About the Department

The County of San Mateo Sheriff's Office is seeking a highly motivated individual with strong administrative and interpersonal skills for the position of Administrative Secretary III - Confidential.

This position is responsible for executing a wide array of intricate secretarial and office administrative tasks to provide comprehensive support to the Executive Team and the Professional Standards Bureau, along with other associated management staff as required. Success in this pivotal role is contingent upon the demonstration of exceptional customer service, both internally with fellow employees and externally with the public. Additionally, the incumbent must possess excellent oral and written communication skills, a keen eye for detail in proofreading, and the ability to seamlessly juggle multiple tasks simultaneously. These essential qualities not only ensure the smooth operation of daily activities but also play a crucial role in supporting the assigned executives, enabling them to focus on higher-level strategic tasks.

About the Sheriff’s Office
The San Mateo County Sheriff's Office is committed to protecting our communities through professional policing and service, building trust through engagement, and ensuring people feel safe and heard. Guided by our pillars of Public Trust and Community Engagement, Organizational Excellence and Commitment to Justice, we strive to deliver exceptional service while investing in our employees and fostering a culture of professionalism, accountability, innovation, and growth. We are committed to developing future leaders, embracing continuous improvement, and providing meaningful opportunities for employees to build rewarding careers in public service. To learn more about the Sheriff's Office, visit: https://www.smcsheriff.com.

Rewarding aspects of the job: Your work will have a direct impact on all those the Sheriff’s Office serves, both inside and outside the organization. Additionally, your contributions will ensure the executive team has the daily support they need to direct the vital work we do for all those we serve. In this role, you will have the opportunity to foster positive relationships and make a meaningful impact working with various stakeholders such as elected officials, community leaders, Sheriff's Office employees, and the public.

Challenging aspects of the job: This position operates in a fast-paced executive environment requiring exceptional judgment, adaptability, and discretion. Success requires the ability to manage competing priorities, anticipate needs, coordinate projects simultaneously, and maintain accuracy while working under tight deadlines. Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, initiative, and the ability to effectively navigate changing priorities are essential.

The ideal candidate will possess two years of experience in an executive-level administrative support position with demonstrated success supporting executive leadership, as well as knowledge, skills and abilities in the following areas:

Administrative Support: Providing administrative support to executives, including managing their calendars, scheduling meetings, arranging travel, processing reimbursements, and handling correspondence.
Communication: Acting as a liaison between the executive and internal or external parties, including the public, employees, and other stakeholders. This may involve answering phone calls, responding to emails, and drafting correspondence on behalf of the assigned executives.
Documentation: Managing and organizing documents, files, and records related to the executive's work, including reports, presentations, and other materials.
Executive Support & Judgment: Demonstrated success supporting executive leadership through sound judgment, initiative, discretion, and the ability to anticipate needs and manage competing priorities.
Meeting Coordination: Planning and coordinating meetings, including preparing agendas, taking minutes, coordinating refreshments, and ensuring that all necessary materials are available.
Research: Conducting research and gathering information on various topics as requested by the executives to support decision-making and planning processes.
Project Support: Assisting with special projects or initiatives as needed, which may involve coordinating teams, tracking progress, and ensuring deadlines are met.
Confidentiality: Maintaining confidentiality and discretion regarding sensitive information and discussions.
Problem-Solving: Handling routine administrative issues and solving problems independently, while knowing when to escalate more complex issues to the assigned executives or other appropriate parties.
Technology Proficiency: Being proficient in various office software and tools, such as the Microsoft Office suite, email systems, and industry-related software.
Interpersonal Skills: Possessing strong interpersonal skills to interact effectively with colleagues, clients, and other stakeholders and representing the assigned executives in a professional manner.

As the Administrative Secretary, your responsibilities will include:

Providing high-level administrative and operational support to executive leadership while managing sensitive and confidential matters with professionalism and discretion.
Acting as a liaison between our office and other elected officials, community leaders, Sheriff’s Office employees, and the public, demonstrating exceptional communication skills.
Managing multiple assignments simultaneously, maintaining meticulous attention to detail and prioritizing tasks effectively.
Utilizing advanced proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, to create polished documents and presentations.
Demonstrating strong customer service and independent problem-solving skills, ensuring the smooth coordination of appointments, meetings, and events.
Ordering and maintaining office supplies.
Performing related duties as assigned.

