Act as scary Terry Bergeson’s ”special” servant? Oh, hell to the no! And to think, OSPI was advertising this position six months ago for $40,000/yr. Imagine working 7 days a week, 18 hours a day, beside Terry! Goodbye family…goodbye sleep….goodbye sanity. No thanks!
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Position Objective: The purpose of the Special Assistant is to provide strategic assistance in achieving the superintendent’s and agency’s priorities and to keep the superintendent link between superintendent community. Brief the superintendent on all agency issues as they arise in relation to calendared events and participate on the policy and communication’s team.
Principal Responsibilities: The Special Assistant would travel approximately 50% of the time with the Superintendent to events/meetings across the state; work with all constituent issues as they arise while in the field; ensure Superintendent’s schedule is adhered to and travel needs are met; develop agendas and facilitate meetings in collaboration with appropriate cabinet team members or agency staff; represent Superintendent at offsite meetings; work with all OSPI staff to convey important issues to Superintendent and brief Superintendent on emerging issues; ensure that all information conveyed is accurate, reliable and timely; identifies and collaborates with staff and/or stakeholders in developing recommended options to present to Superintendent; review and provide quality control; aligns Superintendent’s activities and resources with the mission and strategy of the organization; anticipates issues that will require immediate attention and develops contingency plans or options; draft policies, discuss/interpret policy; gather information from all stakeholder groups (Gov, Leg, WASA, AWSP, WEA, PTSA, mayors, etc); other duties as become necessary.
Desirable Qualifications and Attributes: An undergraduate degree majoring in education, social services, public policy or a related field is preferred. A Master’s degree with a relevant area of focus is highly desirable. Experience in working with multiple racial/ethnic and socioeconomic groups; knowledge of K-12 education issues in Washington State as well as nationwide; strong understanding of the legislative and policy making processes; ability to provide strategic assistance as a partner to the Superintendent; including strong process orientation and problem solving skills; ability to work with a sense of urgency, to be flexible, and to prioritize multiple demands; understanding of the state budget process; politically astute; with excellent interpersonal and negotiating skills, highly collaborative style; excellent communication skills both verbal and written, including the ability to speak with diverse groups of persons; excellent presentation and facilitation skills; ability to work under pressure with overlapping timeframes.
Compensation: This position serves at the pleasure of the Superintendent and is exempt from civil service laws. The annual compensation for the position will depend upon qualifications of the candidate selected.
