We’re looking for someone who will:

• Thrive in a fast paced work environment
• Enjoy bringing order to administrative processes
• Seek to help people
• Communicate clearly

Duties

Agency Mission: The mission of the Department of Ecology is to protect, preserve and enhance Washington’s environment, for current and future generations.

Program Mission: The mission of the Water Quality Program is to protect and restore Washington’s waters to support healthy watersheds and communities. Our work ensures state waters can support beneficial uses including recreational and business activities, supplies for clean drinking water, and the protection of fish, shellfish, wildlife, and public health.

What will you do?

• Provide administrative support to the Water Quality Section Manager, four Unit Supervisors, and 44 professional and technical Water Quality staff.
• Serve as the section-wide resource in Agency software applications, including our time management, environmental report tracking, conference room scheduling, learning management, and purchasing systems.
• Support regional staff with our office move to Shoreline in 2021.
• Organize and facilitate teambuilding activities, shared-space organization, safety and disaster preparedness, and help new employees learn our administrative processes and tools.
• Receive environmental complaints through our environmental tracking system and refer reports to appropriate staff.
• Format documents using Agency standards and make them digitally accessible.

How will you do it?

• Communicate professionally in high stress situations, including with upset customers and other members of the public
• Work with internal resources to identify and solve IT, billing and purchasing, and other similar issues
• Identify and rank priorities so that important work doesn’t fall through the cracks. See tasks and projects through to completion.
• Maintain confidentiality for personnel and business information

Please note: During Stay Home, Stay Healthy, staff are working a combination of in-office and/or telework based on position and business need. This position is expected to work in the office at least 4 days a week until the office move to Shoreline is complete, to be reassessed thereafter.

Ecology is maintaining less than maximum building occupancy, and requiring masks, health screening questions before entry, and social distancing.

This position will remain open until filled, with an initial screening date of February 2, 2021.  In order to be considered for initial screening, please submit an application on or before February 1, 2021. The agency reserves the right to make an appointment any time after the initial screening date.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

High school graduation or GED AND four (4) years of clerical, secretarial, bookkeeping, accounting, or general administrative office work experience.

College-level education in business administration, public administration or closely allied field may substitute year for year for the required experience.

OR

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

OR

One (1) year of experience as an Administrative Assistant 2 at the Department of Ecology.

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience creating and implementing administrative office procedures
• Experience training other staff to use computer applications, such as time accounting systems and SharePoint
• Familiarity with scientific terms and concepts
• Experience providing secretarial or office support to a large (20+) person team

Why work for Ecology?

Joining Ecology means becoming a part of a team committed to protecting and restoring Washington State’s environment.

A career in public service allows you to help solve some of the most challenging problems facing our state, while keeping the health and financial security of you and your family a priority. We combine one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation with a strong commitment to work/life balance.

Ecology employees may be eligible for the following:
Medical/Dental/Vision for employee & dependent(s), Public Employees Retirement System (PERS),  Vacation, Sick, and other Leave*, 11 Paid Holidays per year*, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver,  Long Term Disability & Life Insurance, Deferred Compensation Programs, Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP),  Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA), Employee Assistance Program, Commute Trip Reduction Incentives (Download PDF reader), Combined Fund Drive, SmartHealth

Student debt and how working for Ecology can help
Employees may be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program, which forgives the remaining balance on your Direct Loans after you have made 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time for a qualifying employer. See https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service for more details.

*See the Benefits tab in this announcement for more information

Supplemental Information

Application Instructions:

Please complete the applicant profile when applying for this position. Or, you may paste the text of your resume within the profile’s resume text field.

Include in your application:

• A cover letter describing how your experience, skills and abilities meet the required qualifications of this position.
• A resume outlining your professional experience.

It is in the candidate’s best interest to submit all of the documents listed above. Applications without these documents may be declined.

Please read the supplemental questions carefully and answer completely. Incomplete responses, including “please see resume,” may disqualify you from further consideration.

Please to do NOT include your salary history. Wage/salary depends on qualifications or rules of promotion, if applicable.

Department of Ecology employees, please make sure to answer the agency-wide questions regarding permanent status as a classified employee within the Washington General Service or Washington Management Service. Do not forget to select Department of Ecology as a response to question 2, and type your personnel ID number for question 3. If you are not sure of your status or do not know your personnel ID number, please contact Human Resources.

If you are reading this announcement in print format, please visit www.careers.wa.gov to access the online recruitment system. Click on “Look for Jobs” and select Dept. of Ecology under the “Department” search list. Click “Apply Search.”

Other Information:

If you need assistance applying for this job, please e-mail careers@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not send an email to this address to follow-up the status of your application. You can view the latest status of your application on your profile’s main page.

If you have specific questions about the position, please email Rachel McCrea at rachel.mccrea@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not contact Rachel to inquire about the status of your application.

The act of submitting application materials electronically is considered affirmation that the information is complete and truthful. The state may verify this information and any untruthful or misleading answers are cause for rejection of your application or dismissal if employed.

This is a position covered by a bargaining unit for which the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) is the exclusive representative.

The Washington State Department of Ecology is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, veterans, military spouses or people with military status, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply. Persons needing accommodation in the application/testing process or this job announcement in an alternative format may call (360) 407-6186. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.