The United States Probation Office for the Southern District of Mississippi is accepting applications for the position of Administrative Specialist. The Administrative Specialist performs and coordinates administrative, technical, and professional work related to multiple administrative functions (such as, but not limited to, human resources and procurement). This includes ensuring compliance with the appropriate guidelines, policies, and approved internal controls.
Two years specialized experience. Specialized experience is defined as progressively responsible employment in the human resources or financial or business field utilizing rules, regulations, practices, and principles of human resources or financial administration or accounting and involves the routine use of a variety of office equipment and applications, such as word processing, email, spreadsheet, automated human resources management and financial systems, and other computer-based systems. The applicant must have a positive attitude, deliver excellent customer service, and be detail oriented. Strong analytical skills, excellent organizational skills, willingness to learn and participate in a team environment, ability to respond to requests on short notice, and the ability to manage multiple tasks are essential.
The following are intended to provide generalized examples of major duties and responsibilities of this position. Implement and administer human resources policies, procedures, and standards. Research, draft, and recommend human resources policies for the court unit. Provide information and guidance to judges, executives, senior managers, and court staff on human resources matters, procedures, and practices. Develop and maintain all recruitment related records, including position announcements, interview information and applicant demographic statistics, and recruitment files. Determine and use best methods to source applicants. Process recruitment requests; including, prepare notice of vacancy, review and rank applications, conduct initial telephone interview of top ranked applicants, and coordinate and participate on interview panels. Coordinate and conduct new-hire orientation for new probation's office employees to include a review of payroll information, personnel policies and procedures, and benefit options. Assist and advise new and existing employees on payroll and benefit related matters and ensure requested actions meet applicable policies and requirements. Assist with organizing and conducting annual benefits open season fair and corresponding information workshops. Process a variety of personnel and payroll actions such as appointments, promotions, separations, terminations, within-grade increases, and changes to employee benefits. Monitor and ensure all staffing and payroll actions are processed in a timely and correct manner. Serve as a Time Administrator, which includes monitoring and processing employees' time and attendance related records and ensuring that transactions and records adhere to appropriate rules and regulations. Maintain statistics for annual Fair Employment Practices System and Telework reports. Assist with grievance and adverse action procedures. Manage background check and fingerprinting program by verifying applicant employment, checking references, taking employee fingerprints, completing and filing necessary forms, tracking and reporting results, and developing and maintaining record keeping systems. Develop, coordinate, and facilitate technical training for new and existing employees on a wide variety of human resources related automated systems. Administer assigned systems. Develop and manage the integration process of new systems into local processes. Develop and maintain the content for the human resources section of the court unit's Intranet website. Establish and maintain a wide variety of personnel related records, including individual personnel files and records, in accordance with the relevant record retention guidelines. Ability to obtain Contracting Officer Program Certification Levels 1, 2, and 3 after appointment and continue to maintain this certification by completing continuing education courses as required. Procures supplies, equipment, miscellaneous services and furnishings from government and non-government sources through new contracts, competitive bids or existing government contracts. Plans and coordinates time and delivery of purchases. Contracts for maintenance and repair of equipment and furniture. Assess requests for goods and services by ensuring that they are allowable under limitations, restrictions, and policies, as well as determining availability of funds, including maintaining GSA and other supplier catalogs for review by unit personnel in making or suggesting need. Review accounting records of each functional allotment and reconcile accounts. Ensure that accounts have funds available for items being purchased. Prepare spreadsheets and maintain databases to track certain expenditures. Identifies and maintains lists of vendors and sources of supply for goods and services. Review, evaluate, verify, and process invoices and prepare payment requests. Updates the inventory listing of property and conduct inventory reconciliations. Research and evaluate suppliers based on price, quality, selection, service, support, availability, reliability, production, and distribution capabilities as well as the reputation and history. Prepare specifications, solicitations, and requests for qualifications/proposals; research products and equipment; prepare product/equipment specifications. Obtain and review competitive bids, quotes, and proposals from vendors and contractors (to include treatment services for offenders); discuss evaluations and review with requesters and subject matter experts. Please see a continuation of this position duties within the Additional Information section of this announcement.