Secretarial Assistant Jobs in Washington (NOW HIRING)

The Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs (ECA) requires an Administrative Assistant IV (Senior Executive) to support the Assistant Secretary, Chief of Staff and the ECA Front Office. Support includes, but is not limited to, all functional roles of an Administrative Assistant, from scheduling, drafting memos, coordinating taskers, and providing substantive analysis on policy issues, to travel, budget, and project management, as well as other functions that directly assist the Assistant Secretary, Chief of Staff and the ECA Front Office. Exceptional critical thinking, writing and organizational skills is required, as well as the ability to prepare senior principals for a vast array of meetings, engagements, and events.

Job Duties:

• Provide support directly to Deputy Assistant Secretary level and above.
• Conduct research, draft, and edit written materials such as correspondence, memoranda, speeches, reports, newsletters, and briefing papers.
• Prepare briefing checklists, briefing papers, and briefing books in preparation for a vast array of meetings and events.
• Help to coordinate and staff diplomatic and other high-level meetings, consultations, and liaison engagements, including those with ministers of foreign countries. Support may include researching and preparing background information on attendees and developing meeting agendas, as well as providing arrangements for security clearances, VIP parking, and building access, or an online meeting solution, as needed.
• Prepare the Assistant Secretary, Chief of Staff and the ECA Front Office for meeting with principals and others in attendance for any event. May serve as notetaker for meetings.
• Compile background memoranda, talking points and scenarios, and briefs the Assistant Secretary, Chief of Staff, or other assigned principal, in advance of meetings, events, or conferences.
• Help to prepare and coordinate representational events and conferences, including assisting with the planning, budgeting, coordinating, and recruiting of volunteers, working on event material's content and graphics, as well as providing onsite support.
• Support and escort principals at representational events, including evening or weekend events. This may include serving as the control officer.
• Serve as a liaison as needed for the Assistant Secretary, Chief of Staff and the ECA Front Office. Help to manage the Assistant Secretary's calendar and assists in the coordination of meeting schedules, reservations for events, booking transportation, confirming attendees, tracking briefing materials, and sending events information to Public Affairs for the Public Schedule, as well as requesting photographers or other social media support for meetings.
• Work directly with the ECA Front Office and Program Office staff, and/or Posts in the planning, preparation, and conduct of sensitive and/or complex domestic and foreign executive travel. This may include traveling with the Assistant Secretary or Chief of Staff.
• Provide analytical and logistical support for Bureau projects and/or activities, to include helping to formulate, plan, manage, and execute projects and activities.
• Track taskers and other requirements to ensure the Assistant Secretary and/or Chief of Staff is appropriately responsive to all required DAS-level clearances and above.
• Prepare written materials to include, but not be limited to, facilitating agendas and follow-up from meetings, writing meeting notes or minutes, processing information requests, and maintaining procedure manuals.
• Support the management of office staff through the editing of position descriptions, the tracking performance reviews, participating on committees, maintaining databases, reporting time and attendance, maintaining leave information, and supporting temporary duty staff.
• Support information technology and records management by maintaining document tracking systems, using travel systems, using an electronic message delivery system, maintaining biographic data, maintaining files, and supporting other electronic record systems as needed
• Provide other general administrative and programmatic support to the ECA Front Office in line with these duties as needed.

Requirements

• A Bachelor's degree

• Some specialized experience which provided the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the responsibilities of the position outlined above.
• Basic familiarity with U.S. foreign policy and international educational and cultural exchanges.
• Excellent computer skills, with proven experience in or the ability to learn the following applications: MS Office (Access, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Word), Adobe Creative Suite, Email marketing tools, Salesforce
• Experience gathering, interpreting, and synthesizing data to inform pertinent issues to management and other stakeholders.
• Demonstrated skills or knowledge of global internet access and research capabilities.
• Strong critical thinking and analytical skills.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to interact with all nationalities in a culturally sensitive manner.
• Strong ability to also have a flexible, team-oriented approach to work.
• Preference for work on educational and cultural exchanges.
• Preference for exposure to U.S. foreign affairs agencies and/or international organizations.
• Ability to multitask, prioritize and deliver high-quality, accurate work within targeted deadlines;
• Ability to successfully work as a team to accomplish all tasks; and
• Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance at the Secret level.

Other Duties: 
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice. 

Benefits

Benefits Include:

• Covers 100% of employee benefit premiums, including Medical (PPO or HDHP Option), Vision, Dental
• Matching 401K
• Short- and Long-Term Disability
• Pet Insurance
• Professional Development/Education Reimbursement
• Parking and Transit Benefits for NY, NJ, ATL, and DC Metro areas

Other Duties:

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.