Human Services Agency - Lead Office Assistant (Departmental Promotional Only)

Human Services Agency - Lead Office Assistant (Departmental Promotional Only)

Print (https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/sanmateo/jobs/newprint/5450221)

Apply

Human Services Agency - Lead Office Assistant (Departmental Promotional Only)

Salary

$65,748.80 - $82,160.00 Annually

Location

County of San Mateo, CA

Job Type

Full-Time

Job Number

E336AC

Department

Human Services Agency

Opening Date

08/25/2026

Closing Date

9/8/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

Bargaining Unit

37

• Description

• Benefits

• Questions

Description

The Human Services Agency (HSA) of San Mateo County is seeking qualified applicants for the position of Lead Office Assistant in the Mid County Regional office located at 1500 Fashion Island Boulevard in San Mateo.

The Lead Office Assistant position is part of the office support series. In general, the duties involve providing lead direction in assigning, directing, monitoring and reviewing the work of Office Assistants performing a wide variety of office support tasks. Additionally, the duties include but are not limited to performing a wide variety of clerical tasks relating to the assigned work unit; providing difficult or specialized office support work; and assisting with special projects. Essential to the position is an awareness of and commitment to the values of the Human Services Agency.

The key to success in this position will be a proven and demonstrable history of lead and supervisory experience.

In addition to lead experience, the ideal candidate will have:

• Excellent computer skills, including proficiency with Microsoft Word and Excel, and experience using databases and software applications; experience with CalSAWS and MEDS is highly desirable.

• Strong organization, prioritization and multi-tasking skills.

• Successful work experience providing assistance to, reviewing and monitoring staff's work to ensure deadlines are met with quality products.

• Experience in coordinating, assigning and directing work to office support staff responsible for a variety of administrative functions.

• Experience in creating or assisting with the creation of policies and procedures.

• Successful work experience in orienting staff and training them to follow County and departmental processes, policies and procedures.

• Proven skills to work successfully: independently; as a team member; and as a team lead with staff possessing a variety of backgrounds and job classifications.

• Skill in effectively leading and facilitating bi-weekly staff meetings.

Additionally, the ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• Effective leadership.

• Superior interpersonal and customer service skills.

• "Big picture thinking."

• Creative problem-solving.

• A positive professional outlook in a fast-paced and often-times stressful environment.

Examples Of Duties

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Provide lead direction, training and work review to a small office support staff; organize and assign work, set priorities and follow up to ensure coordination and completion of assigned work.

• Provide input into selection decisions, performance evaluations and corrective action matters.

• Develop and implement office processes and procedures.

• Perform difficult or complex office support work and assist with special office projects as assigned.

• Research and assemble information from a variety of sources for the completion of forms or the preparation of reports; make arithmetic or statistical calculations.

• Provide information to the public or to County staff that requires the use of judgment and the interpretation of policies, rules or procedures.

• Organize and maintain various departmental files.

• Type correspondence, reports, forms, and specialized documents from drafts, notes, dictated tapes, or brief instructions, using a typewriter, word processor or computer terminal.

• Proofread and check typed and other materials for accuracy, completeness, and compliance with departmental policies and regulations.

• Enter and retrieve data and prepare reports using an on-line or personal computer system; review such reports for accuracy and make corrections as required.

• Attend to a variety of office administrative details such as ordering supplies, arranging for the repair of equipment, transmitting information, and keeping reference materials up to date.

• Act as receptionist and receive and screen visitors and telephone calls and direct the caller to the proper person or personally handle the call.

• Process forms and record such as work orders, purchase requisitions and others related to the organizational unit; operate standard office equipment.

• Perform related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Departmental Status: An applicant must be a Human Services Agency employee with at least six months (1040 hours) of continuous service in a classified regular, probationary, extra-help/limited term positions.

Education and Experience: Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to qualify is one (1) year of journey level general office support experience.

Knowledge of:

• Basic supervisory principles and practices.

• Office administrative practices and procedures, including filing and the operation of standard office equipment.

• Basic business data processing principles and the use of word processing or personal computing equipment.

• Policies and procedures related to the department to which assigned.

• Proper form for typed materials.

• Business arithmetic, including percentages and decimals.

• Correct English usage, including spelling, grammar and punctuation and basic record keeping principles and practices.

Skill/Ability to:

• Plan, assign, direct and review the work of others.

• Train others in work procedures.

• Analyze and resolve varied office administrative problems.

• Organize, prioritize and coordinate work activities.

• Read and interpret rules, policies and procedures.

• Organize, research and maintain office files.

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of the work.

• Compose routine correspondence from brief instructions.

• Use initiative and sound independent judgment within established guidelines.

• Operate standard office equipment, including a word processor and/or personal or on-line computer.

