Job Description

JOB DESCRIPTION

TITLE:                 ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT 

REPORTS TO:      Associate Director of Operations

STATUS:              NON-EXEMPT

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:                                     

• Learns and adheres to the philosophy and mandates of Head Start and Early Head Start as outlined in the Performance Standards and the Policies and Procedures of Greater Bergen Community Action

• Receives and screens visitors and telephone calls for administrative staff, providing information, directing calls and handling issues that may require sensitivity and confidentiality, and use of sound independent judgment

• In addition to collecting and processing, develops and maintains filing system for requisitions for supplies and other expenditures

• If required, maintains monthly calendar that records sick days, vacation time, and may contact and/or assign substitutes for classroom coverage.        Assists the associate director of operations in assembling end of the month reports noting any in-kind donations, current staff and substitute lists, observations and evaluations conducted, field trips or special events and parent meetings

• Keeps his/her workspace neat and assures that all office equipment and materials are in good condition

• Attends in-service and pre-service training workshops as requested

• Serves as a liaison to and disseminates information between: vendors and center, the community and Head Start/Early Head Start program, Associate Director of Operations and Staff, in conjunction with the Associate Director of Education and other administrators

• Prepares forms, notices, program materials, flyers and other documents as requested

• Is punctual and adheres to the work schedule assigned

• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with management, clients, representatives of community organizations and other staff members

• Assists parent activity coordinator in planning, preparing, implementing any and all trainings and activities organized by the program for the benefit of the children and families enrolled

• Assumes and performs any other additional assignment as directed by the area director in order to ensure the effective servicing of the clients in our care

• “Responsible for the overall safety of each child in the GBCA HS/EHS program.  

• According to the New Jersey mandated reporting guidelines, any person having reasonable cause to believe that a child has been subjected to abuse or acts of abuse should immediately report this information to the State Central Registry (SCR). If the child is in immediate danger, call 911 as well as 1-877 NJ ABUSE (1-877-652-2873).”

QUALIFICATIONS:

TIER I

• AA Degree or Higher
• Professional demeanor and the ability to get along well with others
• One-Two years of successful full time office administrative experience
• Proficient in Word, Excel, Publisher and other computer applications
• Proficient in virtual meetings such as Zoom, Teams, Google meetings, etc. 
• Fluent in Spanish a plus
• Valid NJ driver’s license preferred, local travel is required

TIER II

• High School Diploma
• Professional demeanor and the ability to get along well with others
• One-Two years of successful full time office administrative experience
• Proficient in Word, Excel, Publisher and other computer applications
• Proficient in virtual meetings such as Zoom, Teams, Google meetings, etc. 
• Fluent in Spanish a plus
• Valid NJ driver’s license preferred, local travel is required

KNOWLEDGE OF:

• Writing, filing and maintaining concise and accurate reports, correspondence and other written materials
• Federal, state and local laws and regulations applicable to a child care program and the assigned areas of responsibility and expertise
• Record keeping and filing practices and procedures

ABILITY TO:

• Organize, set priorities and exercise sound independent judgment within areas of assigned responsibility
• Interpret, apply, explain and reach sound decisions in accordance with regulations, policies and procedures
• Organize and maintain specialized documentation and maintain workable file system 
• Comprehend and apply laws, regulations, policies and procedures relative to the provision of a day care operation
• Communicate effectively orally and in writing
• Prepare clear, concise and accurate reports, correspondence and other written materials
• Exercise tact, objectivity, sensitivity, strategy and judgment in dealing with volunteers, parents and staff
• Maintain client and staff confidentiality

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEMANDS:

The physical and mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by employees to successfully perform the essential functions of the job.   Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with a disability to perform the essential functions.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit or stand for long periods; talk or hear, both in person and by telephone, use hands to finger, handle, feel or operate standard office equipment, reach with hands and arms; and lift or move up to fifty pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.

MENTAL DEMANDS:

While performing the duties of this job, employees are regularly required to use written and oral communication skills; read and interpret data, information and documents; analyze and solve problems, observe and interpret situations; learn and apply new information or skills; perform work on multiple, concurrent tasks; and interact with program management staff, volunteers, representatives of public agencies and community organization and others encountered in the course of work.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The employee may have occasional contact with abusive and/or physically violent clients.  If the employee works in typical office conditions, the noise level is generally quiet.  If the employee works in a classroom setting, the noise level could be above a standard noise level.

AAP/EEO STATEMENT

Greater Bergen Community Action, Inc. provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.