Executive Assistant (Administrative Associate)

This position works as a highly organized, resourceful, and experienced professional to serve as executive assistant to the department director. This position is a key member of the director’s office and provides high-level executive and administrative support in a fast-paced, complex environment.

Serves as a trusted resource to the director and works closely with deputy directors, senior leadership, county officials, departmental staff, external partners, and community stakeholders. Manages complex scheduling and executive workflow, coordinates meetings and special assignments, prepares and reviews correspondence and briefing materials, conducts research, tracks high-priority matters, and ensures appropriate and timely follow-up on assignments originating from the director’s office.

The successful candidate will be expected to anticipate needs, establish priorities, manage competing demands, and exercise sound independent judgment in determining how matters should be addressed or routed. Regularly handles confidential, sensitive, and time-critical information and requires exceptional discretion, professionalism, attention to detail, and judgment.

This position requires an individual who can work independently while maintaining strong collaborative relationships across all levels of the organization. Demonstrates excellent written and verbal communication skills, strong organizational and problem-solving abilities, sound judgment, initiative, adaptability, and the ability to manage multiple priorities with accuracy and professionalism. Must be comfortable operating in an environment where priorities may shift quickly and where assignments may involve confidential, complex, politically sensitive, or high-profile matters. Success in this role requires the ability to remain composed under pressure, exercise discretion, follow matters through completion, and consistently provide responsive and professional support to the director’s office.

Key responsibilities include:

• Serving as a trusted advisor and central point of coordination for the director’s office, exercising strong judgment and discretion based on a thorough understanding of countywide and departmental policies, procedures, priorities, and operations.
• Managing and coordinating Board-related and executive-level materials, ensuring accuracy, completeness, relevance, and compliance with applicable standards and requirements.
• Conducting research and analysis on complex or sensitive issues; collecting and interpreting data; and preparing clear, concise findings, recommendations, reports, executive summaries, briefing materials, and presentations.
• Acting as a liaison between the director, senior management, county offices, external agencies, community partners, and other high-level stakeholders, fostering effective communication and collaboration.
• Leading or supporting special projects and initiatives assigned by the director and/or deputy directors.
• Handling confidential, politically sensitive, and non-routine matters that require initiative, sound judgment, discretion, and independent action.
• Managing a complex and frequently changing executive calendar, including resolving scheduling conflicts, determining priorities, coordinating with senior-level participants, preparing necessary materials, and anticipating logistical or informational needs in advance of meetings and events.
• This is a highly visible role suited for a proactive, detail-oriented professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment and is committed to supporting the mission and strategic priorities of NCS.

Note: The assigned functional areas of the position include executive assistance, office management, executive correspondence, records management, and/or senior management event coordination.(The illustrative duties listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list.  A complete list of position duties and unique physical requirements can be found on the position description.)
General Financial Duties
Develops financial reports and data analyses for use by analysts/managers.
Monitors and tests computer systems that maintain department financial records.
Fiscal Administration
Analyzes budgets and develops recommendations for division/department.
Authorizes journal and/or budget entries.
Accounting
Approves/authorizes wire transfers.
Performs unique accounting functions that have countywide impact.
Purchasing
Identifies need for new funding sources and/or modifications to contracts.
Provides needs assessments and interacts with staff to identify fund sources and
develop a plan for purchases.
Identifies exceptional purchases (e.g., sole source justification), obtains special
approvals (e.g., agency approval for budget deviation) and insures competitive billing
process.
Purchases items, applying complex and conflicting regulations without consultation,
using multiple fund sources and determining appropriateness of expenditures.
Resolves disputes with vendors (except for precedent-setting actions outside policy).
Insures staff is trained and follows department/County policies and/or procedures.
General Executive Assistance
Makes decisions involving the functional area that are highly confidential and
politically sensitive.
Acts on executive/work unit head's behalf on issues related to standard and nonstandard department business operations.
Takes actions that require originality and thorough historical and political
understanding of the functional area.
Uses discretion and an understanding of the sensitive issues within the functional area to make decisions and resolve problems.
Acts as a resource regarding policies, procedures and precedents of the functional
area in the development of programs and policies within the functional area.
Scheduling & Coordinating
Attends meetings on behalf of the executive/work unit head, gathers information and
prepares concise, accurate reports.
Actively participates in management meetings.
Communication
Gathers data and composes concise executive summaries.
Writes technical and non-technical correspondence, and/or presentation materials.
Researches, coordinates, develops historical/political framework of issues and makes recommendations to executives/work unit head.
Writes non-technical content of reports and edits text.
Answers inquiries from the public on highly publicized or sensitive issues.
Informs internal and external staff, as well as the public, regarding executive/work
unit head's decisions regarding procedural issues and provides the reasons for those decisions.
Office Management
Actively participates in the long range, comprehensive planning of the functional area
(e.g., human resources, space, and budget).
Provides information and participates in the development of in-house policies within
the functional area.
Independently reviews and resolves problems on executive/work unit head's behalf.
Reads documents and attends meetings in order to maintain a working knowledge and understanding of the functional area.
Serves as liaison with the public, county, state, federal, private organizations, and
high level professional peers of the executive/work unit head.
Independently determines which items are to be forwarded to executive/work unit
head or redirected to other staff and prepares background information.
Information Systems/Software
Analyzes administrative procedures & policies to recommend corporate
systems/software changes/modifications.
Reports
Writes report on issues regarding operational efficiencies and/or program operations
affecting multiple functions within the Department or topics for which there are no
precedents.
Researches and analyzes information to identify trends, draws conclusions, makes
recommendations.
Payroll
Implements new county policies & procedures.
Oversees payroll operations for multiple departments/agencies. Serves as subject
matter expert on payroll policies/procedures for multiple departments/agencies.
Audits personnel actions and PARs in multiple departments/agencies for accuracy.
Researches and creates complex payroll reports regarding countywide issues.
Personnel
Manages HR and personnel administrative activities as a part of the department
management team.
Serves as point of contact for all personnel related activities (e.g., appeals panel,
grievances) including providing advice and information to employees and managers.
Analyzes changes in county policy to determine effect on department.
Drafts or revises department policies to conform to county, federal and state rules
and guidelines.
Drafts personnel letters for the Director or other senior managers.
Analyzes equity and consistency issues related to classification, selection and
compensation actions and makes recommendations to management.
Provides advice to Director & other high level managers regarding HR issues.
Composes non-professional and/or professional position descriptions using
information obtained from employee, supervisor, evaluations and samples.
Develops diversity plan.
(The knowledge, skills and abilities listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list.)
Knowledge of the organization's professional objectives and activities and in-depth
knowledge of the assigned functional area(s).
Math Skills
Ability to understand basic statistical concepts.
PC Skills
Intermediate skills in the use of applicable Microsoft Office Suite software.
Intermediate skills in the use of agency specific software applications.
Communication
Ability to write concise and understandable appropriate documents.
Information
Ability to independently gather, integrate, and analyze complex data.
Interpersonal Abilities
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with both external
and internal contacts.
Purchasing and Accounting
Ability to perform data entry into Purchasing/Logistics Enterprise Resource Planning systems and/or Financial Enterprise Resource Planning systems in at least 10 functions.
Personnel and Payroll
Ability to trouble shoot Human Capital Management Enterprise Resource Planning system problems.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Any combination of education, experience and training equivalent to an associate degree and five years of experience providing administrative support in the assigned functional area(s).

