State of Washington Abolished Job Specification

Definition

Provides para-professional administrative and staff assistance to a professional supervisor by reviewing, controlling, prioritizing and coordinating the work of the supervisor's professional staff; or performs technical work which is directly delegated from a professional position.

Distinguishing Characteristics

Administrative Assistants can be distinguished from clerical positions by the formal delegation and regular exercise of the following responsibilities:

• reviewing the work of professional staff for completeness, to assure that input-output is in compliance with laws, rules, policies, procedures and standards;

• controlling the professional staff's work by directing changes, corrections and authorizing exceptions to ensure compliance with the supervisor's schedules and priorities;

• prioritizing the professional staff's workload within established guidelines; and

• coordinating the professional staff's work within an agency, between agencies, with the public and/or other governmental entities.

The technical work addressed in the definition is distinguished by a professional position fully delegating a technical portion of the position's duties which in turn encompasses the majority of the Administrative Assistant's work and can be traced to originate directly from a professional position's duties and responsibilities.

Administrative Assistant positions do not report to a Clerical Supervisor. Their work is not clerical or secretarial as stated in those class specifications. However, only positions at this level in the class series may be assigned some clerical and/or secretarial duties not to exceed 25% of the total work.

Typical Work

Reviews the work of professional staff for completeness, to assure that input-output is in compliance with laws, rules, policies, procedures and standards;

Controls the professional staff's work by directing changes, corrections, and authorizing exceptions to ensure compliance with supervisor's priorities and schedules;

Prioritizes/schedules professional staff's work within established supervisory guidelines;

Coordinates the professional staff's work between agencies, the public and governmental entities;

Performs delegated technical yet professional duties in clearly defined areas of professional level work;

Performs significant portions of professional level assignments, working with professionals requiring knowledge of programs;

Establishes procedures for supervisor and coordinates work of subordinate office staff to facilitate programs with which incumbent's supervisor is charged;

Conducts studies and research projects;

Reviews and researches operating procedures and problems; develops solutions and/or recommendations;

Prepares budget estimates from historical data and planning information;

Represents supervisor at meetings; speaks on administrative and/or policy matters;

Answers inquiries, questions and correspondence on departmental matters;

Keeps supervisor informed of significant and important items requiring his/her review or action; obtains information from staff members, relays assignments, calls attention to deadlines, and obtains progress reports; maintains frequent contacts for supervisor with public and private executives;

Composes and dictates or types letters and narrative and statistical memoranda and reports; assembles and summarizes information and data for use by supervisor;
Receives and screens public by telephone and in person; makes appointments; arranges for transportation and accommodations;

Reads and distributes incoming mail; retains more important correspondence for own or supervisor's attention and routes balance to appropriate employees; reads outgoing mail prepared by others for form, content, and agreement with policies;

Sets up and maintains files of correspondence and records;

Prepares agenda for meeting, e.g., advisory boards, division heads, etc.; notifies conferees; attends meetings, takes notes of significant parts of discussion, and prepares minutes;

Performs other duties as required.

Knowledge and Abilities

Knowledge of: basic administrative procedures; office practices; correspondence preparation; State and departmental policies; management procedures and practices.

Ability to: effectively direct work of others; plan and conduct the operation of an office; prepare coherent and meaningful reports; write clearly and effectively; work with others in developing programs and plans.

Legal Requirement(s)

There may be instances where individual positions must have additional licenses or certification. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure the appropriate licenses/certifications are obtained for each position.

Persons legally authorized to work in the U.S. under federal law, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients, are eligible for employment unless prohibited by other state or federal law.

Desirable Qualifications

A Bachelor's degree in business administration, public administration or closely allied field.

Clerical or office work experience may be substituted for education on a year-for-year basis, provided at least one year included experience at the Clerk 3 level or above.

Class Specification History

Shadow class adopted June 23, 2025; effective July 1, 2025.