Administrative Assistant for Program Management

Job Title: Administrative Assistant for Program Management & Procurement Support

Job Location: Ashburton Place, Boston, MA 02108 (Hybrid-4 days onsite in a month)

Duration : 18-24 Months

Additional information:

• Engagement Length: 1 year (with possible renewal)
• CTR follows a Hybrid Work Model – see details below

Hybrid Work Model

Client operates in a hybrid work model. Under this policy, employees are currently required to work a minimum of four business days per month (two set by management and two set by the employee) on-site at CTR’s Boston office and may work remotely the remainder of the time at a location approved by their supervisor, so long as they comply with the requirements of the telework policy. Under this policy, all employees must be able to report to the Boston office with little or no notice, even including the same workday should an exigent circumstance arise. Therefore, a reasonable proximity to the office is necessary. CTR does not reimburse for employees to travel to the office.

In addition, the successful candidate may be required to work primarily on site in Boston during the initial training and orientation period and/or for certain positions a primarily on-site role may be necessary.

About the Office of the Comptroller

The Office of the Comptroller of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (CTR) is an independent and apolitical agency charged with overseeing the Commonwealth’s financial systems, preparing the annual financial reporting, and managing the external single audit process. In fiscal year 2021 CTR oversaw approximately $95 billion in spending. In addition, CTR oversees the Commonwealth’s General Ledger, payroll and vendor management, trains state employees on risk mitigation and operates the Commonwealth’s financial system.

As stewards of the public trust, CTR aspires to inspire confidence by maintaining our core principles: clarity, integrity, and accountability. The powers and obligations of the Office of the Comptroller are generally dictated by M.G.L. c. 7A.

About Business Enterprise Systems Transformation (BEST) Program

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is undertaking a multi-year project known as the Business Enterprise Systems Transformation (BEST) Program to implement a comprehensive Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software solution that will support a wide range of business functions used by all state agencies. The initial scope of the project is to implement functionality that supports Financial Management of the Commonwealth by replacing its core financial and accounting system, currently known as MMARS, which is used by 150+ state agencies. It is envisioned that the new solution will also include additional modules that support a full software suite capable of addressing government business needs including Human Capital Management, Payroll and other capabilities that will provide the Commonwealth with the capacity to migrate other applications to a single solution platform over time should it elect to do so.

The BEST Program will begin with Phase 1 implementation of a new Financial Management and General Ledger solution over an 18–24-month period beginning in the third quarter of calendar year 2023.

It is the Commonwealth’s intent that the ERP solution be delivered as a SaaS (cloud) solution that will replace the Commonwealth’s current heavy investment in highly customized software housed “on premise” on virtual or physical servers.

The BEST Program is jointly sponsored by the Secretary for Administration and Finance, Comptroller of the Commonwealth and the Secretary of Technology Services and Security. This job posting is being issued through the Office of the Comptroller.

Position Summary

This posting is for one (1) contracted position: The Business Enterprise Systems Transformation (BEST) Administrative Assistant for Program Management & Procurement Support.

The Administrative Assistant for Program Management & Procurement Support will be part of a team of Program Management and product vendor staff that will design and implement tasks necessary to migrate data from legacy systems to the new cloud solution.

We are seeking a highly organized and proactive Administrative Assistant for this role to provide comprehensive support in program management and procurement support functions. The ideal candidate will possess strong administrative skills, exceptional attention to detail, and the ability to multitask effectively in a fast-paced environment. This role will involve assisting with administering program planning and execution activities and ensuring seamless administrative support. A resilient candidate will assist in enhancing the efficiency of our program management and procurement teams. This candidate would take direction from the BEST Program Coordinator and Procurement & Contracts Manager for the Business Enterprise Systems Transformation Program within the Office of the Comptroller.

Specific Duties

1. Program Management Support:

• Provide administrative support to Program Manager and Workstream Leads in planning, organizing, and executing program activities.
• Assist in monitoring program timelines, schedules, and track progress against milestones.
• Handle incoming emails and phone calls and route them appropriately.
• Coordinate meetings, conference calls, and appointments related to program activities, with a concentration on preparing meeting agendas and minutes.
• Assist in compiling program documentation, reports, and presentations, and ensure they are accurate and up to date.
• Attend meetings related to software configuration by business teams and compile minutes to support documentation of discussion points, issues, decisions, and next steps.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to facilitate communication and ensure alignment on program objectives and deliverables.

Procurement Support:

• Assist in the procurement process by researching vendors, obtaining quotes, and preparing purchase orders.
• Maintain accurate records of procurement transactions, including vendor communications and quotes/purchase orders documentation.
• Coordinate with vendors and CTR/BEST staff to ensure timely delivery of goods and services and resolve any issues or discrepancies that may arise.

Required Skills

• Proven experience in an administrative assistant role, preferably in program/project management or procurement.
• Skilled collaboration and working effectively with others.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, with a strong active listening skill.
• Excellent attention to detail, accuracy in data entry and record-keeping, and strong problem-solving skills a plus.
• Ability to interact professionally with internal and external program stakeholders.
• Skill in working both independently with minimal supervision and taking direction as part of a team.

Minimum Entrance Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, supply chain management, or related field is preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Word,) and other relevant software applications.

In your response, please provide answers to the following questions:

1. How many years of direct experience does the candidate have with administrative support in a program management or procurement setting?
2. How many years of experience does the candidate have administering for data conversions within an IT environment of similar scale to the Commonwealth’s financial system?
3. Please list any relevant professional certifications the candidate has.