Program Specialist II, Grade N21

WHO WE ARE

The County Executive oversees the enforcement of the laws of Montgomery County and provides Executive direction to all departments and offices of the County government. The County Executive also develops policies; proposes plans, programs, budgets, and legislation to the County Council; adopts Executive Orders and Regulations and appoints residents to boards, committees, and commissions.  

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

The Office of the County Executive (CEX) is seeking a Program Specialist II. This position plays a critical role in the County Executive’s Office with responsibility for managing the County Executive’s correspondence system (CECC – CEX Correspondence Control Manager), developing and implementing correspondence procedures and coordinating the day-to-day operations of the countywide correspondence assignment and tracking system, including correspondence preparation, review and editing. In addition, the incumbent composes and edits letters for the County Executive. 

The successful candidate is detail oriented, proactive, has strong interpersonal skills, the ability to multitask and problem-solve, manage complex assignments, and work in fast-paced environment. This position also requires strong organizational skills, time management, discretion in handling highly confidential matters, and excellent written and oral communication skills.

The Program Specialist II’s duties include, but are not limited to the following:

• Coordinate and manage the workflow of written, printed, and electronic correspondence addressed to the County Executive. 
• Identify priority and sensitive correspondence. 
• Administering an automated tracking system to manage the flow of incoming and outgoing executive correspondence, identify trends and generate reports. 
• Coordinate with County departments and offices to ensure timely responses, standardized replies as appropriate, and proper signature levels. 
• Draft, review, and edit outgoing correspondence for the County Executive’s signature to ensure completeness of the response, accuracy, tone, clarity, and conformance with applicable agency correspondence standards and procedures. 
• Keep track and maintain all documents signed and sent out by the County Executive in the office files in accordance with the county retention policy.
• Research issues and responding to inquiries from residents orally and in writing. 
• Review, analyze, and route incoming executive correspondence. 
• Understand the end-to-end process for writing and producing proclamations and certificates.

• Provide regular updates to the supervisor and other Executive staff.

Experience: Two (2) or more years of professional experience in Public Administration, Communication, Public Relations, or a related field.

Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s degree.

Equivalency: An equivalent combination of experience and education may be substituted.

Interview preference criteria will be used:

• Experience communicating orally and in writing with high-level government officials, employees, business executives and residents, which should include composing, proofreading and editing correspondence, memoranda, reports, and other written materials for executive level positions. 
• Knowledge of procedures and protocols of a controlled correspondence system and experience interpreting and applying a variety of policies related to incoming and outgoing correspondence. 
• Experience critically evaluating a wide variety of subject matter from the standpoint of reader interest, appropriateness, organization of materials and content, style and English language usage. 
• Knowledge of national, state, and county government organizational structures, programs, services, activities and issues. 
• Experience meeting time-sensitive deadlines, organizing, and prioritizing work in fast paced, high pressure work environment, and managing multiple assignments while being detailed oriented and flexible.
• Experience using MS Office applications, including Word, Outlook, PowerPoint and Excel in preparation of letters, spreadsheets, reports, etc. 

Additionally, if selected for consideration for this position, you may be required to provide a writing sample.