Program Assistant II

Department Information

Most State of Colorado employees are eligible for a great benefit package! Please see the Supplemental Information section below for details!

Description of Job

Program and Administrative Support
The Program Assistant II is responsible to develop and prepare meeting agendas, attend meetings, record and transcribe meeting minutes as needed within agreed-upon deadlines and may involve a variety of special duties or tasks, which will be evaluated at the discretion of the Manager.
Prepares correspondence, documentation, reports and slide decks using Microsoft Office Software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and/or Google (Gmail, Sheets, Slides, Docs).
Manages action items for the Director of Admissions to ensure timely approval of contracts, reports, correspondence, etc., and responds to inquiries and works on assignments. Assists in the coordination and tracking of various administrative assignments and/or activities.
Acts as the project lead and manages special projects in support of the Admissions team as assigned. Develops and coordinates the implementation of administrative projects/initiatives. Translates project concepts into concrete operations to support the goals of the office.
Demonstrates a high level of decision-making skills and short and long-term planning.
Provides technical assistance and responds to questions and requests for information for program areas, answers internal and external stakeholder questions, and routes more specific requests to appropriate program staff or managers within CMHHIP and other State Departments..
Identifies workflow issues and makes suggestions of solutions when reviewing processes, documentation, or other materials as determined.
In collaboration with the Admissions team, creates and manages work plans tracking completion and assisting the team to be able to notify the Director of Admissions of the potential for missed deadlines.
Develops and maintains filing and tracking systems/processes.
Properly uploads and maintains organization and access of shared Google folders and folders on the LAN following the outlined standard operating procedure.
Works with other Program Assistants (PA’s) and office support staff to organize and ensure administrative coverage. Directs the flow of assignments, processes required and critical information to the appropriate staff and program area.
Reviews, prioritizes and accurately responds to address all incoming correspondence. Assists with formal business communication, including formatting and writing documents developing and refining presentations. Drafts responses (memos, letters, and emails) to routine inquiries. Reviews, edits, and finalizes documents (letters, briefing papers, memos) timely ensuring that the documents adhere to established CDHS guidelines for correspondence. Accurately composes, designs, and types documents, correspondence, forms, organizational charts, and reports, utilizing a variety of software applications (e.g., Microsoft Office, Visio, and Google).
Serves as a liaison as assigned for stakeholder meetings, preparing agendas, conference rooms, conferencing materials or technology.
Receives incoming telephone calls, triages calls according to guidance, and responds to customer inquiries and/or allocates calls to the appropriate staff member. Responds to emails and voicemails to solve problems in a timely manner.
Educates staff on departmental procedures, policies and proper preparation of correspondence, documents and special reports as assigned.
Complete administrative functions to support the supervisor/manager in human resources related matters, for example ensuring the correct template is used for the letters sent out, sending out letters via mail or email, etc.
Gather, compile, and analyze information in preparation for meetings. Analyze and follow-up on action items, identify solutions and data sources, communication issues with appropriate points of contacts, and draft responses for approved administrative changes.
This position will manage customer service for assigned responsibilities including attending to complaints from staff, customers and disgruntled and/or concerned citizens with tact and diplomacy; determine the problem or concern, and the remedial action requested by the individual. Prioritize and communicate to the Director of Admissions critical issues, legal matters, potential lawsuits/appeals, and complaints. Research the appropriate action or person to assist using various resources. Track and monitor responses and resolution of complaints. Prioritize and communicate to the applicable stakeholder critical issues, legal matters, potential lawsuits, and complaints.
Communication of processes and timelines to internal and external stakeholders or requestors of information must be conducted with tact, diplomacy and excellent communication skills.
Perform administrative support duties such as typing, collating, compiling, formatting and filing. Clarifies data in collaboration with other departments to correct factual errors detected in documents or other transactions, provides input to establish general office record systems; including the content of files, circulation and retrieval, production, access disposal of pertinent data.

