Administrative Assistant

Agriculture - A Cornerstone of Washington's Economy

The Washington State Department of Agriculture has been serving the state for more than 100 years. Through service, regulation, and advocacy, we keep agriculture viable and vital in Washington State, while protecting consumers, public health, and the environment. We work extensively with farmers and ranchers, but our responsibilities – from ensuring food safety to environmental protection – touch the lives of millions of people locally, nationally, and abroad.

The agency includes 780 employees approximately and grows close to 1,000 employees at the peak of seasonal work. To learn more and view additional openings, please visit our Employment Page.

The Opportunity

The Plant Protection Division supports the agriculture industry and protects the environment and consumers by protecting agriculture and the environment from insect, weed, and pathogen pests, supporting pollinator and soil health, and testing for proper weights and measures and pesticide use. The WSDA Weights and Measures Program promotes marketplace equity in commercial transactions through testing and inspecting commercial devices, price verification, package inspection, public education, monitoring fuel quality, and investigating complaints. In addition, maintains the standards for mass, volume, and length in order to provide reliable measurement services for government and industry. The Administrative Assistant provides administrative and operational support for the Weights and Measures Program. This position processes employees' timekeeping, monitors budget status, performs program purchasing, acts as the program's travel liaison, compiles device inspection summary reports, and interfaces with the Department of Revenue Business Licensing Service to ensure database accuracy of licensed businesses and registered commercial weighing and measuring devices.

Important Notes

WSDA is recruiting for a full-time permanent Administrative Assistant 2 position within the Plant Protection Division. This position is located in Olympia, Washington. This position is represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) Union.

The base pay offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on the preferred candidate's job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The typical starting salary range for this position is: Range 41 Step A $44,856 - Step L $58,392 annually.

Duties

Some of what you'll do:

• Conduct purchasing of goods and services to support program operations.
• Create and submit purchase orders for goods and services and submit for payment to fiscal accounts payable or Division Coordinator for credit card payment.
• Create and submit purchase approval requests to fiscal accounts payable using Agency Gremlin software system.
• Create and submit additional required documentation to fiscal accounts payable as required by agency policy or procedure.
• Review and approve monthly recurring program expenditures including but not limited to: PC leases, mobile phone bills, fleet vehicle mileage and fuel expenses, and others as required.
• Track purchase requests with fiscal accounts payable and reconcile monthly with DES expenditure reports.
• Query program software such as PISCES to download excel spreadsheets and create regular reports on the percentage of businesses and devices inspected by county and region.
• Create other operational reports as required by program manager.
• Perform data validation and reconciliation to ensure report accuracy.
• Complete employee timekeeping for program staff.
• Submit biweekly timesheets for all staff to payroll in a timely manner.
• Complete holiday pay processing for all program staff.
• Review and approves program staff travel voucher submissions using the agency's Travel and Expense Management System (TEMS), and forwards to appropriate person for final review or travel desk for payment.
• Provide expert guidance to program staff on agency travel policies and regulations.
• Arrange flights and rental cars for program staff with Central Booking Services for out-of-state travel requests.

Qualifications

Who should apply?

Professionals with:

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• AND
• Two (2) years of clerical, office or administrative experience.
• OR
• One (1) year of experience as an Administrative Assistant 1.

Preferred/Desired Qualifications:

• Proficient in creating and formatting excel spreadsheets, managing and comparing data sets using basic and advanced formulas, creating and editing pivot tables, creating reports, creating charts and graphs, sorting and filtering data to display desired information.

Supplemental Information

Employee Benefits

• A healthy work/life balance, which may include flexible work schedules, and teleworking.
• WSDA provides an excellent benefits package beyond traditional benefits. State employment offers Dependent Care Assistance, Flexible Spending Accounts, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver, Deferred Compensation, Employee Recognition Leave; click here for more information.
• 12 paid Holidays & Vacation and Leave Accruals.
• All Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) required will be provided by the agency.

How to apply

You must complete your careers.wa.gov profile and answer the supplemental questions. In addition to completing the online application, and supplemental questions applicants must attach the following documents to their profile to be considered for this position:

· A resume detailing experience and education

· A cover letter describing how you meet the specific qualifications for this position

· Three professional references

By submitting these materials, you are indicating that all information is true and correct. The state may verify information. Any untruthful or misleading information is cause for removal from the applicant pool or dismissal if employed.

If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing, or completing your application, please call NEOGOV toll-free at View phone number on click.appcast.io or email View email address on click.appcast.io.

The initial screening will be solely based on the contents and completeness of your application and the materials submitted. All information may be verified, and documentation may be required. Applications received via e-mail will not be accepted in lieu of applying through the state's on-line recruitment system.

WSDA uses a I-9 form to determine Employment Eligibility and Verification, once hired. This document is the authorization of an individual's ability to be hired for employment within the United States. Applicants must be eligible to work in the United States.

Equity at WSDA

The Department of Agriculture recognizes, appreciates, supports, embraces, and respects all cultural identities and backgrounds while we collaborate in authentic ways. We hire amazing people that share in the commitment to our Pro-Equity Anti-Racist (PEAR) strategic plan, our Healthy Environment for All (HEAL) Act implementation plan, and our unique needs and desires for belonging, respect, and inclusion. We value the growth and development of our team members by providing equitable access to resources and opportunities for continuous learning, improvement, and advancement.

We strive to hire, cultivate, and retain a productive and dedicated workforce that reflects the communities we serve while we are committed to a workplace that celebrates our differences and supports equal opportunity employment and inclusion regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, marital status, families with children (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sex, sexual orientation, gender identity diversity, age, status as a protected veteran, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as an individual with the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with disabilities or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

Contact Us

Should you have any questions regarding this position or the online application, contact the Human Resource Office at View email address on click.appcast.io.

Prior to a new appointment into the Department of Agriculture, a background check including criminal record history will be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant's suitability and competence to perform in the position.

The Human Resources Division may use referrals from this recruitment to help fill future similar vacancies for up to six months.

Veteran's Preference: Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications and wish to claim Veteran's Preference MUST attach a copy of their DD214, or other verification of military service. Please blackout any personally identifiable data such as social security numbers. For additional information on Veteran's Preference and guidance on how to determine if you are eligible, click here.

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