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background check to the satisfaction of the employer.Additional Work Schedule Requirements: Work schedule and worksite may require flexibility based on the operational needs of the Director's Office, senior leadership, meetings, and special assignments. Occasional work outside normal business hours may be required.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Five (5) or more years of progressively responsible administrative experience, including at least three (3) years providing direct administrative support to an executive-level position such as an agency head, department director, deputy director, executive leadership team member, or equivalent senior-level position.
• Three (3) or more years of experience independently managing the calendar of an executive-level position, including scheduling and prioritizing meetings, resolving scheduling conflicts, coordinating meetings with multiple participants, and making changes based on competing or changing priorities.
• Three (3) or more years of experience preparing, editing, and coordinating written materials for executive-level review or approval, such as executive correspondence, briefing materials, reports, presentations, meeting materials, or responses prepared for senior leadership, elected officials, boards, or commissions.
• Three (3) or more years of experience coordinating executive-level meetings involving multiple internal and/or external participants, with responsibility for scheduling, meeting logistics, preparation and distribution of materials, and coordination of required follow-up.
• Three (3) or more years of experience managing and tracking multiple time-sensitive assignments on behalf of executive-level leadership, including responsibility for monitoring deadlines, obtaining information or input from others, coordinating approvals, and ensuring completion of required follow-up.
• Three (3) or more years of experience serving as a primary administrative liaison for an executive-level office and regularly coordinating with at least three of the following: executive leadership; other departments or agencies; elected officials or their staff; boards or commissions; external government agencies; or community organizations/stakeholders.
• Three (3) or more years of experience working in a position with responsibility for maintaining, processing, or controlling access to confidential or restricted records or information on behalf of executive-level leadership.
• At least two (2) years of direct supervisory experience that included responsibility for assigning and reviewing employees' work, establishing work priorities or deadlines, providing performance feedback, and completing or contributing to formal performance evaluations.
• Three (3) or more years of experience using Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and SharePoint as part of regular job responsibilities, including experience using Outlook for calendar management and PowerPoint for preparation or modification of executive-level presentations.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Work is generally sedentary in nature; however, incumbent may be required to do some walking, standing, bending, and carrying items up to 25 pounds. Ability to operate keyboard-driven equipment. Ability to communicate verbally and in writing. Sufficiently mobile to attend meetings at various locations and make presentations to county staff and community. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Panel interview and may include exercise.

Fairfax County is home to a highly diverse population, with a significant number of residents speaking languages other than English at home (including Spanish, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indo-European, and many others.) We encourage candidates who are bilingual in English and another language to apply for this opportunity.  

Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce. 
  
Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. TTY 703-222-7314. [email protected] EEO/AA/TTY.

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