Senior Office Specialist - Citywide

Salary: $67,026.96 - $81,485.04 Annually
Location : San Jose
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 202601580
DEPART: Citywide
Opening Date: 05/27/2026
Closing Date: 6/2/2026 11:59 PM Pacific


Our diverse and inclusive workforce of more than 7,000 employees play a key role in the success of San José, the heart of the Silicon Valley. All City of San José employees work together as one team to make San José a vibrant, innovative, and desirable place to live and work. Visit to learn more about our One Team Leadership Values and Expectations, including quality and excellent customer service and here to learn more about San José.

The City of San José is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants for all job openings will be considered without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status or any other consideration made unlawful under any federal, state or local laws. The City of San José is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact us at View phone number on click.appcast.io, 711 (TTY), or via email at View email address on click.appcast.io.

About the Department


The City of San José, the Capital of Silicon Valley, is one of the nation's best managed cities and one of the top ten cities in which to live work and do business. Moreover, San José is the center of cultural government and economic activity for the region. The employees of the City of San José have embraced the following values: Integrity, Innovation, Excellence, Collaboration, Respect, and Celebration.

Position Duties
Salary Information

$67,026.96 - $81,485.04 Annually

This salary range includes an approximate five percent (5%) ongoing non-pensionable compensation. The actual salary shall be determined by the final candidates' qualifications and experience.

This is a class-based recruitment. Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications for the Senior Office Specialist classification will be added to the active Qualified Candidate Group and contacted when a department-specific vacancy becomes available. This candidate pool will supersede any active list. If you are in the current Qualified Candidate Group, you will need to reapply in order to be considered for future vacancies.

Senior Office Specialists perform a variety of office clerical tasks of moderate difficulty which can include customer service duties in a major call center or a major customer service function where public contacts involved require more knowledge of the work of the division than the giving of routine information. The Senior Office Specialists may act as a lead to the classifications of Office Specialist I and II.

Duties may include but are not limited to:

• Provides customer service duties requiring knowledge of organization and applicable procedures, laws, rules, and regulations. Customers may be employees, the public, or other departments. Acts as receptionist, refers individuals to the appropriate staff member, gives out a variety of information and written materials; helps the public fill out a variety of forms, responds to complaints and questions by finding out what issue is and then researching and providing information.
• Answers and screens telephone calls, takes messages, and refers telephone calls to appropriate person; answers questions and provides a variety of information over the telephone that requires knowledge of the organization, applicable, procedures, laws, rules, and regulations.
• Assembles and verifies data and information in complex reports (such as financial or statistical reports and contractual agreements), records and databases; gathers information and data from other sources such as other departments, or outside agencies; independently prepares summaries, tabulations, or reports of data and information.
• Performs data entry and types documents, including utilization of word processing, spreadsheets, database systems, presentation software and other systems; reviews documents for accuracy; may also review for content.
• Sets up complex filing systems and procedures, including retention control procedures and automated record keeping systems; maintains and updates files, forms, records, inventories and documents, including personnel files and complex files such as those of a legal or technical nature; updates logs and tracking systems; retrieves records and documents as requested.
• With very little review, codes items for posting, entering or listing; makes arithmetical calculations; maintains diversified records, including employee time and assignment records; prepares and distributes a variety of documents with legal implications and deadlines.
• Independently prepares and drafts basic memorandums, meeting notes and other documents; answers correspondence, prepares summaries of records, minutes, and other documents without destroying the meaning; compares a variety of documents such as purchase orders, receiving clips and others to check for arithmetical accuracy and general completeness.
• Operates a variety of standard office equipment including but not limited to computers, telephones, computer terminals, duplicating machines, fax machines, and calculators.

Minimum Qualifications
Education: Completion of high school or equivalent (General Education Development (GED) Test or California Proficiency Certificate).

Experience: Two (2) years of experience in varied office clerical work.

Acceptable Substitution: A Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university may be substituted for the required experience.

Other Qualifications
The ideal candidate will possess the following competencies, as demonstrated in past and current employment history.

Job Expertise - Demonstrates knowledge of and experience with applicable professional/technical principles and practices, Citywide and departmental procedures/policies and federal and state rules and regulations.

Computer Skills - Experienced with common business computer applications including but not limited to: MS Outlook, MS Word, MS PowerPoint, MS Access, and MS Excel.

