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Job Description
Description
About the Position:
Do you like working with numbers, are you accounting minded? Do you enjoy working with Excel worksheets and supporting a team with administrative tasks involving contracts? Do you want to promote transparency and accountability in local government? Are you excited by the opportunity to support a team through detailed administrative work and meaningful public service? If yes, then we encourage you to apply. The Engineering division of Public Works is recruiting for an Administrative Associate III position. The Administrative Associate III supports staff working on capital projects related to Storm Drainage; Structures and Grounds; Parks and Bridges, Streets and Sidewalks; Private Development; and Surveying and Inspection Services. Under minimal supervision the position performs a variety of complex administrative and clerical tasks at an experienced level.
This position may be eligible for a hybrid work schedule with a requirement of three days per week in the office after successful completion of a six-month probationary period, in accordance with the City of Palo Alto’s Hybrid Work Schedule policy, subject to department approval and operational needs.
Schedule: Full-time 5/8 Monday through Friday or a 9/80 schedule (with every other Friday off).
Ideal Candidate:- Self-motivated, tenacious, problem-solver, exceptional customer service.
- Proficient in Excel and Microsoft Office products.
- Experience in basic accounting and budgeting.
- General knowledge of purchasing and contract administration.
- Attention to detail and meticulous record keeping skills.
- Teamwork skills and willingness to learn.
- Well organized and adaptable while handling a range of tasks in a supportive, fast-paced work environment.
Essential Duties
Essential and other important responsibilities and duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:- Answer department telephone calls and greet callers and visitors with professionalism and empathy, demonstrating sensitivity to the concerns of the public, monitoring department invoice and project email in-boxes provide clear and accurate information, enter service request from callers into the city’s 311 work order software. Update department website pages using OpenCities software program.
- Manage and maintain office supplies, order supplies by originating Stores’ requisitions and through City Purchasing software program, process supply orders for departments CIP projects, manage and record payments made with city issued credit card through J.P. Morgan’s on-line portal for monthly approval process.
- Collect and sort daily incoming mail, ensuring it is accurately routed to the appropriate staff or department. Manage department calendars and schedule appropriate conference rooms, maintain department list and records, serve as the department’s Record Coordinator.
- Manage and process weekly accounts payable, employee reimbursements, enter purchase requisitions in SAP, create SharePoint folders for purchase requisition documentation; create and maintain project billing Excel templates with hyperlinked supporting documents for easy reference.
- Assist department Management Analyst with weekly, monthly reporting, and annual Capital Improvement Project (CIP) budget preparation.
- Draft, type, and proofread correspondence, staff reports, and statistical documents from written or oral instructions using Microsoft Office and OneMeeting agenda software; ensure all materials are accurate, complete, and use correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling, and update department web pages.
- Assist with preparing and coordinating office mailing intended for distribution to the public.
Click here to review the complete job description for the Administrative Associate III, including essential duties and working conditions.
Minimum Qualifications
Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to qualify is:
Equivalent to graduation from high school and 4 years of progressively responsible administrative experience.
Special Requirements:
Specified assignments may require possession of a valid California Driver’s License.
Supplemental Information
More than one position may be filled through this posting.
The Selection Process:- Applicants will receive recruitment status notifications via email. Governmentjobs.com account also has notification status updates.
- Applicants will be screened throughout the posting process and highly qualified candidates may be invited to interview at any time after the posting closes.
- The screening process for this position typically may include a virtual recorded interview and/or panel interviews preceding final interviews with the hiring manager or their designee.
Our online application system is provided by NeoGov. If you have problems while applying online, please contact NeoGov's Live Applicant Support at (855) 524-5627 between 6:00 AM and 5:00 PM Pacific Time, Monday - Friday.
This position is represented by Service Employee International Union (SEIU).Compensation (SEIU): Comprehensive compensation plan, to learn more Click Here
The City of Palo Alto is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.
See our Benefits at a Glance Bookletfor more details.
Learn more about our Memorandum of Agreements (MOAs) between the City and its bargaining units, by clicking HERE.
