Senior Secretary

Job Description

PLEASE ATTACH THE ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS LISTED AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE

Job ID: 36822
Agency: Department of Health - Finance and Operations
Location:Pierre, SDSalary: $20.47 Hourly, depending on qualifications
Pay Grade: F
Closing Date: 8/10/26

This is a Full-Time 40 Hours Weekly position with the Department of Health - Finance and Operations. For more information on the Department of Health, please visit .

The South Dakota Department of Health's programs and services help prevent illness and injury; promote healthy places to live, work, and play; provide education to help people make good health decisions; prepare for, respond to, and prevent public health threats; and support efforts to enhance quality and accessibility of healthcare. Our services touch the lives of every person in the state of South Dakota.

We recognize that employees are our most valuable resource and we are committed to promoting a culture of excellence in DOH. We trust our employees to be innovative, challenge existing processes, and make the best decisions. We are interested in employing a diverse and skilled workforce that exhibits the values of leadership, accountability, communication, integrity, and teamwork. Public health is a diverse and growing field that offers many career options for people from a variety of educational backgrounds. Imagine yourself as part of a winning team that is making the lives of South Dakotans healthier and safer.

Please visit our website at for further information about the Department of Health.

This position performs professional and secretarial functions or high-level clerical support functions for the Department of Health, Office Administrators and Program Managers. Duties include serving as backup to the first contact for the public and callers to the Department of Health, routing calls, greeting guests, data entry and research for various programs, coordinating meetings, preparing and sending large mailings, confidentiality of patient records, and preparation of various reports. The Department of Health works within a team environment, and the successful candidate will have the opportunity to learn new skills for the various divisions within the Department.

Some of the high-level duties this position will perform include developing and implementing procedures related to their assigned duties. This position would be expected to analyze the procedures used for the department and bring solutions including for example, identification of allowable exceptions in the out-of-state travel request process.

This position will also manage correspondence, prepare reports, and maintain various recordkeeping for the entire department. They will schedule meetings and interviews, coordinate and staff events, create and publish meeting materials, and provide support during events and meetings as needed.

This individual will be required to know and utilize purchasing regulations, ensuring that all policies, procedures, and best practices are implemented to best utilizing funds, including research and comparison for items outside of the State purchasing contracts. This position will managing purchasing for several offices within the Department of Health in coordination with the purchasing officer as needed.

This position will also manage and maintain data related to assigned duties such as immunization records, reports to the Department Secretary, and legal documents, ensuring accuracy and confidentiality. This includes updating databases, generating reports, and analyzing data to support decision-making processes. This position will also provide support as requested through a help desk.

The Senior Secretary will serve as a resource for training and guidance to other staff members at all levels, including development of "best practices" and training materials, and offer ongoing support to ensure staff are proficient in their roles.

This position must possess the flexibility to prioritize projects and requests to ensure timely completion within changing deadlines. Further, this individual will serve as a gatekeeper of personally identifiable information and make decisions on whether records may be released based on verification of identity prior to releasing records to patients.

The Ideal Candidate Will Have:
Experience with secretarial and administrative support duties. This position requires the ability to prioritize and successfully complete multiple projects at one time, often with interruptions and directional changes due to needs within the organization.

Knowledge of:

• computers;
• Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, Access);
• specialized programs within the Department.

Skill to:

• manage multiple projects with attention to detail, accuracy, and timeliness;
• prioritize projects as necessary;
• ask appropriate questions when needed;
• handle day-to-day functions as well as long-term departmental projects;
• serve as a customer service contact for callers and visitors within the State Public Health Laboratory.

Ability to:

• work effectively in collaborative team environments;
• demonstrate strong time-management and organizational skills;
• handle multiple projects simultaneously;
• maintain attention to detail;
• communicate effectively and efficiently.

Additional Requirements: To be considered, please attach your resume.

This position is eligible for Veterans' Preference per ARSD 55:10:02:08.

NCRC: If you possess a National Career Readiness Certificate, please submit the certificate with your application. For more information on how to acquire a National Career Readiness Certificate contact a South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation Job Service Office. A certificate is not necessary to be considered.

The State of South Dakota does not sponsor work visas for new or existing employees. All persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and complete an Employment Eligibility Verification, Form I-9. The State of South Dakota as an employer will be using E-Verify to complete employment eligibility verification upon hire.

The State of South Dakota offers $0 premium employee health insurance option plus eleven paid holidays, generous vacation and sick leave accrual, dental, vision, and other insurance options, and retirement benefits. You can view our benefits information here . This position is a member of Class A retirement under SDRS.

Must apply online:
You must apply online, emailed resumes or submissions will not be accepted.
South Dakota Bureau of Human Resources and Administration
Telephone: View phone number on kelolandemployment.com Email: View email address on kelolandemployment.com

"An Equal Opportunity Employer"

#LI-Onsite