Senior Secretary

the South Dakota State Government•Sioux Falls, SD

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Secretary serves as a front-end operations and customer service resource for the local office as well as support for the Legal Team stationed in the Sioux Falls 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 South Dakota Department of Health's programs and services help prevent illness and injury, promote healthy places to live, work and play; provide education to help people make good health decisions; prepare for, respond to, and prevent public health threats; and support efforts to enhance quality and accessibility of healthcare. Our services touch the lives of every person in the state of South Dakota. We recognize that employees are our most valuable resource and we are committed to promoting a culture of excellence in DOH. We trust our employees to be innovative, challenge existing processes, and make the best decisions. We are interested in employing a diverse and skilled workforce that exhibits the values of leadership, accountability, communication, integrity, and teamwork. Public health is a diverse and growing field that offers many career options for people from a variety of educational backgrounds. Imagine yourself as part of a winning team that is making the lives of South Dakotans healthier and safer.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED is required.
Valid driver's license.
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.
Commitment to professionalism, confidentiality, quality service, and supporting positive health outcomes.
Ability to support standardized workflows and communicate opportunities for process improvement.
Knowledge of modern office practices and procedures.
Knowledge of business English and professional communication standards.
Knowledge of basic bookkeeping concepts.
Knowledge of confidentiality requirements.
Skills to use electronic record systems and scheduling tools.
Skills to use Microsoft Office, Outlook, Teams, and other office or program-specific software.
Skills to organize information and maintain accurate records.
Skills to complete data entry and track follow-up needs.
Skills to ensure documentation readiness.
Skills to communicate clearly, respectfully, and professionally with clients, families, staff, partners, agencies, and the public.
Ability to serve as a professional first point of contact and providing a welcoming, client-centered experience.
Ability to learn, apply, and follow policies, procedures, forms, workflows, and program requirements accurately.
Ability to support front-end office operations such as communication, scheduling, registration, referrals, billing workflows, fee collection support, inventory tracking, and reporting.
Ability to prioritize competing tasks, manage interruptions, adapt to changing needs, and work independently in a fast-paced environment.
Ability to exercise tact, patience, discretion, and sound judgment with individuals from diverse backgrounds and needs.
Ability to identify routine workflow barriers, resolve defined procedural issues, and escalate matters outside assigned authority appropriately.
Ability to maintain confidentiality, uphold ethical standards, and protect public trust.
Ability to support quality improvement, program evaluation, standardized workflows, and organizational changes.
Must apply online.
Resume must be attached.
Must apply online, emailed resumes or submissions will not be accepted.
All persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and complete an Employment Eligibility Verification, Form I-9.
The State of South Dakota as an employer will be using E-Verify to complete employment eligibility verification upon hire.

Nice To Haves

Possess a National Career Readiness Certificate.

Responsibilities

Serve as part of the front-end operations and customer service resource approximately 24 hours per week.
Serve as primary support to two members of the DOH Legal team approximately 16 hours per week.
Greet and assist clients in person, by phone, and through various technologies in a professional, respectful, and helpful manner.
Perform initial client screening and route clients to the appropriate health professional, program staff, or resource.
Learn, apply, and adhere to policies and procedures for multiple Department of Health programs related to assigned duties.
Perform assigned professional tasks that facilitate and support multiple program areas.
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.
Interact daily with department staff, external agencies, community partners, and the public to provide or collect information.
Formatting and proofreading documents (font consistency, spacing, page numbers, typos, clarity)
Filing documents with the Office of Hearing Examiners and the courts
Assisting with administrative tasks for public records requests (maintaining an Excel-based denial log, transmitting documents, assisting with document collection)
Organizing, compiling, and transmitting documents
Corresponding with parties to schedule hearings
Other miscellaneous duties as needed