4-20-90 CHIEF CLERK, 1253

Summary of Duties: Plans, coordinates, and supervises the work of a

large clerical staff engaged in a wide variety of clerical activities
in a department or a major unit within a large department; applies
sound supervisory principles and techniques in building and
maintaining an effective work force; fulfills affirmative action
responsibilities; independently performs clerical work of a difficult
and highly responsible nature; and does related work.

Distinguishing Features: A Chief Clerk is responsible for preparing

departmental or major divisional clerical policies, procedures, and
practices for interpreting rules, ordinances, policies, and other
regulations governing the personnel, regulatory, administrative, or
other activities of a department or major unit within a large
department. Incumbents in the class of Chief Clerk, as bona fide
supervisors, are responsible for the performance of the full range of
supervisory activities including: application of discipline,
processing and resolution of grievances, evaluation of performance,
and approval of time off requests.

The work of an employee of this class is assigned in terms of general

objectives and reviewed for results attained. Much of the work
involves dealing with highly confidential information and materials
and errors may lead to significant financial loss, legal consequences,
severe damage to public relations, or inefficient utilization of
personnel.

The work of this class is distinguished from other high level clerical
classes by the fact that an incumbent is responsible for establishing
policies and procedures to control the clerical activities of a
department and is responsible for the effective processing of the work
of several units, the volume and variety of which necessitates
continuous planning, control, and coordination.

Examples of Duties: Plan, organizes, coordinates, and directs groups

of clerical employees; directs the typing, data entry, preparation,
processing, maintenance, indexing, classifying, filing, and
administration of various documents such as reports, correspondence,
employee folders, payroll records, accounting forms, purchasing forms,
agendas, minutes, applications, budgetary records, permits, work
orders, personnel documents, collection of fees, accounts payable and
receivable, recording of documents, City records, legal case
development, and accident records, develops standardized clerical
policies and procedures;designs and maintains office computer database
applications; prepares back-up procedures for office computer systems,
such as word processing and database files; directs a variety of
clerical and related services including providing information on City
activities to the public, City employees, private industry, the media,
and other public agencies; ordering office supplies; producing reports
and queries on computer based data; researching data and composing
correspondence, reports, and statistical summaries; reviewing Council,
committee, commission and board agendas, newspapers, and other
publications for pertinent items; providing receptionist, clerical,
stenographic, and messenger services;

Communicates equal employment/affirmative action information to

employees; applies job-related criteria in selecting, orienting,
assigning, training, counseling, evaluating, and disciplining
subordinates; assists employees in preparing for promotion as
described in the City's Affirmative Action Program; directs training
and rotational programs for employees;

May direct subprofessional accounting activities such as: purchasing,

preparation of expense statements, payroll administration, accounts
payable and receivable, petty cash funds, cash receipts, remittance
reports, deposit certificates, pricing and coding materials, and
computing benefits, salaries, rates, and assessments; may direct
subordinates operating complex automated data systems related to
payroll and personnel records; may prepare budget requests; may act as
custodian of records; may arrange conferences and meetings involving
the preparation of agendas and minutes; may confer either bureau,
department, City, or private and public representatives to discuss
bureau of department activities; may arrange and coordinate activities
involving the repair and maintenance City facilities, equipment, and
property; and may occasionally be assigned to other duties for
training purposes or to meet technological changes or emergencies.

Qualifications: A good knowledge of office practices, standards, and

systems including filing, indexing, report writing, and cross
referencing methods; a good knowledge of punctuation, spelling, and
grammatical usage; a good knowledge of the organization and functional
responsibilities of the various departments of the City; a good
knowledge of commonly used office machines, including microfilm
readers, personal computers, and computer terminals, including their
maintenance and operation;

A good knowledge of Charter provisions, ordinances, rules,

regulations, practices, and City Attorney opinions as they relate to
the clerical processing and administration of contracts, purchases,
expenditures of funds, records management, timekeeping, budgeting,
payroll preparation and verification, personnel documents, accounts
payable and receivable, collection of fees for a variety of
activities; a good knowledge of bookkeeping and elementary accounting
practices and principles; a good knowledge of the standard procedures
used in budget preparation, budget control, records maintenance, and
purchasing;

A good knowledge of supervisory principles and practices including;

planning, delegating, and controlling the work of subordinates; a good
knowledge of techniques of training, instructing, and evaluation of
subordinate work performance; a good knowledge of techniques of
counseling, disciplining, and motivating subordinate personnel; a good
knowledge of the procedures for grievance handling; a good knowledge
of supervisory responsibility for EEO/AA as set forth in the City's
Affirmative Action Program; a good knowledge of effective safety
principles and practices; a working knowledge of memoranda of
understanding as they apply to subordinate personnel; a general
knowledge of City personnel rules, policies, and procedures; a general
knowledge of the City's computer based systems and capabilities;

The ability to learn, interpret, and apply laws, ordinances policies,

regulations, and procedures; the ability to analyze and institute
improved office clerical procedures, practices, and work methods; the
ability to assess data entry and word processing needs; the ability to
develop and maintain complex filing systems; the ability to compose
letters and reports and prepare charts, graphs, and tables; the
ability to obtain information which may include researching files,
accessing computer based filing systems, and contacting various
agencies; the ability to direct routine accounting activities such as
auditing invoices, preparing demands, maintaining ledgers, and
receiving fees;

The ability to deal tactfully and effectively with employees,

department administrative personnel, representatives of private firms,
and the public; the ability to establish and maintain a work
environment to enhance both employee morale and productivity; the
ability to apply sound supervisory principles and techniques in order
to plan, organize, direct, coordinate, and review the work of several
groups of clerical and other employees in a department or major unit
within a department; the ability to fulfill supervisory affirmative
action responsibility as indicated in the City's Affirmative Action
Program.

Two years of experience as a Principal Clerk or in a class which is at

least at that level in office clerical work is required for Chief
Clerk.

License: A valid California driver's license may be required.

Physical Requirements: Strength to perform average lifting of less

than 5 pounds and occasionally over 15 pounds; good speaking and
hearing ability; and good eyesight.

Persons with medical limitations may, with reasonable accommodations,

be capable of performing the duties of some of the positions in this
class. Such determination must be made on an individual basis in
light of the person's limitations the requirements for the position,
and the appointing authority's ability to effect reasonable
accommodations to the person's limitations.

As provided in Civil Service Commission Rule 2.5

and Section 4.55 of the Administrative Code, this
specification is descriptive, explanatory, and not
restrictive. It is not intended to declare what the
duties and responsibilities of any position shall be.