Administrative Assistant 5

State-of-Washington-Dept.-of-Enterprise-Service; Olympia (WA); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

State of Washington Department of Enterprise Services (DES) is seeking an Administrative Assistant 5 to support the Chief Human Resources Officer and HR leadership. The role focuses on managing complex schedules, coordinating division activities, and handling confidential information with discretion.

You will lead administrative projects, track deadlines, and ensure effective records management while aligning with agency priorities and compliance standards.

Qualifications

• Manage executive matters with independent judgment and authority.
• Anticipate admin needs, organize work, and adjust priorities.
• Coordinate multi-person projects and ensure timely completion.
• Manage leadership calendars; balance deadlines and travel requests.
• Prepare and edit reports, correspondence, and meeting materials.
• Communicate leadership directions clearly; coordinate follow-ups.

Responsibilities

• Act as primary admin liaison between CHRO, HR leadership, agency divisions, and external clients.
• Manage CHRO and HR leadership calendars, prioritize requests, coordinate travel.
• Oversee day-to-day HR division operations; draft correspondence and reports; protect confidential data.
• Organize division meetings/events; prepare agendas and track follow-ups.
• Plan, organize, and coordinate complex HR projects from start to finish with timelines.
• Develop and monitor systems to track tasks, deadlines, decisions, and follow-ups across HR functions.
• Gather information from varied sources; liaise with staff to keep projects moving.
• Coordinate HR records management; ensure retention in partnership with records officer and State Archives.
• Review filing systems for compliance; implement streamlined tracking for retention requirements.
• Coordinate public records requests, legislative plans, and staff follow-ups across HR.
• Serve as main contact for executive leadership; manage scheduling and correspondence.
• Other duties as needed.

Skills

Executive support

Prioritization

Project coordination

Calendar management

Report drafting

Effective communication

Meeting planning

Confidential information handling

MS Office

Policy application

Record keeping

Communication & collaboration

Time management

Tools

MS Office Suite

Job description

Administrative Assistant 5

Monday - Friday | 8AM - 5PM | HYBRID

NOTE: The hiring authority reserves the right to offer the position at any time after the required posting period, and during the recruitment process. It is to the applicant's advantage to apply as early as possible.

The Department of Enterprise Services (DES)

DES provides centralized business services to state government agencies; to other public entities such as cities, counties and tribes; and to Washington residents. DES’ mission is to strengthen the business of government for a sustainable and just future.

About the Opportunity

In this position, you will serve as primary administrative support to the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), managing HR division operations and advancing key strategic priorities. Exercising independent judgment and delegated authority, you will oversee complex administrative assignments, lead division-wide initiatives, and coordinate multi-faceted projects across organizational functions. Additionally, you will ensure seamless daily operations by maintaining effective records management and retention compliance, managing division resources, and facilitating critical agency activities that directly align with and advance our overall mission.

Some of What You’ll Enjoy Doing Includes

• Act on behalf of the CHRO in administrative matters, serving as the primary administrative liaison between HR leadership, executive leadership, agency divisions, and external clients.
• Manage complex scheduling for the CHRO and HR leadership, prioritizing calendar requests and coordinating travel arrangements.
• Oversee day-to-day HR division administrative operations, including drafting correspondence and reports, managing confidential information, and adjusting priorities to meet changing needs.
• Organize and support division meetings and events by preparing agendas and materials, managing virtual and technical logistics, and tracking follow-up action items.
• Plan, organize, and coordinate complex HR administrative projects from start to finish, establishing timelines, monitoring deliverables, and overcoming operational barriers.
• Develop, maintain, and track systems to monitor assignments, deadlines, decisions, and follow-up activities across multiple HR functions.
• Gather and review information from varied sources to resolve inconsistencies, liaising independently with staff and divisions to keep projects moving forward.
• Coordinate division-wide HR records management, archiving, and disposition in accordance with retention schedules, collaborating directly with the agency records officer and State Archives to resolve complex compliance issues.
• Review current filing systems to identify compliance gaps, developing and implementing streamlined tracking systems and processes to manage retention requirements and prevent recurring issues.
• Coordinate and track key administrative processes across HR, including public records requests, legislative implementation plans, and associated staff follow-up.
• Serve as the primary administrative point of contact for executive leadership, facilitating seamless scheduling, correspondence, and meeting management between HR and the Director’s office.
• Other duties as needed.

