Administrative Assistant 3 | Contracts & Legal Affairs

State of Washington•Thurston County – Tumwater, WA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Washington State Department of Corrections is seeking a highly organized and detail-oriented Administrative Assistant 3 to join the Contracts and Legal Affairs unit. Reporting to the Contracts Administrator, this position serves as the primary administrative support for the Administrator while providing advanced-level support across a variety of critical functions within the unit. The Administrative Assistant 3 is responsible for managing a diverse range of assignments that support the Department’s business operations. Duties include processing invoices related to impact fund payments, maintaining official records and databases, assisting Department staff with contracting requests, and providing consultation, guidance, and training regarding contracting procedures and compliance requirements. This position requires strong organizational skills, sound judgment, attention to detail, and the ability to collaborate effectively with stakeholders throughout the agency. The ideal candidate will thrive in a fast-paced environment, demonstrate exceptional customer service skills, and possess the ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining accuracy and confidentiality. This is an excellent opportunity for an administrative professional who enjoys supporting complex business processes and contributing to the mission of improving public safety through effective agency operations.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED equivalent
Three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in office/clerical, secretarial, bookkeeping, accounting, or general administrative work
Excellent interpersonal skills and teamwork experience
Works effectively alone and collaborates with others to accomplish tasks
Ability to work with diverse stakeholder individuals or groups, both external and internal
Experience with providing customer service and diffusing challenging situations
Provides effective, efficient, and timely customer service to internal and external customers; uses critical thinking and analytical skills to professionally resolve issues for internal and external customers
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Demonstrates clear and effective communication skills when creating correspondence or responding to requests
Proficient proofreading skills
Knowledge of: administrative procedures; office and business management practices; research and communication
Ability to: interpret policies and procedures, prioritize constantly changing, competing, and demanding priorities; ability to manage high stress situations created by competing priorities
Formal and/or vocational education in administrative support occupations, bookkeeping or accounting will substitute, year for year, for the required education.

Nice To Haves

One (1) year as an Administrative Assistant 2 or two (2) years as an Administrative Assistant 1
Associate of Arts degree or higher in business administration, public administration, or closely allied field
Experience within state of Washington government
Excellent organizational, planning, and scheduling skills
Attention to detail.
Experience managing multiple email accounts and responding on behalf of others
Experience managing calendars, appointments, and making travel arrangements
Able to effectively handle unexpected situations that arise, resourceful in managing duties, and attempts to develop solutions to problems encountered or seeks appropriate assistance.
Creative and innovative self-directed thinker that can independently utilize various skills to complete work
Ability to provide training to internal and external customers regarding contract management practices with the State
Experience with DOC’s Contracts Management System (CMS)
Experience with Adobe Acrobat
Experience with Docusign
Intermediate/Advanced level experience with Microsoft Office: Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, SharePoint, and Teams

Responsibilities

Serving as the primary assistant to the Contracts Administrator and supporting assistant to the Contracts and Legal Affairs Unit which could include: Accomplishing various administrative support tasks including supporting calendar management, coordinating travel, and assisting with general requests
Serving as a liaison between the Contracts Administrator and CLA team members, relaying assignments and requesting status/information
Scheduling and attending meetings, including notifying attendees, finding suitable conference room/location, and submitting lease/rental paperwork for approval when a venue for cost is needed
Arranging for audio/visual equipment and catering as needed for meetings and/or conferences
Preparing meeting agendas or other materials, and taking minutes
Keeping the Contracts Administrator apprised of action items, status checks, priorities, deadlines, itinerary items (if travelling) and relevant business issues
Reviewing, editing, and proofreading correspondence and other materials to ensure clarity, consistency, accuracy, and quality of documents
Reading, routing, and distributing correspondence and documents
Providing direct support to the Contracts and Legal Affairs (CLA) unit
Performing complex word processing, spreadsheet, and database tasks, including uploading and downloading
Assisting in daily management of shared Contracts and Legal Affairs mailboxes
Processing inbox contents for deletion, response, forwarding to appropriate subject matter expert
Providing assistance to DOC staff, staff from other state agencies, and interested parties on issues related to their contracting requests and status of unit activities
Responding timely to inquiries. Seeks input and refers requests to appropriate staff as needed
Public Disclosure Coordination