NOTE: The eligible list generated from this recruitment may be used to fill future extra help, term, unclassified, and regular classified vacancies.

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience: Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to qualify is:

One year of secretarial experience providing responsible office and administrative support assistance OR three years of general clerical or office support experience.

Knowledge of:

Standard office administrative and secretarial practices and procedures, including filing and business letter writing.
The operation of common office equipment, including a word processor and personal or online computer equipment.
Policies and procedures related to the division to which assigned.
Correct English usage, including spelling, grammar, punctuation, and vocabulary.
Business arithmetic, including percentages and decimals.
Record-keeping principles and practices.
Basic supervisory principles and practices.
Basic budgeting principles and practices.

Skill/Ability to:

Provide varied secretarial and office administrative assistance to management, supervisory, and professional staff.
Organize work, set priorities, meet critical deadlines, and follow up on assignments with a minimum of direction.
Use tact, discretion, initiative, and independent judgment with established guidelines.
Interpret, apply and explain complex policies and procedures using tact, discretion, initiative and independent judgment within established guidelines.
Establish and maintain effective working relationships.
Compose correspondence independently or from brief instructions.
Organize and maintain accurate records and files.
Make arithmetic calculations with speed and accuracy.
Operate standard office equipment, including a word processor, personal or online computer, and multi-line telephone equipment.
Direct and train others in work procedures.

Other Qualifications

County Promotional. Only current County of San Mateo or County of San Mateo Superior Court of California employees with at least six months (1040 hours) of continuous service in a classified regular, probationary, or extra-help/limited term position prior to the final filing date may apply.

Responses to the supplemental questions must be submitted in addition to our regular employment application form. A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for the required employment application and supplemental questionnaire.

The examination process will consist of an application screening (weight: pass/fail) based on the candidates' application and responses to the supplemental questions. Candidates who pass the application screening will be invited to a panel interview (weight: 100%), which may include the evaluation of a written exercise given immediately preceding the interview. Depending on the number of applicants, an application appraisal of education and experience may be used in place of other examinations or further evaluation of work experience may be conducted to group applicants by level of qualification. All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase of the examination. All examinations will be given in San Mateo County, California and applicants must participate at their own expense.

IMPORTANT: Applications for this position will only be accepted online. If you are currently on the County's website, you may click the “Apply” button. If you are not on the County's website, please go to https://jobs.smcgov.org/ to apply. Responses to the Supplemental Questionnaire must be submitted in addition to the standard County employment application form. A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for the required application materials. Online applications must be received by the Human Resources Department before midnight on the final filing date.

Tentative Recruitment Schedule:
Final Filing Date: Wednesday, July 8, 2026, by 11:59 PM PST
Application Screening: Week of July 13, 2026
Panel Interviews: Week of July 27, 2026

About the County

San Mateo County is centrally located between San Francisco, San Jose, and the East Bay. With over 750,000 residents, San Mateo is one of the largest and most diverse counties in California and serves a multitude of culturally, ethnically and linguistically diverse communities.

The County of San Mateo is committed to advancing equity in order to ensure that all employees are welcomed in a safe and inclusive environment. The County seeks to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community. We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply. Eighty percent of employees surveyed stated that they would recommend the County as a great place to work.

The County of San Mateo is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering diversity, equity and inclusion at all levels.

Analyst: Lealoa Numera (06242026) (Administrative Secretary - Confidential – E006)

Benefits

We invite you to explore our Benefits-at-a-Glance page for a snapshot of the comprehensive and competitive benefits available to eligible employees of the County of San Mateo. From health and wellness to financial security, our benefits are designed to support you at every stage of your career. (Please note that benefits are subject to change.)

In addition to core benefits, the County is proud to offer a variety of wellness and professional development programs to help you grow both personally and professionally. Most of these enriching opportunities are available during work hours and come at no cost to you.

As a County employee, you’ll also be covered by the federal Social Security system, earning valuable retirement benefits based on your salary and years of service.

