Administrative Assistant – Project Support

West Plains Engineering; Sioux Falls (SD); On-site; USD 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid leave and holidays

Telehealth

Job summary

West Plains Engineering in Sioux Falls, SD seeks an entry-level Administrative Assistant to support our engineering and project teams. This full-time, hourly role reports to the Office Manager and helps track schedules, coordinate documents, and monitor basic budget and billing information, with front-desk duties as needed.

You’ll assist Project Managers with schedules, budgets, and invoices, prepare project documents, support billing, and learn Unanet and Cosential tools while growing in a

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Strong communication and organizational skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Word and Excel.
• Valid driver’s license required to run office errands; company vehicle available.
• Friendly, professional demeanor and team-oriented mindset.
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines and switch between administrative and project-support tasks.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the first point of contact for visitors and callers.
• Maintain office supplies and coordinate with vendors.
• Support and coordinate office activities for staff.
• Assemble project documents, bid packets, and promotional materials.
• Provide quality control checks on project deliverables.
• Track shop drawing submittals and manage project data in CRM/ERP systems.
• Assist Project Managers with tracking project schedules, budgets, timelines, and milestones; flag changes or delays.
• Compile budgets, expense logs, and invoices for PM review.
• Support billing and basic bookkeeping tasks.
• Coordinate meeting logistics and distribute notes for teams and clients.
• Track accounts receivable and provide status updates to clients.

Skills

Microsoft Office

Excel

Word

Communication

Organization

Driver's license

Team orientation

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

Unanet CRM

Unanet AE ERP

Cosential

Shipping platforms

SpecLink

PDF software

Job description

West Plains Engineering (WPE) offers a unique career opportunity in a region known for its welcoming communities, stable economy, and exceptional quality of life. We provide our team with the tools and support to thrive professionally while contributing to meaningful engineering projects. Our culture emphasizes learning, mentoring, and collaboration, both within our offices and in the communities we serve.

POSITION SUMMARY

This full-time, hourly position reports to the Office Manager and supports our engineering and project teams with a blend of administrative and project-support tasks. Building on WPE’s Administrative Assistant role, this position takes on added responsibility for helping Project Managers track schedules, coordinate documents, and monitor basic budget and billing information. This remains an entry-level, non-exempt role with no independent authority over contracts, budgets, or expenditures.

You’ll be involved in everything from greeting guests and answering phones to compiling project documents, tracking shop drawing submittals, and supporting invoice and expense tracking. We’re looking for someone who is eager to learn, enjoys working in a team environment, and takes pride in helping projects run smoothly. You’ll work closely with internal and external teams throughout all phases of our projects, gaining exposure to a wide range of engineering services and business operations.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Job responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Serve as the first point of contact for visitors and callers
• Maintain office supplies, including ordering and shopping as required, and coordinate with vendors
• Support and coordinate office activities for staff
• Assemble project documents, bid packets, and promotional materials
• Provide an additional set of eyes for quality control on project deliverables
• Track shop drawing submittals and manage project data in our CRM/ERP systems
• Assist Project Managers with tracking project schedules, budgets, timelines, and milestones, and flag changes or delays for review
• Compile and organize project budgets, expense logs, and invoices for Project Manager review
• Support billing and basic bookkeeping tasks under the direction of accounting or project staff
• Support meeting logistics, including scheduling, agendas, and distributing meeting notes for project teams and clients
• Track outstanding accounts receivable (AR) and maintain client contact to provide status updates
• Learn and teach others how to use office software and equipment

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• High school diploma or GED required
• Strong communication and organizational skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Word and Excel
• Valid driver’s license required to run office errands and deliver materials as needed; a company vehicle is available for use during these tasks
• Friendly, professional demeanor and a team-oriented mindset
• Comfort managing multiple deadlines and shifting between administrative and project-support tasks

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Prior administrative, clerical, or project-coordination experience
• Experience in a construction or engineering environment
• Familiarity with Unanet CRM, Unanet AE ERP, Cosential, shipping platforms (UPS, FedEx), SpecLink specification software, and PDF software

BENEFITS

At West Plains Engineering, we offer a comprehensive benefits package for full-time employees. Benefit options include Medical, Dental, Vision, Pharmacy, Health Savings Account, Life Insurance, Supplemental Life Insurance, Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance, Short-Term Disability Insurance, Long-Term Disability Insurance, Employee Assistance Program, Telehealth, 401(k) with Company Match, Paid Leave, and Paid Holidays.

West Plains Engineering provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities throughout the application and employment process; contact HR at 605-718-8215 or [e-mail] to request one.

West Plains Engineering is an equal opportunity employer and federal contractor that participates in E-Verify (e-verify.gov ) and takes affirmative action to employ and advance qualified individuals with disabilities and protected veterans under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and VEVRAA. All qualified applicants receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity), national origin, disability, or protected veteran status. West Plains Engineering does not sponsor applicants for work visas.

Applicants and employees may also view the EEOC’s “Know Your Rights” poster at eeoc.gov/know-your-rights , and West Plains Engineering will not discharge or discriminate against employees or applicants for inquiring about, discussing, or disclosing their own compensation or that of others, consistent with applicable law.