Administrative Assistant 4
Full-Time Non-Permanent
Location: Washington Corrections Center for Women (WCCW) | Gig Harbor, WA
Please carefully read this posting in its entirety, as it contains important information for candidates.
The candidate of choice must be comfortable working in a Prison environment as you will be required to work in facility daily.
The Department of Corrections is seeking a highly motivated and qualified individual for the position of Administrative Assistant 4 for the Superintendent's Office at Washington Corrections Center for Women in Gig Harbor, Washington.
Agency Profile
Washington Corrections Center for Women (WCCW) is Washington State's largest correctional facility serving women and the state's multi-custody-level facility and Reception Diagnostic Center for women. WCCW serves individuals across minimum, medium, and close custody levels and operates within a complex correctional environment requiring strong collaboration among facility leadership, custody, programs, health services, legal partners, courts, families, community organizations, and other external stakeholders.
Our mission at the Department of Corrections is to 'improve public safety by positively changing lives'. With more than 9,000 employees, we recognize that staff are our greatest asset, and the efforts of our dedicated workforce have garnered national recognition! Whether the work is inside a prison, out in the field, or an administrative office, DOC staff experience a high degree of personal reward knowing their efforts are creating an environment in which incarcerated individuals can learn to make choices that contribute to safer communities.
For additional information about our agency, please visit doc.wa.gov.
As the Administrative Assistant 4 for the Superintendent's Office some of your duties will include:
- Provide administrative office management, organize/direct workflow, monitor/track issues and assignments, provide status updates, ensure critical issues are addressed timely and assignments are completed on time
- Prepare correspondence for Superintendent including formatting transcription, recording minutes, composing/editing letters and exercising signature authority on administrative correspondence
- Arrange all travel/lodging, prepare travel authorization and track expenditures for Superintendent
- Maintain Superintendent's calendar/schedule including coordination of meetings and appointments
- Review, screen, prioritize and distribute incoming mail; review and identify critical correspondence for action, approval, and signature; remind assigned staff to respond to urgent communication or time sensitive deadlines
- Provide and oversee public relations in Superintendent's Office for a wide range of staff and visitors, greet/screen calls, disseminate information, serve as liaison with staff members and direct staff/visitors to appropriate resources as needed
- Establish, organize. and maintain paper and electronic files/records, manage all Superintendent archives per policy
- Research/compile data, prepare and/or edit routine and complex reports
- Coordinate with other facility/departmental staff members on administrative practices and procedures
- Utilize delegated authority to establish procedures and interpret and apply administrative policies to support the work of the Superintendent's office
- Represent the Superintendent through verbal or written communication as assigned and periodically attend meetings representing the Superintendent
- Direct, prioritize, and coordinate special projects as assigned by Superintendent
- Exercise decision-making authority and use of good judgment in handling all matters on behalf of the Superintendent, employing discretion and confidentiality at all times
- Use delegated authority to approve purchases
- Review agency and division financial/budget reports, personnel reports and financial payments
- Gather and organize project information prior to release; organize new or updated procedure to project completion; develop operational templates for use in tracking projects
- Prepare background information necessary for meetings or correspondence
- Coordinate arrangements for meetings; screen, prioritize and distribute correspondence and facility documentation
- Review and coordinate supervisory reviews of policies and write cohesive responses to request for review
- Back up support to Public Information/Public Disclosure/Legal Liaison operation
What we need (required qualifications):
- High School Diploma or equivalent
- Four (4) years of progressively responsible experience in office, secretarial, bookkeeping, accounting, or general administrative work.
- Bachelor's degree in business administration, public administration or a closely related field substitutes for related experience.
- One (1) year as an Administrative Assistant 3
- Two (2) years as an Administrative 2.
