Senior Secretary

Job Description

PLEASE ATTACH THE ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS LISTED AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE

Job ID: 36101
Agency: Department of Health - Division of Family and Community Health
Location:Sioux Falls, SDSalary: $19.97 Hourly, depending on qualifications
Pay Grade: F
Closing Date: 5/29/26

This is a Full-Time position with the Department of Health - Division of Family and Community Health. For more information on the Department of Health, please visit https://doh.sd.gov/ .

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.

Please visit our website at http://doh.sd.gov/ for further information about the Department of Health and our various programs.

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.

The typical work schedule is Monday through Friday during standard business hours. Occasional work outside of standard business hours and limited travel may be required to support clinics, training, meetings, community events, satellite clinic operations, public health response activities, or other operational needs. Overnight or statewide travel is not routine but may be required based on organizational needs. Physical requirements may include occasional lifting, carrying, or moving of office supplies, program materials, or equipment needed to support public health services.

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.

Expectations

• Demonstrate accountability to the organization and role; follow managerial direction; maintain professionalism, confidentiality, ethical conduct, and uphold public trust in all client, staff, and partner interactions.
• Take ownership of the client-facing experience by promoting respectful communication, timely follow-up, accurate information, confidentiality, and a welcoming environment for clients, families, partners, and the public.
• Support consistent front-end office practices, including client communication, scheduling, registration, documentation readiness, referral coordination, billing-related workflows, fee collection support, and electronic record processes.
• Accept statewide assignments and travel as required, including overnight travel; adapt to varied schedules, clinic locations, community settings, and work environments; and maintain readiness to support public health emergency response.
• Collaborate with the manager, nurses, senior secretaries, operations staff, and program staff to support office workflows, client referrals, service delivery, and interdisciplinary efforts that contribute to improved health outcomes.
• Help reduce operational friction by ensuring client information, scheduling details, required forms, billing-related documentation, referrals, and other assigned information are accurate, complete, and routed appropriately.
• Exercise independent judgment in organizing daily work, resolving defined procedural issues, prioritizing competing tasks, and elevating matters outside assigned authority to the appropriate supervisor, manager, operations staff, or program authority.
• Engage in required training, quality improvement activities, and program evaluation; support organizational changes; maintain competence in administrative and electronic systems; and foster continuous improvement across assigned office and program functions.

Licenses and Certifications:

• High School diploma or GED is preferred.
• Valid driver's license and ability to travel statewide.

The Ideal Candidate Will Have:

• 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

• 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.

Skills

• 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

• 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.

Additional Requirements: To be considered, please attach your resume.

This position is eligible for Veterans' Preference per ARSD 55:10:02:08.

NCRC: If you possess a National Career Readiness Certificate, please submit the certificate with your application. For more information on how to acquire a National Career Readiness Certificate contact a South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation Job Service Office. A certificate is not necessary to be considered.

The State of South Dakota does not sponsor work visas for new or existing employees. 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.

The State of South Dakota offers $0 premium employee health insurance option plus eleven paid holidays, generous vacation and sick leave accrual, dental, vision, and other insurance options, and retirement benefits. You can view our benefits information here . This position is a member of Class A retirement under SDRS.

Must apply online: https://gen-stateofsouthdako-trn.inforcloudsuite.com/hcm/xmlhttp/shorturl.do?key=42U
You must apply online, emailed resumes or submissions will not be accepted.
South Dakota Bureau of Human Resources and Administration
Telephone: 605.773.3148 Email: careers@state.sd.us
http://bhr.sd.gov/workforus
"An Equal Opportunity Employer"

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