ASSISTANT CHIEF OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
DEFINITION:    Under direction, assists the chief of administrative services in planning, supervising, coordinating, directing the providing or obtaining of a variety of administrative services that are essential to and support the primary functions and objectives of an organization, jurisdiction, or independent appointing authority; does other related duties as required.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:
Positions in this class are those in which the responsibility for providing administrative support services to the organization and for managing the activities of the entire unit are shared with the chief. The assistant aides the chief in all phases of managing and directing the administrative services activities of the organization. The decisions and commitments made by the assistant carry the same "weight" and have the same authority as though made by the chief.
Positions in this class assist in (1) directing all the activities involved in providing administrative support services to the organization, (2) monitoring, evaluating, and assessing the effectiveness of operational activities and the progress of the unit in meeting stated goals and objectives and periodically adjusts as necessary, (3) setting policy and establishing operating procedures and performance standards.
In the absence of the chief, the assistant assumes the chief's duties, responsibilities, and authority.
This class includes positions in which the employees are responsible for assisting in providing or obtaining a variety of administrative support services essential to the operations of the organization and achievement of its goals and objectives.
Such services include, but are not limited to personnel management, purchasing, financial management, forms control, data processing operations, systems analysis, management of property and supplies, telecommunications, printing and reproduction, space management, records management, facilities and equipment acquisition, and maintenance.
It should be noted that the number and type functions performed, and services provided may vary according to the specific operational needs of the organization.
Administrative Service work is primarily concerned with providing, securing, or negotiating for the resources or services needed to manage and run an organization.  It involves direct assistance to the "operating" manager, i.e., the official with the primary responsibility for the direction of an organization or unit established to accomplish a basic goal or mission.
The assistant chief of administrative services aids the operating manager and subordinate operating officials in dealing with organization, methods, funds, people, equipment, and other tools or resources of management. Ordinarily, the assistant chief has a responsible role in the management of both financial and human resources due to the assistant's immediate relationship to the operating manager.  
The assistant chief generally does key work in several other vital functions or services such as management analysis, procurement, contract administration, property management, space management, security administration, reports management, data processing, and similar or closely related activities.
Intrinsic to administrative management work is knowledge of the organization served and its goals and objectives. Administrative management work requires a very good understanding of all, or nearly all, of the following:
1.	The objectives of management.
2.	How the unit or entity served is organized to carry out these objectives.
3.	The kinds of operating programs, projects, and/or tasks that are involved.
4.	The means for, and problems involved in, obtaining, and controlling the financial resources needed.
5.	The types of positions needed.
6.	The kinds of training, experience, and abilities required by employees.
7.	The kinds of equipment and material generally used.
8.	Lines and extent of authority within the organization and at higher levels.
9.	The kinds of practical problems employees encounter in their work.
The assistant chief of administrative services is a generalist, interested in the total management process. The proficiency required involves many aspects of management. General management skills are the paramount requirement. Though aspects such as budget administration and personnel management assume major importance in many positions, other aspects such as procurement and property management are also important in many jobs. No single functional, resource or service area forms a basis for the paramount skills.
Positions in this class typically perform such duties and responsibilities as the following or comparable duties:
1.	Helping management to identify its financial, personnel, and material needs and problems.
2.	Developing budget estimates and justification; making sure that funds are used in accordance with the operating budget.
3.	Counseling management in developing and maintaining sound organization structures, improving management methods and procedures, and seeing to the effective use of men, money, and materials.
4.	Collaborating with personnel specialists in finding solutions to management problems arising out of changes in work which have an impact on jobs and employees.
5.	Advising on and negotiating contracts, agreements, and cooperative arrangements with other government agencies, universities, or private organizations.
Positions in this class are mainly of two broad types. One type is the assistant chief of a central administrative unit which provides services to several operating divisions, field offices, or other units each headed by an operating manager. The central administrative unit includes specialist positions in various areas such as budget, data processing, etc. The assistant administrative unit chief has considerable authority to complete personnel actions, obligate funds, make purchases, etc.
The second broad type of position is one found in an operating subdivision of a larger organization in which certain supportive services such as personnel management and purchasing are performed by the central administrative unit of the organization. This second type, although it usually has few personnel specialists, management analysts, procurement agents, etc., and limited authority in personnel and purchasing matters, it nevertheless has substantial authority to provide supportive services to operating units and to complete transaction in some administrative matters. Positions in this category like those in the first type described above may be engaged in any of the illustrative duties described above.
