Administrative Assistant

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT

PART-TIME ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

NOTE: Documents must be submitted through the application portal at www.sarasotabay.org/careers. Materials received through Indeed or other platforms will not be considered.

Position Announcement

The Sarasota Bay Estuary Program (SBEP) is currently hiring a Part-Time Administrative Assistant to support the Executive Director, Operations Manager, and program staff with the day-to-day administration. This is a part-time, in-office role requiring a minimum of 20 hours per week, occasionally up to 30 hours per week based on workload, events, and projects. Candidates must have a high school diploma/GED with at least five (5) years of office administration experience. A relevant post-secondary credential may substitute for up to two (2) years of that experience. The rate of pay for this position ranges from $23 to $28 per hour. The final compensation offer will be based on the candidate’s education, experience, and qualifications.

Position Details

SBEP is a National Estuary Program based in Sarasota, Florida, working to protect and restore the health of Sarasota Bay. The Administrative Assistant will play a key role in keeping a small, fast-moving team organized—providing high-level support to the Executive Director, helping the Operations Manager with human resources and financial processes, coordinating the program’s Management and Policy Board meetings, and handling the daily office operations that keep SBEP running. This is a hands-on, highly collaborative role that touches nearly every part of the organization. It is well suited to someone who is detail-oriented, comfortable juggling competing priorities, and motivated by supporting a dedicated team that works to protect and restore Sarasota Bay.

Assist the Executive Director (ED) (~40%)

· Work independently and under supervision of ED; tasks assigned by the ED

· Coordinate and oversee staff calendars

· Plan, schedule, and prepare meetings for ED as requested

· Make travel arrangements for ED and prepare itinerary and related meeting documents

· Emergency signatory authority in ED’s absence

· Work with ED in preparation of correspondence and special reports on administrative affairs

· Schedule weekly staff meetings, prepare agenda, provide feedback and timely recap to staff

· Support ED with email maintenance, filing, response, and/or follow-up

· Extensive contact with County, City, State, and/or Federal officials via telephone, email, and in correspondence

· Track City, County, Town, and State meeting agendas and provide ED with pertinent upcoming agenda items

· Maintain an SBEP Calendar to track report deadlines, expiration of contracts, and key program deliverable dates

· Alert ED and staff to upcoming programmatic deadlines and advanced notice for document preparation (reports, contract renewals, interlocal reviews, program reviews, etc.)

· Other duties as assigned

Assist the Operations Manager (OM) (~20%)

· Assist OM and ED in Human Resources matters, such as hiring and onboarding, personnel changes, and scheduling and assembling necessary documents for annual performance reviews.

· Provide back-up to OM on Financial Management System and payroll submission and implements in their absence

· Assist with processing of staff’s compensatory time and leave request forms

· Review staff’s travel preparation/reimbursements prior to approval and processing

· Assist with processing of invoices and payments

· Retrieve mail from box located in Sarasota City Hall

· Other duties as assigned

Board Coordination and Meeting Planning (~20%)

· Establish meeting dates for upcoming calendar year

· Assist ED with agenda development

· Secure locations for board meetings

· Coordinate schedule for pre-briefing meetings

· Assure sufficient attendance for quorum by board members or alternates

· Visit meeting site and arrange for equipment, set up and tear down

· Purchase and set up refreshments

· Assure necessary equipment and supplies are delivered to meeting

· Record meetings/take minutes and prepare for distribution and approval

· Research updated recording technology for implementation

· Track action items and follow-ups

· Establish working relationships with Management and Policy Board members and administrative support and establish briefs with the ED and Board members

· Create and submit public notice of meetings for newspaper publication

· Prepare Management Board and Policy Board packets and distribute to applicable recipients

· Other duties as assigned

Office Support and Other Staff Assistance (~20%)

· Review/proofread reports, correspondence, publications, and other documents as requested

· Assist staff with all Committee meeting scheduling, venue bookings, setup, and refreshments

· Assist staff with workshop and event planning and implementation

· Maintain files on office equipment and secure repair/maintenance services as needed

· Organize shared files and folders (SharePoint, Teams, Google Drive)

