This job posting is for anticipated openings for Full-Time and Limited Term Employee roles at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Anticipated postings are often called “Evergreen Requisitions”. Limited Term Employee roles are targeted for 12+ months.
The Program Assistant (PA) provides administrative support to members of our Program Teams. We are looking for people who enjoy administrative support, who thrive in a dynamic, high-intensity environment and excel at time management, organization and planning skills. Your love of efficiency, attention to detail, resourcefulness and good judgment to ensure smooth operations of the team will make you successful in this role.
- Schedule a high volume of appointments and meetings, manage complex calendars for multiple people, and make travel arrangements.
- Assist in scheduling and planning for events, such as meetings, conferences and presentations, which may include coordinating arrangements for participants, handling logistics, preparing and disseminating materials.
- Provide communications support and assistance to ensure timely responses to inquiries including answering and prioritizing calls, email and mail communications.
- Maintain organized files and records and a system for tracking, monitoring and prioritizing tasks and projects. Compile and process expense reports, reimbursement and check requests.
- Work on special projects as needed. May include conducting basic research and analysis of data to respond to requests.
- Interact and communicate clearly and consistently with grantees and partners in the field.
We believe that energized people, working well together, fueled by great leadership in an inclusive environment in which they thrive, will do phenomenal things.
Core Knowledge and Skills
- Sets priorities and meets deadlines while balancing needs of providing support for multiple individuals, including complex calendar, travel and event planning.
- Excellent oral and written communications skills. Able to communicate effectively with internal and external contacts, and have the ability to adjust to a wide variety of working styles.
- Knowledge of foundation priorities and how they align with the goals of the department/division.
- Proficient with MS Office Suite.
Qualifications
- 3 years (PA) work experience in an office setting is desirable, preferably in an administrative role for a complex and dynamic organization, interacting intensively with internal and external contacts.
- Experience setting priorities and meeting deadlines while balancing the needs of providing support for multiple individuals, including calendar management, travel itineraries, and event planning coordination.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills in an environment requiring diplomacy and good judgment in handling interactions with individuals at all levels inside and outside an organization.
- Demonstrated effectiveness meeting deadlines in a role requiring continual attention to detail in composing, typing, and proofing materials.
- Experience or desire to lead staff via providing training, coaching and handling workload distribution across the admin team.
- Experience establishing organizational systems to improve efficiency and functioning in a changing environment.
- Shown skill with Outlook, Microsoft Office, and PowerPoint is required. Experience MS SharePoint and OneNote preferred, but not required. Experience in learning and mastering new software applications.
- Proven positive, collaborative approach to work, including a commitment to client-service and problem solving.
- The position is based in Seattle, WA and relocation is not offered.