Special Assistant

State of Maryland • Anne Arundel, MD

13h

About The Position

The Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff works in the Office of the Secretary of Maryland’s Department of Social and Economic Mobility (DoSEM). The role provides research, analysis, executive coordination, and project oversight in support of the Chief of Staff, Secretary, and the Department’s priorities. It turns complex policy, data, and operational questions into clear analysis and recommendations, and helps ensure that leadership decisions are implemented across the Department.

The position supports priorities including Maryland’s federally mandated reevaluation of Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and Airport Concession DBE (ACDBE) certifications under the U.S. Department of Transportation Final Rule, as well as agency modernization and cross-agency initiatives. The work includes producing executive briefings, maintaining dashboards and accountability tools, coordinating communications, leading special projects, and managing leadership meetings. The role serves at the pleasure of the Appointing Authority and is contractual.

Requirements

• Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.
• Three years of administrative staff or professional work. Substitutions are permitted as described in the posting: 30 college credit hours may substitute for each year of experience, up to two years; a bachelor’s degree may substitute for the required experience; or qualifying U.S. Armed Forces commissioned-officer staff experience may substitute year-for-year.
• Employees assigned duties requiring operation of a motor vehicle must possess a motor vehicle operator’s license valid in Maryland.

Nice To Haves

• At least two years of experience conducting policy, statutory, or quantitative research and summarizing findings into decision memos, policy options, or executive briefing materials.
• At least two years of experience building and maintaining project trackers, decision logs, or performance dashboards using tools such as Microsoft Suite, Google Suite, Gemini, and data visualization software.
• At least one year of experience with government procurement, small/minority/disadvantaged business enterprise programs (MBE/DBE/ACDBE), or related economic mobility policies.

Responsibilities

• Conduct legislative, regulatory, and operational research and synthesize complex data into executive summaries, briefing materials, and policy recommendations for the Chief of Staff and Secretary.
• Monitor departmental priorities, including DBE/ACDBE program reevaluations, by maintaining executive dashboards, tracking milestones, analyzing outcomes, and preparing reports for leadership and external stakeholders.
• Triage high-priority requests, draft executive communications, and liaise among executive leadership, internal agency divisions, the Governor’s Office, and external partners.
• Maintain executive decision logs and action trackers; work with IT and performance teams to manage agency metrics; and produce weekly briefs on project risks and operational performance.
• Lead cross-functional modernization projects and administrative redesigns.
• Manage executive leadership meetings, including preparing outcome-focused agendas and tracking post-meeting deliverables.

Benefits

• Potential eligibility for subsidized medical and prescription coverage for employees and dependents who meet the stated contractual-employee hours and eligibility conditions; the employee pays 25% of premiums and the State subsidizes 75%.
• Optional dental coverage, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, and life insurance, with the employee responsible for the full premiums.
• Contractual leave may be granted at one hour per 30 hours worked, up to 40 hours per calendar year.
• The agency describes competitive state government benefits, flexible work schedules, telework/hybrid options, career growth, training and advancement opportunities, comprehensive health and retirement benefits, generous leave including parental leave, additional employee programs, and free parking at the Crownsville office.

What This Job Offers

• Education Level: High school or GED