· Archive records and keep documentation up to date

· Manage subscriptions, small purchases, or vendor coordination

· Assist with small project coordination or status tracking

· Maintain contact lists and distribution lists

· Provide general “day-to-day” support to keep the team organized

· Maintain inventory of office supplies and equipment and replenish as needed

· Keep the office tidy and organized, and maintain the professional appearance of the workspace

· Greet visitors, answer phones, and monitor office voicemail messages to make sure messages are correctly routed

· Coordinate mailings

· Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

Required Education:

· High school diploma/GED and five (5) or more years of office administration experience

OR

· Associate’s Degree, Certified Administrative Professional (CAP), or Office Administration Certificate and three (3) or more years of office administration experience

Required Skills and Experience:

· Demonstrated strong organizational skills

· Excellent written and verbal communication skills

· Experience taking meeting notes/minutes

· Experience managing staff calendars

· Experience tracking work and leave hours

· Proficiency in meeting scheduling, coordination, and facilitation

· Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, SharePoint, and Google Drive

Preferred Qualifications:

· Notary Public Commission

· Experience operating under Florida Sunshine Law

· Experience working for a government organization

· Experience working with elected officials, boards, and committees

· Flexibility and a willingness to take on a diversity of tasks

· Self-directed and able to work independently

· Comfortable integrating new technologies into existing workflows

SBEP participates in E-Verify, a screening system that allows employers to determine the eligibility of their employees to work in the United States. The selected applicant will also be subject to a criminal background check.

• The successful candidate will be hired at a salary within the range of $23 to $28 per hour, commensurate with education, skills, and work experience
• SBEP participates in the Florida Retirement System (www.myfrs.com)
• Office location in downtown Sarasota with free parking
• Some schedule flexibility to take unpaid time off or flex-time with pre-approval
• Note that medical, dental, vison, and life insurance is NOT provided due to the part-time status of the position

Applicants must submit a cover letter, resume, three professional references and/or letters of recommendation, and responses to the three questions below. Documents must be submitted through the application portal at www.sarasotabay.org/careers. Materials received through other platforms will not be considered.

All applications must be received no later than 4 pm (EDT) onTuesday, July 7th. Applicants should be available to interview the week of July 20th.

To ensure all applicants have the opportunity to address a common set of questions, they will be asked to include written responses to the following. Please note that responses will be submitted and recorded directly through our career portal. No separate attachment is required.

Question 1 – This position supports the Executive Director, the Operations Manager, and program staff, and priorities can shift quickly. Describe your experience providing administrative support to multiple team members. How do you stay organized, track competing timelines, and decide what to handle first when several things are urgent? Please include a specific example. (maximum of 300 words).

Question 2 – This role involves proofreading reports and correspondence, documenting deadlines and contract dates, and reviewing invoices and reimbursements. Describe how you ensure accuracy and catch mistakes in detail-oriented work. Tell us about a time you caught an error before it became a problem or describe the system you use to keep your work consistently accurate. (maximum of 300 words).

Question 3 – A significant part of this job is coordinating meetings for a public agency, including tasks such as preparing agendas and packets, taking minutes, and managing logistics under Florida’s Government-in-the-Sunshine and public-records laws. Describe any experience you have supporting meetings, boards, or committees. If you have not worked under open-meeting or public-records requirements before, how would you approach learning and following them? (maximum of 300 words).

All applicants who claim Veteran's Preference must submit substantiation of their service with their application. Qualified veterans will be interviewed by the Selection Committee.

All applications and materials provided to the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program are considered public record.

The Sarasota Bay Estuary Program’s goal is to be an inclusive and equitable place to work, and we welcome applicants with diverse backgrounds and skillsets. We are open to the possibility that a great candidate for this position may not precisely meet all the above criteria. If you believe you are the right person for this job and can persuasively make that case, we encourage you to apply.

No phone calls, please. Applicants are prohibited from contacting members of the Selection Committee about SBEP, their application, or any aspect of this selection process.

Pay: $23.00 - $28.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Flexible schedule
• Retirement plan

Work Location: In person