*Note: Formal education and/or training in office or secretarial occupations, bookkeeping or accounting will substitute year for year, for up to one year of experience
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Intermediate level of proficiency in Microsoft Word and Microsoft Outlook
- Basic level of proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint
- Developing level of proficiency in Microsoft SharePoint, Visio, and Teams
- Ability to maintain high level of professionalism, personal and ethical conduct
- Proven ability to effectively communicate both verbally and in writing
- Be privy to confidential information and maintain confidentiality
- Demonstrated ability to work and make decisions independently
- Perform responsible administrative support work with dependability, accuracy, efficiency, with little supervision
- Provide varied, responsible secretarial and office administrative work requiring the use of tact and discretion
- Respond to and effectively prioritize multiple tasks, phone calls, customer requests and other miscellaneous demands as necessary for assigned responsibilities
- Understand and carry out oral and written directions
- Work closely with detailed information for extended periods of time
- Required to accomplish tasks with multiple interruptions each day
What will make your application stand out (preferred qualifications):
- Bachelor’s degree in business administration, public administration or closely allied field. (Degree must be obtained from an accredited college or university whose accreditation is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), or foreign equivalent.) - AND - two (2) years of administrative assistance experience
- Five (5) years' experience in an upper-level administrative support position with progressively responsible experience in office/clerical, secretarial or general administrative work – AND -Supervisory experience (3 years' experience supervising employees)
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Advanced level of proficiency in Microsoft Word and Microsoft Outlook
- Intermediate level of proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint
- Intermediate level of proficiency in Microsoft SharePoint, Visio, and Teams
- Ability to identify available resources and conduct thorough and extensive research, track and follow timelines
- Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships
- Demonstrated ability to build and maintain effective internal and external working relationships
- Demonstrated competence and applied professionalism to speak on behalf of the Senior Management
- Demonstrated ability to analyze and solve problems under highly stressful or adverse situations
- Ability to lead others, gain cooperation and build/maintain trust
- Demonstrated time and project management skills
Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:
- Maintain regular and reliable attendance
- Complete a felony disclosure form prior to employment and submit to a criminal background check
- Successfully complete, within mandated timeframes, employee orientation and all other mandatory annual, in-service and other required training
- Provide physical residential address and home telephone number to the Department of Corrections
- Become familiar and comply with all Department policies and procedures and Collective Bargaining Agreements as applicable
- Submit to drug testing in accordance with Collective Bargaining Agreement and agency policy
Vision:
Working together for safer communities.
Mission:
Improving public safety by positively changing lives.
Our Commitment:
To operate a safe and humane corrections system and partner with others to transform lives for a better Washington.
DOC is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, honorably discharged veteran, veteran status, genetic information, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal by a person with a disability.
The DOC complies with the employment eligibility verification requirements for the federal employment eligibility verification form I-9. The selected candidate must be able to provide proof of identity and eligibility to work in the United States consistent with the requirements of that form on the first day of employment.
- Please include a minimum of three (3) professional references with your application. A professional reference is defined as an individual who has been paid to supervise your work and can attest to your work performance, technical skills, and job competencies. Phone number AND email address are required for all professional references.
- A background check including criminal record history will be conducted prior to a new hire. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant’s suitability and competence to perform in the position.
- Employees may work directly with or near incarcerated individuals in a potentially hazardous setting. Please consider this when deciding whether to apply.
- We are committed to maintaining a drug and alcohol-free work environment, and our employees are expected to comply with all state and federal laws. A pre-employment drug test may be administered as part of the selection process, and applicants who test positive for any controlled substances, will be disqualified from consideration.
- Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) is an aerosol pepper spray made available as a means of self-defense and/or de-escalation. Applicants with sensitivities or allergies are encouraged to ask about the level of exposure they could expect in this position.
- Animal care projects are a common component of most Washington State prisons, including dog and cat programs. Applicants with animal sensitivities or allergies are encouraged to ask about the level of exposure they could expect in this position.
- Tuberculosis (TB) is a priority health issue for DOC employees. The successful candidate may be required to provide valid proof of a baseline TB skin test within 60 days from the date of hire. When positive tests result, further information, testing and treatment will also be required. Employment is not contingent upon test results.
- DOC does not use E-Verify; therefore, we are not eligible to extend STEM-Optional Practice Training (OPT). For information, please visit www.uscis.gov.
- Employment is not contingent upon test results. Note: This recruitment may be used to fill other (permanent or non-permanent) positions within 60 days after the listed position(s) have been filled.
What We Offer:
As an employee of the Department of Corrections, your work-life integration is a priority. Washington State employees are offered one of the most inclusive and competitive benefits packages in the nation. Besides comprehensive family insurance for medical, dental, and vision, these perks also may include:
- Remote/telework/flexible schedules (depending on position)
- Up to 25 paid vacations days a year
- 8 hours of paid sick leave per month
- 12 paid holidays a year
- Generous retirement plan
- Flex Spending Accounts
- Dependent Care Assistance
- Deferred Compensation and so much more!
For questions about this recruitment, or to request reasonable accommodation in the application process, please email kimberly.pena@doc1.wa.gov or call us at 253-400-1160. For TTY service, please call the Washington Relay Service at 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.