Customer Service - Demonstrates the ability to anticipate customers' needs and deliver services effectively and efficiently using professional demeanor.

Decision Making - Identifies and understands issues, problems, and opportunities; uses effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions.

Flexibility - Makes effective decisions and achieves desired results in the midst of major changes in responsibilities, work processes, timeframes, performance expectations, organizational culture, or work environment.

Multi-Tasking - Can handle multiple projects and responsibilities simultaneously; has handled a wide variety of assignments in past and/or current position(s).

Reliability - Completes quality work assignments in a timely and efficient manner; fulfills responsibilities and maintains confidentiality as appropriate.

Teamwork and Interpersonal Skills - Develops effective relationships with co-workers and supervisors by helping others accomplish tasks and using collaboration and conflict resolution skills.

Communication Skills - Effectively conveys information and expresses thoughts and facts clearly, orally and in writing; demonstrates effective use of listening skills; displays openness to other people's ideas and thoughts.
Selection Process: The selection process will consist of an evaluation of the applicant's training and experience based on the application and responses to all the job specific questions. You must answer all questions to be considered or your application may be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration. Applicants are expected to write their own essays/responses. Please be advised that use of AI content in your responses may result in your removal from the hiring process. Only those candidates whose backgrounds best match the position will be invited to proceed in the selection process. Additional phases of the selection process will consist of one or more interviews.

If you have questions about the duties of these positions, the selection or hiring processes, please contact Jennifer Macias at
Additional Information:

Employment Eligibility: Federal law requires all employees to provide verification of their eligibility to work in this country. Please be informed that the City of San Jose will NOT sponsor, represent or sign any documents related to visa applications/transfers for H1-B or any other type of visa which requires an employer application.


You must answer all job-specific questions to be considered for this vacancy or your application will be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration. Applicants are expected to write their own essays/responses.


Please note that applications are currently not accepted through CalOpps or any other third party job board application system.

This recruitment may be used to fill multiple positions in this, or other divisions or departments. If you are interested in employment in this classification, you should apply to ensure you are considered for additional opportunities that may utilize the applicants from this recruitment.

Please allow adequate time to complete the application and submit before the deadline or the system may not save your application. If your online application was successfully submitted, you will receive an automatic confirmation email to the email address you provided. IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE THE CONFIRMATION, please email and we will research the status of your application.


AI and the Hiring Process

We recognize that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming part of daily life and can be a valuable tool for learning, research, and professional growth. We encourage candidates to use AI responsibly as a support in preparing application materials, live assessments, and interviews. However, we value authenticity, accuracy and truthfulness. Application responses and interview answers must reflect your own knowledge, skills, and experiences. While AI can supplement preparation, it cannot replace the originality and judgment we look for in our employees. This ensures fairness, transparency, and equity for all applicants in the hiring process.
The City of San Jose offers a wide range of core health benefits including Medical, Dental, Vision, Employee Assistance Program, Life Insurance, Disability, and Savings Plans. Please visit the City's for detailed information on coverage, cost, and dependent coverage.

For information on the City's Retirement Plan(pension for full-time employees), please visit the Office of Retirement Services You will be able to view information based on different Sworn/Federated job classification.


In additional to the benefits above, there is an to explore further benefits of working for the City of San Jose like paid leave, educational reimbursements, and holiday pay are specific to the job classification and union membership.
01


What is the highest level of education you have completed?

• High School Diploma or the equivalent (GED)
• College (1 to 29 semester units/ 1 to 44 quarter units)
• College (30 to 59 semester units/ 45 to 89 quarter units)
• College (60 to 89 semester units/ 90 to 134 quarter units)
• College (90 to 119 semester units/ 135 to 179 quarter units)
• College (120 or more semester units/ 180 or more quarter units)
• Associate's Degree
• Bachelor's Degree
• Master's Degree
• Doctoral Degree
• Other
• None of the above

02


How many years of experience do you have in varied office clerical work?

• Less than two (2) years
• Two (2) years or more

03


Please describe your experience in the area of varied office clerical work.
04


An acceptable substitution for the required experience for the Senior Office Specialist classification is possession of a Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university. If you meet the acceptable substitution for this position, please state the field of study and the issuing accredited college or university. If you meet the experience without the substitution, please respond to this question with "N/A".
Required Question