Office Specialist - Center for Community Arts
Apply NowCompany: City of Walnut Creek, CA
Location: Walnut Creek, CA 94598
Description:
Salary: $73,957.00 - $89,115.00 Annually
Location : Walnut Creek, CA
Job Type: Regular
Job Number: 25-20
Department: Arts & Recreation
Division: Center for Community Arts
Opening Date: 04/09/2025
Closing Date: 4/16/2025 11:59 PM Pacific
Bargaining Unit: 600
Position Description
The City of Walnut Creek is seeking one full-time Office Specialist to join Center for Community Arts, a division of the Walnut Creek Arts + Recreation Department. This position supports all community arts programs which includes ceramics and sculpture; dance and yoga; various types of art; and TK and preschool.
Salary:
The current salary range for an Office Specialist is $73,957 to $89,115 annually. Placement in the position and range will depend on qualifications.
Closing Date:
The closing date for this recruitment is Wednesday, April 16, 2025, at 11:59 PM PST.
What's great about this opportunity:
About the City:
Spanning 19.5 square miles, the community's sprawling landscapes, warm weather, diverse dining options, and thriving shopping district make Walnut Creek a suburban oasis with an urban flair. With a rare blend of 2,800 acres of open space, a vibrant downtown, a business park, premier healthcare facilities and a performing arts center, Walnut Creek offers something for everyone!
The City of Walnut Creek is committed to values of respect, integrity, excellence, teamwork, and creativity. CARE, the City's robust award-winning employee engagement initiative, focuses on three key areas: providing career development opportunities; promoting connections among employees; and supporting employee health and wellness.
About the Department and Division:
The Arts + Recreation Department manages a diverse range of programs and facilities, including Aquatics, Bedford Gallery, Boundary Oak Golf Course, Center for Community Arts, Lesher Center for the Arts, the Public Art Program, Recreation Services, and Social Services for seniors and individuals with physical and developmental disabilities. These programs position Walnut Creek as a premier regional destination, fostering arts appreciation, personal growth, community connection, and volunteerism, while also promoting fitness, wellness, and enhancing the City's economic vitality.
Center for Community Arts (Community Arts) is Northern California's largest community arts education program, impacting over 8,000 students each year across five city-owned facilities. A vital program of the Arts + Recreation Department of the City of Walnut Creek, Community Arts offers a wide range of 2D and 3D visual arts, dance, music, and theatre education. In addition to its core offerings, Community Arts extends its reach through classroom residencies at local schools and offsite programs in partnership with community organizations, serving hundreds of students and community members annually. These initiatives help make arts education accessible to a diverse and growing audience.
About the Position:
The Office Specialist plays a pivotal role in driving the success of the administrative team at Center for Community Arts. Reporting directly to the Program Manager, this position leads the front office and serves as a key liaison between program staff, teaching artists, and city personnel. By leading customer service operations and delivering crucial financial support, the Office Specialist ensures smooth daily operations and helps foster a positive and efficient environment. This role offers the opportunity to make a lasting impact by enhancing the team's overall effectiveness and contributing directly to the center's mission.
This position is assigned to Center for Community Arts located at Shadelands Art Center. The position's main duties are to provide outstanding customer service to internal and external customers and to lead Center for Community Arts' administrative support team.
The Ideal Candidate:
The ideal candidate is a proactive self-starter skilled at coordinating and scheduling work, problem solving, and creating administrative systems; is experienced at providing high-quality customer service, both internal and external; is technologically proficient, staying abreast of trends and continuously acquiring new skills; and has experience in a government, nonprofit, or other community arts setting.
This position requires a strong desire to serve the public with exceptionally adept communication and interpersonal skills, along with thorough attention to detail.
Representative Duties
Under general supervision, the incumbent performs varied office support and administrative tasks in support of staff; provides information and assistance to the public; and performs related work as required. Some of the duties for this position include:
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Qualifications Guidelines
Any equivalent combination of experience, education, and training that provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying.
Education
Graduation from high school or the equivalent, supplemented by administrative or business coursework or training.
Experience
Three (3) years of experience performing office support work, including the use of computer applications and reception tasks of a responsible nature.
Licenses and/or Certifications
Possession of, or ability to obtain prior to employment, a valid Class C California Driver's License and a good driving record.
