Salary: $62,660.20 - $97,123.31 Annually
Location : 401 B Street, San Diego
Job Type: Full-Time
Remote Employment: Flexible/Hybrid
Department: Organization Effectiveness
Division: Organization Effectiveness
Opening Date: 04/22/2024
Closing Date: 5/10/2024 11:59 PM Pacific
FLSA: Exempt
Description

About SANDAG
The San Diego region is entering a new era of innovation, driven by exciting advances in technology, biotechnology, renewable energy, cybersecurity, and automation that will change the way people live. Our region's future prosperity depends on mobility - the ability of people in all communities to connect quickly and easily to centers of innovation and opportunity. As a hub for innovation, the San Diego region will continue to attract innovators and investors. The region is a point of convergence for personal mobility, affordability, and widely shared opportunities for advancement that support a high quality of life for more than three million residents.
SANDAG provides local governments in the San Diego region with a forum to plan and execute projects that promote economic growth, sustainable communities, personal mobility, and equity for the region's residents. We build consensus; make strategic plans; obtain and allocate resources; plan, engineer, and build public transportation projects; analyze and disseminate data; and publish information on a broad range of topics related to the region's quality of life.
SANDAG is responsible for responding to most state and federal mandates that apply to the region, and to many locally generated mandates that are handled regionally. SANDAG is a leader in integrating Big Data into its decision-making, by providing member agencies, partner agencies, and members of the public with the data and analysis they need to improve their communities and the quality of life for all residents of the region. For example, real-time transportation data can be used to reduce peak hour traffic congestion, and limit delays during traffic incidents. Data pertaining to major corridors of travel and high-use areas can be used to help decision-makers maximize investments in infrastructure -promoting more efficient travel connections, improved economic growth, and a higher quality of life for a broader segment of the overall population.
Role
The Executive Assistant will perform a range of highly skilled and specialized administrative tasks for the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Deputy Executive Officer, other Executive Team members, Board Members, and coordinate regularly with employees, local/state/federal agencies and officials, member agencies, community leaders, and members of the public regarding SANDAG services, programs, policies, and priorities.

This opportunity is ideal for an experienced administrative professional with exceptional expertise in providing complex, and personalized support to senior-level executives. The Executive Assistant will play a pivotal role in being a gatekeeper of communication, prioritization, and flow of information to facilitate executive focus on strategic initiatives. The ideal candidate will demonstrate keen judgment, proactive initiative and assertive influence over executive staff's schedules and priorities in order to maintain a seamless workflow. This candidate must be comfortable with a fast-paced, very dynamic, and multi-faceted environment. We foresee substantial professional growth opportunities arising from the diverse range of duties and responsibilities outlined below, augmented by mentoring and collaborative engagement with the Executive Team.
Job Responsibilities

• Provide complex administrative support to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and other Senior Executives.
• Coordinate a high volume of in-person and virtual meetings, phone calls, and other activities with elected officials, public agency executives, business and community leaders, and other VIPs; managing very dynamic executive calendars that extend outside of usual business hours (evening and weekend appointments).
• Coordinate and/or verify arrangements for the CEO's attendance at meetings, conferences, hearings, media briefings, community events, etc. (location, audio-visual, hospitality, etc.); assist the CEO and other staff in preparing for meetings, presentations, and events by gathering and providing information in advance (reports, briefings with other staff, etc.).
• Coordinate travel arrangements for the CEO and other staff, and at times, elected officials traveling for SANDAG business; interpret, explain, and follow agency policies and procedures when booking Board Member/Employee travel and processing reimbursement claims.
• Prepare and submit reimbursement claims for business expenses incurred by the CEO and other Senior Executives; prepare regular summary reports as requested by Management.
• Tactfully provide "gatekeeper" and "gateway" functions for the CEO and other Executives; balance access and communication, while ensuring priorities are addressed, and schedules are followed.
• Communicate regularly with the CEO to discuss scheduled activities and commitments as well as shifting priorities; maintain situational awareness of the environment and assist the CEO with schedule changes as needed.
• Serve as a liaison between the CEO and internal departments, and external agencies, jurisdictions, and organizations at the local, state, and federal level.
• Respond to a broad range of inquiries, questions, and concerns and information regarding policies, procedures, and programs; maintain a superior level of customer service; exercise discretion, tact, and diplomacy when handling sensitive, controversial, or difficult situations.
• Prepare correspondence, memos, and notices as requested.
• Review materials that are submitted for the CEO or other Executive's signature, determine if all relevant data, files, and signatures are included.
• Serve as a backup for other Executive Assistants; assist as-needed with a broad range of activities and functions to support the agency.

