People & Culture - Administrative Staff Assistant

City of Seattle; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 57,000 - 67,000; Full time

Job summary

Seattle City Light is seeking an Administrative Staff Assistant to support the People & Culture team. This onsite role requires anticipating needs, clearing obstacles, and driving improvements for the P&C Officer and staff.

The ideal candidate will manage calendars, coordinate communications, and handle confidential matters with discretion and emotional intelligence, reporting to the P&C Officer.

Qualifications

• One year of administrative analysis, budget administration or related work.
• Bachelor's degree in business or public administration or equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

• Manage complex calendars and scheduling to support People & Culture programs.
• Track deliverables, timelines, and follow up on outstanding items.
• Serve as liaison for direct reports and ensure smooth team communication.
• Coordinate and manage internal and external communications for the P&C Officer
• Plan and support team activities and workforce-related engagements
• Handle confidential employee matters promptly with emotional intelligence

Skills

Calendar management

Communication

Attention to detail

Emotional intelligence

Discretion

Education

Bachelor's degree in business or public administration

Tools

Office 365

Asana

Job description

Seattle City Light, a department of the City of Seattle, is one of the nation’s largest municipally owned utilities in terms of the number of customers served. Over the years we have worked very hard to keep Seattle's electricity affordable, reliable, and environmentally sound. Today, City Light is a recognized national leader in energy efficiency and environmental stewardship.

Seattle City Light is committed to fostering an inclusive culture of belonging where employees at all levels feel valued, respected, and supported in doing their best work every day. To create this environment, we hold ourselves and each other accountable for demonstrating these ideals and we treat our employees and customers the same way.

The People & Culture team at Seattle City Light is seeking a driven, highly motivated and detail-oriented Administrative Staff Assistant. This is an essential member of the P&C team. The ideal candidate must be able to anticipate needs, clear obstacles, and drive improvements to build capacity for the P&C Officer and staff. Seattle City Light is a place-based organization, and this position is expected to be onsite four days a week. The primary work location is at the Seattle Municipal Tower in downtown Seattle.

You will thrive in this position if you consistently demonstrate integrity, discretion, sound judgment, emotional intelligence, and professionalism in handling confidential matters and interacting with employees and stakeholders across the utility. We are looking for someone who is internally driven, able to complete complex tasks with minimal guidance, and comfortable taking decisive action even when all information is not yet available.

The most competitive candidates will bring exceptional attention to detail, strong planning skills and a calm, flexible presence under pressure.

This position will report to the People and Culture’s Officer.

You will:

• Manage complex calendars and scheduling to support People & Culture programs across the utility
• Track key deliverables, monitor timelines, and follow up on outstanding items to ensure forward progress
• Serve as liaison for direct reports and support smooth communication flow within the team
• Proactively coordinate, craft, and manage internal and external communications on behalf of the P&C Officer
• Plan, organize, and support team activities such as staff meetings, all-staff events, off-sites, and workforce-related engagements
• Handle confidential employee matters promptly, accurately, and with high emotional intelligence

Required Qualifications

Experience that reflects a commitment to fair and equitable outcomes and includes:

• One year of experience in administrative analysis, budget administration or preparation, office management, personnel administration, program administration, or similar roles; and
• A bachelor's degree in business or public administration or closely related field (OR an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience that prepares you to perform the responsibilities of this role)

Desired Qualifications

You will be especially successful if you have:

• Strong written and verbal communication skills and exceptional attention to detail
• 3–5 years of experience in a complex, multicultural environment, HR setting, or other confidential workspaces
• Demonstrated ability to build and refine processes that enhance the employee or customer experience
• Experience supporting an executive leader with diverse lines of business
• Proficiency in modern digital tools (e.g., Office 365, Asana)
• A calm, proactive, and emotionally intelligent approach to navigating complexity and change

Emergency Response Commitment:

Seattle City Light is committed to reliable service during emergencies. Through our Emergency Response Program, each employee is assigned a role—usually aligned with their regular duties to support emergency operations. Your participation is required and vital to helping the utility stay prepared and serve our community when it matters most.

The full salary range for this position is $41.44 - $48.31 per hour.

Who May Apply

This position is open to all candidates that meet the qualifications. Seattle City Light values diverse perspectives and life experiences. Applicants will be considered regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, disability, religious or political affiliation, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Seattle City Light encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQIA+, people with disabilities, veterans, and those with diverse life experiences.

Job offers are contingent on the verification of credentials and other information required by the employment process, including the completion of a background check. The background check will involve a criminal history check, which includes conviction and arrest records in compliance with Seattle’s Fair Chance Employment Ordinance, SMC 14.17 and the City of Seattle Personnel Rule 10.3. A driving history review may be conducted in compliance with SMC 4.79.020. Applicants will beprovidedan opportunity to explain or correct background information.

The City of Seattle offers a comprehensive benefits package including vacation, holiday, and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance for employees and their dependents. More information about employee benefits is available on the City's website at: https://www.seattle.gov/human-resources/benefits.

Want to know more about Seattle City Light? Check out our web page: https://www.seattle.gov/city-light/about-us/careers.