Board Secretary
 Application Information
Posted: March 17, 2008; Open until filled.
*This job bulletin may be closed any time after ten (10) days from the date of issuance if sufficient qualified applications are received. Therefore, it is important to submit your application as soon as possible.
Important: Each completed application must include answers to the Supplemental Questions listed below. Applications without the required supplement will be rejected. Résumés will not be accepted in lieu of answers to the questions.
The Position
Monthly Salary Range: $9,511 – $11,032 (Mid-Point) - $12,554
Position is typically filled at beginning of range.
Under direction of the General Manager, the Board Secretary directs and administers the Office of the Board Secretary for VTA. The Board Secretary also has management oversight and responsibility over the Records Management and Document Reproduction Unit. This is an executive management position and is one of the organization’s designated officers.
The Ideal Candidate will be a well-organized and effective team leader. He/she is expected to form and maintain effective working relationships with elected officials, VTA staff, and the public, communicating in a clear, concise, and timely manner to all constituents. This position requires exceptional time management skills, the ability to juggle multiple, competing priorities under pressure, thorough understanding of the principles and practices of Board governance, as well as a level of experience and judgment to enable the Board Secretary to establish and evaluate office business processes, respond independently to inquiries and requests for information, and create a harmonious working environment.
Minimum Qualifications
*Submit proof of any education above high school level that you list on your application.
Sufficient administrative and managerial training and experience in local government legislative process and operations that demonstrates possession of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities.Development of the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is typically obtained through a combination of training and experience equivalent to:
- Graduation from an accredited college or university with a four-year degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, or related field; and
- Extensive increasingly responsible experience in a supervisory or management role in a local public jurisdiction or special district, providing support to government officials and maintaining public documents, such as in a City Clerk, Clerk of the Board office, or equivalent.
Knowledge of
- Principles and practices of management, supervision, training, and performance management;
- Principles and practices of program development and administration;
- Government functions and organization;
- State, federal, and local governing laws and processes;
- Parliamentary procedure; the Ralph M. Brown Act California Right-to-Know Law;
- Intergovernmental agency relationships, laws, policies, and procedures;
- Public administration analysis at the political level;
- Functions and jurisdictional limits of advisory bodies and other agencies in relation to the VTA Board of Directors;
- Indexing and filing systems, office practices and procedures, data processing, and record keeping systems.
Ability to
- Plan, manage, organize, and direct the activities and staff of the Office of the Board Secretary, which supports the VTA Board of Directors;
- Take initiative and reason logically;
- Define problem areas, evaluate and recommend alternate solutions to complex issues and problems;
- Work effectively with a wide variety of constituencies including elected officials and community officials;
- Maintain impartiality and objectivity in recording conflicting and controversial viewpoints in discussions of sensitive public issues;
- Read and understand legal and policy requirements pertaining to the VTA, its Board of Directors, and other governing bodies;
- Organize and maintain complex systems of clerical control and indexing;
- Research, evaluate, and install new complex records management systems;
- Take initiative, reason logically, and be creative in developing and introducing new ideas;
- Define problem areas and evaluate, recommend and implement alternative solutions to complex issues and problems;
- Recommend and implement more efficient methods, systems, and formats;
- Comprehend and interpret complex, confusing, and technical discussions;
- Understand, explain and apply complex regulations, laws, directives, policies, and procedures;
- Coordinate functions and maintain effective working relationships with VTA departments, officials, and the public;
- Prepare and maintain a departmental budget;
- Select, supervise, train, motivate, assign, evaluate, counsel, and discipline staff;
- Communicate clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing.
Examination
The examination will include one or more of the following parts: application appraisal, supplemental screening, written examination, oral examination, and/or performance test.
VTA complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Any applicant requiring special assistance for testing should notify the Employee Services Department if accommodation is required. Documentation will be required for those requesting accommodation.
Applicants for employment must be willing to be fingerprinted for the purpose of obtaining “Summary Criminal History Conviction Information” from State and Federal record agencies.
Pre-employment drug testing applies to all job applicants selected for appointment to this position. The final job applicant will be tested for five prohibited drugs (and their metabolites): cocaine, PCP, amphetamines, marijuana, and opiates.
Supplemental Questions
Please provide written responses to the questions below and attach to your application. Following evaluation of applications and responses to the supplemental questions, those applicants deemed most qualified will be invited to continue in the selection process.
1. Describe your experience in planning, organizing and directing the activities and staff of a board office responsible for supporting government officials in a local public jurisdiction or special district.
2. Discuss the applicability and significance of Parliamentary Procedure, and the Ralph Brown Act California Right-to-Know law, to the activities of the Board Secretary’s Office.
3. Describe your experience with records management systems and maintaining public documents.
4. Describe the extent of your supervisory experience, including the number of staff supervised as well as the duration of each assignment.
5. Describe your experience working directly with elected officials and how this work compares to working with other executives.
Benefits
VTA offers a generous benefit package including: vision care, a choice of health plans, dental coverage, an employee assistance program, life insurance, and liberal holiday, vacation, and sick leave. A credit union and deferred compensation are also available to employees at their option.
VTA also contributes to the Public Employees Retirement System for the 2% at 55 Plan and pays the employee’s regular contribution of approximately 7%. The 7% contribution can be refunded to an employee who resigns prior to retirement.
Social Security taxes will be deducted from each employee’s bi-weekly salary.
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Application Information
The recruitment for positions may close any time after 10 days from the
date a job is posted if sufficient applications from qualified applicants are
received. Therefore, it is important to submit your application as soon as
possible.
Download a Job Application:
Job applications will not be accepted on line. They must be printed, signed, and delivered to the Human Resources Department.
If you are unable to print the VTA Employment Application, or you can not
view the Job Bulletins from this website, you may request applications
and/or copies of the bulletins by calling (408) 321-5575 or by emailing us
at Personnel@vta.org.
You may also obtain Employment Applications and/or Job Bulletins by mail or
by picking them up at:
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority
3331 North First Street
Human Resources Department - Building B
San Jose, California 95134-1927
Office Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM
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