XL Associates, Inc. (XLA) has provided institutional support services to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) for nearly 25 years. XLA is currently seeking A Special Assistant to work under a contract supporting the USAID Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs (LPA). The Special Assistant provides highly responsible, direct support to the Deputy Assistant Administrator for Legislative Affairs and other Front Office leadership, as assigned within the LPA.
The Special Assistant performs a wide variety of complex administrative functions for the LPA Front Office, exercising discretion regarding workflow and setting priorities based on in-depth knowledge of leadership styles, methods of operation, relationships, and authorities. The Special Assistant’s responsibilities include providing advisory and administrative support, making travel arrangements, scheduling for LPA Front Office principals, and organizing back-up coverage for LPA senior staff. The Special Assistant is expected to develop a working knowledge of USAID policies, guidelines, corporate practices, and procedures, including an understanding of USAID bureau and office roles across the Agency.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Serves as a support and advisor to Front Office principals, performing work of broad scope and complexity under the direction of the Deputy Assistant Administrator (DAA) for Legislative Affairs, a designee, or as assigned.
- Organizes office workflow to systematically coordinate, track, and complete tasks in order to maintain an efficient office environment.
- Oversees and manages the flow and exchange of information, streamlines interactions with internal and external customers, and facilitates initiatives on behalf of the Assistant Administrator (AA) and/or DAAs.
- Schedules and manages calendars and controls access to LPA principals, determining importance of issues for each meeting, and following protocol procedures when contacting parties.
- Serves as a focal point for Front Office operations, including coordination of responses from LPA senior staff on briefers, scheduling proposals, and other correspondence tasked out by the Executive Secretariat (ES) and routed to LPA for clearance.
- Supports LPA initiatives through tracking and reporting of legislative priorities and actions.
- Supports lead Legislative Program Specialists in preparation and editing of congressional correspondence, transcripts, reports, questions for the record, Congressional Notifications, and Legislative Referral Memoranda.
- Monitors email for action items, and gleans items from staff meetings and weekly reports for requisite action.
- Drafts and prepares correspondence on behalf of the AA and/or DAAs.
- Researches and prepares background information and/or talking points on meeting attendees and/or topics of interest for meetings, as needed.
- Develops and maintains accurate records and files management systems.
- Makes appointments, travel arrangements, and itineraries, including accurate expense statements.
- Ensures preparation of information packets or briefing materials.
- Exercises a wide degree of creativity and latitude in developing and coordinating projects on behalf of the AA and/or DAAs.
- Participates in high level meetings and travel, as needed.
- Performs other work-related duties, as assigned.