Positions in this class are generally part of the administrative management component of an organization. However, regardless of the location of the position within the organization structure or the individuals to whom they report, incumbents in this class are basically responsible for assuring the proper performance of those administrative support functions that facilitate the work of the organization served and are essential to the orderly and efficient accomplishment of such work and the provisions of services to the public.
Positions in this class may perform work in the fields of management analysis, financial management, office services management, and program analysis. However, when work in any of these fields appears in a position, it is but part of the overall job and not the primary function or responsibility.
The general management services provided require the performance of substantive work in such occupational areas as personnel administration, budget, accounting, contract and procurement, or other similar occupations. In many such instances, the size of the organization and/or the nature of the management program are of such a magnitude as to require the establishment of separate subordinate units such as personnel offices, contracting and procurement offices, fiscal offices, and similar organizational units. These subordinate units are headed by responsible supervisors or managers. In cases such as these, the position charged with overall responsibility is that of the chief of administrative services. The assistant chief aides the chief in carrying out this responsibility.
The assistant chief aides in planning, organizing, and directing the support services program of the organization. Guidance is generally in terms of overall objectives to be met in supporting the work of the organization. The immediate supervisor is kept informed of progress by means of informal briefings, periodic progress reports, or program reviews. Programs at this level are reviewed in terms of overall adequacy of support to the organization serviced and by means of budget and overall program management reviews and audits, rather than review of specific support services programs.
Guidelines at this level are generally the basic agency policy guidelines and operating instruction for the support services function. The assistant chief aides in making major adaptation or recommending new policies where agency guides are lacking or completely inappropriate.
Positions at this level assist in planning methods of approach and technical details associated with program assignments. Issues involving basic organizational policy or the overall organizational goals to be met are generally cleared with the immediate supervisor.
The assistant chief has significant contacts with managers in the organization(s) to which services are provided. Contacts are for the purpose of gathering information used to analyze the need for additional services, equipment, or facilities, evaluate the way services are being provided, and to recommend additional ways or methods by which the support services program can facilitate the work of the organization.    The assistant aids the chief in developing chief operating guidelines for and coordinates activities of subordinate supervisors in the performance of their personnel management responsibilities. Positions in this class assist in developing internal plans and procedures to assure implementation of various government and agencywide personnel programs in such areas as equal employment opportunity, labor relations, career development, manpower management, and performance evaluation. The assistant chief also takes action to resolve controversial personnel management problems referred to him/her by subordinate supervisors, and approve, modify, or reject specific personnel action request or plans of subordinate supervisors.
EXAMPLES OF WORK:
Assists in supervising the work pertaining to the operation of the business, personnel, and supportive units of the organization and assists in developing a suitable work program and working procedures.
Assists in making and executing plans for the effective utilization of available funds, personnel, equipment, materials, and supplies.
Gives suitable assignments and instructions to individuals and the heads of several units within the administrative and supportive unit of the agency.
Provides them with needed equipment, material, and supplies and supervises their work.
Assists in supervising the business operations of the organization including financial and personnel records, the purchase, receipt, storing, and issuing of equipment, material, and supplies including the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data as to collections, expenditures, budgets, stores, and other operational procedures.
Reviews programs and activities and evaluates administration, objectives, efficiency, effectiveness, and suitability to current conditions, costs, and accomplishments.
Assists in policy planning.
Assists in the preparation of the budget.
Appraises the adequacy and efficiency of operating systems, giving suitable advice.
Assists in the installation of administrative improvements, including work systems, organizational changes, and program procedures.
Assists in soliciting bids on needed equipment, facilities, and services from local companies.         Assists in contracting out various equipment and services of the agency to other agencies.
Meets with the public and drafts correspondence.
Acts as a liaison with the New Jersey Civil Service Commission and any other public agency which directly affects the operation of the agency.
Prepares suitable reports containing findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
Assists in directing the analysis of an organization's requirements for space and facilities based on anticipated volume of operations, known or potential changes in functions, workflow, and plans for expansion or contraction of operations, and negotiating with service agencies and lessors to adapt existing space or lease additional space for the organization.
Assists in directing studies of space utilization in an organization to ensure optimum use and management of office layouts, reviewing requests from components of the organization for additional space to ensure compliance with guidelines issued by higher levels of management and recommends approval or disapproval to superiors.
Serves as an advisor to higher levels of management in the handling of personnel matters and employee relations problems and establishes procedure for the handling of employee grievances.
Assists in establishing proper work procedures, lines of authority, and organizational structure.