Travel/Budget/Purchasing/P-Card Administration
Makes appropriate travel arrangements and/or prepares travel requests. Completes travel reimbursement,
review for accuracy and submits for payment as appropriate. Ensures travel itinerary has been provided to
the Administrator(s) and provides necessary travel materials (maps, hotel, phone numbers, confirmation
numbers, etc.) to ensure a successful trip. Ensures compliance with all applicable rules, laws, and policy
with purchasing cards and travel cards.
Purchases office supplies, equipment, and furniture within approved purchasing and accounting guidelines
to ensure the office is welcoming and professional at all times. Assures equipment is inventoried, properly
installed and may provide training on the use of equipment. May write contracts for personnel service to
achieve program goals. Measures deliverable outcomes and makes recommendations for new services or
equipment. Reconciles monthly expenditure transaction and reallocates funding/coding string as
appropriate for all purchases and transactions. Print, review and acquire signatures from P-Card approver
within expected timeframes for monthly statements.
Maintains and creates a spreadsheet to track the budget for the Department and ensures that all purchases are
in line with policy and have appropriate approvals. Follows fiscal rules and ensures proper accounting
procedures and policies are followed. Reconciles the budget monthly. Communicates the status of all line
items target vs actual percentage of expenditure with the Director of Admissions.

Office Liaison
Serves as the office’s first point of contact for internal and external customers including other program
managers and staff, Executive Management, citizens, other State Agencies, County Departments, other
community stakeholders, and the Office of the Attorney General. Interacts daily with other executive offices
to coordinate assignments.
Directs the flow of the Department assignments, required and critical information as to the appropriate
staff and program area.
Reviews, prioritizes and accurately responds to address all incoming correspondence. Assists with formal
business communication, including formatting and writing documents developing and refining
presentations. Drafts responses (memos, letters, and emails) to routine inquiries to be approved by the
Administrator. Reviews, edits, and finalizes documents (letters, briefing papers, memos) ensuring that the
documents adhere to established CDHS guidelines for correspondence. Accurately composes, designs,
and types documents, correspondence, forms, organizational charges, and reports utilizing a variety of
software applications (e.g., Microsoft Office, Visio, and Google).
Coordinates the Director of Admissions communications and communicates with other senior staff within CDHS,
AG’s Offices, Legislative Offices, and other internal and external stakeholders.
Serves as a liaison for stakeholder meetings ensuring tours, preparing agendas, conference rooms,
conferencing materials or technology.
Receives incoming telephone calls, triages calls according to guidance, and responds to customer inquiries
and/or allocates calls to the appropriate staff member. Respond to emails and voicemails to solve problems
for the Administrator.
Educates staff on departmental procedures, policies and proper preparation of correspondence, documents
and special reports.

Timekeeping
Determines if employee’s request requires further research or understanding to assure accurate
timekeeping entries.
Determines if all required timekeeping documents have been obtained with all appropriate approvals.
Submits FML leave requests timely within payroll deadlines for accurate timecards/compensation.
Determines when to contact employees to assist in activity coding of timecards.
Determines what action to take to request system access for activity codes in employee timecards.

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

Experience Only: Five (5) years of relevant experience in a support role, such as administrative assistant or program/project support, or a role that is closely related

OR

Education and Experience: A combination of education in Business Administration or Business related field and/or relevant experience in support role, such as administrative assistant or program/project support, or a role that is closely related equal to five (5) years

Preferred Qualifications

• Preference will be given to individuals with related state experience
• Experience with Microsoft and/or Google applications
• Excellent communication skills
• Close attention to detail and ability to closely follow multi-step processes and perform at high levels of accuracy
• Participation in both team and individual environments
• Experience with project management or event planning
• Relevant years of State service

• Full background check and reference check required
• Must possess a valid, unrestricted U.S. Driver's License
• Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must (1) disclose that information on the application (2) provide an explanation why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify the applicant from the current position, (3) provide the employee number from the applicant’s prior State employment. Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination and failure to provide this information will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with CDHS.

Supplemental Information

• Strong, secure, yet flexible retirement benefits including a PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan www.copera.org plus 401(k) and 457 plans
• Medical and dental health plans
• Employer supplemented Health Savings Account
• Paid life insurance
• Short- and long-term disability coverage
• 11 paid holidays per year plus vacation and sick leave
• BenefitHub state employee discount program
• Employee Wellness program
• Excellent work-life programs, such as flexible schedules, training and more

• Remote work arrangements for eligible positions

• Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. For more

We are committed to increasing the diversity of our staff and providing culturally responsive programs and services. Therefore, we encourage responses from people of diverse backgrounds and abilities.

ADA Accommodations: CDHS is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to our ADA Coordinator, Nancy Schmelzer, at cdhs_ada@state.co.us or call 1-800-929-0791.

~THE STATE OF COLORADO IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER~