Administrative Assistant

RWD Consulting•Washington, DC

13d•Onsite

About The Position

Administrative Assistant for the Bureau of Legislative Affairs Congressional Travel Office (H/CTO) to provide schedule management, travel planning, public and customer contact support, mail and correspondence support, reporting assistance, and other administrative duties as assigned. The position will provide support to the Legislative Management Officer (LMO) for the H Congressional Travel Office (H/CTO) under the supervision of the Director of CTO. LMO provides support services to the Bureau of Legislative Affairs to resolve a wide range of unanticipated and complex administrative problems encountered by posts worldwide in managing official Congressional foreign travel, and to support official Congressional travel overseas. This position requires a Top-Secret Security Clearance.

Requirements

Top-Secret Security Clearance
Basic foundation of administrative concepts and practices sufficient to perform independently such duties to enable timely and efficient communications.
Four years of senior government administrative or secretarial support experience.
One year of State Department experience, preferred.
One year experience with dealing with the Departments travel system.
Experience with arranging travel for Department employees preferred.
Operational knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, specifically Excel, Word, Microsoft Windows, and related computer-based programs.
One year of Office 365 experience preferred.
E2 travel software training/experience preferred.
Ability to quickly learn other computer-based programs, e.g., WebTatel with minimal external assistance.
Ability to communicate orally and in writing in order to effectively communicate with staff in American embassies and consulates, Congressional offices and others involved in foreign travel arrangements, requests, issues and conflicts.
Experience expressing complex, sensitive subject matter both orally and in writing in a clear, logical, concise, and persuasive manner.

Nice To Haves

One year of State Department experience
Experience with arranging travel for Department employees
One year of Office 365 experience
E2 travel software training/experience

Responsibilities

Serve as a liaison between the H Assistant Secretary and senior officials both within and outside the Department, keeping them informed of actions taken by the Assistant Secretary or views on problems with which they are concerned and follow up on actions requested of other offices or administrative commitments made; keeps the Assistant Secretary continually informed.
Transmit and interpret instructions from the Assistant Secretary to members of staff and others in the Department.
Manage the Assistant Secretary’s travel, sensitive correspondence flow, changing schedules, senior-level visitors and fast paced multiple office complexities in a highly visible office environment.
Carry out special and confidential assignments which require a high degree of tact and diplomacy, a comprehensive knowledge of the operations of the Department and of problems with which the Assistant Secretary is concerned, and a personal knowledge of the Assistant Secretary’s views. On such matters, gathers information and material, analyzes it and prepares recommendations or reports for signature.
Provide administrative and clerical support to bureau management and staff as assigned
Maintain and coordinate the Assistant Secretary’s calendar of substantive appointments and ensures that priority needs are considered and met.
Receive and process all requests for meetings, speaking engagements, and invitations which are directed to the Assistant Secretary.
Follow up to ensure proper execution of commitments and obligations incurred in telephone conversations, meetings and invites; make final commitments, refers matters to staff members or reschedules appointments as the incumbent, in consultation with the Assistant Secretary, as deemed necessary.
Advise of appointments and other commitments which might have a bearing on future decisions.
Handle requests for meetings and appointments and decides the distribution of time and, working closely with the Special Assistant, as needed, prepare or request preparation of briefs indicating purpose of briefings by appropriate officers; perform necessary research for materials relevant to appointments to ensure priorities and obligations are met, and discusses with officials invited to meetings the subject of such meetings in order that they will be properly informed and supplied with necessary information.
Assists in arranging other meetings and conferences and obtain pertinent material from Departmental offices and other sources as needed.
As needed and assigned, serves as Unit Security Officer (USO) with direct supervision by the Office Director
As assigned makes careful searches for information difficult to obtain, compiles data and makes preliminary analysis.
Assist in the coordination between H and L-H/EX, requesting assistance on behalf of management to ensure that operations in H run smoothly
Arranges and coordinates travel plans, itineraries, visas and country clearances necessary for the Assistant Secretary and others in the bureau to include other individuals and groups traveling with the Assistant Secretary and that all arrangements are authorized properly, itineraries are cost effective and efficient and follow department rules and regulations, as well as prepares travel vouchers for reimbursement upon return. All travel is prepared using the E2 Travel Solutions system.
Receives and screens all incoming telephone calls to the Assistant Secretary to ensure that the Assistant Secretary is aware of and handles personally or delegates the necessary responsive action.
Monitors and keeps the Assistant Secretary aware of the necessary follow up actions.
Ensures formal decisions, recommendations, and suggestions made by the Assistant Secretary are passed to the proper office for implementation or review.
Follows up to ensure prompt action.
Monitors ongoing substantive matters as instructed by the Assistant Secretary and in coordination with the Special Assistant.
Escort officials to/from meetings with the Assistant Secretary and ensure they arrive in a timely manner.
Performs Time and Attendance duties as required by the bureau.
Reviews, analyzes and screens all incoming correspondence, routing of all issues of overriding and central importance to the Assistant Secretary and other senior staff, and all other correspondence to appropriate staff members.
Personally, handles the reminders, drafts, replies, or refers material to other officials in the Department with recommendations as to the Assistant Secretary’s views on matters.
Assists in assuring the proper paper flow of staff documents and other memoranda from, to and through the Bureau.
Maintains complete control and assists in the safeguarding of the Assistant Secretary’s files, classified documents and office container.
Oversees the preparation of materials for use by the Assistant Secretary’s in high-level and sensitive meetings and conferences, gatherings, and public appearances both within the United States and abroad.
Assists with logistical planning for the Assistant Secretary’s participation in these meetings.
Obtains complete background information of materials from responsible officers in the Department and elsewhere on matters formally submitted to the Assistant Secretary for decision.
Ensures materials are clear, concise, coherent and complete.
Requests any necessary revisions of material prior to transmittal to the Assistant Secretary or other staff.