Special Requirements
Ability to type at a minimum corrected rate of 35 words per minute is required.
Employee may be required to work on weekends and/or evenings.
Certification as a Fingerprint Roller with the Department of Justice may be required.
Depending on assignment, possession of or ability to obtain within one year of appointment, California Notary Public certification may be required.
Supplemental Information
The deadline to apply for this position is Wednesday, April 16, 2025, by 11:59 PM PST.
To be considered for this opportunity, please visit
Applicants possessing the MOST DESIRABLE qualifications will be invited to continue in the selection process, which will include a written examination tentatively scheduled for Friday, May 9, 2025, an oral interview tentatively scheduled for the week of May 19, 2025, and a department interview tentatively scheduled for the week of June 2, 2025.
All applicants will be notified by email as to whether or not they are invited to participate further in the selection process.
Applicants considered for appointment to this position will be subject to California Department of Justice and FBI fingerprinting, a thorough background check, and a credit check.
If you have a disability as defined by state and federal law that could impact your participation at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact Human Resources at (925) 943-5815 or to request a reasonable accommodation. Please provide the Human Resources Department with advance notice and every attempt will be made to consider your request.
As required by law, all public employees are designated as Disaster Service Workers. As such, all City of Walnut Creek employees may be called upon to assist in the event of fire, flood, earthquake, or other natural or man-made disasters.
Please see the class specification here for a complete description of this classification's representative duties; knowledge, skills and abilities; qualifications; working conditions; physical requirements; and for other details about this position.
The City of Walnut Creek provides a generous benefit package to employees in the General Employees Unit. A summary of key benefits for full-time and part-time employees is listed below. More information can be found on the benefit page of the City's website and in the Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Walnut Creek and the General Employees Unit.
Full-Time Employees:
Health Benefits - Choice of Kaiser or Blue Shield HMO or HDHP health insurance plans with generous City contribution.
Dental and Vision Plans - Family coverage fully paid by the City.
Life Insurance and Long Term Disability - Individual coverage fully paid by the City.
Retirement Program - CalPERS 2% at 60 retirement plan OR for new employees hired after 1/1/2013 the benefit formula applicable under AB340 California Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA). Employee contribution: 7%*.
* or contributions required under AB340 California Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA)
401(a) Money Purchase Plan with annual City contribution of $1,400. Voluntary 457 Deferred Compensation plan. The City participates in the Medicare Program but does not participate in Social Security or the State Disability program.
Paid Leave and Holidays - General Leave accrues at the rate of 20 days the first year and progresses to 30 days at twenty-five years of service. There are twelve paid holidays per year and one floating DEIB holiday per year.
Dependent Care and Medical Spending Accounts - Available to eligible employees on a voluntary basis.
Additional Benefits - Tuition Reimbursement Program, Employee Assistance Plan, Wellness Program, Commute Alternative Program and others.
Part-Time Employees:
Health Benefits - Choice of Kaiser HMO or Blue Shield HMO health insurance plans with a City contribution.
Retirement Program - CalPERS 2% at 60 retirement plan OR for new employees hired after 1/1/2013 the benefit formula applicable under AB340 California Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA). Employee contribution: 7%*.
* or contributions required under AB340 California Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA)
401(a) Money Purchase Plan with prorated City contribution. Voluntary 457 Deferred Compensation plan is available. The City participates in the Medicare Program but does not participate in Social Security or the State Disability program.
Paid Leave and Holidays - Prorated for part-time employees.
Dependent Care and Medical Spending Accounts - Available to eligible employees on a voluntary basis.
Additional Benefits - Employee Assistance Plan, Wellness Program, Commute Alternative Program and others.
01
Please check your highest level of academic achievement.
02
Please describe in detail your administrative or business coursework or training and/or degree relevant to this position. If this question does not apply, please write "N/A."
03
How many years of experience do you have performing office support work, including using computer applications and reception tasks of a responsible nature?
04
In reference to question #3, please indicate below when, where, and how you gained this experience.
05
This position requires the ability to type at a minimum corrected rate of 35 wpm. Applicants, who are invited to participate in an appraisal board interview will be required to submit a current Typing Certificate (certifying your ability to type at a corrected rate of 35 wpm). Detailed instructions about the Typing Certificate will be included in the appraisal board email invitation - do not attach your typing certificate to your application. Please acknowledge you understand you must provide a Typing Certificate, per the instructions of the City of Walnut Creek's Human Resources Department, at your own cost, at the time of your appraisal board interview. Providing a Typing Certificate will only apply if you are invited to participate in an appraisal board interview. Do you understand this direction, and can you comply?
