Senior Secretary

the South Dakota State Government•Sioux Falls, SD

19h•Hybrid

About The Position

This position is for a Senior Secretary in the South Dakota Department of Health, Office of Public Health Nursing Services. The Senior Secretary is a member of a public health nursing office team that provides services to individuals, families, schools, and communities. The position supports nurses, managers, senior secretaries, program staff, and operations staff by performing high-level clerical and professional support duties that require independent judgment, organization, analysis, and problem-solving. The Senior Secretary serves as a primary front-end operations and customer service resource for the local office. This role helps create a professional, consistent, and client-centered experience by supporting client communication, scheduling, registration, documentation readiness, referral coordination, billing-related workflows, office procedures, and electronic record processes. The position also supports consistent front-end office practices across OPHNS locations to reduce workflow barriers and improve service delivery.

Requirements

High School diploma or GED is preferred.
Valid driver's license and ability to travel statewide.
One year of experience in a healthcare, public health, customer service, office operations, billing, scheduling, or related administrative setting.
Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to serve as a professional first point of contact for clients, staff, and partners.
Proven ability to manage scheduling, data entry, client communication, forms, and follow-up efficiently.
Strong organization, attention to detail, and ability to prioritize in a fast-paced environment.
Comfort working in clinics, schools, community sites, and during emergency response.
Commitment to professionalism, confidentiality, quality service, and supporting positive health outcomes.
Ability to support standardized workflows and communicate opportunities for process improvement.
Knowledge of: basic healthcare, public health, customer service, office operations, scheduling, billing, and administrative support processes; modern office practices, business English, basic bookkeeping concepts; confidentiality requirements and professional communication standards.
Skill to: using electronic record systems, scheduling tools, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Teams, and other office/program-specific software; organizing information and maintaining accurate records; completing data entry and tracking follow-up needs; supporting documentation readiness; communicating clearly, respectfully, and professionally with clients, families, staff, and community partners.
Abilities to: serve as a professional first point of contact and provide a welcoming, client-centered experience; learn, apply, and follow policies, procedures, forms, workflows, and program requirements accurately; support front-end office operations (client communication, scheduling, registration, referral coordination, billing workflows, fee collection support, inventory tracking, and program reporting); prioritize multiple tasks, adapt to changing needs, manage interruptions, and work independently in a fast-paced environment; exercise tact, patience, discretion, and sound judgment with individuals of varying backgrounds and needs; identify routine workflow barriers, resolve procedural issues, and escalate matters appropriately; collaborate with nurses, managers, senior secretaries, operations staff, program staff, and community partners to support efficient service delivery; maintain confidentiality, uphold ethical standards, and protect public trust; support quality improvement, program evaluation efforts, standardized workflows, and organizational changes.
Resume must be attached.
Must apply online.

Nice To Haves

Possess a National Career Readiness Certificate.

Responsibilities

Serve as a primary front-end operations and customer service resource for the local public health office.
Greet and assist clients in person, by phone, and through various technologies in a professional, respectful, and helpful manner.
Schedule appointments, confirm visits, provide client reminders, and support recall/reminder activities.
Perform initial client screening and route clients to the appropriate health professional, program staff, or resource.
Provide instructions to clients on completing required forms, documentation, and service-related information.
Support client registration, intake, documentation readiness, referral coordination, and electronic record data entry.
Contact clients from referral lists and assist with scheduling, follow-up, and connection to services.
Link clients to appropriate health and social service resources within assigned authority.
Support public health population-based services, including immunizations, pregnancy care, and school health, in clinics, schools, homes, community sites, and emergency settings.
Learn, apply, and adhere to policies and procedures for multiple Department of Health programs related to assigned duties.
Support and coordinate front-end office operations, including client flow, scheduling, billing and fee collection support, inventory tracking, documentation readiness, and completion of assigned program and monthly reports.
Help reduce operational friction by ensuring client information, scheduling details, billing-related documentation, referrals, and required forms are accurate, complete, and routed appropriately.
Perform assigned professional tasks that facilitate and support multiple program areas.
Serve as a local resource by advising others on proper use of assigned office procedures, program processes, forms, and electronic record systems.
Exercise independent judgment and analysis in organizing daily work assignments and resolving defined procedural issues.
Organize and coordinate assigned program activities involving multiple concurrent tasks.
Coordinate conference, meeting, training, and local office arrangements as assigned.
Interact daily with department staff, external agencies, community partners, and the public to provide or collect information.
Elevate clinical questions, final policy interpretations, legal questions, budget approvals, and issues outside assigned authority to the appropriate supervisor, manager, operations staff, or program authority.