Staff Assistant - Public Works

Overview

The City of Corvallis Public Works Department aims to support and enhance the quality of life for community members by delivering responsive and efficient services to all neighborhoods and by maintaining reliable and cost-effective public works facilities and systems in a manner that emphasizes customer satisfaction and good stewardship of natural, fiscal, and staff resources.

The Staff Assistant performs a wide variety of complex clerical, administrative support, and customer service duties in alignment with established City policies and practices to assist and support Public Works Department staff and community members. This position may make recommendations for budgetary decisions, assign work to other administrative staff, assist with policy and procedure development, and administer contracts. Accomplishes tasks independently and handles non-routine responsibilities with minimal supervision.

Compiles information and makes recommendations on policies and procedures.

Full-time 40 hours per week. AFSCME-represented position. 12-month probationary period.

First review of applications will occur after 8:00 am on February 11, 2026.

Must meet all qualifications and requirements as listed in the Position Description.

• Compile information provided by others to develop budgets for multiple divisions, a department, or a fund. May develop line item amounts or forecast and develop a budget for a workgroup; analyze and make recommendations to management. Compile and review information to create cash flow statements for a division or department.
• Monitor budget for a work group or division; recommend action to resolve issues or discrepancies. Develop and maintain spreadsheets. Provide backup for accounting and data entry duties. Review work of others, correct financial processing errors.
• Coordinate contract processes, compile bid information and perform cost analysis. Act as Department representative on existing contract requirements. Compile contract reports for submission to managers and project managers, review reports for compliance, and recommend payments. Process change orders, task orders, and award letters as needed. Assess, track and identify key City needs for long-term contracts. May act as liaison to contractors.
• Compose contracts and requests for proposals for tangible goods, technical and professional services and construction projects following City contract specifications and purchasing procedures. Recommend modifications to accommodate regulatory, legislative, industry or City standards; seek legal advice when appropriate. Organize, maintain, and electronically track all contracts, renewal/expiration dates, and related documents. Provide training on contract requirements including sustainable purchasing goals to project managers.
• Schedule, train, or assign work to other administrative or Casual or Temporary staff. Review work and communicate corrections to employees. May provide input to performance evaluations.
• Respond to community member complaints. Resolve, initiate action, and convey results to community members. Respond to requests from other agencies.
• Assist with various customer service duties such as responding to other department or agency requests, assisting walk-in customers, answering phones, issuing parking permits, bulk water keys, and temporary hydrant meters. Maintain a positive customer service demeanor and deliver service in a respectful and patient manner.
• Research, analyze, write technical, confidential, and complex reports; make written recommendations to manager on department-wide issues. Organize, create, and compose materials sent to the general public that represent official City information.
• Perform routine and non-routine clerical duties such as word processing/typing, clerical review. May assist with clerical training, proofing, editing, and review of clerical work. Assist with departmental administrative support duties such as web page maintenance, timesheet processing, receipt and processing of mail, and calendar maintenance.
• Assist with, recommend changes, and compose policies/procedures.
• May assist the department with emergency response…