Secretariat is one of three administrative units of the General Conference, the other two being the Presidential and Treasury.  The work of Secretariat revolves around three broad areas of responsibility.  One is the selection and appointment of interdivision and volunteer personnel for all calls between divisions, as well as providing support, promotion and strategic input for the mission program of the church.  Secondly, Secretariat is responsible for agendas as well as the writing and preservation of minutes of major General Conference administrative committees.  Associated with this responsibility is coordinating the development and review of General Conference Working Policy as well as those of the Church Manual.  Thirdly, Secretariat serves as an administrative liaison for the General Conference to all world divisions. 

Personnel and Organizational Structure

The work of Secretariat is carried out by the following individuals:

Secretary

The General Conference Secretary is one of three executive officers of the world church.  He cares for or assigns general items to members of Secretariat.  "The secretary, in the performance of the executive responsibilities, shall report to the Executive Committee after consultation with the president.  The secretary shall be responsible for keeping the minutes of the proceedings of the General Conference sessions and meetings of the Executive Committee, for maintaining correspondence with church organizations, and for the performance of such other duties as usually pertain to such office." –General Conference Working Policy, Article VIII--Officers and Their Duties, Sec. 5.)
He assigns his staff specific office and global responsibilities by which the work of Secretariat is to be accomplished.

Undersecretary

The undersecretary assists the secretary with his responsibilities and acts for him in his absence.  He serves as agenda secretary for the General Conference Session, Annual Council, Spring Meeting, and officers' meetings.   The undersecretary is specifically responsible for the agenda program and the General Conference Working Policy.  In consultation with the secretary he provides oversight to administrative and personnel matters within the office of the Secretariat.  He also serves as secretary or member of various standing committees as well as the liaison for one of the world divisions.

Associate Secretaries

The associate secretaries assist the secretary with his responsibilities through various assignments. There are six associate secretaries.  Five serve as General Conference liaisons with twelve of the thirteen world divisions.  As liaisons to the various world divisions,  they, in part, aid in the selection, appointment and support of interdivision personnel for all calls between divisions.  One of the six associates is assigned the responsibility of being the Director of the General Conference Adventist Volunteer Center which covers the world field.  All associate secretaries carry the responsibility of promoting and enhancing the mission work of the church as well as serving as members and/or secretary of certain standing committees.

Assistant Secretary

The assistant secretary directs the Office of Interdivision Personnel Records (OIPR) and is responsible for the Central File of Secretariat.   This individual assists the secretary with office responsibilities as assigned and serves as the secretary of the Appointees Committee.  The assistant secretary is also responsible for the following:  Maintaining up-to-date files of individuals who have shown an interest in interdivision service, supervising the computer listing of prospects’ names and skills, and for providing information critical to the work of the Interdivision Employee Budget Oversight Committee which reviews the budgets for placing interdivision employees.