Position Available

Posted February 17, 2012

 

The Washington State School Directors’ Association (WSSDA) is a small state agency located in Olympia that provides leadership, advocacy and services to support public school directors’ efforts to improve student learning.  Serving 1,477 locally elected school board members, WSSDA has an outstanding record of service.  The association seeks an Administrative Assistant/Federal Relations Network Coordinator to provide administrative support to the Director of Governmental Relations.

 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The Administrative Assistant provides higher –level administrative duties of a substantive nature, including but not limited to: secretarial assistance, budget; records management; report and meeting preparation; public relations; and office management for the Director of Governmental Relations and the Federal Relations Network for WSSDA.

Required Duties and Responsibilities:

General Administrative Support

• Provide secretarial support to supervisor; coordinate office operations; keep supervisor’s calendar; make travel arrangements; screen and prioritize mail; schedule meetings; transcribe minutes; and respond to calls and visitors.
• Provide phone, word processing, spreadsheet, database and technological support.
• Establish procedures and interpret and apply administrative policies to the work of the division, including using and improving work-flow processes.
• Produce and reproduce materials for department needs.
• Maintain and update departmental files and information.
• Assist in event management, including contract negotiations and meeting logistics.
• Assist other departments as needed for the annual conference and other meetings and conferences.

Governmental Relations Support

• Create and maintain bill tracking system for bill status, action, amendments, reports and other information during the Legislative session.
• Assemble daily schedule materials during legislative session for supervisor.
• Coordinate meetings for the Legislative Committee and Interscholastic Activities Committee; prepare and organize committee materials; record and distribute minutes; make travel arrangements and manage expense reimbursements for committee members.
• Coordinate the annual Legislative Assembly; determine timelines; negotiate and secure contract and hotel arrangements, meals and room set-up; manage registration process, manage the assembly procedure and record official actions of the Assembly; prepare the official copy of the adopted legislative program; assist with ballot tabulation; maintain historical actions of legislative proposals to assist in permanent position classification.
• Assist with the annual WASA/WSSDA Legislative Conference; serve on the program committee; and provide assistance in other areas as needed.
• Participate in budget preparation; develop budget estimates; monitor budget status and expenditures.
• Prepare reports, bill analysis, newsletter articles, and other written materials
• Conduct and/or respond to surveys and studies; compose narrative portions of documents such as summary of survey results, brochures, and policy statements.
• Research and compile information, using Internet, statutes, and administrative codes.

Federal Relations Network Coordinator

• Coordinate and disseminate information on federal K-12 issues to members of the FRN and other interested school board members.
• Plan and coordinate activities of Washington State’s FRN delegation to the annual NSBA Federal Relations convention in Washington D.C.
• Work with WSSDA’s President-Elect in the process of appointments to FRN.

Essential Functions:

• Prioritize workload, set deadlines and work within timelines.
• Effectively communicate orally and in writing, including the ability to write and edit meeting minutes, news articles, communicate with external audiences
• Maintain confidentiality, when appropriate; use good judgment in responding to public inquiries
• Operate computers for complex word processing, Excel, database inquires, desktop publishing, and document management
• Knowledge of English grammar, punctuation and vocabulary, AP style format.
• Maintain regular work attendance and availability as workload and assignments require.
• Work well under pressure to meet multiple and sometimes competing deadlines, and at all times demonstrate cooperative behavior with colleagues and supervisors.
• Be available for evening and weekend work, and travel by air and automobile, maintain a valid driver’s license.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• High school graduation or GED and a minimum of four years of progressively responsible experience in office/clerical, secretarial or legislative assistance work.
• Formal education may substitute for year-for-year experience.
• Computer skills and extensive use of Word, Excel and PowerPoint essential requirements.
• Knowledge and experience posting materials to the web and desktop publishing desired.

COMPENSATION In addition to a comprehensive benefits package, the annual salary is comparable to the pay schedule of an Administrative Assistant 3 or 4 in the state system.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

Application materials must be delivered or postmarked no later than Wednesday, February 29, 2012.

WSSDA is an equal opportunity employer