Office Manager Senior

Serves as the Office Manager Senior for Travis County’s Office of Parental Representation (OPR), a civil public defender’s office that provides client-centered representation to indigent clients in child welfare law litigation with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. 

Oversees daily management of OPR’s administrative and operational functions, including Purchasing, Human Resources, Payroll, Records Management, Information Technology, Budgeting and daily office functions. Plans, supervises, schedules and monitors a section of office employees whose duties are specialized and involve varied procedures and methods. Answers questions on policies and procedures. Provides support for legal administrative functions, as needed. Legal secretary or paralegal experience preferred.


DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:

This is the second in a series of two office management-related job classifications within the Management job family. This classification is distinguished from the Office Manager in that incumbents have more experience, are responsible for the most complex and involved office administrative operations, and duties are primarily financial, supervisory, and administrative in nature.

• Oversees daily management of administrative and operational functions within the department, including Mail, Scheduling, Purchasing, Human Resources, Payroll, Records Management, Information Technology, Budgeting Support and daily office and front desk functions. 
• Manages operations to meet deadlines. Advises OPR Chief Counsel and department leadership on administrative issues.
• Develops and implements office administrative policies and procedures to ensure operating at maximum efficiency. Answers questions on policies and procedures. Evaluates operations and makes recommendations for improvement. 
• Serves as OPR’s Human Resources (HR) Liaison for recruitment, hiring, onboarding, and navigating employee benefits questions; handles and resolves personnel management issues; develops performance standards and measures to ensure resources are allocated effectively.
• Provides support for legal administrative functions, as needed. Legal secretary or paralegal experience preferred.
• Plans, evaluates, establishes and implements processes, policies, procedures and systems to improve departmental office operations. Researches, monitors and ensures changes in applicable laws, regulations and directives that impact the department. Ensures compliance with reporting requirements and legislative mandates. Oversees efficient operations of the departmental records management, including files, reports and storage.
• Manages, plans, delegates, coordinates, monitors and evaluates work of support staff, and reviews their work involving well-defined procedures. Hires and trains support staff. Makes recommendations on merit increases, disciplinary actions and dismissals. Oversees and schedules substitute coverage or acts as back-up for all staff.
• Performs the most complex administrative tasks. Prepares calendars, schedules, and correspondence for OPR Chief Counsel and managers.
• Manages and maintains all purchasing functions. Monitors personal services budget and/or operating budget expenditures. Ensures contracting and purchasing procedures are followed. May prepare purchase orders. May order and purchase needed equipment and supplies. Works with agencies on statistical reports and inquiries.
• Ensures building maintenance is completed. Works with support departments to ensure facility is properly maintained. Works with County departments and outside agencies in sharing information and addressing issues. Oversees and is responsible for maintaining department inventory.
• Performs highly technical analysis, complex financial and budgetary analysis and makes recommendations. Collects, analyzes, researches, documents, audits financial data and prepares financial documents and reports. Prepares and/or assists in preparing annual budget documents. Develops and implements departments accounting and financial fiscal oversight systems to monitor and safeguard the budget, revenues and purchases. Establishes budgetary needs and forecasts service revenue. Compiles comprehensive reports.
• Evaluates training needs and develops strategies to address needs. Conducts training or secures training to ensure training needs are met. Evaluates computer needs and makes determination for departments automation needs. Continuously evaluates operations and makes recommendations for improvements.
• Represents the County by attending meetings, community meetings, seminars, conferences and professional association meetings. Participates in private organizations and participates serves on related committees. Serves as the department liaison. May serve as spokesperson to media and outside agencies.
• Provides information and advice concerning specialized or technical services rendered and related office functions, including responding to and resolving the most difficult and sensitive issues and problems, client inquires, complaints and questions raised by public served or by subordinates.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Education and Experience:
Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, Business Management, Government, Political Science, Criminal Justice or a directly related field AND five (5) years of professional experience with a broad administrative support activity, such as human resources, payroll, records management, purchasing, contracting, financial analysis, budgeting, information technology and office functions, including two (2) years of mid- to senior level supervisory or management experience;

OR,

Any combination of education and experience that has been achieved and is equivalent to the stated education and experience and required knowledge, skills, and abilities sufficient to successfully perform the duties and responsibilities of this job.

Licenses, Registrations, Certifications, or Special Requirements:
Valid Texas Driver's License.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Knowledge of:

• Management and supervision practices and techniques.
• Federal, State, Local and County applicable laws, rules, regulations and guidelines.
• Policies, practices, procedures and terminology of assigned function.
• Filing and reporting requirements.
• Legal research procedures.
• Accounting, purchasing and budgetary theory, principles and practices.
• Computer equipment to include word processing, spreadsheets, databases and a variety of software packages.
• Business letter writing, grammar and punctuation, and report preparation.
• May be required to develop knowledge of and adhere to federal and state laws requiring the confidential handling of certain health information.

• Supervising others, making presentations and evaluating programs.
• Problem-solving and decision-making.
• Developing databases and conducting research.
• Both verbal and written communication.

• Train and supervise office personnel.
• Plan, assign, motivate and coordinate work of support staff.
• Compile and analyze data, and to write clear and comprehensive reports.
• Assist in monitoring a budget, implementing and maintaining filing and accounting systems.
• Research, compile, analyze, interpret and prepare a variety of fiscal, statistical, legal, and administrative reports.
• Manage time well, perform multiple tasks and organize diverse activities.
• Perform in a stressful environment while maintaining a professional manner.
• Independently prepare correspondence, memorandums and other materials.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with departmental clientele, attorneys, judges, representatives of outside agencies, other County employees and officials, and the general public.

Physical requirements include the ability to lift/carry up to 20-50 pounds occasionally, visual acuity, speech and hearing, hand and eye coordination and manual dexterity necessary to operate a computer and office equipment. Subject to standing, walking, sitting, repetitive motion, reaching, climbing stairs, bending, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, pushing, pulling, balancing, client/customer contact, squatting to perform the essential functions.

Travis County employees play an important role in business continuity. As such, employees can be assigned to business continuity efforts outside of normal job functions.