Typical Qualifications

• The minimum education, training, and experience qualifications include a high school diploma or equivalent supplemented by specialized administrative training or college level business courses and five plus years of increasingly responsible experience providing administrative support to Chief Executive Officers or multiple Senior Executives.
• Demonstrated experience providing complex administrative support services for multiple high-level senior executive staff; previous experience with elected officials, municipal government, city/county departments, and operations is preferred.
• Experience scheduling and coordinating a high volume of appointments/meetings with numerous attendees, and maintaining a calendar of activities, meetings, and events for senior executives; demonstrated ability to understand appointment priorities and negotiate requests for time.
• Demonstrated ability to create and format a wide variety of electronic documents ranging from routine letters and memos to more complex agendas and long reports; demonstrated proficiency with advanced document formatting processes using MS Word; demonstrated ability to type or take accurate notes at a speed necessary for successful job performance.
• Experience coordinating complex employee travel requests and preparing expense reports/requests for reimbursement.
• Demonstrated ability to work with highly sensitive information and maintain confidentiality.
• Experience maintaining files and records including hard copy and electronic files; experience preparing invoices for payment; ability to research, gather, organize, and arrange a diverse range of information; ability to keep complex records and prepare reports.
• Demonstrated ability to establish, maintain, and foster positive, harmonious, and cooperative working relationships with those contacted during business, including elected officials, representatives from partner organizations, members of the public, consultants and vendors, and other individuals having business with SANDAG.
• Excellent customer service skills including strong verbal and written communication skills for responding to in-person, telephone, and email inquiries.
• Demonstrated ability to work well under pressure and with frequent interruptions from telephone calls, visitors, and employees; effective time management skills and the ability to perform multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Excellent time management and organizational skills with the ability to prioritize multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment; ability to effectively plan and coordinate work with others, exercise good judgment, and work independently.
• Demonstrated computer software proficiency using various programs from the Microsoft Office Suite (particularly Outlook, Word, and Excel) and other PC-based applications.
• The successful candidate must pass a pre-position criminal background and credit check; periodic background and credit checks will be a condition of ongoing employment in the position.

Skills and Abilities:

• Very dynamic and complex work environment
• Maintain awareness of priorities as they pertain to CEO role
• Able to interpret and apply policies and procedures
• Anticipate CEO needs - be two steps ahead
• Familiar with roles and responsibilities of elected officials at the federal, state, and local levels, their staff and how public agencies operate
• Confidentiality and discretion
• Composed
• Organized and flexible
• Think/react quickly, with good judgement

First review of applications: May 10, 2024
Expected start date: June 2024
We offer a complete benefits package to full-time employees including:

• Hybrid work options
• 9/80 flexible work schedule
• Pay-for-performance merit increases
• Retirement - Defined Benefit Plan with the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS)
• Retirement - 457 Defined Contribution Plan with Voya
• Excellent health insurance options for employees and their eligible dependents
• Free dental and vision insurance for employees and their eligible dependents
• Education Assistance of up to $5,250 a year for regular employees
• Free transit pass for use throughout the San Diego region, bus, Rapid Express, Trolley, and COASTER
• Paid time off including 12 paid holidays, 2 floating holiday days, generous paid time off (PTO) per year, depending on length of service

01

SANDAG employees are expected to live within the San Diego region and work in-person in our San Diego office; there are telework options available (Monday and Wednesday), as well as a 9/80 work schedule (every other Monday off).This is not a fully remote position.Are you able and willing to adhere to the onsite and work schedule described above?

• Yes
• No

02

Do you have at least five years of experience providing administrative support, executive assistance, or secretarial experience; experience supporting day-to-day activities for a busy program area?

• Yes
• No

03

Do you have at least five years of experience providing complex administrative support services for Chief Executive Officers, Deputy Chief Executive Officers and/or multiple high-level senior executive staff?

• Yes
• No

04

Do you have experience coordinating and working with elected officials, municipal government, city/county departments, and operations?

• Yes
• No

05

The final candidate selected for this position must successfully pass a pre-employment criminal background check and credit check. Periodic re-checking of criminal background history will be a condition of employment. Are you able to comply with this requirement?

• Yes
• No

06

Will you now or will you in the future require employment visa sponsorship?

• Yes
• No

Required Question