Assists in overseeing employee performance evaluation program.
Assists in supervising the preparation of resolutions and/or other documents relating to creation of new positions, work to be performed, qualifications required and other personnel matters.
Assists in overseeing and approving office staffing, training, and work assignments.
Advises higher levels of management on disciplinary matters.
Assists in planning programs and projects and recommends changes to existing policies.
Assists in estimating budgetary needs of the administrative operation and allocates funds appropriately.
Assists in preparing annual personnel budget for the organization.
Assists in overseeing and providing assistance to staff units in developing and managing their respective components of the overall budget.         Assists in forecasting anticipated budgetary increases/reductions based upon an analysis of agency goals and needs.
Assists in monitoring expenditures against allocations to ensure disbursements do not exceed authorized funding levels.
Assists in developing administrative cost containment plans as necessary to insure proper management of fiscal administration.
Assists in managing, coordinating, and directing ancillary support services and other related services through delegation to subordinate supervisory personnel.
Assists in establishing office support procedures, compiles data on alternate methods, implements changes as necessary pertinent to office services.
Provides direct input into use of real property and equipment, directs scheduling for conducting physical inventories of equipment.
Conducts space utilization studies to insure optimum use of office layout.
Assists in supervising the renovation of offices and the preparation of floor plans.
Assists in installing and maintaining a job classification and salary plan.
Compiles complex analytical data and reports.
Assists in overseeing the work performed by a multidisciplinary staff of professionals and support staff.
Assists in overseeing the work of employees engaged in providing for essential office services such as duplicating and printing, supplies, mail and messenger, security, word processing, office procurement, and maintenance.
Oversees the renovation/relocation of offices.
Assists in directing studies of an organization's reports and forms to determine the source and methods used to accumulate report data, whether the applicable reporting procedures are being followed, and whether reports provide clear and concise information.
Recommends consolidation or elimination of reports involving similar organizations, purposes, use, and reporting frequency.    REQUIREMENTS:
NOTE: Applicants must meet one of the following or a combination of both experience and education. Thirty (30) semester hour credits are equal to one (1) year of relevant experience. 
Six (6) years of professional administrative experience in either:
A) Analyzing, evaluating, and providing advice to management on such matters as work methods and procedures, communications, management information systems, organizational structure, human resource utilization, distribution of work assignments, delegation of authority, policy development, budget preparation, records management, or similar areas with the objective of improving managerial effectiveness.
OR
B) Managing, administering, or directing an organizational unit and its work program which entailed responsibility for planning, organizing, directing, staffing, coordinating, and budgeting for the activities of the unit.
OR
Possession of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university; and two (2) years of the above-mentioned professional experience, either A or B. 
OR
Possession of a master's degree from an accredited college or university in Business Administration, Public Administration, Industrial Management, Industrial Engineering, Management Science, or in a program related to the organization, operation, administration, and control of private or public organizations; and one (1) year of the above-mentioned professional experience, either A or B. 
NOTE: "Professional experience" refers to work that is creative, analytical, evaluative, and interpretive; requires a range and depth of specialized knowledge of the profession's principles, concepts, theories, and practices; and is performed with the authority to act according to one's own judgment and make accurate and informed decisions.
LICENSE:
Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.
KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES:
Knowledge of management functions, theories, and techniques, and of organizational and management processes.
Knowledge of the role of management analysis in achieving organizational goals.
Knowledge of basic trends and current developments in general management and of various types of organizational structures.         Ability to plan and execute a management support program.
Knowledge of budget practices, procedures, problems, and techniques.  
Knowledge of statistical theory, practice and techniques, and their application to budget preparation and analysis.   
Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
Ability to prepare clear, accurate, and informative reports and make suitable recommendations.
Ability to select and apply established practices, theories, techniques, and methodologies of management to the problems encountered.
Ability to present orally and discuss complex matters in a clear and convincing manner.
Ability to provide sound advice, assistance, and instructions.
Ability to persuade others and gain acceptance of the work product.
Ability to understand the roles and responsibilities of various levels of management.
Ability to gather, assemble, correlate, and analyze facts and draw conclusions therefrom.
Ability to comprehend, evaluate, and objectively analyze management problems, and to develop solutions to such problems logically and systematically.
Ability to organize assigned work and develop effective work methods.
Ability to plan projects and issue suitable work assignments.
Ability to plan, direct, supervise, train, and evaluate the work of subordinates.
Ability to learn how to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
Ability to read, write, speak, understand, or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible if they can perform essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it may cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.