Civil and Human Rights Administrative Assistant

Distinguishing Features of the Class

Provides advanced administrative assistance in the preparation and administration of Human Rights Department intake interviews, investigations, communications, and related activities. Performs a variety of high-level clerical support to the Human Rights Department, in addition to customer service to the public and information dissemination services related to Civil and Human Rights. Performs directly related work as required.

The work is performed under the direct supervision of an assigned supervisor but considerable leeway is granted for the exercise of independent judgement and initiative. This class is distinguished from other administrative assistant positions by a greater scope and depth of work relating to Civil and Human Rights, including responsibility for initial intakes and specialized department records and interaction with key department personnel concerning technical Civil and Human Rights requirements. The nature of the work performed requires that an employee in this class establishes and maintains effective working relationships with other City employees, business and community organizations and the public. The principal duties of this class are performed in a general office environment.

Acceptable Experience and Training

• Graduation from High School or possession of a GED; and
• Some experience in civil rights law, employment law, fair housing law, social issues, criminal investigations, or a related area; and
• Considerable experience in general office operations including experience with public contact; or
• Any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to perform the work.

If you have completed college coursework or have a degree in Office Administration, Business Administration, Public Administration, International Relations, Political Science, Criminal Justice, Psychology or related academic field, College transcripts must be submitted with your application or separately to the City of Des Moines Human Resources Department by email to humanresources @dmgov.org, by fax to 515-237-1680, or by mail or hand delivery to 1551 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Pkwy, Des Moines, IA 50317 on or before the application deadline. **Please note college experience is not required for this position.

Required Special Qualifications

• Candidates for positions in this class must pass a post-employment offer physical examination and drug screen.
• Multi-lingual fluency, especially Spanish, is preferred.
• A minimum typing speed of 50 wpm.

PERFORMANCE EXAMINATION :
Please go to speedtypingonline.com to complete a free 5-minute typing test (the site defaults as a 1 minute test but you will need to change this to 5 minutes) . On the site you are able to "Personalize Results". Please type in your first and last name as it appears on your application. The online typing test can be accepted if it is from this site only and witnessed by another person. Results printed from the testing website must meet the following requirements. Submitted exam results must show:

• Net number of words typed (Speed).
• Show that you completed a F ive minute timed test.
• Your name (on the site you are able to "Personalize Results". Please type in your first and last name as it appears on your application) and the date the exam was completed.
  • Name and date must be shown on the printed results from the testing website not handwritten or added by someone. Again, you can "Personalize Results" on the site.
• Witness signature, witness printed name, and valid email address for the witness. Witness must be age 18 years or older.
  • If you do not have printing capabilities, please email your results to humanresources@dmgov.org and your witness. Your witness may then "Reply All" to the email stating their name and that they witnessed you completing the online typing test on the specified date. It is your responsibility to make sure your witness responds by the exam deadline.

You must submit exam results to the City of Des Moines Human Resources Department via email ( humanresources@dmgov.org ) by 4:00 pm CT on Monday, November 27, 2023 . Passing score is 50 net words per minute (Speed).

IN LIEU OF THE PERFORMANCE EXAM : Applicants must currently hold a City of Des Moines position requiring a typing speed of 50 WPM or higher OR have previously taken the IWD Keyboarding Exam resulting in a score of 50 NWPM or higher within 1 YEAR of the application deadline. The applicant is required to contact the City's Human Resources Department at (515) 283-4213 or by email at humanresources@dmgov.org to attach a previously submitted IWD Keyboarding Exam to their current application by the application deadline (no later than 4:00 pm CT on Tuesday, November 21, 2023) .

Examples of Essential Work (Illustrative Only)

• Conducts initial intake of complaints of discrimination in the areas of employment, fair housing, and public accommodations and provides this initial information to the appropriate personnel;
• Prepares correspondences, reports, lists, roll calls, grants, and other documents as instructed and requested by designated office personnel;
• Interprets and applies departmental or office rules, policies and regulations in accordance with prescribed procedures and guidelines;
• Transcribes or prepares letters, minutes, reports, statements, grant applications, specifications, contracts, memoranda, notices, resolutions, budgets, financial and statistical tables, requisitions and other related materials, including confidential correspondences and reports;
• Copies, packages and distributes a variety of written materials as requested by other designated office personnel;
• Provides staff support to Citizen Boards and Commissions;
• Provides administrative support, takes minutes for Citizen Boards and Commissions;
• Answers department telephone calls, receives and greets visitors to the department and provides information to or refers callers and visitors to other appropriate departments, City personnel, or other resources;
• Gathers, assembles, updates, distributes and/or files a variety of information, forms, records and data as requested using traditional filing systems or databases as necessary;
• Assists Human Rights staff with data entry and preparation of various documents as required;
• Processes personnel action requests and timekeeping;
• Handles and secures cash and checks;
• Requisitions supplies and materials for the department as requested;
• Opens and distributes mail throughout the department;
• Provides needed information and demonstrations concerning how to perform certain work tasks to other employees in the same or similar class of positions;
• Keeps immediate supervisor and designated others fully and accurately informed concerning work progress, including present and potential work problems and suggestions for new or improved ways of addressing such problems;
• Attends meetings, conferences, workshops and training sessions and reviews publications and audio-visual materials to become and remain current on the principles, practices, laws and new developments in assigned work areas;
• Responds to citizens' questions and comments in a courteous and timely manner;
• Communicates and coordinates regularly with appropriate others to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of interdepartmental operations and activities;
• Notarizes important documents and receipts;
• Performs other directly related duties as required.

Closing Date/Time: 11/21/2023 4:00 PM Central