06
Please check the computer software programs in which you are proficient. Check all that apply.
07
Please describe your accounts management experience. Be sure to include your work experience with accounts payable, accounts receivable, and managing accounting contracts. If you don't have experience in these areas, please write "N/A."
08
Please tell us about your personal experience working in an administrative support role that required customer service, multitasking/prioritizing, and managing routine office tasks. If you don't have experience in these areas, please write "N/A."
09
Please read carefully: The information you provide will be reviewed and used to determine your eligibility to move forward in the selection process. Incomplete responses, false statements, omissions, or partial information may result in disqualification from the selection process. If selected, the information you provided will be verified. If the information is not consistent, you may be disqualified from this recruitment process. I understand above-mentioned statements
Required Question
Location : Walnut Creek, CA
Job Type: Regular
Job Number: 25-20
Department: Arts & Recreation
Division: Center for Community Arts
Opening Date: 04/09/2025
Closing Date: 4/16/2025 11:59 PM Pacific
Bargaining Unit: 600
Position Description
The City of Walnut Creek is seeking one full-time Office Specialist to join Center for Community Arts, a division of the Walnut Creek Arts + Recreation Department. This position supports all community arts programs which includes ceramics and sculpture; dance and yoga; various types of art; and TK and preschool.
Salary:
The current salary range for an Office Specialist is $73,957 to $89,115 annually. Placement in the position and range will depend on qualifications.
Closing Date:
The closing date for this recruitment is Wednesday, April 16, 2025, at 11:59 PM PST.
What's great about this opportunity:
- Work for Northern California's largest community arts education program;
- Be part of a dynamic and creative team dedicated to supporting the arts;
- Support a variety of arts events that serve the community;
- Gain valuable experience working on impactful community initiatives;
- Contribute to the growth and development of arts education in the region;
- Engage with larger department and city staff through professional development and teambuilding opportunities; and
- Flexible and hybrid work schedules are available.
About the City:
Spanning 19.5 square miles, the community's sprawling landscapes, warm weather, diverse dining options, and thriving shopping district make Walnut Creek a suburban oasis with an urban flair. With a rare blend of 2,800 acres of open space, a vibrant downtown, a business park, premier healthcare facilities and a performing arts center, Walnut Creek offers something for everyone!
The City of Walnut Creek is committed to values of respect, integrity, excellence, teamwork, and creativity. CARE, the City's robust award-winning employee engagement initiative, focuses on three key areas: providing career development opportunities; promoting connections among employees; and supporting employee health and wellness.
About the Department and Division:
The Arts + Recreation Department manages a diverse range of programs and facilities, including Aquatics, Bedford Gallery, Boundary Oak Golf Course, Center for Community Arts, Lesher Center for the Arts, the Public Art Program, Recreation Services, and Social Services for seniors and individuals with physical and developmental disabilities. These programs position Walnut Creek as a premier regional destination, fostering arts appreciation, personal growth, community connection, and volunteerism, while also promoting fitness, wellness, and enhancing the City's economic vitality.
Center for Community Arts (Community Arts) is Northern California's largest community arts education program, impacting over 8,000 students each year across five city-owned facilities. A vital program of the Arts + Recreation Department of the City of Walnut Creek, Community Arts offers a wide range of 2D and 3D visual arts, dance, music, and theatre education. In addition to its core offerings, Community Arts extends its reach through classroom residencies at local schools and offsite programs in partnership with community organizations, serving hundreds of students and community members annually. These initiatives help make arts education accessible to a diverse and growing audience.
About the Position:
The Office Specialist plays a pivotal role in driving the success of the administrative team at Center for Community Arts. Reporting directly to the Program Manager, this position leads the front office and serves as a key liaison between program staff, teaching artists, and city personnel. By leading customer service operations and delivering crucial financial support, the Office Specialist ensures smooth daily operations and helps foster a positive and efficient environment. This role offers the opportunity to make a lasting impact by enhancing the team's overall effectiveness and contributing directly to the center's mission.
