About the Position

The Bureau for Inclusive Growth, Partnerships, and Innovation (IPI) provides thought leadership and technical assistance that catalyzes inclusive growth, expands partnerships, and generates innovative solutions to complex development challenges. IPI leads in carrying out key Agency priorities, including pursuing gender equality and inclusive development, mainstreaming our work with local partners across the Agency, and expanding private sector partnerships. We also lead the Agency in advancing education, cybersecurity and digital access, and economic growth.

The Bureau’s Center for Education (IPI/EDU) leverages its expertise, partnerships, and global perspective to guide and influence the education sector, advancing U.S. Government development priorities. 

The Special Assistant will work directly with IPI’s Deputy Assistant Administrator/ Acting U.S, Senior Coordinator for International Basic Education Assistance to provide administrative support, including scheduling and calendar management, travel accommodations, meeting preparations, visitor logistics, and management logistics. The SA also supports IPI Front Office processes.

This position will be onsite at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, DC a minimum of four days per week, with the opportunity for situational telework

Responsibilities

Administrative Support

• Provide administrative and workflow management support 
• Provide scheduling and calendar management support 
• Ensure external and internal meetings and conference calls run smoothly and effectively by managing invites and conference call details, organizing meeting logistics, preparing meeting materials, recording minutes and actions, coordinating follow-up, and booking facilities
• Develop trackers and tables for planning and monitoring upcoming tasks and responsibilities
• Assist in the preparation and assembly of meeting materials, as well as note-taking and tracking action items that require follow-up
• Coordinate travel arrangements as needed, including flights, accommodations, visa application, country clearance, ground transportation and receipts
• Support other DAAs and Front Office staff and collaborate with the IPI Center for Education’s Staff Assistant, as needed

Correspondence Management

• Manage taskers coming into the IPI Front Office in coordination with other team members
• Track and process all Front Office and above clearances of IPI/EDU briefers/memos
• Review correspondence for proper formatting as prescribed in official Agency guidance
• Keep abreast of and implement Agency guidance to ensure proper document management through clearance processes, electronic filing, etc.
• Produce documents to a very high standard without need for re-editing prior to clearance and dissemination from office
• Prepare correspondence and documents (typing, formatting, preparing as draft and final correspondence, cables and program documents)
• Distribute correspondence and documents and other requested information
• Track, control, and file documents (log and track documents, standardize and maintain files according to Agency Records Management directives)

Relationship Management

• Liaise with USAID Administrator and Deputy Administrators’ Front Office, the Office of the Executive Secretariat, other bureaus’ Front Offices, speechwriting and scheduling teams as well as Special Assistants across the Agency
• Field staff questions and concerns, connecting them with appropriate individuals and resources, as needed
• Assist staff in navigating internal Bureau and Agency systems

Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 1 year relevant experience.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a secret level security clearance is required. Current or recently active secret clearance is a plus.
• Demonstrated commitment to providing outstanding support to leadership and high-quality work as a member of a fast moving, hard working office.
• Ability to learn quickly, think critically and adapt to the changing needs of the assigned DAA, DAAs in other sectors, as needed, and the rest of IPI’s Front Office.
• Exceptional organizational, analytical, and troubleshooting skills; ability to multitask and prioritize tasks; detail and solutions-oriented.
• Strong writing and editing skills.
• Stellar interpersonal and communication skills; desire to work with a variety of individuals and personality types at a high level.
• Discretion, diplomacy, and tact.
• Previous experience with USAID or other U.S. Government Agencies is not required, but a plus.
• Interest in international development, international education, and/or policy and commitment to USAID’s mission is not required, but a plus.