Administrative Assistant 5 | Office of Strategy & Innovation

Washington State Health Care Authority; Tumwater (WA); Hybrid; USD 61,000 - 82,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote/telework

Vacation days

Sick leave

Holidays

Retirement plan

Flex Spending Accounts

Dependent Care Assistance

Deferred Compensation

Job summary

Washington State Department of Corrections is seeking an Administrative Assistant 5 in Tumwater, WA to provide confidential administrative and technical support to the Director of the Office of Strategy and Innovation (OSI). The role involves complex project coordination, editing, and executive support across OSI staff.

Requirements include a Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience, plus strong writing, organization, and Microsoft Office expertise.

Qualifications

• Excellent writing skills, including plain language and strong grammar.
• Ability to manage high stress scenarios with competing priorities.
• Exceptional attention to detail is required.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio, and SharePoint.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the principal assistant to the Director for administrative matters.
• Coordinate calendars, meetings, and travel for the Director and OSI staff.
• Proofread and copy edit reports, manuscripts, and materials prior to publication.
• Coordinate internal office moves and equipment transfer as needed.

Skills

Writing skills

Stress management

Attention to detail

MS Office proficiency

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration or related field

Tools

Outlook

Excel

Word

PowerPoint

Visio

SharePoint

Job description

Administrative Assistant 5

Full Time | Permanent

Location: Headquarters | Tumwater, WA

Salary Range: $5,111 - $6,870 Monthly

The Washington State Department of Corrections has an exciting opportunity for a creative, organized and dedicated team member to join the Office of Strategy and Innovation as an Administrative Assistant 5 (AA5)! The goal of the position is to serve as the principal assistant for administrative and personnel matters for the Director of the Office of Strategy and Innovation (OSI).

As an AA5, you will be responsible for effectively and efficiently providing confidential administrative and technical support through various programs and project management and coordinating various complex projects and administrative requirements for Office of Strategy and Innovation (OSI) staff and operations. This dynamic role could have you serving as a quality control liaison, addressing and responding to agency or public groups on departmental functions and policies, answering questions regarding operations of the division and coordinating travel arrangements for the Director and OSI staff.

Strong editing and proofreading skills are required as you will proofread and copy edits for research reports, manuscripts, pamphlets and brochures prior to publication and/or distribution. You will also coordinate internal office moves for OSI, as needed, including transfer of equipment and ensuring systems access.

This position requires independent judgment and problem-solving solutions to prioritize and complete daily duties and functions. The OSI team is excited to add a team member who will support staff for administrative matters while supporting the organization’s mission to improve public safety by positively changing lives!

We are looking for teammates who share our vision of public service, committed to an equitable and inclusive culture that fosters and inspires excellence, while promoting innovation, engagement, and safety, leading to better outcomes for our incarcerated population, our agency, and our community.

As an Administrative Assistant 5, some of your duties will include:

• Serving as the principal assistant to the Director of the Office of Strategy and Innovation which includes:
  • Accomplishing varied and complex projects, makes decisions and acts on behalf of the Director in administrative matters
  • Using independent judgment to plan, prioritize and organize a diverse workload related to department- wide efforts involving OSI
  • Identifying, researching and resolving problems through the development of administrative processes to eliminate duplication of effort
  • Keeping the Director apprised of action items, status checks, priorities, deadlines, and relevant business issues
  • Managing executive-level calendars, scheduling appointments/meetings, dates/times, locations, and attendees as needed
  • Arranging for conference rooms and equipment as needed for meetings and/or conferences
  • Preparing correspondence for the Director, exercising signature authority on designated administrative matters
  • Preparing and reviewing correspondence on the Director’s behalf to ensure clarity, consistency, and quality of documents
  • Reading, routing and distributing incoming mail, retaining certain correspondence for own replies
• Supporting OSI staff for administrative matters which could look like:
  • Attending staff meetings, assisting with setting the agenda, capturing action items and following up
  • Setting schedule and venues for in person quarterly meetings
  • Coordinating agendas and logistics
  • Creating timelines and tools to support staff in preparing deliverables, status updates or any other needed work products
  • Coordinating, attending, and managing of additional OSI meetings related to projects, strategic planning, continuous improvement, change management or any other effort to satisfy the business requirements of OSI
• Serving as personnel liaison with Human Resources (HR)
• Providing tracking, monitoring, and assistance in the management of the OSI budget
• Other duties as assigned

What we need (required qualifications):

• One (1) year as an Administrative Assistant 4

OR

• Two (2) years' experience as an Administrative Assistant 3

OR

• Five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in the office/clerical, secretarial, or administrative work

OR

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, public administration, or a closely aligned field from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)

AND

• One (1) year of administrative experience.

In addition to the above education/experience, the below knowledge, skills and/or abilities are required:

• Excellent writing skills, including plain language principles and strong punctuation and grammar
• Ability to manage high stress situations created by competing priorities
• Exceptional attention to detail
• Advanced-level proficiency in Microsoft Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio, and SharePoint programs

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.

Our Core Values:

• Cultivate an environment of integrity and trust: Corrections values partnership and trust. We foster openness and support courageous conversations. We are committed to doing what we say we are going to do by being accountable and taking personal ownership in our actions.
• Respectful and inclusive interactions: Corrections appreciates and values individuals by promoting an inclusive and diverse environment, which encourages safety. We respect, value, and listen to the thoughts, feelings, and perspectives of our stakeholders and consider the impact on those we serve as well as each other.
• People's safety: Corrections believes in creating an environment that values physical, mental, and emotional security and well-being. We honor those who advance safety for all.
• Positivity in words and actions: At Corrections, we assume positive intentions and believe there is a shared desire for the best outcome. We consistently demonstrate positive behavior and always put forth our best effort.
• Supporting people's success: Corrections is committed to our community – understanding individuals, instilling hope, embracing change, and providing opportunities.

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.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

• 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. https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents
• 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.
• This recruitment may be utilized to fill more than one position.
• 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. If you do not have any or sufficient professional references, please include non-related professionals, such as educators or other professional associates. **Please note: 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.
• Foreign equivalent degrees awarded outside the United States must have a credential evaluation report attached to your application. You may request the required evaluation/documentation from www.wes.org and www.aice-eval.org. Until this documentation is provided, you will not be selected to move forward in the hiring process.

Telework Details

This position may be allocated for telework. If authorized for the role, work may be performed from your home or another offsite location within the state of Washington using a reliable internet or cellular hotspot service at that time. Employees are expected to perform assigned duties in a safe manner, to take proper care all state-issued equipment, and maintain confidentiality of all information in possession while working offsite. Employees will be required to commute to a Department of Corrections facility or field office as business requires, to potentially include components of the onboarding process. Some offices will have a "drop in" area available, however, a dedicated workspace within a DOC facility will not be provided.

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 vacation 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!

*Teamsters 117 represented positions receive 3 days of bereavement leave.

PERS:

State Employees are members of the Washington Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS). New employees have the option of two employer contributed retirement programs. For additional information, check out the Department of Retirement Systems' web site.

For questions about this recruitment, or to request reasonable accommodation in the application process, please email [e-mail] or call us at 509-630-9160. For TTY service, please call the Washington Relay Service at 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.