This position is assigned to Center for Community Arts located at Shadelands Art Center. The position's main duties are to provide outstanding customer service to internal and external customers and to lead Center for Community Arts' administrative support team.
The Ideal Candidate:
The ideal candidate is a proactive self-starter skilled at coordinating and scheduling work, problem solving, and creating administrative systems; is experienced at providing high-quality customer service, both internal and external; is technologically proficient, staying abreast of trends and continuously acquiring new skills; and has experience in a government, nonprofit, or other community arts setting.
This position requires a strong desire to serve the public with exceptionally adept communication and interpersonal skills, along with thorough attention to detail.
Representative Duties
Under general supervision, the incumbent performs varied office support and administrative tasks in support of staff; provides information and assistance to the public; and performs related work as required. Some of the duties for this position include:
- Providing general administrative support, including serving as the primary front office and phone contact, assisting the public, preparing forms, ordering supplies, and providing staff support at functions or special events as needed.
- Planning, directing, reviewing, and supervising the day-to-day activities of other office or program support staff.
- Implementing and maintaining administrative systems and procedures.
- Processing invoices, contracts, and monitoring budget activity.
- Ongoing management of accounts and running reports.
- Resolving concerns and complaints from the public.
- Developing, implementing, and maintaining automated databases and other workflow systems.
- Composing, researching, and preparing letters, memos, and reports.
- Providing administrative support for internal staff.
- Coordinating and monitoring facility maintenance and building schedules including building attendants, rentals, etc.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Considerable direct customer service experience required including the ability to problem-solve and exercise sound judgment to meet customer needs.
- Knowledge of and the ability to effectively utilize computer applications and technology related to the work. This includes competency in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, calendaring systems, website content management systems, and Xplore Recreation or a similar software.
- Experience in management and maintenance of databases and financial systems including running reports, managing accounts, and processing payments.
- Ability to learn and implement appropriate policies, procedures, forms, practices, functions, and activities of the organization.
- Must be well-organized with excellent follow-through and resourcefulness.
- Proven track record of prioritizing and completing one's own work and using sound, independent judgment within policy and procedural guidelines.
- Strong oral and written communication skills, including writing and editing skills and the ability to compose correspondence and prepare reports.
- Must establish and maintain effective, courteous working relationships with co-workers, supervisors, and the public.
- Ability to use tact, discretion, and good judgment in the handling of sensitive information throughout work and relationships with colleagues and the public.
Qualifications Guidelines
Any equivalent combination of experience, education, and training that provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying.
Education
Graduation from high school or the equivalent, supplemented by administrative or business coursework or training.
Experience
Three (3) years of experience performing office support work, including the use of computer applications and reception tasks of a responsible nature.
Licenses and/or Certifications
Possession of, or ability to obtain prior to employment, a valid Class C California Driver's License and a good driving record.
Special Requirements
Ability to type at a minimum corrected rate of 35 words per minute is required.
Employee may be required to work on weekends and/or evenings.
Certification as a Fingerprint Roller with the Department of Justice may be required.
Depending on assignment, possession of or ability to obtain within one year of appointment, California Notary Public certification may be required.
Supplemental Information
The deadline to apply for this position is Wednesday, April 16, 2025, by 11:59 PM PST.
To be considered for this opportunity, please visit
Applicants possessing the MOST DESIRABLE qualifications will be invited to continue in the selection process, which will include a written examination tentatively scheduled for Friday, May 9, 2025, an oral interview tentatively scheduled for the week of May 19, 2025, and a department interview tentatively scheduled for the week of June 2, 2025.
All applicants will be notified by email as to whether or not they are invited to participate further in the selection process.
Applicants considered for appointment to this position will be subject to California Department of Justice and FBI fingerprinting, a thorough background check, and a credit check.
If you have a disability as defined by state and federal law that could impact your participation at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact Human Resources at (925) 943-5815 or to request a reasonable accommodation. Please provide the Human Resources Department with advance notice and every attempt will be made to consider your request.
As required by law, all public employees are designated as Disaster Service Workers. As such, all City of Walnut Creek employees may be called upon to assist in the event of fire, flood, earthquake, or other natural or man-made disasters.
Please see the class specification here for a complete description of this classification's representative duties; knowledge, skills and abilities; qualifications; working conditions; physical requirements; and for other details about this position.
