attributes needed to perform a job that is demonstrated through qualifying training, education, and experience. This list is not an exhaustive & all-inclusive list of all KSAOs for this job.

Knowledge of:

• Office and records administration techniques and procedures.
• The structure and content of the English language, including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar
• Microsoft Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, SharePoint, Teams, and virtual meeting applications such as Zoom, Webex, Google Meet
• Relevant policies, procedures, and strategies to promote the safety and protection of people, data, and property
• Knowledge of methodologies and resources used to assess the needs of the listener or audience to share information or engage in ongoing communication
• DePaul's policies, procedures, and standard practices and the rules and guidelines established by regulatory and governing agencies

Skill/Ability to:

• Operate standard office equipment such as telephone, calculator, printer, scanner, cellular phone, tablet, computer, postage machine, shredder
• Demonstrate verbal and written communication and body language that conveys information, ideas, or inquiries effectively and concisely that purveys professional composure, emotional intelligence, thoughtfulness, patience, and respect amidst change, ambiguity, and within the daily trajectories of work
• Give full attention to what other people are saying, take time to understand the points being made, ask questions as appropriate, and not interrupt at inappropriate times
• Demonstrate the use of logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems
• Demonstrate interpersonal and verbal skills to defuse emotional situations, calm upset individuals, allay fears, and lessen confusion
• Collect and analyze data
• Manage multiple priorities and complete assignments on time, accurately, and with attention to detail, and ensure a high-quality work product
• Develop and maintain professional working relationships and appropriate boundaries with individuals served, coworkers, community partners, and business associates, and work collaboratively within a team environment
• Accurately prepare and maintain records, files, and reports
• Communicate effectively in both oral and written form
• Make arithmetical computations and tabulations
• Read and understand information and ideas presented in writing
• Analyze, organize, and prioritize work while meeting multiple deadlines
• Ability to analyze and prepare documents, reports, and correspondence
• Operate a personal computer with a general understanding of MS Office Suites, virtual meeting software, the Internet, and department or program-specific software
• Analyze and prepare concise and accurate documents, reports, and correspondence
• Effectively market the programs and services of the department
• Train others
• Exercise sound judgment and critical thinking in decision-making and solving various work-related situations
• Learn policies, procedures, and guidelines established by DePaul, professional organizations, governing agencies, and local laws, statutes, regulations, codes, and standards related to the area of responsibility
• Assist with the general upkeep and cleaning of office areas and agency vehicles

Other Characteristics:

• Demonstrate self-awareness, ongoing self-evaluation, and a commitment to being part of a diverse, equitable, respectful, and inclusive workplace where all people are valued
• Demonstrate professional composure in difficult and stressful situations
• Demonstrate the FIRST (fairness, integrity, respect, safety, trust) values in the daily trajectories of work
• Demonstrate professionalism regarding access to sensitive and confidential information related to employees, clients, and business records with no disclosure to others without needing to know

A High School Diploma or GED and one year of office/clerical experience; attention to detail; working knowledge of Microsoft Outlook, SharePoint, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; concise, accurate, and respectful communication; and effective and efficient time management and organizational skills are required. Must be able to work independently as well as part of a team. A comparable combination of education and experience may be considered.

The work environment characteristics described herein represent those an employee encounters while performing the position's essential functions. The employee regularly works in an office environment and occasionally in the field. Due to the nature of the work, the incumbent may be exposed to situations of a highly emotional nature; incumbents are expected to use verbal skills to resolve interpersonal situations to achieve desired results independently. Work is generally completed regularly during weekdays; however, daily work hours may vary. Completion of job duties outside of normally scheduled hours may be required. Work is subject to frequent interruptions, and noise levels are varied based on the work locations.

The physical demands described herein are representative of those that an employee in this position must meet, with or without reasonable accommodations, to perform the essential functions successfully. Physical activities required are finger dexterity necessary to operate equipment used in the position, effective communication and seeing or hearing verbal cues. Walking for up to one-third of the time, sitting two-thirds or more of the time, standing for up to one-third of the time, bending from one-third to two-thirds of the time, stooping for up to one-third of the time, lifting/pushing/pulling up to twenty