Program Administrative Assistant

Program Administrative Assistant

Onsite office operations, program administration, contracts, data, and reimbursement support

The Program Administrative Assistant provides dependable onsite coverage and supports the daily operation of Forward Careers’ Waukesha office. Reporting to the Sr. Program Manager, the position performs office, contract, data-entry, invoice, timesheet, reimbursement, and program-administration duties for employment and training programs. The role requires exceptional attention to detail, confidentiality, accurate recordkeeping, strong writing skills, and the ability to manage recurring deadlines across various federal, state, and local grant‑funded programs.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Open and close the Waukesha office Monday through Friday and maintain reliable onsite coverage from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Check, date‑stamp, sort, distribute, and process incoming and outgoing mail each business day.
• Monitor office‑supply inventory and order supplies for all Forward Careers office locations in coordination with designated staff.
• Greet clients, program participants, employers, vendors, partners, and other visitors promptly and courteously; identify the purpose of each visit and connect the individual with the appropriate staff member or service.
• Monitor the client kiosk/check‑in system throughout each business day, confirm that it is operational and current, assist visitors with check‑in when needed, and ensure daily tracking information is complete and accurate.
• Maintain an organized, welcoming, clean, and professional office environment, including routine upkeep of the reception area, conference rooms, kitchen or break areas, shared work spaces, and other client‑facing areas.
• Perform light office‑cleaning and readiness tasks such as wiping shared surfaces, straightening rooms, removing minor trash or clutter, restocking supplies, and preparing spaces before and after meetings or events.

• Report maintenance, safety, custodial, technology, or equipment concerns to the designated staff and coordinate service requests or vendor access as directed.
• Serve as a customer‑friendly point of contact for staff, program participants, employers, training providers, vendors, partners, and visitors by phone, email, and in person.
• Schedule and organize meetings, program activities, employer events, and other appointments; prepare correspondence, forms, agendas, spreadsheets, and supporting materials.

• Prepare employment and training contracts and related documents using approved templates for Individual Training Accounts (ITA), On‑the‑Job Training (OJT), Work Experience (WEX), and Incumbent Worker Training (IWT) activities.
• Review contract information for completeness and accuracy, including participant, employer, training‑provider, occupation, wage, training, funding, date, and signature information.
• Route contracts and amendments for review and signature, track outstanding items and effective dates, distribute completed documents, and maintain organized electronic and paper files.
• Coordinate with program and operations staff to resolve missing or inconsistent documentation before contracts or related payments are processed.

• Enter, update, verify participant, employer, training, contract, service, and payment information in Excel spreadsheets, Microsoft Access, ASSET, and other required databases.
• Review entered information and source documents for accuracy, completeness, consistency, and required approvals.
• Track documents received, completion dates, signatures, deadlines, outstanding items, and follow‑up needs; run and distribute reports as requested.
• Maintain confidential, complete, and audit‑ready program and financial records in accordance with organizational procedures and grant requirements.

• Collect and review employment and training invoices, participant timesheets, attendance records, payroll documentation,…