Office Assistant (Office/On-site)

Are you a self-starter? Do you want to make a difference while participating in a dynamic and reciprocal human services environment in the public sector? If so, we want you to become part of our team!  

The State of Connecticut, Department of Children and Families' (DCF) mission is partnering with communities and empowering families to raise resilient children who thrive. We are proud of our diverse and dedicated workforce who strive every day to meet the needs of those we encounter.  

We are recruiting for Office Assistant vacancies. Work locations will be in offices located in the following Regions:

• Region 1: Bridgeport and Norwalk
• Region 2: Milford and New Haven
• Region 3: Middletown, Norwich and Willimantic (Please note: Willimantic is part of Windham County)
• Region 4: Hartford and Manchester
• Region 5: Danbury, Torrington, and Waterbury
• Region 6: New Britain and Meriden  

Tasks include the full range of general clerical duties to include but not limited to typing, filing, correspondence, report writing, communicating with a variety of parties (including other agencies and the public), and general processing functions.  

As an Office Assistant we can offer you:

• Health and dental insurance 
• Retirement plan
• Group life insurance
• Other supplemental benefits
• Paid time off 
• 13 paid holidays per calendar year, in addition to 
• Vacation leave accruals
• Sick leave accruals
• Personal leave accruals  

You will discover the opportunity to:

• Engage is a rewarding career;
• Showcase your talents in a meaningful role;
• Thrive in an exciting fast paced environment;
• Provide support to a division that is passionate about the work we do;
• Work together in a collaborative team environment.   

The Schedule:

• Full-time
• 40 hours per week
• Monday through Friday
• The first shift hours will be based on operational needs and will include non-standard start and end times, holidays, and weekends.    

We hope you take this opportunity to continue your career with us and make an impact by serving your state!

These positions will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules.  

This position may be subject to Federal requirements for COVID 19 Vaccination Immunization.  

In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process.

Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening and must specify their qualifications on their application. The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified. 

Please note you will be unable to make revisions once you submit your application for this posting to the JobAps system. Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience and training most closely meet the requirements of the position. 

The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.

Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process. 

Due to the large volume of applications received, we are unable to provide confirmation of receipt or status during the recruitment process. Updates will be available through your JobAps portal account.   

Note:  At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position.  These documents may include:  a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.  Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications as indicated to apply for this position. 

This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the question's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam.  

Should you have questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Julie Barker, at Julie.Barker@ct.gov.

All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period.  It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception.  Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.

In a state agency this class is accountable for independently performing a full range of general clerical functions or for carrying out responsibility for the flow and completion of clerical work in an assigned area.

Performs the full range of general clerical duties as described in the following areas:

• TYPING:
  • Types a variety of materials in relation to other duties or as assigned;
  • Enters and retrieves data on computers, tablets, and other electronic equipment.
• FILING:
  • Sets up and maintains office procedures, filing and indexing systems and forms for own use.
• CORRESPONDENCE:
  • Composes routine correspondence.
• REPORT WRITING:
  • Compiles and generates recurrent technical, statistical or financial reports requiring judgment in the selection and presentation of data (format).
• INTERPERSONAL:
  • Provides general information and referral services in response to citizen complaints or questions regarding an agency's services or authority;
  • Responds to inquiries from other work units or departments/agencies;
  • Applies agency policies and state statutes and regulations in determining case status or responding to requests for procedural assistance;
  • May lead lower level employees in carrying out assigned clerical functions.
• PROCESSING:
  • Maintains calendars of due dates and initiates recurring work or special clerical projects accordingly;
  • Processes a variety of documents in determining routine case status;
  • Exercises discretion in choosing appropriate follow through procedures within defined guidelines including assembling and reviewing incoming materials for accuracy, completeness and conformance to established guidelines and agency policy and procedures, verifying information through use of internal resources and contacts with sender and other work units and soliciting additional information as required by correspondence;
  • Processes purchase requisitions/purchase orders for subsequent action;
  • Prepares payment lists and billing invoices;
  • Receives shipments of materials and matches/verifies shipment or billing invoices against original purchase orders;
  • Maintains files, journals or account ledgers by posting credits, expenditures, interest, etc.;
  • Figures payments, costs, discounts and adjustments using prescribed methods and formulas;
  • Receives monies in various forms such as cash, checks and money orders and prepares for deposit;
  • Maintains inventory and orders supplies;
  • Uses a variety of electronic equipment to perform job functions;

• Knowledge of office systems and procedures including proper telephone usage and filing;
• Skills
  • basic interpersonal skills;
  • oral and written communication skills;
  • in performing arithmetical computations;
• Ability to
  • perform a full range of clerical tasks;
  • operate office equipment which includes computers, tablets, and other electronic equipment;
  • operate office suite software;
  • schedule and prioritize workflow;
  • read and interpret complex instructions.

College training may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling one/half (1/2) year of experience.

• Experience with written and verbal communication within an office setting/environment.
• Experience with proofreading for detail and accuracy.
• Extensive experience in Microsoft Office including Outlook, Excel and Word.
• Experience in interpersonal customer service.
• Experience working in a multi-faceted, high volume work environment with reception duties.
• Experience with billing and processing invoices and payments.

Persons having responsibility for supervising or observing the behavior of inmates or custodial individuals will be required to possess a high school diploma or General Educational Development (GED) certification by the time of permanent appointment.

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.