Closing Date/Time: 10/10/2025 11:59 PM Pacific -
ABOUT THE COMPANY
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City of Palo Alto
Show moreThe Community
The birthplace of Silicon Valley, Palo Alto, is a community of approximately 68,000 residents and nearly 100,000 jobs. Located on the mid-Peninsula between San Francisco and San Jose, Palo Alto is recognized worldwide as a leader in cutting-edge technology, medicine, and green innovation. The community's treelined streets and historic buildings reflect its California heritage, and, at the same time, many world-class businesses maintain or started offices here, such as Stanford Health Care and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Amazon, Broadcom, Hewlett-Packard, Houzz, Rivian, SAP and SAP Ariba, Tesla, and Varian Medical Systems. Numerous start-ups are also at home in Palo Alto, arguably making it the start-up capital of the world. Stanford University is foundational to the history and prestige of Palo Alto, reflected in the community's dedication to lifelong learning. Stanford's cultural and educational offerings are integral to the vibrancy and charm of Palo Alto, while the City's exceptional K-12 school district ranks among the top public-school systems in the country. With more than 50% of adult residents holding a graduate degree or higher, Palo Alto is frequently listed as one of the most educated cities in the nation. Palo Alto boasts a genuine sense of community and an active citizenry with strong environmental values. Beautiful neighborhoods are complemented by vibrant commercial corridors and a bustling economy featuring premium shopping and dining options. Excellent healthcare facilities, performing arts, and diverse recreational opportunities are some of the community's incredibly desirable and cherished amenities. To learn more, visit https://www.paloalto.gov/Departments/City-Manager/Latest-NewsCity Government
Palo Alto is a full-service charter city with a council-manager form of government. The seven-member City Council is elected at large, and the City Council annually selects the Mayor and Vice Mayor from among its members. The Mayor and City Council appoint the City Manager, City Attorney, City Clerk, and City Auditor. The City Manager is responsible for the strategic direction and day-to-day operations of the City. Palo Alto is organized into 15 departments/offices with 1,093.10 authorized positions in FY 2025. There is also a FY 2025 capital budget of $316.2 million. Palo Alto owns and operates its own utilities, including electricity (carbon-neutral), gas, water, wastewater, and an expanding fiber network. This dynamic municipal environment ensures an ever-engaging platform for unique problem-solving and advances new initiatives, including sustainability, broadband, and effective service delivery. Community assets also include five libraries, 36 parks, five community centers, a museum and zoo, youth centers, a general aviation airport, an 18-hole golf course, a regional water treatment plant, and wildland open space preserves at the San Francisco Bay and in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains offering 41 miles of walking/biking trails in addition to its police, fire, and ambulance services. Palo Alto has long been a leader in sustainability, and the City's ambitious greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goals are part of what sets it apart. Since the City's first Climate Protection Plan was passed in 2007, Palo Alto has set goals that exceed State and Federal targets. Today, the City's goal to reduce emissions 80% below 1990 levels by 2030 (the "80x30" goal) and achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 guides sustainability efforts. An award-winning City, Palo Alto is recognized nationally as innovative and well-managed. City services and performance also receive impressive marks from community members in the Palo Alto Community Survey.
Many of those ratings put City programs and services in the highest percentiles among the hundreds of benchmark cities. Palo Alto makes decisions through comprehensive processes and proactively seeks to involve its extremely informed, educated, and engaged residents. Projects are naturally a cooperative effort among the City Council, Boards, Commissions, Committees, engaged residents, neighborhoods, businesses, property owners, and staff.
Join an Award Winning Team
Palo Alto is an award-winning City recognized nationwide as innovative and well-managed. Palo Alto is one of a small number of California cities with a AAA bond rating. Recently, Palo Alto became one of the most livable cities in the U.S. by Livability.com. It's the only city to receive the Platinum Beacon Award in sustainability best practices by California’s Institute for Local Government. We offer a variety of career paths that relate to building and improving communities. The City has fourteen departments employing 1,000 full-time staff. Police officers, fire fighters, paramedics, and building inspectors keep us safe. Engineers and public works staff build and re-build the physical infrastructure. City planners help envision and shape future community growth. Recreation, arts and library professionals enhance community life. Utilities provides electric, gas, water, sewer and other services. Internal services departments help manage, staff, and protect the City.
Want to learn more about our benefits? Learn more by reviewing our "Benefits at a Glance Booklet."
Contact Us
Phone: 650-329-2376
Email: Recruit@paloalto.gov
Location: City Hall, 1st Floor | 250 Hamilton Ave 94301 | View Map
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