Administrative Secretary

AFL-CIO; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 52,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

AFL-CIO is seeking an Administrative Assistant to directly support executive staff and coordinate with the Office of the President. The role involves managing calendars, travel, correspondence, and confidential information within a dynamic labor movement environment.

You will coordinate with multiple departments, draft policy statements, and help implement office systems while providing service for in-person and virtual meetings. Strong communication and discretion are essential.

Qualifications

• Experience supporting executive staff or elected leaders.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain confidentiality and discretion.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work both in a team and independently.
• Professional, courteous, and tactful demeanor.
• Proficiency in relevant technical capacities, professionalism, thoroughness, and flexibility.
• Ability to handle highly sensitive issues with sound judgment.
• Knowledge of AFL-CIO structure, procedures and protocols.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
• Ability to travel occasionally.

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative support for executive staff.
• Schedule and organize complex activities, travel, and speaking engagements and manage calendars.
• Anticipate executive needs and coordinate with the administrative team.
• Liaise with department staff, AFL-CIO staff and affiliates, including elected leaders.
• Apply organizational policies, procedures and protocols.
• Develop and assess office systems including records, communications, meetings, travel, and expenses.
• Prepare responses to inquiries and correspondence; ensure accuracy of final documents.
• Coordinate workflow and office policies/procedures; support meetings logistics.
• Assist with executive communications and intra-office communications.

Skills

Executive support

Confidentiality

Communication

Teamwork

Multitasking

Research

Note taking

Meeting logistics

Web research

Google Suite

Windows

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Access

Microsoft PowerPoint

Zoom

Google Meet

Concur

World Travel systems

Asana

Tools

Google Suite

Windows

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Access

Microsoft PowerPoint

Zoom

Google Meet

Concur

World Travel systems

Asana

Job description

Are you passionate about economic fairness and social justice? Do you want to improve the lives of working people and strengthen the labor movement? If you answered, “Yes!” then the AFL-CIO may be the right place for you. We are the largest federation of labor unions in the United States, and our team of dynamic professionals is dedicated to growing worker power and ensuring every working person has a voice on the job. When you work at the AFL-CIO, you’re more than just an individual employee—you’re helping to lead a movement with a proud history and a bright future ahead.

This candidate will directly support executive staff working in coordination with the administrative team for the Office of the President.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide administrative support for executive staff;
• Schedule and organize complex activities, travel, and speaking engagements and manage calendars;
• Anticipate the needs of the executive staff, work in coordination with the administrative team, and develop an independent work plan to support those priorities;
• Act as liaison with other department staff, AFL-CIO staff and affiliates, including elected leaders;
• Know, interpret, and apply organizational policies, procedures, and protocols;
• Develop, coordinate, and assess office systems and operations, including but not limited to record keeping, internal and external communications, meetings, travel and expenses, and other areas as assigned;
• Review incoming correspondence and materials and independently prepare responses to inquiries and other correspondence;
• Type and design general correspondence, memos, policy statements, charts, tables, graphs, etc. Proofread copy for spelling, grammar, and layout, and make appropriate changes. Responsible for accuracy of the final document/product;
• Coordinate office workflow including resolution of questions and concerns, as well as development of ongoing office policies and procedures;
• Support both in-person and virtual meetings by working with executive, IT, and Meetings & Travel staff on all logistical details;
• Understand, and be able to communicate, the function of the AFL-CIO to both the internal and external labor movement;
• Retrieve information quickly from various sources, including utilizing the web as a resource tool;
• Work independently and within a team on special and nonrecurring projects;
• Assist and aid with Executive Office communications and in the development of intra-office communication systems and processes;
• Screen, manage and prioritize visitors, calls and mail;
• Process expense reports and make travel arrangements;
• Substitute for other Administrative Assistants within the Executive Office as required;
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience working with elected leaders or within an Executive Office capacity;
• Demonstrated commitment to confidentiality and strong demonstrated ability to exercise discretion;
• Positive attitude and excellent communication and interpersonal skills;
• Demonstrated ability to work within a team as a lead or in a support capacity;
• Professional, courteous and tactful;
• Core competencies in relevant technical capacities, professionalism, thoroughness, communication and flexibility;
• Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment with highly sensitive issues;
• Knowledge or ability to learn AFL-CIO structure, procedures and protocols;
• Demonstrated ability to work in a high-pressure environment and meet unpredictable deadlines;
• Demonstrated ability to work independently;
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks;
• Ability to identify problems and resolve them using relevant resources.
• Highly motivated and a self-starter;
• Demonstrated experience in taking and transcribing meeting notes (shorthand is not required);
• Demonstrated experience organizing logistics for meetings, including coordinating RSVPs, food and beverage, virtual options, and IT needs.
• Strong ability to do web-based research;
• Demonstrated proficiency in Google Suite including Google Docs, Windows, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access and Microsoft PowerPoint;
• Demonstrated experience with Zoom, Google Meet and other virtual meeting platforms;
• Preferred experience with Concur and World Travel systems;
• Preferred experience with Asana or other project management software;
• Ability to work overtime (as needed);
• Ability to travel sporadically, usually two to three times per year.

Required Tests Include:

Spreadsheet (Excel), Intermediate Excel, Google Suite, Clerical, Typing, and Judgment

Hours: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM