PUBLIC SAFETY EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

Salary : $88,656.00 - $107,292.00 Annually

Location : El Cerrito, CA

Job Type : Full-time

Job Number : 2025-34

Department : Fire

Division : Fire Adminstration

Opening Date : 12 / 09 / 2025

Closing Date : 1 / 6 / 2026 4 : 00 PM Pacific

CLASS DESCRIPTION

The annual salary range is $88,656 to $107,292. Placement within this range is dependent upon qualifications. A 3% Cost of Living Adjustment has been approved for each July 2026 and July 2027. Successful candidates are also eligible for annual merit increases upon excellent performance.

What is the Role?

Join the City's team as the next Public Safety Executive Assistant for the El Cerrito Fire Department ! In this high-impact role, you will provide essential administrative support to the Fire Chief and the command staff. This position ensures the department's daily operations run smoothly and efficiently, all while handling critical responsibilities with integrity and discretion. This position serves as a key role in the Fire Chief's office, providing advanced administrative, analytical, and project management support. The Public Safety Executive Assistant is often the first point of contact for both the public and department personnel, which requires both strong customer service skills and exceptional administrative skills. This role often exercises independent judgement in many of their day-to-day tasks.

The daily responsibilities will be diverse and fast-paced, ranging from managing calendars and coordinating meetings, to preparing confidential documents, processing payroll, and supporting department-wide initiatives. Your work will influence every facet of the department, including records management, report preparation, policy compliance, and public communication. You will collaborate regularly with other City departments, outside agencies, and community members, playing an important role in how the Fire Department serves the public. The ideal candidate for this role is a proactive, detail-oriented professional who can adapt quickly, maintain composure under pressure, and consistently demonstrate a high level of integrity. The City is seeking a highly organized and motivated individual who is committed to excellence in service-someone who thrives in a dynamic environment and understands the importance of confidentiality in public safety operations. If you thrive in an environment where you can manage multiple priorities, solve problems, and provide meaningful contributions to the community, this position offers a rewarding and impactful opportunity!

The City is seeking to immediately fill one (1) full-time vacancy in the Fire Department.

City Perks

• CalPERS Retirement : CalPERS Classic members 2.7% @ 55 and PEPRA members 2% @ 62 retirement formula integrated with Social Security; 11% employee contribution.
• Medical Insurance : Fully paid health premiums for employees and dependents (up to the Kaiser family rate); cash in lieu option available at $350 per month.
• Dental : The City contributes full cost of family coverage under the Delta Dental Plan.
• Life Insurance : The City pays for basic life insurance up to $100,000.
• Short-Term / Long-Term Disability Insurance : 2 / 3rds of salary up to the maximum monthly.
• Voluntary Benefits : Supplemental life insurance, deferred compensation plans and flexible spending accounts (FSAs).
• Holidays : 13 holidays per year, plus 3 floating holidays and 1 birthday holiday.
• Vacation : Vacation ranging from 11 to 33 days per year based on years of service.
• Sick Leave : Accrued at 8.75 hours per month.
• Tuition Reimbursement : Tuition reimbursement up to the maximum of $3,500 / fiscal year for work related studies.
• Bilingual Pay : The City pays $2,600 per year to employees who are bilingual and who have passed a proficiency test provided by the City.
• Alternating Work Schedule : This position typically works 40 hours per week with every other Friday off. Alternative flexible schedule options may be possible.
• Wellness Program : Access to an array of wellness programs offered by the City such as massage days, fitness and meditation classes, Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

Are We A Match?

In-person interviews will be held on Wednesday, February 4, 2026

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS (DUTIES)

Essential responsibilities and duties may include, but are not limited to, the following :

QUALIFICATIONS

Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be :

Education :

Experience :

Licenses and Certifications :

Knowledge and abilities may include, but are not limited to, the following :

Knowledge of :

Ability to :

Additional Requirements :

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

THE COMMUNITY

Located near the east shore of the San Francisco Bay, the City of El Cerrito is an ethnically diverse community offering a high quality of life within one of the nation's most sophisticated and beautiful living areas. With a population of around 25,000 residents, El Cerrito has the advantage of being centrally located in a major metropolitan area. El Cerrito is an established community with a strong self-identity and a commitment to enhancing the quality of life for its community members.

THE DEPARTMENT

El Cerrito Fire Department is a modern, well-managed department providing Fire services to a diverse community. The Fire Department's mission is to enhance community safety by reducing the loss of life and property, helping members of the community reduce the frequency and severity of these emergencies by providing public education programs, reducing threats to public safety by enforcing laws, codes, and ordinances covering fire and life safety and maintaining personnel, apparatus, equipment and facilities in a constantly ready condition.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

Employees work in an office environment with moderate noise levels, controlled temperature conditions, and no direct exposure to hazardous physical substances. Employees may interact with challenging individuals while interpreting and enforcing policies and procedures.

WORKING CONDITIONS

During an emergency, employees in this classification may be subject to varied work schedules to provide support and perform duties as needed for the department, sometimes with little to no notice.

For more information, please visit the City's Human Resources page :

The City of El Cerrito offers a competitive benefits package. Current benefits features include :

Miscellaneous : 2.7% at 55 for current members and 2% at 62 for new members

Our provides a full description of our current benefits.

01

As you consider this position and its role in the El Cerrito Fire Department, what do you consider to be your most relevant skills you bring to the position, to the Department, and the City of El Cerrito?

02

Do you have any experience working in a public agency? If so, how many years?

03

How many years of experience do you have in clerical and / or administrative support? If any experience is specifically in a public safety environment, please specify.

04

Do you have any payroll experience? If so, please explain.

05

Why are you interested in this position and why are you interested in working for the City of El Cerrito?

06

If you were offered this position, what barriers would keep you from accepting?

Required Question