Administrative Assistant to Chief Engineers & Scientists

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory • Laurel, MD

23h • $28 - $46

About The Position

Do you love to solve unusual and challenging problems?
Are you highly skilled in office administration?
Do you consider yourself a great teammate?
If so, we 're looking for someone like you to join our team at APL.
We are seeking an experienced Administrative Assistant to help us perform office administration and provide support to the Asymmetric Operations Sector (AOS). As a member of our team, you'll contribute to the Sector 's success in providing operational services. We are passionate about support and with your help, we will remain a valued partner to the Sector.
As an AOS Sector Senior Administrative Assistant you will:
Independently manage the flow of people and information in support of five Sector-level chief engineers and scientists; primarily responsible for coordinating and expediting activities for a driven set of leaders in a fast-paced environment, proactively executing day-to-day activities.
Maintain calendars, manage agendas, and assist in planning meetings. Manage the production of presentations and documents from preparation through distribution of materials to the appropriate recipients to ensure the Chiefs and technical staff are equipped with appropriate materials necessary to successfully conduct their presentations or meetings.
Develop a thorough knowledge and understanding of AOS (including types of work, unique needs, professional environment, skillsets) and recommending initiatives that support and further the Sector goals.
Interact with sector, branch, and other Laboratory offices to monitor data requests and data calls for timely completion. Review and organize information into official correspondence such as, executive briefings, letters of justifications, status reports, nomination letters, certifications, and memos.
Develop and implement processes and tools to maximize the efficiency of the leadership team; communicate effectively within the Sector, other parts of the Laboratory, and with external sponsors.
Coordinate with staff to provide seamless assistance to Sector Chief activities to include scheduling of Propulsion Grants (PGs), Independent Research and Development (IRAD) Reviews, and Research and Technical Awards.
Work closely with the other AOS executive administrators to coach and mentor branch and group administrators to ensure a professional collaborative work environment that is responsive to the needs of the technical branches. Conduct special projects and develop solutions to complex administrative matters. Partner with department administrative staff to form a seamless team across AOS, including backfill and sharing of workload. Performe additional duties to assist in operations, infrastructure, and logistic department activities as needed.

Requirements

• An Associate's degree or equivalent level of experience with a minimum of 5 years of relevant administrative experience.
• Proven ability to identify and resolve administrative issues independently and collaboratively through use of internal and external resources.
• Initiative and persistence in pursuing administrative needs, meeting quick turnaround demands, and resolving problems with a sense of urgency and demonstrated capability to anticipate, prioritize and expedite numerous tasks from multiple sources.
• Decorum commensurate with executive level engagement demonstrating the ability to interact with all levels of staff and visitors with discretion and tact, and discretion in handling sensitive personnel and organizational information. Must be able to lead informally.
• Demonstrated critical thinking skills and ability to resolve conflict.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication (written and verbal), and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated advanced proficiency in use of applications including Microsoft Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
• Are able to obtain a Top Secret level security clearance. If selected, you will be subject to a government security clearance investigation and must meet the requirements for access to classified information. Eligibility requirements include U.S. citizenship.

Nice To Haves

• A Bachelor's degree in Business, Economics or other related discipline, with 10+ years of administrative experience in DoD program support, including administrative support to Program and Program Area Managers.
• Comprehensive knowledge of APL practices and procedures, travel processes, purchasing, budgetary, and security interactions.
• Strong understanding of requirements needed to work classified programs.
• Hold an active Top Secret (TS) security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Independently manage the flow of people and information in support of five Sector-level chief engineers and scientists; primarily responsible for coordinating and expediting activities for a driven set of leaders in a fast-paced environment, proactively executing day-to-day activities.
• Maintain calendars, manage agendas, and assist in planning meetings.
• Manage the production of presentations and documents from preparation through distribution of materials to the appropriate recipients to ensure the Chiefs and technical staff are equipped with appropriate materials necessary to successfully conduct their presentations or meetings.
• Develop a thorough knowledge and understanding of AOS (including types of work, unique needs, professional environment, skillsets) and recommending initiatives that support and further the Sector goals.
• Interact with sector, branch, and other Laboratory offices to monitor data requests and data calls for timely completion.
• Review and organize information into official correspondence such as, executive briefings, letters of justifications, status reports, nomination letters, certifications, and memos.
• Develop and implement processes and tools to maximize the efficiency of the leadership team; communicate effectively within the Sector, other parts of the Laboratory, and with external sponsors.
• Coordinate with staff to provide seamless assistance to Sector Chief activities to include scheduling of Propulsion Grants (PGs), Independent Research and Development (IRAD) Reviews, and Research and Technical Awards.
• Work closely with the other AOS executive administrators to coach and mentor branch and group administrators to ensure a professional collaborative work environment that is responsive to the needs of the technical branches.
• Conduct special projects and develop solutions to complex administrative matters.
• Partner with department administrative staff to form a seamless team across AOS, including backfill and sharing of workload.
• Performe additional duties to assist in operations, infrastructure, and logistic department activities as needed.

Benefits

• We offer a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere where you can bring your authentic self to work, continue to grow, and build strong connections with inspiring teammates.
• Our employees enjoy generous benefits, including a robust education assistance program, unparalleled retirement contributions, and a healthy work/life balance.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree