INTERMITTENT PRINCIPAL CLERK

Code: 57161 State Competitive Range: R11 (FY 2027)

Salary: $42,865.87 - $61,705.37/year FY 2027 schedule (last updated 2026-07-27)

Official job specification

The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator. Source: the official specification page at NJ CSC.

Definition

Under direction of a supervisory official in a position requiring irregular work schedules either on a daily or seasonal basis which cannot meet the criteria for full-time or part-time positions, does clerical work usually varied but predominately difficult in nature requiring knowledge of department laws, regulations, policies, and procedures, and frequent exercise of independent judgment, and/or has charge of the work of a large clerical unit; does other related duties as required.

Examples of work

• When the work program has been established, organizes assigned clerical and supervisory work and develops work methods.
• Helps to plan the details of clerical procedures.
• Assigns and instructs individuals and groups and supervises the performance of their work.
• Supervises work operations and/or functional programs and has responsibility for employee evaluations and for effectively recommending the hiring, firing, promoting, demoting, and/or disciplining of employees.
• Reviews, checks, and certifies reports, applications, forms, and other documents wherein highly technical determination are concerned.
• Processes special requests for information in accord with established department policies.
• Composes correspondence which may not be reviewed by a supervisory official in accord with established procedures and signs correspondence as may be required.
• Helps to set in motion and conducts inservice training programs for new employees.
• Acts to relieve a supervisory official of office details.
• Interviews and transacts routine business with persons who call at the office, and makes appointments.
• Prepares agenda of meetings and puts meeting minutes in authoritative and final form.
• Prepares reports.
• May do typing and/or data entry which is uncomplicated, does not require skill or speed, and which is of a nature reasonably to be expected of employees in a business office.
• Collects materials for, helps prepare, and edits speeches and articles.
• Maintains administrative records and files.
• Assists with planning and revising clerical procedures and office routines, and ensures that suitable systems are put into action.
• Compiles, tabulates, and interprets data and statistics.
• Prepares and supervises the preparation of statistical and other reports.
• Supervises the establishment and maintenance of records and files.
• Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.

Experience

Two (2) years of experience in general clerical work, one (1) year of which shall have been in a supervisory capacity.

License

Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform essential duties of the position.

Knowledge, skills and abilities

• Knowledge of office methods, practices, routines, machines, and equipment.
• Knowledge of the material organization and established policies, procedures, and regulations of the department after a period of training.
• Knowledge of problems encountered in organizing assigned clerical and supervisory work and in developing effective work methods.
• Knowledge of approved English usage.
• Ability to comprehend office and clerical methods, practices, routines, machines, and equipment.
• Ability to comprehend the internal organization, policies, procedures, and regulations.
• Ability to organize assigned clerical and supervisory work and develop effective work methods.
• Ability to assign and instruct individuals and groups and supervise the performance of their work.
• Ability to work effectively with associates, subordinates, superior officials, and with those persons interested in or concerned with the work of the department.
• Ability to use English, orally and in writing.
• Ability to compose clear, concise, and appropriate business letters in accord with established department policies.
• Ability to do uncomplicated typing which does not require skill or speed on a sporadic basis.
• Ability to use varied common office machines in temporary assignments where skill and speed are not primary requirements and special training is not necessary.
• Ability to prepare and supervise the preparation of clear, sound, accurate, and informative reports.
• Ability to supervise the maintenance of records and files.
• Ability to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
• Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in English sufficiently to perform duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
• Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.
• SPECIAL NOTE
• The intermittent designation shall be utilized only where the work responsibilities are characterized by unpredictable work schedules which do not meet normal criteria of regular, year-round full-time or part-time assignments. Such category is not to displace or be used in place of regular full-time or part-time employees.
• Assignment of Work
• Assignment of work hours to intermittent employees shall be based on managerial needs and shall be limited to work that is appropriate to the class title.
• Furlough and Recall
• Whenever it is necessary to furlough intermittent employees, furloughing will be done in the inverse order of seniority based on official records at the end of the last pay period. A furlough means that an intermittent employee cannot be scheduled for work within the next week. Reasonable advance written notice of furlough action shall be given to the employee. A furlough will not be considered a layoff and will not require the issuance of the forty-five (45) day notice. The seniority organization unit for purposes of furlough selection will be employees currently working in a designated work unit, prior to use by the appointing authority, designated work units must be submitted to and approved by the New Jersey Department of Personnel.
• Seniority shall be determined by the number of regular hours worked by the intermittent employee. Recall from furlough will be made in seniority order from the most senior to the least senior employee from among furloughed employees who are assigned within a designated work unit which may be the local office and/or satellite office. In cases of equal seniority, the tie will be broken by determining the number of hours the employees were in pay status under special service during the last two (2) years immediately preceding their conversion to an intermittent title. Recall of employees may be extended on a regional or statewide basis if the recall list for the work unit has been exhausted.
• When the recall procedure is extended beyond the work unit, or when the recall is for less than four hours of work, the termination actions listed below will not apply when the intermittent employees cannot be contacted or refuses an offer of recall. However, when an offer of recall is accepted to a work unit other than the one from which the employee was furloughed, the new work unit will become the employee's seniority organization unit for future furlough and recall actions.
• Recall actions shall be initiated during the first two (2) hours or the last two (2) hours of the workday. If the department is unable to contact the employee during these times, the next employee on the recall list will be called until a sufficient number has been secured. If a department is unable to contact an employee on two (2) consecutive occasions, the employee shall be notified in writing of the specific dates and times the contacts were made. Employees will be given five (5) calendar days from date of receipt to advise of their current availability for future scheduling. Failure to respond as directed shall be considered a resignation. If on the next occasion the same employee is unavailable, this also shall be considered a resignation.
• Intermittent employees who are contacted and refuse an offer of recall for reasons other than verified illness, disability, or approved leave may be resigned.
• CODES: 12/R11 - MER 06/06/09

Note

The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed.

Successful completion of a clerical training program with a minimum of 700 classroom training hours or thirty (30) semester hour credits in secretarial science from an accredited college or university may be substituted for one (1) year of experience indicated above. Course work must include typing skills, methods, and procedures; other courses may include but not be limited to office procedures, word processing, and business English.