Office Specialist - Citywide
(Full-Time/Part-Time)
The eligibility list established from this recruitment will be used to fill current vacancies and any vacancies that occur within one year from the established date.
Are you interested in a career in public service where you can make a positive impact on the community? Do you consider yourself to be organized and personable? If so, the City of Ontario has an exciting career opportunity for a well-qualified applicant interested in joining the City's team as an Office Specialist. The Office Specialist plays a key supporting role within an assigned department by providing critical administrative and clerical support.
The Ideal Candidate
Working in a diverse professional environment, the ideal candidate for this position will have the following personal characteristics:
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The ability to take ownership of their position to support the other members of the team.
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Exceptional communication/interpersonal skills enabling them to collaboratively work with the public, City staff, and management.
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Strong organizational skills.
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The ability to administer multiple tasks and easily transition between the department's needs as they alternate between immediate demands and ongoing administrative operations.
The successful candidate will embody the Department's mission and vision as well as the qualities of a "Five Tool Player" - Leader, Thinker, Communicator, Operator and Public Servant - and the principles of the City's Customer Service Philosophy – Empathy, Respect, and Problem Solving.
NOTE: The Office Specialist is a common classification used in a variety of City departments. This recruitment will result in an eligibility list to meet the current and future full-time and part-time staffing needs of departments with openings in this classification.
Part-time/Temporary positions are scheduled to work no more than 29 hours per week and are not eligible to participate in the City's health insurance or retirement plans.
The following procedures will apply:
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The Eligibility List will consist of both internal and external applicants who meet the qualifications and successfully complete any required selection processes.
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The hiring department has the discretion to consider internal applicants on the Eligibility List prior to considering external candidates on the Eligibility List.
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The City of Ontario reserves the right, if necessary, to accept only the first one hundred (100) applications from applicants that meet the qualification guidelines below.
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Completed applications will be reviewed and only qualified applicants whose qualifications best meet or exceed the requirements of the position and needs of the City will be invited to participate further in the selection process.
Background Investigation
All appointments to this position are subject to a satisfactory background investigation conducted by the Ontario Police Department. The background investigation will include the following: passing of a polygraph test and the successful completion of a post-offer medical exam (including drug screen). Candidates may be disqualified from further consideration during the background investigation for a variety of reasons including if they have: an excessive number of traffic citations and/or collisions; arrests and/or convictions; a history of illegal substance abuse; poor credit history (factors include bankruptcy, foreclosures, liens, repossessions, and recency); or thefts from a previous employer. For clarification of any of the above disqualifying reasons, please call the Police Department Background Unit at (909) 408-1820. The following list describes some areas that are covered in the background investigation:
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Your relatives, references, and acquaintances are asked to comment on your suitability for a career in law enforcement.
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The information supplied regarding your educational history is examined and verified.
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You must list a history of your residences.
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Your work history and experience are examined with regard to your dependability, relationships with fellow workers, trustworthiness, and general job performance.
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Military service records are subject to verification.
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The background investigation considers your management of personal finances (however, being in debt does not automatically disqualify you).
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Your criminal, driving, and insurance records are evaluated. Felony convictions will be grounds for disqualification from the selection process.
The City of Ontario is a dynamic leading community in the Inland Empire with a variety of full-time and part-time employment and volunteer opportunities. Ontario enjoys the reputation of being a progressive City which provides solid leadership to its citizens and to the business community. The City provides a full range of services to the community including, but not limited to: Police, Fire, Management Services, Community Life & Culture, Community Development, Economic Development, Public Works and the Ontario Municipal Utilities Company. The City’s team is staffed with approximately 1,517 full-time equivalent diverse and talented employees who work to support a common goal of providing excellent service to the community.
The City’s vision for the future is very exciting, and we foresee tremendous growth within the years to come. We welcome you to view the City of Ontario’s 2026 State of the City
State of the City The Ontario Plan
Smart Ontario Downtown Ontario
The essential functions typically performed by the Office Specialist include the following:
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Types correspondence, reports, records, applications, and other types of documents.
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Answers incoming calls and routes individuals to appropriate staff.
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Schedules meetings.
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Assists public at front counter and directs public to appropriate locations and/or staff.
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Responds to basic questions from the public regarding department procedures.
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Prepares and maintains various logs, records, invoices, purchase orders, and department files.
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Enters, updates, and verifies detailed fields of information in department computer databases and prepares forms, lists, and related summaries.
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Issues forms and permits and processes applications and payments.
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Operates or relieves personnel on switchboard and assists other administrative support personnel in completing tasks.
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Operates computer and cash register; computes, prepares, and records deposits from fees or basic accounting transactions.
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Prepares and distributes incoming and outgoing mail.
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May dispatch service requests to field personnel using two-way radio.
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Coordinates and makes travel arrangements for conferences, workshops, and other meetings to be attended or administered by managers, supervisors, administrators, or other personnel.
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Arranges, assembles, and prepares designated information for annual budget.
Education
High school diploma or recognized equivalent.
Experience
Three (3) years of varied office clerical support experience, including public contact work; experience and/or training in the use of Microsoft Office software.
- Part-time experience will be evaluated on the basis of its fractional equivalent of a 40- hour workweek. All required experience must be paid.
Desirable
Experience with Microsoft Office, Workday, and other software application programs.
How to Apply
. If this is the first time applying for a position using governmentjobs.com, you will be prompted to create a new user account; otherwise, log in with your username and password. Your application and responses to any supplemental questions will be used to evaluate your qualifications for this position. It is suggested that your application include the following:
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List any relevant experience and education that demonstrates that you qualify for the position.
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List all periods of employment for at least the past 10 years, beginning with your most recent or present employer (including if applicable, all employment with the City of Ontario).
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Separately list each position held, including different positions with the same employer.
A resume may be attached to your application but will NOT substitute for the proper completion of your application. Applications that are not properly completed may be rejected.
NOTE: Transcripts from colleges, universities or technical schools outside of the United States must be assessed for U.S. equivalency by a NACES educational credential evaluation service. Failure to provide a transcript or credential evaluation report will result in disqualification from the selection process.
Application Process
Applicants are required to submit required certification(s) or other required documentation as outlined in the Qualifications Guideline section of this bulletin. Please use the attachment function found on the City's online application to attach copies of the requested certification(s) or other documentation. Failure to attach required documentation may result in the rejection of your application. Please contact the Human Resources/Risk Management Agency if you have any questions regarding the application process.
Your application is the primary tool used to evaluate your job qualifications. It is important that your application show all the relevant education and experience you possess. Failure to complete these sections may result in the rejection of your application.
Supplemental Questions
To complete your application for this position, you may be prompted to respond to supplemental questions. This information will be used as part of the application screening and selection process and is designed to help you present your qualifications for this position. This may include a selection step in which your application and supplemental questions are reviewed and scored by a panel of raters familiar with this position.
Incomplete responses, false statements, omission, partial information, or AI-generated responses may result in disqualification from the selection process. Your responses should be consistent with the information provided on your application.
Please provide succinct, concise, descriptive, and detailed information for each question. If you have no experience, write "no experience" for the appropriate question.
Email Notices
Email is the primary way that the Human Resources/Risk Management Agency or Hiring Department will communicate with you. Please check your email account (including the SPAM folder) on a regular basis for any emails related to the application or selection process. Emails from the City of Ontario will come from "@ontarioca.gov" or "governmentjobs.com." If you change your email address after submitting your application, please visit governmentjobs.com and update your profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have any additional questions regarding the application process, please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions page.
