Executive Associate

The Rhode Island Department of Education is seeking a highly skilled and mission-driven Executive Associate to support senior leadership in advancing equity and excellence in public education. This role requires exceptional organizational judgment to maintain a centralized, reliable calendar; manage a high-volume inbox with professionalism and a commitment to constituent service; and coordinate logistics, including travel, with precision and discretion. The ideal candidate brings public sector savvy, political awareness, and a proactive mindset to help keep the work of the agency moving forward with clarity, efficiency, and integrity.DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATIONNONCLASSIFIED JOB DESCRIPTIONTITLE: Executive AssociateORGANIZATIONAL CENTER: This position is located in the Commissioner Office.GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES: Responsible for providing essential planning, support, implementation, and coordination of strategic initiatives and policies for the Office of the Commissioner, and providing and engaging with national, state, and local stakeholders with accurate and timely information in order to ensure initiative understanding, maintain public awareness and gather feedback to improve stakeholder engagement and initiative effectiveness.SUPERVISION RECEIVED: Works under the supervision of Chief of Staff or designee with wide latitude to exercise independent judgement. Work is subject to review on a periodic basis or upon completion for confirmation that anticipated results are achieved and for adherence to professional standards of conduct.SUPERVISION EXERCISED: Generally, none.

May work as part of teams and in collaboration with others, with wide latitude for the exercise of independent judgement to achieve results. May be involved in providing input to the performance management process as a peer or colleague as appropriate.ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES OF WORK PERFORMED AND ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: Performs a wide variety of strategic functions of a highly complex and confidential nature under the direction of the Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, and/or Chief of Staff.Collaborates with internal and external stakeholders to implement and coordinate assigned strategic initiatives, evaluate project plans and strategies, identify and resolve barriers to initiative success.Prepares materials addressing identified program issues and communicate approved strategies to affected stakeholders.Assist all RIDE staff on connecting project initiatives with engaging external stakeholders through the development and facilitation of professional training and communication strategies at all levels with the organization.Participates in the formulation, implementation, and evaluation of agency policy as it relates to specific programs, including facilitating collaboration across RIDE offices when necessary to enact programs.Organizes, initiates and perpetuates discussions about the impact of program initiatives through the development of focus groups, organization of public meetings, and the use of social media for the purpose of general public engagement.Establishes and maintains a communications network between groups served and the agency to ensure community input in involved in the planning and programming of services, programs, and agency policy.Performs programmatic data research and analysis of complex data in order to synthesize information that can be communicated to stakeholders in a user-friendly report.Participates on various committees, panels, work teams and task groups as appropriate.Performs related work as assigned.