Administrative Support IV

Hiring Range: $40,739.66 to $54,572.18

Additional Detail

The City of Alexandria is bordered by Washington D.C. and the Potomac River, Arlington and Fairfax counties, and Maryland. The small city has a cosmopolitan feel with 150,000 people living within its 15.75 square miles. At the Department of Community and Human Services, we provide essential safety net services to help city residents enjoy a sense of well-being, safety and self-sufficiency. Our behavioral health programs provide compassionate services that support self-determination and recovery. The beauty of our diverse and resilient people and our commitment to race and social equity, coupled with a historic district dating to 1749, charming waterfront, vibrant arts community and unique places for foodies and shopping, make the City of Alexandria a uniquely wonderful place to live, work and play. We invite all qualified candidates to learn more and apply for our Administrative Support IV position.

General Statement of Duties:

This position involves performing administrative support and office management duties for the Early Childhood Division. The employee performs a variety of increasingly complex and responsible administrative, clerical, and data management functions. The work is performed under the supervision of a mental health team supervisor under established guidelines. Completed work is reviewed for quality and quantity. Work includes receiving assignments from multiple supervisors and the division chief and meeting multiple deadlines. Work also includes daily contact with the public, which requires considerable knowledge of programs, patience, and tact. This position manages the Division main number (703-746-KIDS), and daily responsibilities include assessing the customer’s needs for each call, responding to general inquiries, and referring other inquiries to staff.

Examples of Duties:

• Maintains complete, organized, accurate and up-to-date database of information on permitted establishments in the electronic database and in the hard copy files; (VaCMS and Harmony/kinship).
• Establishes priorities on various administrative matters and has extensive knowledge of many laws, ordinances, and regulations governing programs.
• Provides guidance and training to new staff members by explaining the system of administrative (non-technical) policies, procedures, and methods.
• Responds to daily inquiries from the public and provides information on early childhood programs, resource referrals, and the process for becoming a family childcare provider.
• Maintains handbooks and manuals for provider regulation by posting manual changes, adding new pages, or deleting obsolete materials. 
• Manages Individual Vendor Agreements and tracks legal operating status for approximately 75 childcare centers.
• Maintains logs of items requested by Chief of Early Childhood Division and follows up to insure timely action.
• Advises and provides guidance within the division concerning procedural aspects of process and expediting work.
• Receives administrative and technical inquiries by telephone or during office visits, and answers inquiries on regulatory matters from providers or makes appropriate referrals on those involving substantive considerations.
• Maintains and operates word processors, standard office machines, copiers, and other appliances in performing clerical assignments.
• Detects problems with the administrative system and changes or adapts the system to correct these problems.
• Screens applicants to determine their eligibility for childcare.
• Enters client data into VaCMS, Harmony, and Kinship from admissions forms and service tickets.
• Provides staff support for training, i.e., creates training list, training certificate and monthly training flyer through Desktop Publishing.
• Process incoming and outgoing mail and monthly mass mailings.
• Prepares monthly financial report on supply orders.
• Purges cases that have been closed for five years on a quarterly basis.
• Responsible for notarizing forms for the Early Childhood Division and entire DCHS staff. 
• Monitors new applicant providers who are pending training.
• Notifies family childcare providers who are to attend meetings and arrange for meeting space.
• Maintains records for family childcare provider applicants.
• Routes work items to staff for action of non-technical nature; takes proper action and/or prepares answers and sign routine correspondence.
• Ensures that all documents in providers files are properly signed.
• Collects and keeps track of provider’s fees: application and Livescan charges.
• Maintains CPS clearances log and correspondence with VDSS in Richmond.
• Maintains fire inspection log and correspondence with Alexandria Fire Department.
• Assists with interpretation for non-English speaking families seeking childcare services.
• Assists with formatting and editing of childcare reports and training materials.
• Responsible for updating tickles for providers’ requirements in Harmony.
• Creates and updates annual permits and certificates for childcare providers.
• Prepares the monthly provider training flyer.
• Performs other assigned duties as assigned.

Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

A strong working knowledge of computers is required; training will be provided in areas specific to childcare programs. This position also requires written and verbal skills. communicating courteously and effectively, both verbally and in writing, with a diverse public; and ability to follow complex, verbal and written directions and maintain complex clerical records and prepare reports from such reports. 

Minimum Qualifications:

High School Diploma or GED; at least two years of responsible clerical experience, including some experience in office management activities that involved provision of basic secretarial services such as typing, stenography, filing, reception or preparing reports and correspondence at a level equivalent to Administrative Support III; and completion of high-school level courses in general studies, including English; or any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the required knowledge, skills and ability.

Preferred Qualifications:

At least one year of experience with basic bookkeeping. Bilingual in English and a language, represented in the populations served.