Required Qualifications

To qualify for this role, a candidate must possess advanced competency with the demonstrated ability to perform the following:

• Manage administrative matters for an executive leader, make decisions within assigned authority, and recognize when direction or approval is needed.
• Anticipate administrative needs, organize work, and adjust priorities to meet changing demands and deadlines.
• Coordinate projects involving multiple people or teams, resolve administrative problems, and follow assignments through to completion.
• Manage leadership calendars, weigh competing requests, and resolve scheduling conflicts based on urgency and organizational needs.
• Prepare and edit reports, correspondence, presentations, and meeting materials so they are accurate, clearly organized, and easy to understand.
• Communicate executive leadership direction clearly, confirm expectations, and coordinate follow-up with employees, leaders, and agency partners.
• Plan meetings and events, coordinate materials and logistics, track decisions, commitments, and next steps.
• Handle sensitive, confidential information with care and share it only with authorized individuals.
• Independently use Microsoft Office or similar tools to manage documents, spreadsheets, presentations, calendars, and tracking systems.
• Apply administrative policies and procedures, identify problems or unnecessary steps and carry out approved improvements.
• Maintain accurate records, track deadlines, and commitments, and raise concerns early with suggested solutions.
• Listen to different perspectives, communicate courteously and collaboratively, and adjust communications or meeting arrangements to meet participants’ needs.
• Plan and manage time effectively, prioritize work and complete assignments timely and accurately, including independently managing competing priorities and anticipating deadlines.

Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Competencies

• Take action to learn and grow: Demonstrate a willingness to learn from new experiences, seek feedback, consider different perspectives, and continuously improve knowledge, skills, communication, and approaches to work.
• Take action to meet the needs of others: Seek to understand the needs and experiences of customers, coworkers, and communities. Identify barriers to access and participation and address them before they become obstacles for the people we serve, providing support that is respectful, timely, and effective.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ability to interpret WACs, RCWs, policies, and procedures, and apply relevant requirements.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the legislative process and bill analysis and life cycle.
• Experience with bill analysis tracking systems and coordinating the bill analysis process.
• An understanding of the agency’s organizational structure and the ability to navigate organizational relationships and processes to effectively coordinate administrative functions across the agency.
• One (1) year of experience as an Administrative Assistant 4, or two (2) years’ experience as an Administrative Assistant 3, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience demonstrating the ability to successfully perform the work.

Background Check Notice

Prior to any new appointment into The Department of Enterprise Services, a background check including criminal record history will be conducted as a condition of employment. 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.

Washington Fair Chance Act

We are committed to providing equitable access to employment opportunities. If a criminal background check is required for employment at an agency, it will occur only after a conditional offer of employment has been made and accepted. Applicants are not required to disclose criminal history during the hiring process prior to a conditional offer. Criminal history will not automatically exclude an applicant from consideration and will be reviewed on an individual basis consistent with applicable law and the requirements of the position.

Learn more about the Washington Fair Chance Act:

Opportunity for All

The Department of Enterprise Services celebrates our differences and we are committed to a workplace that supports equal opportunity employment and inclusion regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity diversity, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We will also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local laws.

You are welcome to include the name and pronoun you would like to be referred to in your materials and we will honor this as you interact with our organization.

Contact Information

For questions about this recruitment or to request a reasonable accommodation in the application process, contact George Deguzman via email at [e-mail]. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call through the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.

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