DESCRIPTION THE PORT OF LONG BEACH IS SEEKING A SENIOR SECRETARY (This is an at-will position)
THE ROLE The Port of Long Beach Human Resources Division is seeking a
Senior Secretary to keep the division organized and running smoothly. Under general supervision, the Senior Secretary performs a wide variety of administrative and general office work for the Director and Assistant Director of Human Resources. The Senior Secretary serves as the liaison with other Port divisions/stakeholders, and is responsible for highly sensitive and confidential information. To be successful, a candidate must have excellent organization skills, attention to detail, both written and verbal communication, time-management, and customer service skills.
ABOUT US The Port of Long Beach is a global leader in green port initiatives and top-notch customer service, moving cargo with reliability, speed and efficiency. With its deep-water channels, rail access, and ongoing investment in state-of-the-art facilities, the Port continues to be the preferred gateway for Asia-Pacific trade and an exemplary model for its environmental innovations and initiatives. The Port operates entirely on Port generated revenues, bond financing and grants, and is not funded by taxes or the City’s General Fund. As the premier U.S. gateway for trans-Pacific trade, the Port handles trade valued at more than $300 billion annually and supports 2.6 million jobs across the United States, including 575,000 in Southern California. In 2025, the Port is celebrating “20 Years of Leading Green,” marking two decades of its landmark Green Port Policy that has dramatically reduced environmental impacts from operations. In 2024, industry leaders named Long Beach “The Best West Coast Seaport in North America” for the sixth consecutive year. During the next 10 years, the Port is planning $2.3 billion in capital improvements aimed at enhancing capacity, competitiveness and sustainability.
To learn more about the ways we are building the Green Port of the Future, please visit : https://polb.com/environment .
EXAMPLES OF DUTIES HOW YOU GET TO CONTIRIBUTE - Maintain Microsoft Outlook calendars for HR Division leadership to include coordination, scheduling, arrangement and confirmation of meetings, appointments and conferences.
- Maintain HR records, employee files and confidential documents.
- Answer, screen and direct email correspondence and phone calls to include taking accurate and complete messages.
- Prioritize correspondence along with appropriate background materials for review, reply, and disposition.
- Compose, edit, and proofread final drafts for a variety of documents to include general correspondence, confidential matters, board memos, statistical reports, letters, memoranda, records and schedules- all independently and under limited direction.
- Arrange travel for HR personnel to include creation of itinerary and expense reports.
- Make authorized business-related purchases within approved limits for legitimate, work-related purposes that are compliant with organizational guidelines.
- Maintain accurate records of financial transactions to include receipts, invoices and purchase details; and ensure transactions are recorded promptly and correctly in the Port’s finance management system for payment, future audits or reviews.
- Handle logistical, administrative and organizational tasks related to the Annual Statement of Economic Interests (Form 700) to ensure timely, complete and compliant filings by Harbor Department employees.
- Handle general employee inquiries about HR policies and procedures.
- Maintain confidentiality by ensuring sensitive employee data is properly secured and handled.
- Receive, distribute and open mail.
- Schedule use of conference and training rooms.
- Provide backup support for other HR Division clerical and administration staff, to include invoicing and payroll.
- Organize, maintain and update confidential and specialized files, documents and records.
- Create, maintain and update physical and electronic filing and tracking systems used to track data, forms, and various division projects.
- May assist with the recruitment process to include posting job ads, scheduling interviews and maintaining candidate records.
- May communicate with job candidates orally and in writing about interview details and follow-up information.
- May assist with the on-boarding of staff and contractors to include preparing welcome packets for new hires and collecting necessary documentation.
- Perform other administrative duties as required.
REQUIREMENTS TO FILE LOCATION This full-time position requires regular in-office attendance at 415 W. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach, CA 90802. The selected party is required to be on-site, Monday thru Friday, 8:00 - 5:00 PM, for in-person work. Remote and/or alternative work schedules are not provided for this position. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS - High school diploma or GED is required; Associate’s or Bachelor’s Degree preferred.
- Three years or more of recent experience in an office or administrative support role is required.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE - Prior experience as an assistant working for the head of a division/department desired. Prior experience working within a Human Resources Department or Division is a plus.
- Proficiency in computer and word processing programs (Adobe Acrobat, MSTeams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook), and the ability to adapt and learn new software programs is essential.
- Professionalism and ability to exercise independent judgment in handling confidential matters is of high priority.
- Ability to prioritize and manage time effectively in a fast-paced environment is essential.
- Attention to detail in document preparation, scheduling, filing and data entry is critical.
- Speed and accuracy in typing (minimum of 40 words per minute) is necessary to be successful.
- Strong organization skills are key to manage multiple time-sensitive tasks, schedules and documents simultaneously.
- Both written and verbal communication skills are key to interacting with colleagues, customers and senior leadership.
- Ability to work and think independently, without significant direction or oversight is key.
- Basic knowledge of operating office equipment and machinery is required.
SPECIAL NOTE This is an "at-will" position. The appointed candidate will serve at the discretion of the Port of Long Beach and can be terminated at any time. In such an event, the candidate has no right to any appeal or grievance procedure under any rule or regulation of the City of Long Beach.
SELECTION PROCEDURE How do we start the conversation? The final filing date for this recruitment is
Tuesday, April 8, 2025, at 11:59 PM PST. The Port reserves the right to extend the closing without notice in order to accept additional applications.
To be considered for this extraordinary opportunity, you must submit a
cover letter and a
resume (as PDF attachments) reflecting the scope of current/most recent organizations and responsibilities. Incomplete submissions, or those that clearly do not meet the minimum requirements, will not be considered. Documents will be evaluated to determine the most qualified applicants.
Submissions will only be accepted online at www.governmentjobs.com . Individuals best aligned with the role will be invited to participate in a panel interview to further evaluate qualifications.
Panel interviews are tentatively scheduled to take place on Wednesday, April 23, 2025 (in-person). Candidates should ensure availability. The successful candidate will be appointed shortly thereafter.
The Port reserves the right to extend the closing date without notice in order to accept additional applications. Individuals identified to be most qualified for the position will be invited to participate in the selection process. References will be completed for finalist candidates; an employment offer is contingent on the successful completion of a comprehensive background check.
If you require an accommodation because of a disability in order to participate in any phase of the application/selection process, please contact
Careers@polb.com . The Port of Long Beach will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act. You are not required to disclose your criminal history or participate in a background check until you receive a conditional job offer. If the Port of Long Beach has concerns about a conviction that is directly related to the job after making a conditional job offer and conducting a background check, you will have the opportunity to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide evidence to mitigate concerns, or challenge the accuracy of the background report. Find out more about the Fair Chance Act by visiting https://calcivilrights.ca.gov/fair-chance-act .
Employee BenefitsThe City of Long Beach offers its employees opportunities to grow personally and professionally.As a permanent employee, you are eligible to receive fringe benefits that include:
•
Medical and Dental Insurance•
Life Insurance•
Retirement Plan (P.E.R.S.)•
Paid Vacation, Personal Holidays and Sick Leave•
Deferred Compensation•
Credit Union Membership•
Free Bus Transportation (Long Beach Transit)•
Flexible Spending Accounts•
Free Employee Parking•
Paid Parental Leave* *Paid Parental Leave - after six (6) months of City employment; up to 30 calendar days (160 hours/192 hours for sworn platoon) of PPL, taken in full-day increments, in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child, up to the age of seventeen (17).
Closing Date/Time: 4/8/2025 11:59 PM Pacific