Department Executive Assistant - National Security Analysis Department

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory•Laurel, MD

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The National Security Analysis Department (NSAD) is seeking an experienced Executive Assistant to provide high-level administrative support to the NSAD Department Head, with secondary support to the Operations Executive. In this highly visible role, you will serve as a trusted partner and key interface for the Department Office, working closely with NSAD leadership and counterparts, staff across the Laboratory, government sponsors, and other external stakeholders. You will help ensure the Department Office operates effectively by anticipating needs, coordinating priorities, enabling executive engagements, and strengthening administrative practices across NSAD.

Requirements

Have a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Communications, Management, or another relevant field.
Have at least ten years of relevant, progressively responsible administrative experience, including significant experience supporting executive or senior leadership.
Have demonstrated success interfacing professionally with senior leaders, government sponsors, external stakeholders, and staff at all levels of an organization.
Possess outstanding written and verbal communication skills, including experience preparing, reviewing, and coordinating executive-level correspondence, presentations, and meeting materials.
Have excellent organizational and time-management skills, with demonstrated ability to anticipate needs, manage competing priorities, exercise independent judgment, and consistently follow through in a fast-paced environment.
Have experience coordinating complex calendars, executive meetings, sponsor or VIP engagements, travel, and high-visibility events.
Have strong knowledge of administrative practices and processes, including travel, purchasing, meeting coordination, and office operations.
Handle sensitive personnel and organizational information with maturity, professionalism, confidentiality, and discretion.
Collaborate and communicate effectively with administrative counterparts to prioritize and deconflict meetings based on relative importance.
Are highly proficient with Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and other administrative collaboration tools.
Are able to work full-time onsite at the JHU/APL Main Campus in Laurel, Maryland.
Hold an active Secret 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

Have extensive experience supporting an executive office, or comparable senior leadership position.
Have strong working knowledge of APL administrative policies, procedures, business systems, and organizational practices.
Have experience working with government sponsors and in classified environments, including familiarity with associated security protocols.
Have demonstrated experience leading administrative process improvements, mentoring or guiding administrative staff, and coordinating across a broad administrative community.

Responsibilities

Provide high-level executive calendar management and scheduling for the Department Head, with secondary support to the Operations Executive; anticipate priorities, resolve scheduling conflicts, coordinate engagements, and ensure leaders are prepared with the information and materials needed for meetings.
Manage the flow of people, information, correspondence, and actions through the Department Office. Exercise sound judgment in assessing requests, determining appropriate follow-up, and connecting issues with the right leaders or staff.
Serve as a primary liaison with government sponsors and other external stakeholders, APL executive leadership, NSAD leadership, and staff across the Laboratory; coordinate requests and provide timely follow-up while maintaining a high level of professionalism and discretion.
Coordinate NSAD Senior Leadership Team meetings and other department leadership forums, including agenda development, collection and organization of presentation materials, meeting logistics, action-item tracking, and follow-up.
Plan and coordinate Department Head sponsor visits, VIP engagements, department offsites, leadership meetings, and other high-visibility events, including logistics, security coordination, briefing materials, agendas, and day-of execution.
Prepare, review, proofread, and format executive correspondence, presentations, reports, and other materials
Coordinate department-level communications and data calls, track responses, and ensure accurate and timely completion.
Arrange executive travel and associated logistics and reimbursements, and support purchasing and other Department Office administrative activities as needed.
Coordinate department recognition, morale, and employee-engagement activities in partnership with NSAD leadership and the administrative team.
Take a lead role in developing, implementing, and improving administrative procedures and practices across NSAD. Serve as a resource to administrative staff by providing guidance on Laboratory and department processes and helping to resolve administrative issues.
Collaborate closely and effectively with NSAD Executive Assistants, Group Assistants, and other administrative professionals to coordinate office coverage, share best practices, strengthen consistency, and improve the effectiveness of administrative support across the department.
Identify and implement process improvements that enhance Department Office operations, executive support, information flow, and administrative effectiveness.
Leading all aspects of planning and execution of department level events in coordination with the social committee.