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Executive Assistant
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Position Number: 5904634
Location: San Jose, CA
Position Type: Executive Assistants

Executive Assistant

Valley Water

Salary: $99,507.20 - $127,483.20 Annually

Job Type: Full-Time

Job Number: 01851-E

Location: CA, CA

Department: Board of Directors

Closing: 1/13/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

Description

Overview:

The Executive Assistant provides high-level administrative support to the District Counsel, ensuring the smooth operation of the Office of District Counsel. This role requires independent judgment, exceptional organizational skills, and a thorough understanding of the legal and organizational context in which the office operates. The Executive Assistant is responsible for managing communication, correspondence, research, invoice processing, and other organizational tasks with a high degree of accuracy, timeliness, discretion, and confidentiality.

The Executive Assistant serves as a trusted liaison for the District Counsel, maintaining professional interactions with external legal entities, the courts, elected officials, outside counsel and consultants, Valley Water board members, staff, and members of the community. This position requires a strong understanding of legal and governance matters, policies, and procedures pertinent to Valley Water operations. Additionally, the Executive Assistant acts as a gatekeeper, ensuring the District Counsel's time is optimally utilized and the office is aligned with organizational priorities.
About Valley Water:
Valley Water is a public agency with an operating and capital budget of $964 million, and over 900 employees. With headquarters in San Jose, Valley Water provides water supply, enhances streams and watersheds through creek restoration and habitat protection, provides flood protection for homes, schools, businesses and roadways, and partners with other agencies to provide trails and open space for the community.

Our Commitment:
Racial equity, diversity and inclusion are integral to Valley Water. We are committed to building and sustaining an inclusive and equitable working environment for all. We believe every member of our team enriches our diversity, contributes to inclusion, and strengthens belonging by broadening our perspective and collective understanding of the world around us to accomplish our mission to equitably provide safe, clean water, natural flood protections, and environmental stewardship.

Key Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Maintain a calendar of the District Counsel's activities, meetings, and events; schedule/coordinate conferences, travel, training, workshops, speaking engagements; schedule meetings and events, coordinate logistics, including room set up, meeting requests, agenda; work with District Counsel's direct reports to ensure coverage, provide additional support, if needed, and assist direct reports in preparing/informing the District Counsel as necessary.
Screen visitors and phone calls; direct questions and requests to the appropriate staff; and respond to inquiries for information on regulations, procedures, systems, and precedents relating to business area or Valley Water wide.
Assemble and/or coordinate the preparation of various reports, memoranda, correspondence, and various documentation and presentation material, of a technical or confidential nature; participate in staff meetings, take, and prepare minutes or meeting summaries; review pending agenda items in DocuSign.
Prepare, organize, track and route high priority documents and files. Review all materials for District Counsel's review and approval to ensure completeness, use of accurate forms, proper formatting and compliance with all policies and processes, including routing priority.
Maintain detailed organizational chart; design, establish, organize, and maintain various administrative, reference, and digital file systems.
Format, proofread, and file pleadings with courts and regulators.
Process invoices for review and approval by internal stakeholders and in-house attorneys and correspond with outside counsel regarding questions on invoices.
Identify the need for, develop, and update processes for office manual.

Ideal Candidate's Background Includes:

Applicants whose experience and background best match the ideal experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, and education are considered ideal candidates for the position. To determine the top candidates, each applicant will be assessed based on the ideal candidate criteria as listed below.

This role demands a proactive approach, exceptional communication skills, and the ability to operate effectively in a dynamic and high-pressure environment. The Executive Assistant must demonstrate professionalism, adaptability, and a commitment to upholding confidentiality and the integrity of the Office of District Counsel.

Ideal Experience:

Three (3) years of administrative support experience providing direct support to an executive level manager.
One (1) year in a support role in a law firm or in-house legal department.
Managing calendars, including Outlook calendars and project related calendars, while supporting preparation of meeting agendas.
Using advanced features of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint or equivalent
Producing quality written work product, including preparing meeting minutes, documenting action items, or drafting correspondence.
Reviewing lengthy correspondence, reports, and other documents for completeness, accuracy, format, and compliance with policies and procedures
Preparing, organizing, tracking, and routing high priority documents and files; maintaining workflow tracking logs
Handling confidential and sensitive matters with discretion and professionalism
Filing documents with courts and regulatory bodies
Scheduling conferences/webinar, seminars, and meetings, including coordinating room setup and making travel arrangements
Responding to requests for information on work status procedures and systems; coordinating office supplies and office space

Ideal Skills and Abilities:

Perform responsible and difficult secretarial work involving the use of independent judgment and personal initiative
Understand the organization, operation of Valley Water and its policies as necessary to assume assigned responsibilities
Independently prepare a variety of reports and correspondence
Accurately take and transcribe dictation at a speed necessary for successful job performance
Maintain and update an accurate calendar of events
Respond to requests and inquiries from the general public
Multitask, organize, prioritize work to meet established deadlines, and manage time wisely
Be an independent thinker who can take initiative and work efficiently, sometimes with limited direction
Develop strong working/professional relationships with different managers, other staff throughout Valley Water, and external partners
Problem solve and be resourceful in finding solutions
Communicate clearly and concisely, both verbally and in writing
Maintain and update accurate records and files
Handle confidential and sensitive matters with discretion and professionalism

Ideal Knowledge:

Modern office procedures, methods and equipment including computers
Modern online tools and software programs
Advanced secretarial and administrative support techniques
Practices used in minute taking and preparation
Principles and procedures of record keeping
Principles of business letter writing and basic report preparation
Formatting and procedural requirements for legal documents such as pleadings, motions, and contracts
Filing procedures for courts and regulatory bodies
English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation
Basic mathematical principles

Ideal Training and Education:

Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade supplemented by training in administrative support work or a related field.

Required License or Certificate

Possession of, or ability to obtain, an appropriate, valid California driver's license. Individuals who do not meet the driver's license requirement due to a disability will be considered for a reasonable accommodation on a case-by-case basis.

To review the Classification Specification, please click here (Download PDF reader)

Office of District Counsel Unit (Position Code 891)

Valley Water Telework Program: Eligibility for telework will depend on the type of work performed, operational needs, and the ability for the employee to perform the essential functions of their job duties while teleworking. Employment with Valley Water requires employees to live within 150 miles of their primary physical work location located in San Jose, California by their start date.

This position is eligible for a hybrid telework schedule, typically working 40% remote and 60% onsite after one month of in-office work.

Selection Process

(1) The selection process may include one or more of the following: application review, application assessment, performance exercise, written exercise and/or interview.
(2) The Employment Application, Qualifying Information Questions and/or Supplemental Questions will be evaluated based on the ideal candidate criteria listed above. Resumes are highly recommended.

NOTE: Position and start date is subject to availability of funds. Valley Water retains the right to repost this position as deemed necessary.
Consideration may be given to existing applicant pools within the same classification.
Valley Water's Equal Opportunity Non-Discrimination Policy is available for review upon request.

Valley Water will make reasonable efforts in the examination process to accommodate persons with disabilities. Please advise Human Resources in advance of any special needs by calling 408-630-2260.

Please be aware that once submitted all application materials become the property of Valley Water and will not be returned. Human Resources staff are not authorized to make copies of application materials for applicants.

To apply, please visit https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/scvwd/jobs/4776268/executive-assistant