Senior Administrative Associate

Job Description

MISSION: The Texas Education Agency (TEA) will improve outcomes for all public-school students in the state by providing leadership, guidance, and support to school systems.

Core Values:

We are Determined: We are committed and intentional in the pursuit of our main purpose, to improve outcomes for students.

We are People-Centered: We strive to attract, develop, and retain the most committed talent, representing the diversity of Texas, each contributing to our common vision for students.

We are Learners: We seek evidence, reflect on success and failure, and try new approaches in the pursuit of excellence for our students.

We are Servant Leaders: Above all else, we are public servants working to improve opportunities for students and provide support to those who serve them.

New hires, re-hires, and internal hires will typically receive a starting salary between the posted minimum and the average pay of employees in their same classification. Offers will be commensurate with the candidate's experience and qualifications and will thoughtfully consider internal pay equity for agency staff who perform similar duties and have similar qualifications. The top half of the posted salary range is generally reserved for candidates who exceed the requirements and qualifications for the role. The maximum salary range is reserved for candidates that far exceed the required and preferred qualifications for the role.

Position Overview: The Senior Administrative Associate performs highly advanced administrative support work across the Office of Analytics, Assessment, and Reporting. The Office of Analytics, Assessment, and Reporting (OAAR) provides tools, services, and supports to school systems to help ensure every Texas student is on track with grade-level knowledge and ready for college, career, or the military. OAAR works to define, track, and measure academic success through high-quality state assessments, a transparent, rigorous, fair academic accountability system, and accurate, comprehensive research and reporting. OAAR develops and implements critical systems for the purpose of continuously improving student performance toward the goals of eliminating achievement gaps based on race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status and ensuring the state is a national leader in preparing students for postsecondary success. OAAR strives to provide understandable information for educators, families, and other stakeholders to help them know how well their students learned each year's academic material and whether their students are ready for success in future grades and after graduation. OAAR is made up of six divisions: Assessment Development, Student Assessment, Performance Reporting, Research & Analysis, Analytics, and Data Strategy and Analytics

This position will contribute to the effective and efficient operations of the office by serving as a critical member of the operations team and providing administrative support to multiple divisions within the office. This staff member will support incoming phone and email communications and coordinate assigned division's response to Public Information Requests (PIRs). They will support key logistics across the office, including management of the physical office, travel arrangements, providing assistance with the coordination and onsite logistical support of large-scale meetings, and internal communication systems. The Senior Administrative Associate will also provide support for special projects for the office as needed.

This position may train and supervise temporary staff. The Senior Administrative Associate will work under limited supervision, with considerable latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment.

The Senior Administrative Associate may work a hybrid schedule with required in-office days determined by office leadership.

Flexible work location within the state of Texas may be considered for qualified candidates.

Please note that a resume and short answer responses are required attachments for applying to this position. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Applicants who are strongly being considered for employment must submit to a national criminal history background check.

Essential Functions

Job duties are not limited to the essential functions mentioned below. You may perform other functions as assigned.

1. Public Information Request Coordination: Supports the timely and effective coordination, dissemination, and tracking of Public Information Requests (PIR) to ensure timely completion; helps ensure adherence to Agency procedures; effectively reviews and manages PIR-related emails; regularly communicates with assignees to check status of PIR completion; reviews responses to ensure they accurately and fully fulfill the PIR; Coordinates with Agency notaries for the completion of legal affidavits; may serve as a notary to notarize documents specifically related Agency business.

2. Special Projects Support: Assists in the coordination of a variety of complex in-person and virtual-based projects across the office to ensure timely and successful completion; provides person-to-person direct onsite administrative support to staff on in-person days in the office established by manager; provides onsite administrative support of quarterly and ad hoc large-scale meetings and special events as needed; reserving physical space for teams' in-person meetings; assists with virtual and in-person phone support during statewide test administrations.

3. Inter-Office Support: Supports the Operations Manager in updating and aligning calendars across the Office of Assessment, Analytics, and Reporting and the Office of School Programs; assists with the collection and compilation of information and data across offices to support short and long term projects and initiatives; assists with the reservation and physical set up of space for paired-office meetings; may also assist with technical support of paired office meetings as appropriate; may also assist with performing research on a variety of relevant topics to support officewide initiatives.

4. Travel Coordination Support: Assists in the coordination of a variety of same and multi-day travel arrangements for staff according to state and agency guidelines; proactively stays abreast of new requirements and applicable trainings; works with Agency Travel team and travelers to effectively plan travel and submit the necessary data in the TCAPPS travel system for pre- and post-travel; triages and submits travel receipts post travel to ensure timely payment; regularly works with the TEA travel team to address and resolve travel authorization and expense report audit report findings in a timely manner.

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications

• Education: Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university

• Experience: At least three (3) years of experience in complex administrative support work

• Substitutions: Each additional year of related experience above the required minimum may substitute for education on a year-for-year basis.

Other Qualifications

• Demonstrates TEA's Core Values

• Commitment to public service: a deep personal interest in and demonstrated commitment to public service and TEA's mission

• Administrative procedures:

o Knowledge of office practices and administrative procedures

o Strong working knowledge of use of personal computers including Microsoft Office Suite software.

o Skill in operating multi-line telephone system and electronic phone applications (i.e., Jabber)

o Ability to effectively interpret and apply Agency rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.

• Outstanding customer service, communications, and interpersonal skills:

o Experience providing a high-level customer service in challenging situations.

o Clear, concise, and persuasive written and verbal communication skills

o Demonstrates an aptitude for effective listening and meaningfully engaging a wide range of diverse stakeholders.

o Ability to work cooperatively in a team setting and quickly build credibility and relationships.

o Ability to exercise discretion and sound judgment.

• Superior prioritization and project and time management:

o Demonstrated ability to organize and prioritize multiple job duties and tasks to ensure timely completion.

o A track record of performance and successful implementation across multiple concurrent projects

• Emphasis on outcomes, quality, and efficiency:

o A demonstrated ability to consistently deliver high-quality work on time with dedicated follow-through on commitments.

o A track record of streamlining and creating operational processes, systems, and protocols that enable organizations to become more efficient and effective.

o Demonstrated ability to persevere through challenges and assists with the creation of effective and efficient solutions to problems.

• Relentless pursuit of continuous improvement:

o A persistent desire to self-reflect, give/receive feedback and continuously improve

o Demonstrates a growth mindset.

• Flexibility and adaptability:

o The ability to adjust quickly to changing priorities and conditions, deal effectively with ambiguity, and work effectively with complexity and change.

As an equal opportunity employer, we hire without consideration to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age or veteran status, unless an applicant is entitled to the military employment preference.

To review the Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) codes from each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces to each job classification series in the State's Position Classification Plan (provided by the State Auditor's Office), please access the Military Crosswalk (occupational specialty code) Guide and click on the military "occupational category" that corresponds with the state classification in this job posting title.

This position requires the applicant to meet Agency standards and criteria which may include passing a pre-employment criminal background check, prior to being offered employment by the Agency.

No phone calls or emails, please. Due to the high volume of applications, we do not accept telephone calls and cannot reply to all email inquiries. Only candidates selected for interview will be contacted.

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