Office Assistant

Office Assistant

Recruitment #260911-7086CL-001

Location Middletown, CT

Date Opened 9/18/2026 12:00:00 AM Salary $50,815 - $66,670/year (*Employees new to state start at minimum.) Job Type Open to the Public Close Date 10/2/2026 11:59:00 PM

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Introduction

The State of Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) is seeking a full-time Office Assistant to support the Legal Affairs Unit.

This position is full time, 40 hrs, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., providing administrative and clerical support to legal staff, including document processing, records management, and general office operations.

Join DESPP and be part of a team dedicated to supporting public safety and the critical work of Connecticut's law enforcement community.

What We Can Offer You:

• Visit our new State Employee Benefits Overview page!
• Professional growth and development opportunities.
• A healthy work/life balance to all employees.

A Message from our Commissioner:

DESPP is committed to protecting and improving the quality of life for all by providing a broad range of public safety services, training, regulatory guidance, and scientific services utilizing enforcement, prevention, education and state of the art science and technology. DESPP is structured on three key Strategic Pillars created by Commissioner Ronnell Higgins.

1. Operational Efficiency, Efficacy and Excellence

• Making decisions through the thoughtful and informed use of data.
• Challenging the "thats the way its always been done" construct-i.e., thinking outside the box as to how we can improve.
• Constantly seeking better results.

2. Shared Fiscal Responsibility

• Recognizing our collective responsibility to steward the agencys resources.
• Realigning planned budgetary actions to ensure that they are in taxpayers interests.
• Preparing together for potential budget stresses and fiscal challenges.

3. Ethics and Accountability

• Critically and constantly measuring our practices against our policies.
• Performing quarterly performance evaluations agency-wide to measure success and flag areas needing improvement.
• Regularly engaging external partners for feedback and assessments.
• Opening our doors to Connecticut students and workers for apprenticeships, internships, and career pathways.

For an inside look at what its like to work as an employee for the State of Connecticut, please watch the video below!

Selection Plan

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Candidate selected for an interview must provide the following at the time of interview:

State Employees:

• Two (2) most recent performance evaluations
• Completed CT-HR-13

Non-State Employees:

• Two (2) professional references contact information including name, email and phone number (at least one being a current and/or previous supervisor)
• Completed CT-HR-13

Candidates who have been selected for employment with the Department of Emergency Services & Public Protection are subject to a detailed background investigation, including a fingerprint supported state and federal criminal history record check along with reference checks. Selection for employment is contingent upon satisfactory completion of the background investigation. Click here CT-HR-13 to complete the Criminal Convictions addendum. The CT-HR-13 can also be found on the DAS website http://portal.ct.gov/das by typing in "CT-HR-13" into the "Search Department of Administrative Services" search field. Also considered in this selection process: Any pending or disciplinary history within the past 2 years and review of attendance records.

FOR ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING:

Check out our Applicant Tips on How to Apply! Need more resources? Visit our Applicant Toolkit for additional support throughout the recruitment process.

BEFORE YOU APPLY:

• Meet Minimum Qualifications: Ensure you meet the Minimum Qualifications listed on the job opening by the job closing date. You must specify your qualifications on your application. The minimum experience and training requirements listed must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
• Educational Credits: List your earned credits and degrees from accredited institutions accurately on your application. To receive educational credits towards qualification, the institution must be accredited. If the institution of higher learning is located outside of the U.S., you are responsible for providing documentation from a recognized USA accrediting service which specializes in determining foreign education equivalencies to the contact listed below by the closing date listed on the job posting.
• Resume Policy: Per Public Act 21-69, resumes are not accepted during the initial application process. As the recruitment process progresses, candidates may be required to submit additional documentation to support their qualification(s) for this position. This documentation may include: a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the request and discretion of the hiring agency.
• Preferred Shift/Location: Select all location(s) and shift(s) you are willing to work on your application. Failure to do so may result in not being considered for vacancies in that specific location or shift.
• Timely Submission: All application materials must be received by the job posting deadline. You will be unable to make revisions once you officially submit your application to the State. Late submissions are rarely accepted, with exceptions only for documented events that incapacitate individuals during the entire duration of the job posting. Request exceptions by emailing DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.
• Salary Calculations: For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other.
• Note: The only way to apply to this posting is via the 'Apply' or 'Apply Online' buttons on the official State of Connecticut Online Employment Center job posting.

