Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

To provide administrative and business support services for a group of managers and staff. To provide back up administrative and business support services for other business units within the region/branch, as required.

Duties / Responsibilities :

Duties/Responsibilities

Within the Provincial Highways Management Division of the Ministry of Transportation, working under the direction of the assigned manager(s), the position has the following responsibilities:

1. Preparing/editing a variety of documents/reports (word processing) services involving typing, formatting, editing and finalizing a variety of materials (e.g., correspondence, reports, briefing/House notes, minister's letters, memos, presentations, meeting minutes) and proofreading for spelling, accuracy and punctuation. Creating forms, and organizing and manipulating data for the most effective presentation, using a variety of computer software applications and suggesting alternative formatting to originator.

2. Greeting visitors, answering/screening telephone calls, and directing to most appropriate staff/business unit. Responding to routine inquiries, and referring complex issues to appropriate staff/supervisor/service provider. Responding to inquiries/requests by email as required, ensuring service quality standards for email, fax and telephone are met. Composing and formatting routine correspondence, independently or from brief instructions (e.g., acknowledgments, covering letters, routine responses to supervisor's email and voice messages).

3. Obtaining, opening, sorting and distributing incoming mail in compliance with established guidelines, assessing contents to determine appropriate staff/supervisor for assignment based on knowledge of subject matter and, where necessary, attaching relevant files/background information/files. Preparing outgoing packages for mail or courier.

4. Establishing and maintaining electronic and hard copy filing systems and SharePoint content/site for a wide variety of office materials in accordance with ministry file retention schedules. Ensuring that information is accurate, current and available, and arranging for off-site storage and retrieval of files as required.

5. Coordinating and maintaining a correspondence tracking system for the business unit(s) including reviewing correspondence to determine if tracking is applicable, and if so, following established procedures to log and distribute to staff for action, inputting information, updating/reconciling section spreadsheets and generating correspondence tracking reports, and reconciling with spreadsheets to ensure accuracy and that service quality standards are met.

6. Coordinating and maintaining supervisor's appointment calendars, vehicle, equipment and boardroom bookings, travel and accommodation arrangements, meetings, conferences and luncheons, ensuring all material is distributed in a timely manner. Monitoring emails and forwarding action items on behalf of the manager, as required. Arranging teleconferences for staff and other meetings, including organizing small and group events/functions, preparing agenda, taking minutes, transcribing written notes into electronic format and distributing to attendees. As required, assisting in coordinating the delivery of staff training courses, ensuring approvals have been obtained, registration forms completed and training databases updated.

7. Adhering to current procurement guidelines, obtaining quotations from vendors, monitoring and ordering office supplies and services from various vendors and arranging deliveries, and performing calculations to reconcile outstanding purchasing card statements and purchase orders. Gathering data (e.g., quotations, ergonomic, reports outlining requirements) and preparing draft business cases for new office equipment/furniture on manager's instructions, utilizing standard formats and procedures.

8. Performs various financial and administrative tasks including:
• Updating manual/directive revisions and file, phone and other lists, maintaining document libraries including SharePoint and arranging for document reproduction.
• Maintaining vacation planner; tracking attendance.
• Arranging for moving of furniture.
• Verifying and checking invoices for approval and making adjustments and back-up documentation, monthly reconciliation of cost centres with IFIS reports, ensuring correct expediting of local purchase orders, collecting and submitting expense/time/equipment accounts for manager's approval, and providing input to improve office administrative processes.

9. Receiving, recording and forwarding various monthly staff and other reports (e.g., time sheets, work reports, vehicle log for reports, expense statements), checking for accuracy and proper authorization and following-up on due dates. Accessing human resources management and financial management systems and other Internet/intranet sites to gather information and data for section reports and assignments.


10. Ensuring office equipment (e.g., telephones, multi-functional devices, fax machines, photocopiers, cameras, cell phones, scanners, projectors, etc.) is maintained and in working order. Removing paper jams and replacing toner, notifying technicians when advanced repair or maintenance is required.