Supplemental Questions

IMPORTANT NOTE: Applicants for this position are required to submit responses to the supplemental questions below. Your responses will provide additional information about your background and experience related to this position. This information will weigh heavily in the application screening by the subject matter experts and will also be used in the selection process.

This is a competitive process so please answer the questions completely, paying attention to all parts of the multi-part questions. While being thorough and detailed, also be concise. Your strategic use of language will be considered. Neatness, clarity of expression, attention to detail, proper use of grammar and the ability to follow instructions will also be considered in the evaluation process.

A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for your responses to these questions.

I have read and understand these instructions.

This is a County Promotional Only recruitment. Only current County of San Mateo and County of San Mateo Superior Court of California employees with at least six months (1040 hours) of continuous service in a classified regular, probationary, or extra-help/limited term position prior to the final filing date may apply. Do you meet this requirement? (A "No" answer will disqualify you from this recruitment.)

Describe your experience providing administrative support in an office with elected officials, executive staff, or individuals in a similar role. Be specific in your response and include a) your title; b) your responsibilities; and c) the types of functions you performed. Note: A short or incomplete response will not be accepted.

Describe your experience working in a position requiring a high degree of confidentiality. Be specific in describing why discretion and confidentiality were required in your work assignment and why it was important.

Problem-solving skills are vital for success in the Administrative Secretary role. Please provide a specific example of a challenging situation you encountered in a previous role. Describe the actions you took independently to resolve it and the outcome of your efforts. Be specific.

How many years of experience do you have providing administrative support in an office environment with elected officials, executive staff, or individuals in similar role?

3 years or more
At least 2 years
Less than 2 years
No experience, but willing to learn.

Which of the following tasks have you performed in a previous administrative support role? (Check all that apply.)

Scheduling Meetings – including planning and coordinating meetings, including preparing agendas, taking minutes.
Managing Multiple Calendars.
Arranging Travel.
Managing and Organizing Documents, Files and Records.
Creating Presentations Using PowerPoint.
Creating Reports for elected officials, executive staff, or individuals in a similar role.
None of the above, but willing to learn.

Please select the computer programs/software applications you have used. (Check all that apply.)

Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Word
Microsoft PowerPoint
Outlook/Email Systems
Internet Browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, etc.)
Web Search Engine (Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc.)
Cloud-based Collaboration Platforms and Electronic Document Management Systems
Workday
Microsoft Teams
Google Workspace: Including Google Drive, Google Docs
Adobe Spark or similar
Canva
None of the above, but willing to learn.

Microsoft Excel – Considering your previous work experience, education and training, how would you rate your level of proficiency with Microsoft Excel? (Please note that your response may be subject to verification, and you may be tested on this application.)

Expert - highly proficient in using this program and have provided training or guidance to others who use this program.
Advanced - proficient in using this program and no additional training needed.
Intermediate - experienced in using this program and may need additional training.
Beginner – basic experience but will need additional training or guidance.
No experience, but willing to learn.

Microsoft Word – Considering your previous work experience, education and training, how would you rate your level of proficiency with Microsoft Word? (Please note that your response may be subject to verification, and you may be tested on this application.)

Expert - highly proficient in using this program and have provided training or guidance to others who use this program.
Advanced - proficient in using this program and no additional training needed.
Intermediate - experienced in using this program and may need additional training.
Beginner – basic experience but will need additional training or guidance.
No experience, but willing to learn.

Microsoft PowerPoint – Considering your previous work experience, education and training, how would you rate your level of proficiency with Microsoft PowerPoint? (Please note that your response may be subject to verification, and you may be tested on this application.)

Expert - highly proficient in using this program and have provided training or guidance to others who use this program.
Advanced - proficient in using this program and no additional training needed.
Intermediate - experienced in using this program and may need additional training.
Beginner – basic experience but will need additional training or guidance.
No experience, but willing to learn.

Required Question

Agency Information

Employer: County of San Mateo
Address: County of San Mateo Human Resources Department

500 County Center, 4th Floor

Redwood City, California, 94063-1663
Phone: (650) 363-4343
Website: https://jobs.smcgov.org

Administrative Secretary III - Confidential - Sheriff's Office (County Promotional Only)