State of Maryland is hiring: ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT (ADMINISTRATIVE AIDE) in B

Introduction

The Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of Maryland. The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) has the general charge, supervision, and direction of the State’s legal business, acting as legal advisors and representatives of the major agencies, various boards, commissions, officials, and institutions of State Government. The OAG also protects the public by civil enforcement of antitrust, civil rights, consumer protection, and securities laws and regulations and by the prosecution of organized crime, Medicaid fraud, environmental crimes, insurance fraud, state tax evasion, and other statutorily assigned matters. As Maryland’s 47th Attorney General, Anthony G. Brown leads the Office with a critical focus on equity, justice, and fairness.

Grade

Grade 11

Location

Office of the Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division, Mediation Unit, 200 St. Paul Place, Baltimore, Maryland 21202.

Main Purpose of Job

The OAG is seeking qualified applicants for an Administrative Assistant position in the Mediation Unit in the Consumer Protection Division. The Consumer Protection Division (CPD) helps navigate consumer protection issues by enforcing Maryland’s laws against unfair, abusive, and deceptive trade practices involving consumer goods, services, real estate, credit, and debt collection. Through investigations and legal action, CPD works to stop illegal business practices, secure restitution for harmed consumers, and deter future misconduct. The Mediation Unit is comprised of a Director, Deputy Director, 11 Mediation Supervisors, one Mediator, five administrative staff, and approximately 30 volunteers and interns. Each year, the unit handles between 10,000 and 12,000 consumer complaints and manages all other public inquiries directed to the Consumer Protection Division. Additionally, the unit assists more than 40,000 consumers annually through phone and email correspondence. The Administrative Assistant plays a critical role in supporting the Consumer Protection Mediation Unit’s mission to assist the thousands of consumers who submit written complaints each year and the more than 40,000 consumers who contact the Office by phone or email. This position provides essential administrative and customer service support to ensure the efficient intake, tracking, and handling of consumer complaints and inquiries.

Position Duties

• Prepare a wide range of administrative correspondence, including letters, referral notices, requests for additional information, and other routine and non-routine communications related to consumer complaints.
• Perform accurate and timely data entry of consumer complaints, inquiries, and related information into case management and tracking systems, ensuring completeness, consistency, and compliance with unit procedures.
• Maintain, update, and organize complaint records and files, including annual complaint inventories, ensuring proper documentation, confidentiality, and accessibility of records.
• Review and route consumer complaints and inquiries to the appropriate staff, unit, or external agency, based on established guidelines and referral protocols.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for consumers by responding to telephone calls, emails, and written inquiries; provide general information regarding consumer protection processes, complaint status, and available resources, while demonstrating professionalism, courtesy, and sensitivity.
• Assist with high-volume call handling, including participating in switchboard operations for the Maryland Office of the Attorney General, directing callers to appropriate divisions or personnel and accurately relaying messages as needed.
• Support unit staff with general administrative tasks, including document preparation, scheduling assistance, record tracking, and other duties that contribute to the effective operation of the mediation unit.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education: Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.
• Experience: Four years of experience in administrative work. Strong interpersonal, writing, and organizational skills required, as is experience with, and proficiency in, Microsoft Word and Excel.
• Substitutions: A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university may be substituted for up to 2 years of experience.

Desired or Preferred Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have experience in both oral and written communication with the public, as well as working with volunteers.

Selection Process

Applicants who meet all the minimum and preferred qualifications will be included in further evaluation. The evaluation may be a rating of your application based on your education, training and experience as they relate to the requirements of the position. Therefore, it is essential that you provide complete and accurate information on your application and answer all supplemental questions. Please report all related education, experience, dates and hours of work. Clearly indicate your college degree and major on your application, if applicable. For education obtained outside the U.S., any job offer will be contingent on the candidate providing an evaluation for equivalency by a foreign credential evaluation service prior to starting employment (and may be requested prior to interview). Complete applications must be submitted by the closing date. Information submitted after this date will not be added. Incorrect/incomplete application forms will not be accepted. Please include start/end dates and detailed job duties for each work experience. Successful candidates will be placed on the eligible list for at least one year. Candidates may remain on the certified eligible list for a period of at least one year. The resulting certified eligible list for this recruitment may be used for similar positions in this or other State agencies.

Benefits

STATE OF MARYLAND BENEFITS Include subsidized health benefits (medical, prescription, dental and vision coverage) and life insurance; leave, including annual (vacation), personal, sick, and paid parental leave; and eligibility to participate in a contributory defined benefit pension plan in which employees are vested after ten years. State employees are eligible to participate in two supplemental retirement plans: the 457 Deferred Compensation Plan and the 401(k) Savings and Investment Plan. The State also offers a free mass transit benefit for local bus and express bus services.

Further Instructions

Online applications are STRONGLY preferred. Please upload a resume in addition to the on-line application. If the online application process is not available, please send your paper application and supplemental questionnaire to careers@oag.maryland.gov. TTY Users: call via Maryland Relay. If you have specific questions about recruitment, email careers@oag.maryland.gov.

Equal Opportunity Statement

The Office of the Attorney General is an equal opportunity employer that encourages all interested persons to apply regardless of race, color, religion or belief, ancestry, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, disability, pregnancy, family or parental status, veteran status, genetic information, or any protected category prohibited by local, State or federal laws.