AFTER YOU APPLY:

• Some email providers may experience delays or issues delivering messages. To avoid missing important updates-such as referral questionnaires or interview scheduling links-please check your Personal Status Board regularly.
• For added convenience, you can also enable text (SMS) notifications. To do this, log in to your Personal Status Board and select "Update My Contact Information."
• Referral Questions: This posting may require completion of additional Referral Questions (RQs), which must be completed by the questionnaire's expiration date. If requested, RQs can be accessed via an email sent to you after the job close date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section).
• Prepare For An Interview: Interviews are limited to those whose experience and training are most aligned with the role. To prepare, review this helpful Interview Preparation Guide to make the best impression!
• Stay connected! Log in daily to your JobAps Personal Status Board to track your status and check email (including spam/junk folders) for updates and tasks.
• The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
• Note: This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules. Candidates who are offered and accept a position with the State of Connecticut are bound by the State Code of Ethics for Public Officials and State employees, available at www.ct.gov/ethics.
• This employer may participate in E‑Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I‑9 information to confirm work authorization.

QUESTIONS? WE'RE HERE TO HELP:

Due to high volume, we are unable to confirm receipt or provide status updates directly. For recruitment updates, please check your Personal Status Board and review our Frequently Asked Questions. If you have additional questions about the recruitment process, reach out to Brianna Linehan at Brianna.Linehan@ct.gov.

Join the State of Connecticut and take your next career step with confidence!

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In a state agency this class is accountable for independently performing a full range of general clerical functions or for carrying out responsibility for the flow and completion of clerical work in an assigned area.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

Performs the full range of general clerical duties as described in the following areas:

• TYPING:

• Types a variety of materials in relation to other duties or as assigned;

• Enters and retrieves data on computers, tablets, and other electronic equipment.

• FILING:

• Sets up and maintains office procedures, filing and indexing systems and forms for own use.

• CORRESPONDENCE:

• Composes routine correspondence.

• REPORT WRITING:

• Compiles and generates recurrent technical, statistical or financial reports requiring judgment in the selection and presentation of data (format).

• INTERPERSONAL:

• Provides general information and referral services in response to citizen complaints or questions regarding an agencys services or authority;

• Responds to inquiries from other work units or departments/agencies;

• Applies agency policies and state statutes and regulations in determining case status or responding to requests for procedural assistance;

• May lead lower level employees in carrying out assigned clerical functions.

• PROCESSING:

• Maintains calendars of due dates and initiates recurring work or special clerical projects accordingly;

• Processes a variety of documents in determining routine case status;

• Exercises discretion in choosing appropriate follow through procedures within defined guidelines including assembling and reviewing incoming materials for accuracy, completeness and conformance to established guidelines and agency policy and procedures, verifying information through use of internal resources and contacts with sender and other work units and soliciting additional information as required by correspondence;

• Processes purchase requisitions/purchase orders for subsequent action;

• Prepares payment lists and billing invoices;

• Receives shipments of materials and matches/verifies shipment or billing invoices against original purchase orders;

• Maintains files, journals or account ledgers by posting credits, expenditures, interest, etc.;

• Figures payments, costs, discounts and adjustments using prescribed methods and formulas;

• Receives monies in various forms such as cash, checks and money orders and prepares for deposit;

• Maintains inventory and orders supplies;

• Uses a variety of electronic equipment to perform job functions.

• Performs related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

• Knowledge of office systems and procedures including proper telephone usage and filing;

• Skills

• interpersonal skills;

• oral and written communication skills;

• performing arithmetical computations;

• Ability to

• perform a full range of clerical tasks;

• operate office equipment which includes computers, tablets, and other electronic equipment;

• operate office suite software;

• schedule and prioritize workflow;

• read and interpret complex instructions.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

Two (2) years of general clerical work experience.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED

College training may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling one/half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of two (2) years.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience providing administrative or legal support in an office environment, including records processing, case tracking, or document management systems.
• Experience managing competing priorities and meeting deadlines in a professional setting, including coordinating multiple concurrent tasks and maintaining established workflows and timelines.
• Experience with professional written and verbal communication in a legal, government, or regulatory environment.
• Experience with handling confidential and sensitive information with discretion.
• Experience using Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, or Outlook, to enter, maintain, and retrieve data within electronic record-tracking systems or databases.
• Experience with FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) or public records requests, subpoenas, or legal intake processes.
• Experience with government or quasi-government agency operations.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Persons having responsibility for supervising or observing the behavior of inmates or custodial individuals will be required to possess a high school diploma or General Educational Development (GED) certification by the time of permanent appointment.

Conclusion

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.

Click on a link below to apply for this position:

Fill out the Supplemental Questionnaire and Application NOW using the Internet. Apply Online