The Department of Community and Human Services values diverse perspectives and life experiences. The Department encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, veterans, and those with lived experiences.  

King County's Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) provides equitable opportunities for people to be healthy, happy, and connected to community.

The Department of Community and Human Services is hiring for a Confidential Secretary I. Responsibilities for this position include performing a variety of administrative-support and secretarial duties for our Adult Services Division (ASD) Director. The candidate will not only support the Division Director and Division Deputy Director, but also act as the liaison for the entire division. This position is fast paced and customer service focused. Candidate should be well organized, flexible, reliable and a team player. Potential candidate must maintain knowledge of division projects, keep the manager apprised of current and potential issues and problems, and maintain the confidentiality of sensitive and controversial communications to which they are exposed. This position is appointed. 

WHO MAY APPLY: This position is open to all qualified candidates that meet the minimum qualifications. 

REQUIRED MATERIALS: Candidates who wish to be considered for this position must submit an online King County application and respond to the supplemental questions. Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you do not include the requested and relevant information in the online application and supplemental questionnaire. Applications and/or supplemental questionnaires that state, “see my resume” are considered incomplete and will not be considered to be competitive.

WORK SCHEDULE/CONDITIONS: This position is scheduled to work 40 hours per week, Monday - Friday, 8am - 5pm, with a one-hour unpaid meal period. This position meets the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is overtime eligible with supervisory pre-approval.

Teleworking Requirement 

The work associated with this position will be performed through a combination of teleworking complemented with onsite work and meetings as needed. Employees will have access to shared workspaces at various King County facilities. Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

Employees will be provided with a County issued laptop and must maintain a workspace with an internet connection (access may be supplemented in some situations) where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours. Please note that when an employee conducts work that is likely to bring them in contact with another individual, safety precautions are required, including the wearing of masks in some situations. King County is doing its part to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and remains committed to reducing our carbon footprint.

King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely. The individual selected for this opportunity will be joining an innovative and progressive team that is redefining how we work as we transition to the department's hybrid environment.  

RECRUITER:  Susan Churchill, susan.churchill@kingcounty.gov 

Correspondence and Procedures: 

• Prepare, format, proofread and/or edit a variety of materials, ensuring proper grammar, punctuation and diplomacy, including reports, briefing documents, letters, meeting agendas, spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, etc. Documents must follow the King County Editorial Style Manual.
• Develop, maintain and orient staff to policies and procedures and ensure Division-wide compliance with standards and protocols for processing of paperwork, including financial disclosures, travel, telecommuting and alternative work schedule requests.

Scheduling: 

• Maintain the Division Director's calendar and schedule.
• Coordinate arrangements and activities that require extensive contacts and coordination within and outside the Department.
• Set scheduling priorities creatively and adeptly resolve appointment conflicts on ever-changing calendar.

Internal and External Relations:

• Convey the Division Director's directions and instructions to staff. Furnish explanations, when necessary. Advise staff of the Division Director's preferences and requirements. Provide regular reminders to staff.
• Independently receive and resolve internal issues and questions referred to the Division Director's Office within assigned scope of authority, keeping the Director and Deputy Directors informed, as needed.
• Answer incoming calls, including the Division Director's calls when requested. Respond to questions, take messages, screen, and route or refer callers as appropriate.
• Support the Division in the administration of personnel matters, including but not limited to correspondence to staff regarding the conditions of their employment. Work closely with Human Resource staff to coordinate necessary procedures for hiring new staff and staff terminations. 
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

• At least two years of full-time experience performing administrative support.
• Knowledge and ability to apply proper grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure to documents.
• Intermediate to advanced (expert) proficiency with MS Office Suite for daily use of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and SharePoint. Basic knowledge of Adobe Acrobat, Visio and OneDrive. Adept at using internet searches to acquire information.
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills, including understanding and executing complex verbal and written instructions.
• Proficient with Microsoft Outlook, including experience scheduling meetings with multiple attendees.
• Ability to take initiative and be accountable, use independent judgment to accomplish tasks and handle responsibilities while avoiding errors in judgment and discretion.
• Demonstrated ability to provide excellent customer service; work cooperatively with discretion, patience, professionalism, courtesy and tact with everyone (e.g. all levels of staff, private sector officials, elected officials and the public).
• Skill in providing direction regarding work assignments and in delegating work assignments to appropriate staff members.
• Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality and utilize good judgment.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain organized, prioritize workload, juggle multiple assignments and work calmly under pressure with tight turnaround times.

Forbes recently named King County as one of Washington State's best employers.

Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.

Guided by our "True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles--we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement

King County Executive Branch employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. If you are the successful candidate for the position you applied for, the County will send you a conditional offer letter.

As a condition of employment, prior to a final offer of employment, you will be required to:

• submit proof of vaccination, or
• have an approved request for medical or religious exemption and an approved accommodation. Philosophical, political, scientific, or sociological objections to vaccination will not be considered for an exemption or accommodation.