11. Preparing necessary paperwork, including arranging for building access cards, purchasing and travel cards, computers, Blackberries and telephones for new, current and exiting managers and staff. Coordinating and placing online orders for various products and services, including purchasing office supplies and equipment. Providing training and general guidance and support on office routines to temporary employees, summer students and new employees and providing back up administrative support for other business units as required. Providing short term back up support for executive assistants and senior administrative staff during vacations and other scheduled and unscheduled absences.

Staffing and Licencing :

N/A

Knowledge :

• Knowledge of ministry administrative/office procedures and guidelines, including knowledge of service quality standards, to route general correspondence, Minister's letters and briefing notes, sort/distribute mail, process and verify invoices, review offices processes, establish and maintain filing systems including SharePoint, order and maintain office supplies, update asset and inventory control and ensure quality standards are achieved.
• General organizational knowledge to respond to general inquiries orally and in writing, redirect inquiries to staff/business units, and to gather/prepare information for reports.
• Knowledge of arithmetic and financial processes to calculate employee attendance and reconcile expenditures relating to expense claims, purchasing card statements, purchase orders and invoices.
• Knowledge of computer software applications for word processing, data analysis, database management, presentation, web browsing, file sharing and web content management, email and calendar management, viewing, creating and editing PDF files, and creating organizational charts using the suite of Microsoft Office products (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Explorer, SharePoint, Outlook) as well as Adobe Acrobat and OrgChart Professional.
• Knowledge of specialized OPS web-based applications for human resources management, financial management and correspondence tracking to produce letters, reports, briefing notes, charts, tables, graphics, spreadsheets and presentation materials and utilizing a variety of features.
• Knowledge of office equipment (multi-functional devices, fax machines, copiers, printers and scanners) for faxing, copying, printing, scanning, emailing and dispatching mail and the ability to perform routine maintenance (e.g. replace toner, printer cartridges).

Skills :

• Job requires flexibility, reasoning and organizing skills to determine what matters should be given priority when performing a variety of different tasks with conflicting deadlines and to prioritize work based on knowledge of subject matter of by discussing with manager and staff.
• Job requires identifying and resolving discrepancies related to invoices, purchasing card statements and expense claims by referring to administrative procedures and guidelines.
• Job requires analytical skills to determine the most effective way to present material when typing correspondence, briefing notes, presentations, reports, charts and tables and to resolve problems by trying different layout formats or software applications.
• Job requires interpersonal and oral communication skills, tact and diplomacy to deal with all levels of staff and service providers, to answer telephones, greet visitors, respond to general program inquiries or transfer calls to appropriate staff, to deal with staff of hotels, airlines and travel agencies when making travel and accommodation arrangements or when setting up/co-coordinating small and large meetings/events/functions.
• Job requires written communication skills to compose routine letters such as acknowledgments, from brief verbal or written instructions, and to proofread material to ensure accuracy in grammar, spelling, sentence structure and punctuation when typing letters, briefing notes, presentations, reports, etc.
• Job requires coordination skills to ensure priorities are met during peak workload periods, and to deal with staff of hotels, meeting facilities and airlines to co-ordinate arrangements and distribute mail in accordance with service quality standards.
• Job requires assessing confidentiality of information to avoid improper release.
• Job requires the ability to work independently or in a team, completing tasks in a timely and efficient manner.
• Job requires typing skills to standards.
• Job requires fully programmable word processing skills.

Freedom of Action :

• Job requires working under general supervision and in accordance with established administrative procedures and methods. Job has access to administrative procedures and guidelines to make decisions relating to the format and routing of correspondence and briefing notes, and to resolve discrepancies relating to expenses accounts, invoices, purchase card statements, etc.
• Job requires decision making in:
o Determining the best layout or presentation format when preparing letters, reports and charts using a variety of software applications and assessment of their capabilities.
o Determining what information is relevant when gathering and organizing material into formats (e.g., charts, graphs).
o Determining priority and forwarding action items to staff/other business units on the manager's behalf; determining what information is confidential and whether or not it should be divulged when responding to inquiries.
o Scheduling appointments and meetings for the manager and re-scheduling based on changes in priorities and availability of participants. The work is reviewed by the manager/staff for content and accuracy. Matters not covered by established procedures or guidelines are referred to the manager (e.g., when expense claim or purchasing card limits are exceeded).