Executive Secretary

Introduction

Are you an organized, proactive administrative professional?

Bring your skills to a vital role supporting executive leadership at Connecticut Valley Hospital!

The State of Connecticut, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) is seeking an Executive Secretary to join the Connecticut Valley Hospital (CVH) leadership team. In this essential role, you will provide advanced administrative and secretarial support within a fast-paced executive environment, ensuring seamless office operations and supporting effective decision-making across the hospital.


This position plays a key part in maintaining operational integrity, supporting executive communications, and enabling a collaborative, mission-driven clinical and administrative workforce.

HIGHLIGHTS

• FACILITY: Connecticut Valley Hospital (CVH)
• LOCATION: Middletown, CT
• SCHEDULE: Full-time (40 hours per week), Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM (First Shift)
• POSITION NUMBER: 126569
• NOTE: Compensation shall be commensurate with skill level and assigned responsibilities. Appointment rate requires approval by the Department of Administrative Services.

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

• Comprehensive benefits - visit the State Employee Benefits Overview page to learn more
• Opportunities for professional growth and development
• A supportive environment that values collaboration, compassion, and work/life balance

IN THIS ROLE, YOU WILL

• Provide high-level administrative support to executive leadership, ensuring efficient daily operations
• Plan, organize, and coordinate a wide range of office functions, including complex meetings, executive calendars, and multi-department communications
• Prepare, draft, and manage non-routine executive correspondence and documentation
• Serve as a key point of contact for internal and external stakeholders, interpreting and explaining departmental procedures, policies, and services
• Oversee and support clerical staff, ensuring smooth workflow and consistent office standards
• Make administrative decisions and exercise independent judgment to resolve issues and improve operational processes
• Review office systems, procedures, and workflows and recommend enhancements for efficiency and compliance
• Utilize advanced proficiency in computers, office software, and automated systems to support executive operations

ABOUT US

DMHAS is a health care agency whose mission is to promote the overall health and wellness of persons with behavioral health needs through an integrated network of holistic, comprehensive, effective, and efficient services and supports that foster dignity, respect, and self-sufficiency in those we serve.


Established in 1868, CVH serves as the State's premier public hospital for mental health treatment. As the largest facility within DMHAS, it features 17 inpatient units across Middletown and Hartford campuses, encompassing general psychiatry and addiction services. CVH offers comprehensive inpatient and outpatient psychiatric care, substance abuse treatment, and specialized services for pregnant women and individuals with dual diagnoses. Specialties include geriatric and special services, an integrated mental health network for older adults, and young adult services. Additionally, CVH houses the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) program, addressing survivors' needs through community reintegration, independent living skills development, vocational and educational training, psychiatric assessments, speech and physical rehabilitation, and individual and family counseling.

PLEASE NOTE

• A comprehensive medical examination, including a drug screening, will be required of all applicants upon a conditional offer of employment.
• All state employees must adhere to Connecticut's Policy for a Drug Free Workplace.

Selection Plan

FOR ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING:


Check out our Applicant Tips on How to Apply! Need more resources? Visit our Applicant Toolkit for additional support throughout the recruitment process.


BEFORE YOU APPLY:

• Meet Minimum Qualifications: Ensure you meet the Minimum Qualifications listed on the job opening by the job closing date. You must specify your qualifications on your application. The minimum experience and training requirements listed must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
• Educational Credits: List your earned credits and degrees from accredited institutions accurately on your application. To receive educational credits towards qualification, the institution must be accredited. If the institution of higher learning is located outside of the U.S., you are responsible for providing documentation from a recognized USA accrediting service which specializes in determining foreign education equivalencies to the contact listed below by the closing date listed on the job posting.
• Resume Policy: Per Public Act 21-69, resumes are not accepted during the initial application process. As the recruitment process progresses, candidates may be required to submit additional documentation to support their qualification(s) for this position. This documentation may include: a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the request and discretion of the hiring agency.
• Preferred Shift/Location: Select all location(s) and shift(s) you are willing to work on your application. Failure to do so may result in not being considered for vacancies in that specific location or shift.
• Timely Submission: All application materials must be received by the job posting deadline. You will be unable to make revisions once you officially submit your application to the State. Late submissions are rarely accepted, with exceptions only for documented events that incapacitate individuals during the entire duration of the job posting. Request exceptions by emailing View email address on click.appcast.io.
• Salary Calculations : For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other.

