For sufficiently large organizational subdivisions, the elected secretary was either temporarily relieved from his workplace duties, or, more frequently, was part of nomenklatura and his salary was paid from the membership dues of the corresponding organization.
... "The factory Party secretary has the power to compel the manager to change his decisions, including the annual production plan of the plant or of an individual shop.
He can appoint “technical brigades of specialists”, whose suggestions to the manager are irrevocable orders.
[4] In 1953 Zbigniew Brzezinski wrote that in Soviet Army full-time party secretaries (i.e., the ones without military duties) were typically assigned in party organizations on regimental and divisional levels and they were nominated by the political departments of the military command one level above.
At the same time, the Political Directorate had some control over Communist organizations down the military hierarchy.