Working in Administration

Administrative work covers a wide variety of activities within the County Council. These include posts in Personnel, Social Services, Tourism, Education etc. Administrators are the planners, organisers and information givers providing support in every department of the County Council.

Administrative Assistant
Typical administrative duties can include: budgeting, purchasing and supply, information gathering, dealing with enquiries, handling statistics, managing support staff, processing invoices, letter/report writing, arranging and minuting meetings, filing, photocopying and handling of mail. Administrators must be good planners and organisers, possess strong communication skills, and be capable of accuracy and attention to detail. They also need to be adaptable and flexible, as the workload is often varied. Computer literacy is also an advantage.

Qualifications that may help in gaining access to administrative posts include: NVQs in administration, GCSE (or equivalent) in Maths and English, word processing, typing, and IT qualifications.

Career progression depends upon experience and availability of posts at the higher levels. Some departments offer Career Grade schemes where employees can develop their skills to a higher level over a set period of time.

Word-Processor Operator
All departments of the County Council offer clerical and word-processing opportunities across a variety of areas. Jobs may be wholly clerical or occasionally wholly word-processing, but many combine the two. Word-processing work can include the production of memos, formal letters, reports and other documents to a high standard. Basic clerical work often involves taking telephone messages, photocopying, sending faxes, collecting, distributing and dispatching mail, maintaining filing systems and stationery supplies, and keeping computer systems up to date.

For this type of work good communication skills, the ability to work in a team and to meet deadlines are usually important, as are word-processing/typing and IT skills and a methodical approach.

Secretary
Secretarial opportunities exist right across the County Council. Secretaries provide direct support to one or more managers or specialist professional. Duties can include the receipt and appropriate handling of visitors, telephone calls and mail; typing/word-processing, sometimes audio-typing or shorthand; minuting meetings; maintaining an appointments diary; drafting routine letters and documents. Some secretaries are responsible for supervising other administrative and clerical workers.

Secretaries need to be good organisers with effective interpersonal skills, high level typing and word-processing skills and the ability to remain efficient under pressure.

Personal Assistant (PA)
A PA will provide personal support for more senior officers in the County Council. The work can include liaising with others within and outside the organisation, providing briefing materials, diary organisation, research, managing specific projects and drafting reports. Duties might also involve providing secretarial support and managing other employees.

PAs need to be able to work effectively with a variety of people and with conflicting pressures and priorities, must be highly organised and have well developed oral and written communication skills.

Research Assistant
Research Assistants/Officers provide information on a wide range of queries, researching historical data on policy and performance for Officers and Councillors. Duties include preparing briefing notes, and drafting speeches and press and policy statements. Research Assistants are also expected to be able to interpret and present statistical data, and to attend meetings to present their findings. They must have strong organisational and communication skills, be adaptable and flexible, be able to analyse all forms of data, and be able to work with, and respond positively to, a wide variety of people. Some knowledge of IT is also an advantage.

Committee Services Officer
Our elected Members serve on various forums for the policy and decision making process for the local government of the County. Committee Services Officers provide support for these forums, such as setting the dates for the meetings, preparing agendas, taking minutes, keeping records of attendance, and ensuring statutory requirements, for example those regarding notice and the maintenance of records, are adhered to. They may also be required to write reports, and ensure that any follow up action from meetings is completed. This type of career requires a highly organised person who is able to work to deadlines, they must also pay close attention to detail and be accurate in any information given out. A Committee Services Officer must also, like a Research Assistant, have strong interpersonal skills, as well as being adaptable and flexible.

Receptionist
Receptionists provide the first point of contact for visitors to many parts of the County Council - from the main office in County Hall to Social Services establishments. They provide information, deal with enquiries and often are responsible for the administration of room booking arrangements. Receptionists must have good customer care and communication skills and a pleasant manner, as well as being highly organised. As first point of contact they can often bear the brunt of people’s frustration, so an ability to deal with ‘awkward customers’ is essential.

Administrative NVQs, Word Processing, Computer Software and RSA training are available from your local College. Further information on professional administrative training can be obtained from:

The Institute of Chartered Secretaries & Administrators, 16 Park Crescent, London, W1B 1AH. Tel: 020 7580 4741. www.icsa.org.uk

The Institute of Administrative Management, 16 Park Crescent, London W1B 1BA. Tel: 020 7612 7099. www.instam.org