• Note : The only way to apply to this posting is via the 'Apply' or 'Apply Online' buttons on the official State of Connecticut Online Employment Center job posting.

AFTER YOU APPLY:

• Some email providers may experience delays or issues delivering messages. To avoid missing important updates-such as referral questionnaires or interview scheduling links-please check your Personal Status Board regularly.
• For added convenience, you can also enable text (SMS) notifications. To do this, log in to your Personal Status Board and select "Update My Contact Information."
• Referral Questions: This posting may require completion of additional Referral Questions (RQs), which must be completed by the questionnaire's expiration date. If requested, RQs can be accessed via an email sent to you after the job close date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section).

• Prepare For An Interview: Interviews are limited to those whose experience and training are most aligned with the role. To prepare, review this helpful Interview Preparation Guide to make the best impression!
• Stay connected! Log in daily to your JobAps Personal Status Board to track your status and check email (including spam/junk folders) for updates and tasks.
• The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
• Note : This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules. Candidates who are offered and accept a position with the State of Connecticut are bound by the State Code of Ethics for Public Officials and State employees, available at

• This employer may participate in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm work authorization.

QUESTIONS? WE'RE HERE TO HELP:


Due to high volume, we are unable to confirm receipt or provide status updates directly. For recruitment updates, please check your Personal Status Board and review our Frequently Asked Questions. If you have additional questions about the recruitment process, reach out to Alyssa Hovanec at View email address on click.appcast.io


Join the State of Connecticut and take your next career step with confidence!

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)


Acts as personal secretary and provides office management to the administrative head and/or to each undersecretary or deputy to such head of a department or institution as authorized by Section 5-198(11) of the Connecticut General Statutes.


EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

• Acts as confidential secretary to an executive;
• Relieves superior of administrative details through interaction with the public and routine contacts with other state executives;
• Complies and coordinates data for action by superior;
• Takes and transcribes confidential correspondence from supervisor or at meetings and/or hearings;
• Types a wide variety of correspondence, notes, memorandums, drafts, transcripts, charts and forms following proper format;
• Prepares own letters or reports and advises superior of appropriate action taken on routine matters;
• Schedules appointments and arranges meetings;
• Acts as receptionist;
• Maintains and checks records and files;
• Performs special assignments, studies and routine administrative functions as specifically directed;
• Screens incoming correspondence, refers to appropriate staff and follows up to insure timely response;
• May supervise a clerical staff assigning work and following up to insure completion;
• May transmit to or request information from agency staff for agency head;
• Performs related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

• Considerable knowledge of
  • office administration and management;
  • functions, procedures, programs and regulations of relevant organizational unit;
  • English grammar, spelling and punctuation;
• Considerable interpersonal skills;
• Ability to
  • interact effectively with supervisor, co-workers and general public;
  • work independently on administrative tasks and make decisions within framework of departmental policies;
  • follow complex instructions;
  • take accurate and complex dictation;
• Supervisory ability.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Three or more years of experience providing direct administrative support to an agency head, commissioner, president, CEO, or other C-suite executive, including experience in a hospital, health system, medical group, or healthcare organization.
• Experience independently managing executive office operations, including calendars, correspondence, records, executive requests, and follow-up activities.
• Experience preparing, formatting, and proofreading confidential executive correspondence, reports, board materials, and regulatory documents in a healthcare organization.
• Experience coordinating executive leadership, board, governance, or regulatory meetings, including preparing agendas and materials, recording formal minutes, and tracking decisions and action items.
• Experience coordinating conferences, site visits, or executive events involving multiple participants, locations, resources, and schedules.
• Experience coordinating administrative activities related to Joint Commission accreditation, regulatory surveys, healthcare compliance reviews, or corrective action activities.
• Experience building relationships and serving as a point of coordination between executive leadership and department heads, government officials, regulatory agencies, or external stakeholders, including transmitting requests and tracking responses.
• Experience using Microsoft Outlook to manage executive calendars and email inboxes and to coordinate meetings involving multiple internal and external participants.
• Experience using Microsoft Word and PowerPoint to prepare executive-level materials and Microsoft Excel to produce reports and manage data using formulas and pivot tables.
• Experience independently managing multiple concurrent executive assignments with competing deadlines and tracking assignments through completion while producing error-free work.

Conclusion

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER


The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT


As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.