Program Assistant

The Office of Policy Planning and Resources in the Bureau of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs (R/PPR) has a requirement for full-time support services from an Office Management and Program Assistant. The Office Management and Program Assistants shall provide administrative support to R/PPR managers and staff, performing a variety of office management support duties, as well as directly support the work of R/PPR's Executive team.

Duties:

• Developing background information and prepares outlines for the supervisor's briefings, papers, and correspondence/reports.
• Assigning responsibility for drafting correspondence, memos, briefing materials, presentations, and other informational products and providing guidance, feedback, and editing support to the drafters as needed.
• Editing letters, composes reports, reviews correspondence for accuracy and completeness, prepares presentation outlines, develops standard or form letters, and replies to inquiries.
• Processing incoming and outgoing materials including correspondence, reports, memoranda, and other written communications.
• Assigning review and clearance responsibilities for incoming materials and monitoring completion.
• Liaising on behalf of the Office Director and Managing Directors with other managers and staff in the R Front Office and other R Family offices and Department bureaus, monitoring projects and providing them accurate advice and information on R/PPR procedures, reports, requirements, and other related matters.
• Managing projects on behalf of the executive staff, including:
• Developing systems and processes to support the projects;
• Organizing, coordinating, and staffing regular meetings for the projects;
• Drafting talking points, memoranda, and documents;
• Taking accurate minutes of meetings;
• Tracking implementation of the projects;
• Responding to basic inquiries about the projects.
• Managing the calendars and schedules for the R/PPR Office Director, Managing Director for Resources, and Managing Director for Policy.
• Making administrative arrangements for conferences and meetings, apprises participants of
• necessary details, and ensures that all references and background documents are available.
• Scheduling conference rooms in coordination with R/PPR, ECA/EX and all automated tools, and ensuring that all technical requirements for computer systems, video conferencing and or/teleconferencing are arranged in advance.
• Coordinating with IRM for provision of computer equipment and software for staff, including trouble tickets and follow-up.
• Ensuring proper planning for provision of new equipment for new full-time or temporary staff.
• Preparing varied documents such as newsletters, brochures, flyers, special reports, briefings, manuals, etc. by integrating and laying out text and graphics on a page; adjusting the size of charts, graphs and pictures; applying publishing capabilities to enhance the presentation of data; changing tables to graphs; adding boxed explanatory text; highlighting/shadowing material; superimposing graphs with other graphs or clip art; importing graphics into text, etc.
• Maintaining time and attendance for all R/PPR federal employees and receiving timesheets and compiling a master list of hours worked and vacation, sick, and travel leave.
• Maintaining an electronic whereabouts calendar detailing employee status including leave and travel.
• Posting and maintaining content on R/PPR's Sharepoint site.
• Advising leadership of important issues arising during his/her absence from the office and bringing significant items in reports, files, and correspondence to leadership's attention.
• Arranging travel for Office Director and Managing Directors, including securing travel and hotel reservations and preparing vouchers upon traveler's return.
• Acquiring and monitoring the usage of services, supplies, and equipment for the office and coordinating with the EX as necessary on all supplies, repairs and general office maintenance requirements.
• Training and instructs new employees on governing procedures, regulations, and policies.

• Knowledge of administrative management and organization principles, concepts, methods, and practices to provide a variety of administrative support functions that contribute to the smooth and efficient operation of the Office.
• Knowledge of applicable Department of State administrative rules, regulations, policies, and procedures, particularly concerning time and attendance, document clearances, and travel, to ensure compliance with applicable requirements.
• Ability to interact effectively with individuals at various levels to provide advice, information, and assistance.
• Ability to work cooperatively in a team environment in order to meet the demands associated with a high volume, results-driven office.
• Ability to plan, organize, and prioritize work to efficiently accomplish multiple, concurrent assignments with tight deadlines.
• Skill in the use of the Microsoft Office suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) in order to prepare, present, and exchange program…