SOESD - Administrative Assistant to the Director

About SOESD
 
Southern Oregon ESD is located in the Rogue Valley, the cultural and economic heart of southern Oregon, home to legendary snow-skiing, white-water rafting, kayaking, hiking, fishing, as well as numerous cultural venues and events such as art galleries, the Britt Music Festivals, the Ashland Independent Film Festival, and the renowned Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

Administrative Assistant to the Director - Education Services

Position Goal:
Provide advanced, confidential, and equity-centered administrative support to the Director to ensure efficient department operations, accurate information management, timely follow-through on priorities, and responsive service to staff, districts, families, students, community partners, and other constituents served by Southern Oregon ESD.



Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Provide direct administrative support to the Director by anticipating needs, tracking priorities, managing deadlines, preparing materials, and ensuring timely follow-up on assigned matters.
2. Serve as a professional and responsive point of contact for the Director and department; receive, screen, prioritize, and route calls, emails, visitors, correspondence, and other communications using tact, discretion, and sound judgment.
3. Communicate clearly and respectfully with staff, administrators, school districts, board members, union representatives, families, students, community partners, vendors, and the public using inclusive, culturally responsive, and accessible communication practices.
4. Maintain the Director's calendar; schedule appointments, meetings, interviews, conferences, travel, and other commitments; identify conflicts; coordinate logistics; and prepare related agendas, materials, and follow-up items.
5. Prepare, format, proofread, edit, distribute, and archive correspondence, reports, presentations, forms, agendas, minutes, spreadsheets, and other documents that meet professional standards and agency expectations.
6. Handle confidential and sensitive information, including personnel, student, financial, program, legal, and operational records, in accordance with applicable laws, contracts, board policies, collective bargaining agreements, and agency procedures.
7. Research, compile, verify, organize, and summarize information from multiple sources to support the Director's decision-making, planning, compliance, evaluation, and reporting needs.
8. Develop and maintain spreadsheets, databases, tracking systems, and other tools to monitor timelines, projects, budgets, requests, staffing information, program data, and department deliverables.
9. Support budget and fiscal processes by preparing purchase orders, requisitions, invoices, deposits, reimbursements, expenditure tracking, budget reports, and related documentation; reconcile information and resolve discrepancies within assigned authority.
10. Coordinate department processes such as travel requests, professional learning or in-service registrations, leave documentation, supplies, facilities requests, mileage and reimbursement forms, onboarding logistics, and other centralized administrative functions.
11. Plan, coordinate, and support department meetings, leadership meetings, professional learning sessions, conferences, interviews, community events, and special projects, including materials, technology, accessibility needs, room arrangements, and follow-up actions.
12. Document meetings and action items accurately; maintain records of decisions, assignments, and timelines; communicate status updates; and help maintain accountability for deliverables.
13. Maintain organized electronic and physical filing systems, records, and archives so information is accurate, secure, accessible to authorized users, and retained or disposed of according to agency procedures.
14. Use agency software systems and office technology to enter, retrieve, validate, and report data; troubleshoot routine issues; and coordinate with technology, business services, human resources, or other staff as needed.
15. Interpret and apply department procedures, administrative guidelines, collective bargaining agreement provisions, and agency policies within the scope of the position; seek clarification when direction or authority is unclear.
16. In the Director's absence, respond to routine or time-sensitive matters within delegated authority, communicate urgent issues to appropriate leadership, and support continuity of department operations.
17. Identify and recommend practical improvements to forms, processes, communications,