Senior Secretary (OPS/SS 3) – Caribbean and Americas Department

Key Responsibilities

Management/Administration: 

• Researches files and consults other officers as directed, to procure information needed for replies to correspondence and for meetings; 
• Liaises with officers/Government officials within and outside the Ministry, to obtain specific information, at the request of the Director; 
• Provides technical guidance to officers within the Department, with formatting and presentation of correspondence; 
• Arranges for the photocopying, compilation and documentation of materials for meetings;
• Liaises with Finance and Accounts Department and Office Management, in preparing the Director’s Travel Itinerary, for official travel overseas.
• Arranges for necessary foreign exchange and the procurement of visas; 
• Assists in the planning and organizing of meetings to be chaired by the Director. 

Professional/Technical: 

• Prepares interim replies to routine correspondence; 
• Composes letters and memoranda from general instructions, for the signature of the Director; 
• Prints, makes photocopies of, collates and scans documents, as required; 
• Receives, opens, sorts and records incoming mail, files and other documents. Brings matters requiring urgent attention to the Director; 
• Records and re-routes processed correspondence and files to officers and/or Departments, for necessary action; 
• Ensures that urgent matters are re-routed to the Assistant Director, for immediate attention, in the absence of the Director; 
• Organizes and maintains a filing system for the control and safe custody of important circulars, copies of reports, policy papers and other classified documents, in order to ensure the prompt retrieval of same, when necessary; 
• Maintains a Third Copy Folder of outgoing correspondence for the Director, as well as a Department’s Floater of outgoing correspondence, from other officers; 
• Schedules appointments for the Director; maintains a diary of official appointments, meetings and conferences scheduled for the Director; 
• Receives and screens telephone calls and visitors to the Director; refers telephone calls and visitors to the respective officer/Department, in cases not requiring the Director’s attention; 
• Receives official visitors and escorts them to the respective meeting room for meetings chaired by the Director; 
• Compiles briefing documents for upcoming meetings and conferences to be attended by the Director; 
• Performs any other duties assigned from time to time. 

Required Knowledge, Skills and Competencies

Core: 

• Organizational awareness - general knowledge of the role and functions of the Ministry Excellent oral and written communication skills 
• Excellent customer and quality focus skills 
• Excellent interpersonal skills 
• Good planning and organizing skills 
• Excellent time management skills 
• Ability to work in a team 
• Good problem-solving and decision-making skills 
• Ability to use judgement and work on own initiative 
• Methodical 
• Ability to display high levels of integrity, professionalism and confidentiality.
• Ability to exercise a high level of tact and discretion in handling sensitive situations. 

Technical: 

• Knowledge of the GoJ’s Immigration Regulations 
• Sound knowledge of administrative principles and practices 
• Sound knowledge of web-based research techniques 
• Knowledge of modern office processes and procedures 
• Knowledge of basic protocol procedures and practices 
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint) and any other relevant software applications 

Minimum Required Qualification and Experience

• CXC or GCE ‘O’ Level English Language; successful completion of the prescribed course of study at the Management Institute for National Development (MIND); proficiency in typewriting at a speed of 50-55 words per minute and shorthand at a speed of 100-120 words per minute, plus four to five (4-5) years general office experience. 

OR 

• Graduated from an accredited school of Secretarial Studies with proficiency in typewriting at a speed of 50-55 words per minute and shorthand at a speed of 100-120 words per minute; training in the use of a variety of software applications e-g., word processing, database and spreadsheets; English Language at CXC or GCE ‘O’ Level; completion of the appropriate Office Professional Training Course at the Management Institute for National Development (MIND), plus four to five (4-5) years general office experience. 

OR 

• Successful completion of the Certified Professional Secretary course; proficiency in typewriting at a speed of 50-55 words per minute and shorthand at a speed of 100-120 words per minute; English Language at CXC or GCE ‘O’ Level; training in the use of a variety of computer software applications and four to five (4-5) years general office experience plus the appropriate Office Professional Training Course at the Management Institute for National Development (MIND).

Please note that only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.