The City of Walnut Creek provides a generous benefit package to employees in the General Employees Unit. A summary of key benefits for full-time and part-time employees is listed below. More information can be found on the benefit page of the City's website and in the Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Walnut Creek and the General Employees Unit.
Full-Time Employees:
Health Benefits - Choice of Kaiser or Blue Shield HMO or HDHP health insurance plans with generous City contribution.
Dental and Vision Plans - Family coverage fully paid by the City.
Life Insurance and Long Term Disability - Individual coverage fully paid by the City.
Retirement Program - CalPERS 2% at 60 retirement plan OR for new employees hired after 1/1/2013 the benefit formula applicable under AB340 California Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA). Employee contribution: 7%*.
* or contributions required under AB340 California Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA)
401(a) Money Purchase Plan with annual City contribution of $1,400. Voluntary 457 Deferred Compensation plan. The City participates in the Medicare Program but does not participate in Social Security or the State Disability program.
Paid Leave and Holidays - General Leave accrues at the rate of 20 days the first year and progresses to 30 days at twenty-five years of service. There are twelve paid holidays per year and one floating DEIB holiday per year.
Dependent Care and Medical Spending Accounts - Available to eligible employees on a voluntary basis.
Additional Benefits - Tuition Reimbursement Program, Employee Assistance Plan, Wellness Program, Commute Alternative Program and others.
Part-Time Employees:
Health Benefits - Choice of Kaiser HMO or Blue Shield HMO health insurance plans with a City contribution.
Retirement Program - CalPERS 2% at 60 retirement plan OR for new employees hired after 1/1/2013 the benefit formula applicable under AB340 California Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA). Employee contribution: 7%*.
* or contributions required under AB340 California Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA)
401(a) Money Purchase Plan with prorated City contribution. Voluntary 457 Deferred Compensation plan is available. The City participates in the Medicare Program but does not participate in Social Security or the State Disability program.
Paid Leave and Holidays - Prorated for part-time employees.
Dependent Care and Medical Spending Accounts - Available to eligible employees on a voluntary basis.
Additional Benefits - Employee Assistance Plan, Wellness Program, Commute Alternative Program and others.
01
Please check your highest level of academic achievement.
- Some High School
- High School Graduate or Equivalent
- Some College
- Associate's Degree
- Bachelor's Degree
- Master's Degree or Higher
02
Please describe in detail your administrative or business coursework or training and/or degree relevant to this position. If this question does not apply, please write "N/A."
03
How many years of experience do you have performing office support work, including using computer applications and reception tasks of a responsible nature?
- None
- Less than 1 year
- More than 1 year but less than 3 years
- More than 3 years but less than 5 years
- More than 5 years
04
In reference to question #3, please indicate below when, where, and how you gained this experience.
05
This position requires the ability to type at a minimum corrected rate of 35 wpm. Applicants, who are invited to participate in an appraisal board interview will be required to submit a current Typing Certificate (certifying your ability to type at a corrected rate of 35 wpm). Detailed instructions about the Typing Certificate will be included in the appraisal board email invitation - do not attach your typing certificate to your application. Please acknowledge you understand you must provide a Typing Certificate, per the instructions of the City of Walnut Creek's Human Resources Department, at your own cost, at the time of your appraisal board interview. Providing a Typing Certificate will only apply if you are invited to participate in an appraisal board interview. Do you understand this direction, and can you comply?
- Yes
- No
06
Please check the computer software programs in which you are proficient. Check all that apply.
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Teams
- Abode Acrobat Pro
- XploreRecreation
- Active Net
- Munis
- Website Content Management Systems
- None of the above
07
Please describe your accounts management experience. Be sure to include your work experience with accounts payable, accounts receivable, and managing accounting contracts. If you don't have experience in these areas, please write "N/A."
08
Please tell us about your personal experience working in an administrative support role that required customer service, multitasking/prioritizing, and managing routine office tasks. If you don't have experience in these areas, please write "N/A."
09
Please read carefully: The information you provide will be reviewed and used to determine your eligibility to move forward in the selection process. Incomplete responses, false statements, omissions, or partial information may result in disqualification from the selection process. If selected, the information you provided will be verified. If the information is not consistent, you may be disqualified from this recruitment process. I understand above-mentioned statements
- Yes
- No
Required Question