Job Description

Distinguishing Features of the Class

Performs a variety of confidential administrative support duties for the City Manager and City Manager’s Office; performs directly related work as required.

The principal function of an employee in this class is to provide administrative support to the City Manager and City Manager’s Office. The work is performed under the direct supervision of the City Manager but considerable leeway is granted for the exercise of independent judgment and initiative. This class is distinguished from the class of Department Administrative Assistant by the performance of confidential secretarial duties for the City Manager. The nature of the work performed requires that an employee in this class establish and maintain effective working relationships with other City employees, the City Council, state and federal officials, business and community organizations and the public.

Please go to speedtypingonline.com to complete a free 5-minute typing test (the site defaults as a 1-minute test but you will need to change this to 5 minutes) . On the site you are able to “Personalize Results”. Please type in your first and last name as it appears on your application. The online typing test can be accepted if it is from this site only and witnessed by another person. Results printed from the testing website must meet the following requirements. Submitted exam results must show:

• Net number of words typed (Speed).
• Show that you completed a Five-minute timed test.
• Your name(on the site you are able to “Personalize Results”. Please type in your first and last name as it appears on your application) and the date the exam was completed.
  • Name and date must be shown on the printed results from the testing website not handwritten or added by someone. Again, you can “Personalize Results” on the site.
• Witness signature, witness printed name, and valid email address for the witness. Witness must be age 18 years or older.
  • If you do not have printing capabilities, please email your results to humanresources@dmgov.org and your witness. Your witness may then "Reply All" to the email stating their name and that they witnessed you completing the online typing test on the specified date. It is your responsibility to make sure your witness responds by the exam deadline.
• You must submit exam results to the City of Des Moines Human Resources Department via email ( humanresources@dmgov.org) by 4:00pm CT on Sunday, November 30, 2025 . Passing score is 60 net words per minute (Speed).
  
  
  
  IN LIEU OF THE PERFORMANCE EXAM : Applicants must currently hold a City of Des Moines Civil Service position requiring a typing speed of 60 WPM or higher OR have previously taken the online timed typing test resulting in a score of 60 NWPM or higher within 1 YEAR of the application deadline. The applicant is required to contact the City's Human Resources Department at (515) 283-4213 or by email at humanresources@dmgov.org to attach a previously submitted typing test to their current application by the application deadline.

Acceptable Experience and Training

• Graduation from High School or possession of a GED; and
• Extensive experience in general office operations; or
• Any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to perform the work.

Required Special Qualifications

• Minimum typing speed of 60 WPM;
• Candidates for positions in this class must pass a post-employment offer physical examination and drug screen;
• Possession of a valid Iowa driver’s license of evidence of equivalent mobility.

Examples of Essential Work (Illustrative Only)

• Arranges meetings and appointments for the City Manager, other City staff or the public, including scheduling facilities appropriate to meeting size and travel/lodging arrangements as necessary;
• Evaluates day-to-day issues to determine the importance and course of action to be taken and resolves or refers as required; maintains regular communication with the City Manager to ensure that he/she is kept apprised of situations and issues that require attention;
• Performs confidential secretarial duties for the City Manager, including assuming direction or oversight over other Department personnel in distributing directives and monitoring programmatic activities;
• Composes, interprets, edits, and reviews a variety of specialized and standard information, correspondence, reports, documents, applications, forms, violations, memos, and/or other applicable materials for the office/department, to include performing such aforementioned tasks in confidentiality directly for the Mayor, City Manager, or a Department Head; makes recommendations based on findings.
• Develops and prepares a variety of complex and confidential reports and correspondence; conducts research on a variety of topics and summarizes findings; collects, correlates, and consolidates information into reporting formats.
• Provides complex administrative support to include: assessing, developing, revising, and implementing office procedures, preparing meeting agendas, attending meetings, and taking and distributing formal meeting minutes, maintaining departmental data, preparing and distributing department documents, and/or performing the duties of lower level staff.
• Interprets and applies Departmental or office rules, policies and regulations in accordance with prescribed procedures and guidelines;
• Answers Department telephone calls, receives and greets visitors to the Department and provides information to or refers callers and visitors to other appropriate Departments or City personnel;
• Processes accounts payable, accounts receivable and/or payroll as necessary;
• Screens visitors, telephone calls, faxes, mail and messages directed to office personnel;
• Attends meetings, conferences, workshops and training sessions and reviews publications and audio-visual materials to become and remain current on the principles, practices and new developments in assigned work areas;
• Performs other directly related duties consistent with the role and function of the classification.

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