The (SEA) program within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill a Padilla Bay Administrative Assistant (Administrative Assistant 3) position.

This position will be located in our Padilla Bay Office in Mount Vernon, WA. Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

In this position, you will be the primary administrative support for the Director and team of professionals who run environmental research, education, monitoring and training programs at the Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Agency Mission : The mission of the Department of Ecology's is to protect, preserve and enhance Washington's environment for current and future generations.

Program Mission : The mission of the Shorelands and Environmental Assistance Program is to create community conservation partnerships to protect and restore our shorelands, wetlands, and floodplains.

Tele-work options for this position : This position will be eligible for up to a 60% tele-work schedule.Applicants with questions about position location options, tele-work, and flexible or compressed schedules are encouraged to reach out to the contact person listed below in other information.

Schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change.

Ecology employees may be eligible for the following :

About the Department of Ecology

Protecting Washington State's environment for current and future generations is what we do every day at Ecology. We are a culture that is invested in making a difference.

Join a team that is highly effective and collaborative, with leadership that embraces the value of people. To learn more, check out our.

Ecology cares deeply about employee wellness; we go beyond traditional benefits, proudly offering :

• A healthy life / work balance by offering flexible schedules and telework options for most positions.
• An Infants at Work Program that is based on the long-term health values of infant-parent bonding and breastfeeding newborns.
• Continuous growth and development opportunities.
• Opportunities to serve your community and make an impact through meaningful work.

Our commitment to DEIR

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect (DEIR) are core values central to Ecology’s work. We strive to be a workplace where we are esteemed for sharing our authentic identities, while advancing our individual professional goals and collaborating to protect, preserve, and enhance the environment for current and future generations.

Diversity : We celebrate and appreciate diversity; our unique perspectives and abilities enrich us all and lead to innovative approaches and solutions.

Equity : We champion equity, recognizing that each of us need different things to thrive. Inclusion : We intentionally create and hold space so that we all have meaningful opportunities to participate and contribute to Ecology’s work.

Respect : We treat each other with respect and dignity, acknowledging the inherent worth of our diverse perspectives and lived experiences, even in times of uncertainty and disagreement.

Duties

What makes this role unique?

This is an exciting opportunity to work in a beautiful natural setting with a close-knit group of scientists, educators and support staff who are passionate about the marine environment.

In this role, you will serve as the lead administrative support for the Reserve and be the primary liaison with Department of Ecology headquarters, primarily with the human resources administrative, and fiscal units.

We are seeking applicants who have strong administrative and organizational skills, are able to communicate and work successfully with a team of scientists, educators, and other Reserve staff, while also being able to work independently and follow through on deliverables with minimal supervision.

What you will do :

• Provide high level and confidential administrative support to Padilla Bay Section Manager, Sector Leads, and Unit Supervisors.
• Assist professional level employees at Padilla Bay by performing higher-level administrative review and guidance for agency and Reserve paperwork and processes.
• Coordinate hiring and other personnel processes for the section
• Develop section trainings, visual aids, or other guidance materials for various administrative tasks.
• Serve as Section Purchasing Coordinator and TimeKeeper.
• Maintain Section Manager’s calendar and serve as a liaison between Section Manager and other staff members.
• Create and maintain hard copy and digital files and filing systems for purchasing, correspondence, personnel, and other issues.
• Schedule and coordinate the logistics of various meetings and conference calls.
• Compose and / or format and finalize correspondence.
• Provide administrative assistance to the Section Manager and staff in support of major projects.
• Provide routine professional level review and processing of printed and electronic documents.
• Provide administrative support to the Padilla Bay Reserve manager and staff.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications :

Years of required experience indicated below are full-time equivalent years. Full-time equivalent experience means that any experience where working hours were less than 40 hours per week will be prorated in order to meet the equivalency of full-time.

We would calculate this by looking at the total hours worked per week, divide this by 40, and then multiply by the total number of months worked.

Examples of the proration calculations are :

• 30 hours worked per week for 20 months : (30 / 40) x 20 months 15 months full-time equivalent
• 20 hours worked per week for 12 months : (20 / 40) x 12 months 6 months full-time equivalent

Experience for both required and desired qualifications can be gained through various combinations of formal professional employment, education, and volunteer experience.

See below for how you may qualify.

A total of 4 years of experience and / or education as described below :

• Experience : in office / clerical, secretarial, bookkeeping, accounting, or general administrative work.
• Education : A High School Diploma or GED or college degree.

All experience and education combinations that meet the requirements for this position :

Possible Combinations

College credit hours or degree

As Described Above

Years of required experience

As Described Above

Combination 1

High School Diploma or equivalent, no college credit hours or degree

4 years of experience

Combination 2

30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter credits

3 years of experience

Combination 3

60-89 semester or 90-134 quarter credits (AA degree)

2 years of experience

Combination 4

90-119 semester or 135-179 quarter credits

1 year of experience

Combination 5

A Bachelor's Degree or above

No experience required

Desired Qualifications :

• Are service focused and have good communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and as part of a team and achieve desired outcomes in a productive and efficient manner.
• Have knowledge of office procedures and practices, business management practices, and ability to understand and interpret policies and procedures especially those relevant to Washington State agencies.
• Ability to communicate with co-workers and clients in a direct and honest manner, both in writing and verbally.
• Ability to anticipate organizational and personnel needs and challenges, and prepare for them in a timely and efficient manner.

Note : Having some (or all) of this desired experience may make your application more competitive in a highly competitive applicant pool.

Last updated : 2024-05-01