NOTE: Specific positions may require the ability to type at a rate of 40 net words per minute from printed copy.

Application/Examination

Departmental Promotional Only. Only current County of San Mateo employees in the Human Services Agency with at least six months (1040 hours) of continuous service in a classified regular, probationary, extra help/limited term positions prior to the final filing date may apply.

The examination process will consist of an application screening (weight: pass/fail) based on the candidates' application and responses to the supplemental questions. Candidates who pass the application screening will be invited to a panel interview (weight: 100%) which may include an additional exam component given prior to, or during, the interview. Depending on the number of applicants, an application appraisal of education and experience may be used in place of other examinations or further evaluation of work experience may be conducted to group applicants by level of qualification. All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase of the examination. All examinations will be given in San Mateo County, California, and applicants must participate at their own expense.

IMPORTANT: Applications for this position will only be accepted online. If you are currently on the County's website, you may click the “Apply” button. If you are not on the County's website, please go to https://jobs.smcgov.org/ to apply. Responses to the Supplemental Questionnaire must be submitted in addition to the standard County employment application form. A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for the required application materials. Online applications must be received by the Human Resources Department before midnight on the final filing date.

TENATIVE RECRUITMENT SCHEDULE

Final Filing Date: Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. PST

Application Screening Date: Wednesday, September 9, 2026

Combined Panel Interview: Tuesday, September 22, 2026

About the County

San Mateo County is centrally located between San Francisco, San Jose, and the East Bay. With over 750,000 residents, San Mateo is one of the largest and most diverse counties in California and serves a multitude of culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse communities.

The County of San Mateo, as an employer, is committed to advancing equity to ensure that all employees are welcomed in a safe and inclusive environment. The County seeks to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community. We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply. Eighty percent of employees surveyed stated that they would recommend the County as a great place to work.

The County of San Mateo is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion at all levels.

Analyst: Arlene Cahill (08252026) (Lead Office Assistant - E336)

We invite you to explore our Benefits-at-a-Glance (https://www.smcgov.org/sites/default/files/2025-05/Benefits%20at%20a%20Glance%204.29.25.pdf) page for a snapshot of the comprehensive and competitive benefits available to eligible employees of the County of San Mateo. From health and wellness to financial security, our benefits are designed to support you at every stage of your career. (Please note that benefits are subject to change.)

In addition to core benefits, the County is proud to offer a variety of wellness and professional development programs to help you grow both personally and professionally. Most of these enriching opportunities are available during work hours and come at no cost to you.

As a County employee, you’ll also be covered by the federal Social Security system, earning valuable retirement benefits based on your salary and years of service.

01

IMPORTANT: Applicants for this position are required to submit responses to the following supplemental questions. Your responses will give us additional information about your background and experience related to this position and will be used in the selection process. Be concise and specific. Neatness, clarity of expression, grammar, spelling and ability to follow instructions will be considered in the evaluation process. A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for your responses.

• Proceed to supplemental questions.

02

This recruitment is Departmental Promotional Only. Only current County of San Mateo in the Human Services Agency with at least six months (1040 hours) of continuous service in a classified regular, probationary, extra help/limited term positions prior to the final filing date may apply. Do you meet this qualification?

• Yes

• No

03

Describe how your education and experience have prepared you for the position of Lead Office Assistant. Be specific as to where your experience was gained and the duties you performed. In addition, describe your experience training other staff.

04

Describe your experience using computers in a work environment. Be specific about the types of software and programs you have used, your level of experience with each one and for what purpose you used them. Be sure to include information about your use with Microsoft Word, Excel, CalSAWS and MEDS.

05

Describe your experience leading and supervising staff members. Include a description of how you set priorities, how you assigned the workloads, and how you followed-up on/reviewed the assignments. Include the number of staff for which you had responsibility and the types of work assigned/reviewed. Be specific.

06

How did you learn about this position?

• County of San Mateo Website

• County of San Mateo Job Interest Card Notification

• County Hosted Virtual Event

• County Hosted Job Fair

• CalOpps.org

• Civic Match

• College/University Career Center

• Community-based Organization Posting

• Facebook/Instagram

• Friend or Relative

• GovernmentJobs.com

• Indeed

• Job Fair

• LinkedIn

• Professional Publication/Website (Please specify in next question)

• X (formerly called Twitter)

• Zip Recruiter

• Other (Please specify in next question)

07

If you answered, "Professional Publication/Website" or "Other" to the above question, please indicate below how you learned about this position. Your response to this question will help us in better marketing County jobs. Type NA if not applicable.

Required Question

Employer

County of San Mateo

Address

County of San Mateo Human Resources Department 500 County Center, 4th Floor Redwood City, California, 94063-1663

Phone

(650) 363-4343

Website

https://jobs.smcgov.org

Apply

Please verify your email address Verify Email