Executive Assistant to the Chief Financial Officer

Tacoma Public Schools; Washington; On-site; USD 106,000 - 141,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits package

Job summary

Tacoma Public Schools is seeking an experienced executive assistant to provide confidential support to the Chief Financial Officer and the Finance Division. The role oversees calendar management, contract coordination, budgeting timelines, and confidential reporting.

The candidate will coordinate communication with district administrators, external agencies, and staff, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timely information flow in a 12-month, 260-day work year.

Qualifications

• High school graduation or equivalent and completion of a one-year secretarial course, or equivalent, with computer training.
• Associate degree in business or related field preferred.
• Three years of increasingly responsible secretarial experience, including one year as an administrative assistant or executive secretary.

Responsibilities

• Manages day-to-day operations for cabinet level officer, the CFO, and staff; coordinates calendars and improves office operations.
• Coordinates contracts review and approvals with outside agencies and internal staff; maintains confidential files.
• Maintains contract databases, central files, and budget timelines; prepares confidential budget materials.

Skills

Executive secretarial procedures

Oral and written communications

Organization and time management

Problem solving

Budget development

Research techniques

Confidentiality

Customer service

Education

High school diploma

Secretarial training

Associate degree in business

3 years secretarial experience

Tools

Presentation software

Spreadsheet software

Word processing

Job description

Tacoma Public Schools

Expected Start Date: As soon as possible

FTE: 1.0

Salary: $105,771 - $140,748 DOE

Work Year: Classified Exempt; 12-month; 260 days

Benefits

This job has the full range of benefits offered by Tacoma Public Schools

Additional Information

The preferred candidate will have experience in a highly confidential role providing direct administrative support to a Chief Financial Officer or the CFO’s designee, with responsibility for organizational-level finance, budgeting, forecasting, contract administration, financial reporting, purchasing, and audit-related activities within a Finance Department.

This position provides confidential administrative support to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO); serves as liaison and representative of the CFO; coordinates the review and approval of contracts with outside agencies; coordinates the division’s master calendar; performs a variety of confidential administrative, clerical, and secretarial duties for the Business and Finance Division; promotes a quality customer service environment.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

1. Manages day-to-day operations for cabinet level officer, the CFO; develops, coordinates, and oversees office functions, including management of the CFO’s calendar; analyzes and makes improvements to office operations; serves as resource to senior leadership and staff; assists with problem resolution, as requested; serves as liaison between cabinet level officers and key District administrators and other staff, external agencies, officials, and the public.
2. Coordinates the review, revision, and approval of contracts with outside agencies, the CFO, and other administrative staff; determines appropriate approval level, ensures deadlines are met; maintains related confidential files.
3. Maintains the District’s contract database; maintains the central file of original contracts, leases, notes, and bond issues for the District; maintains bargaining group contract files, state and internal audit files, and other confidential files.
4. Coordinates the development of the division’s master calendar and budget development time lines with the CFO and other administrative staff; prepares confidential materials during budget preparation.
5. Prepares confidential analysis and documents for union negotiations.
6. May act as project lead or project team member; performs research activities, as assigned; monitors legislative and compliance activities and offers insight into operational impact; may update routine data on the Business and Finance Division web pages; ensures relevant and accurate information is posted on the division web pages.
7. Coordinates administrative aspects of projects and events, integrating them with ongoing work routines; provides project support and coordination related to District levies, bonds, boundary adjustments, or other financial feasibility studies.
8. Prepares, maintains, and monitors department budgets; maintains financial status data and reports; manages division purchasing card usage.
9. Coordinates travel and conference plans for the CFO; prepares and processes claim forms for travel and conference expenses for department staff; arranges conferences and meetings.
10. Composes and edits correspondence and memoranda; prepares and is responsible for routine and confidential correspondence, preparing board agenda items, reports, lists, and memoranda; prepares presentation materials; distributes correspondence and reports, monitors division policy and procedure documents.
11. Acts as key point of contact for the office; responds to inquiries, directs calls or, takes messages; maintains appointment calendar; schedules and attends meetings as assigned; prepares meeting agendas; transcribes minutes.
12. Performs timekeeping activities; maintains vacation and work schedules for the division administrators; performs administrative support duties anticipating business and academic calendars and cycles; maintains the division’s year-round electronic calendar and distributes to designated staff.
13. Ensures an adequate inventory of office supplies; ensures timely maintenance and service of office equipment; works with telecommunications staff to ensure appropriate office telephone programming.

OTHER JOB DUTIES

1. Identifies, initiates, and manages continuous improvement projects using process improvement techniques, such as the Lean Method.
2. Maintains and updates knowledge and skills required for success in the position by participating in professional development activities, as needed, or, as assigned.
3. Performs a variety of related duties as assigned, on a temporary basis.
4. Regular, reliable, predictable attendance or physical presence is an essential job requirement and critical to the performance of the work.

CONDITIONS

Office environment; experiences frequent interruptions; experiences multiple conflicting deadlines; experiences prolonged visual concentration and exposure to video display; confined to work station for prolonged periods; may be required to lift and carry up to 20 pounds, bend, squat, stoop, kneel, crouch, walk, twist, climb, and/or be mobile.

Education and Experience

High school graduation or equivalent and completion of a one-year secretarial course, or equivalent, with computer training; Associate degree in business or related field, preferred; three years of increasingly responsible secretarial experience, including one year as an administrative assistant or executive secretary; school environment, preferred; or any combination of experience and training which provides the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and ability required to perform the work.

Licenses/Special Requirements

Valid Washington State driver’s license and access to personal transportation.

Fingerprints and successful WSP and FBI background clearance/sexual misconduct clearance.

Allowable Substitution

Equivalent combinations of education and experience will be evaluated by the Human Resources department for comparability.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Knowledge of District and divisional operations, policies, procedures, and calendars.

Knowledge of general business and finance practices.

Knowledge of executive secretarial procedures.

Knowledge of office and time management practices and techniques.

Knowledge of team building and collaborative problem-solving methods.

Knowledge of budget development.

Knowledge of research techniques.

Knowledge of correct grammar, spelling, and English usage.

Knowledge of telephone etiquette and techniques.

Skill with personal computers, spreadsheet and word processing applications, and presentation software.

Skill in composing correspondence and proofreading.

Skill in oral and written communications.

Skill in obtaining, clarifying, and exchanging information, and interpreting contracts.

Skill in conducting research of state education codes and legislation.

Skill at facilitating problem solving processes.

Skills sufficient enough in math to perform financial and statistical record keeping.

Skill in providing quality customer service.

Ability to coordinate the work of others.

Ability to independently perform all the duties of the position.

Ability to communicate with administrators, staff, parent(s), students, and community in a manner that reflects positively on the District.

Ability to make accurate arithmetical calculations.

Ability to analyze data and conduct research.

Ability to preserve confidentiality and integrity of information.

Ability to concentrate on detail and be precise.

Ability to remain calm and work under pressure of deadlines.

Ability to organize, prioritize, and coordinate activities.

Ability to coordinate tasks with others and follow-through on status reports.

Ability to demonstrate reasonable, reliable, and regular attendance.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of people in a multi-cultural, diverse socio-economic setting.