ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT - PAE - XLA Associates : Job Details

XL Associates, Inc. (XLA) has provided institutional support services to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for over twenty years. XLA is now seeking an Administrative Assistant for the office of Policy, Analysis, and Engagement to support the Bureau for Resilience, Environment, and Food Security (REFS) under a contract that was recently awarded. Through REFS, USAID works to advance inclusive agriculture?led growth, resilience, nutrition, and water security, sanitation and hygiene initiatives in priority countries around the world to help them accelerate and protect development progress.

The Administrative Assistant will provide administrative support to both direct hires (DHs) and non?direct hires (NDHs) USAID staff for the day?to?day routine functions needed to support the Office of Policy, Analysis, and Engagements leadership and teams to operate effectively, and to meet overall objectives.

This specific Administrative Assistant position will support the day-to-day functions of the Feed the Future Office of Policy, Analysis, and Engagement (PAE). Reporting to the PAE Office Director, activities will include assessing administrative needs, information gathering and management, and providing administrative support in the planning, implementation, and evaluation/oversight of activities related to REFS programs.

This is a full-time position to support USAIDs Bureau for Resilience, Environment, and Food Security (REFS) Feed the Future Office of Policy, Analysis, and Engagement. PAE coordinates across REFS, the U.S. Government interagency, and external partners to set and adjust strategic and policy priorities, generate evidence, and disseminate learning. The Office leads the Bureaus efforts to mobilize diverse partners to engage in a shared agenda on resilience, environment, and food security. The Office provides thought-leadership on moving governments, civil society, and the private sector in USAIDs partner countries to self-reliance through investments in food security, resilience, agriculture, nutrition, water, energy, environment, and climate initiatives. This position provides administrative support to the Director of three divisions, made up of approximately forty members. This position sits in Washington, D.C. and will be in the office 4 days a week with core support from 9am - 3pm ET.

The primary responsibility includes administrative and secretarial functions, travel arrangements, program coordination and information management. In this position, the Administrative Assistant will provide day-to-day support on tasks such as meeting scheduling and preparation, travel processing, and time management. Other duties may include tracking clearances and requests for information, knowledge management, and process improvement.

General Administrative Support:

• Support ordering of office supplies, anticipating needs and obtaining Office Directors approval and always following guidelines of inherently governmental function
• Perform official timekeeper duties in the WebTA system including ensuring all entries are entered correctly
• Provide administrative support for personal services contracting actions, including interview scheduling, candidate escorting, security clearance processing, medical clearance processing, and onboarding procedures

Knowledge Management:

• Generate and maintain documents and spreadsheets using the Google Suite of tools
• Provide reference service to files and prepare/review annual file plans and submit to the Records Liaison Officer
• Maintain awareness of and follow Agency and Federal guidelines for file retention
• Save documents and maintain file structures using USAID portals
• Track, follow, and maintain internal trackers including for clearances, taskers, requests for information, etc.
• Maintain email lists, and PAE member contact lists for Continuity of Operations Plans (COOP) and emergency situations; stay up-to-date on Agency administrative notices and advise officers on current requirements

Calendar and Meeting Management:

• Update and maintain calendars to avoid conflicts and according to priorities
• Maintain awareness of routine office meetings such as staff meetings, board meetings, etc. In order to avoid disruption in daily management of office administration
• Provide logistical support to organize meetings, schedule conference rooms as necessary and ensure proper equipment and materials are available for meetings at least one day prior
• Liaise with CIO for IT needs to address or respond to technical issues if they arise
• Capture and distribute meeting minutes, summaries of conclusions, and action items
• Support PAE meetings and trainings, including assisting in planning, arranging for appropriate rooms and presentation equipment, setting up, making sufficient copies of materials, escorting visitors, and keeping the room tidy following meetings

Travel Processing:

• Process travel requests on receipt of itineraries, including reservations, ticketing, and managing and processing visa and passport requirements
• Obtain country clearances via email/cable as appropriate three days prior to departure date
• Process travel vouchers and expense report processing including properly documenting travel in Agencys electronic systems (i.e. E2i Solutions)
• Maintain travel databases and track travel budgets; coordinate airline and hotel reservations

Correspondence:

• Track executive correspondence and work with the USAID point-of-contact to ensure responses are transmitted in a timely fashion and properly formatted
• Review Office correspondence for proper formatting as prescribed in official agency guidance
• Produce documents requiring minimal edits prior to clearance and dissemination from Office
• Ensure documents are correctly formatted according to approved templates
• Distribute incoming mail and prepare mailings for Officers

Qualifications:

• A Bachelors degree and a minimum of one year of professional experience (to include internships)
• In lieu of a Bachelors degree may substitute an Associates degree plus a minimum of 5 years experience or a Diploma and 7 years experience
• Ability to obtain a USAID facility access (Public Trust) clearance
• Excellent oral, interpersonal, and written communications skills to effectively interact with government clients, high-ranking officials, and other stakeholders
• Strong prioritization and organization skills with keen attention to deadlines
• Excellent anticipatory skills and proactive approach to work
• Positive and professional attitude and demeanor
• Detail-oriented and interested in producing quality work products
• Proficiency in Google Suite of products or ability to learn
• Proficiency in Microsoft Suite of products including excel, word, and PowerPoint
• Experience with USAID, USG or other related organizations is a plus

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): XLA is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, XLA will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations in the hiring process. We encourage qualified individuals with disabilities to apply. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process or to perform essential job functions, please contact our HR team by phone at 703-###-#### or via email at [email protected]. For persons who are deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, or deaf-disabled, XLA will provide an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter where needed as a reasonable accommodation for the hiring processes.