Senior Executive Assistant - Ses

Senior Executive Assistant (SES)

This position serves as the Senior Executive Assistant to the Commissioner of Education, providing comprehensive executive-level administrative, operational, and strategic support to ensure the efficient and effective operation of the Commissioner's Office. This incumbent exercises sound judgement, maintains the highest level of professionalism and confidentiality, and serves as a trusted liaison between the Commissioner, Executive Leadership, external stakeholders, and the public.

This position requires exceptional organizational communication, and writing skills, the ability to anticipate needs, manage multiple priorities, and adapt to changing demands in a fast-paced environment.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Executive Support and Coordination:
Manages the Commissioner's complex calendar, scheduling appointments, meetings, travel, and events while balancing competing priorities and ensuring the effective use of executive time. Coordinates all logistics for meetings, conferences, public appearances, speaking engagements, and other official events, including preparing agendas, briefing materials, presentations, and supporting documentation. Anticipates the Commissioner's needs by ensuring all relevant information, background materials, and correspondence are organized and available in advance of meetings, events, and decision-making activities.

Coordinates travel arrangements and develops detailed itineraries to support official business. Maintains flexibility to accommodate changing schedules, urgent priorities, and events that may require work outside normal business hours.

Communications and Correspondence:
Drafts, edits, proofreads, and coordinates high-quality correspondence, memoranda, reports, presentations, speeches, talking points, and other written materials on behalf of the Commissioner. Ensures written communication are accurate, professional, timely, and consistent with the Department's mission, strategic priorities, and executive expectations. Serves as a primary point of contact for internal and external communications directed to the Commissioner's Office, exercising discretion and independent judgement in responding to inquires or routing matters appropriately.

Assists with coordinating communications between the Commissioner, executive leadership, legislative partners, school districts, colleges, state agencies, and other stakeholders.

Executive Operations:
Coordinates activities, assignments, and special projects on behalf of the Commissioner, ensuring priorities, timelines, and deliverables are effectively managed. Monitors action items, follows up on outstanding assignments, and ensures deadlines and commitments are met. Collaborates with senior leadership and departmental staff to facilitate communication, resolve issues, and support implementation of executive initiatives. Identifies opportunities to improve administrative processes, increase operational efficiency, and enhance customer service within the Commissioner's Office.

Stakeholder and Event Coordination:
Coordinates the Commissioner's participation in meetings, conferences, community events, and stakeholder engagement activities throughout the state. Works collaboratively with internal offices and external partners to ensure events are professionally planned, well-organized, and successfully executed. Serves as a liaison between the Commissioner's Office and agency leadership, governmental entities, educational partners, community organizations, and constituents.

Correspondence Management:
Oversees the Commissioner's correspondence tracking process to ensure inquiries, assignments, and requests are accurately monitored, routed, and completed within established time frames. Monitors workflow, identifies potential delays, and recommends process improvements to enhance efficiency, accountability, and responsiveness. Ensures confidential and sensitive information is handled with the highest degree of discretion and professionalism.

General Responsibilities:

Represents the Commissioner's Office with courtesy, integrity, and discretion. Demonstrates exceptional professionalism, diplomacy, sound judgment, and customer service in all interactions. Serves on committees, work groups, or special projects, as assigned. Performs other duties as assigned in support of the Commissioner's Office and the Department.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Ability to work independently and perform tasks and responsibilities with limited guidance and direction. Exceptional organizational and time management skills with the ability to prioritize and organize multiple assignments, balance competing priorities, and meet deadlines. Ability to independently analyze situations, anticipate needs, and resolve problems with minimal supervision. Ability to adapt to changing priorities in a fast-paced executive environment while maintaining professionalism and attention to detail.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including…