Administrative Program Assistant I

at  Virginia Department of Social Services

Title Description- Administrative Program Assistant I represents a variety of office and administrative specialists such as fiscal, human resource, procurement and other administrative and office specialists. Employees in this class perform complex office and administrative support duties in a specialized program areas such as in accounting, human resources, information technology and are responsible for composing routine and non-routine correspondence; proofreading or reviewing others’ work; preparing or contributing to various reports; having frequent contact with others in administrative program areas to advise others; making compliance decisions; and dealing with information that is sensitive and confidential. The Administrative Program Assistant I class is distinguished from the Administrative Program Assistant II class by the latter’s performing paraprofessional activities, acting as an assistant to professionals, and having responsibilities in a functional administrative program area such as fiscal, human resources, or information technology in combination with limited supervisory responsibilities.

• Conducts business with the public, employees and other departments, answering questions and providing guidance, requiring the ability to assess the situation and determine a plan of action;
• Maintains cost, financial, inventory, manpower, payroll, personnel records, or other specialized records and reports in order to account for and evaluate items purchased, services rendered, security, productivity or other control oriented activities;
• Makes recommendations to improve services, collections or other products by comparing data such as production reports, transactions or fiscal summaries;
• Interprets, explains and gathers information regarding specific program services, polices, and procedures;
• Records information such as inventory, personnel, statistical or fiscal data and compiles informational reports;
• Proofreads work of others;
• Sets up hardware or loads software under carefully controlled parameters;
• Determines compliance with programmatic requirements and approves or disapproves services, activities or financial payments; and
• Composes routine, non-routine, sensitive and confidential memos, reports, forms, or other correspondence.
• May serve as a leader for other clerical or administrative employees providing training and guidance.
  Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Knowledge- Considerable knowledge of: office practices and procedures; agency policies and procedures as related to the subject area; and personal computer and office and agency software. Working knowledge of: basic math, accounting and bookkeeping; English, grammar, and use of the dictionary; and laws, rules, regulations pertaining to the subject area. Some knowledge of technical aspects of program area.
  Skills- Skill in operating a variety of automated office equipment including the calculator, fax/copier and computer-driven word processing, spreadsheet, graphics and file maintenance programs.
  Abilities- Demonstrated ability to: interact professionally with all levels of agency personnel and the public; communicate effectively both orally and in writing; analyze and manipulate data and prepare reports; maintain complex records; assemble and organize data and prepare reports; make required mathematical computations; interpret and follow oral and written policies, procedures, rules and regulations; maintain harmonious working and public relations; provide guidance to others; and organize and prioritize work and make independent work processing decisions.
  Education and Experience- High school diploma supplemented with post-secondary coursework in office or business administration, accounting, computer science or related field, and clerical or administrative experience OR any equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities.