BASIC FUNCTION

Provide research, development, and administrative support to the Vice President and Director of Governance Studies (GS).

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

Bachelor’s degree required (political science, public policy, business, or related field preferred). Minimum one year of relevant work experience required, that includes financial and/or administrative experience. Interest in and familiarity with domestic policy issues helpful.

KNOWLEDGE REQUIREMENTS

Excellent organizational and communication skills; a problem-solver able to handle multiple tasks and deadlines; excellent telephone and public contact skills; good judgment and ability to function both autonomously and in close collaboration with others. Ability to organize work, determine priorities, and take initiative. Strong computer, internet, word processing and writing skills essential. Knowledge of Microsoft Office suite, especially Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint. Must be flexible, discreet, trustworthy, and dependable.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

30% Operational and Office Support

• Supports the Vice President by scheduling meetings; responding to internal and external program requests and media inquiries; making travel arrangements and preparing trip itineraries; and processing travel expense reports.
• Coordinates travel and hotel accommodations for all administrative and Center for Technology Innovation staff; completes post-travel receipt collection and travel expense report processing.
• Assists GS Development and Communications teams with organizing and staffing of public and private events, conferences and forum.
• Orders office supplies and responds to office requests for maintenance or technical services.
• Coordinates the arrival and departure of GS staff, guests, affiliates, and interns.
• Schedules weekly staff meetings and monthly scholar meetings.
• Organizes all internal program events, such as brown bag lunches, research in process lunches, monthly staff birthday parties, and the annual holiday party.

25% Finance and Administration Support

• Modifies timesheets in PeopleSoft; provides staff training on timekeeping; troubleshoots timesheet issues as they arise.
• Coordinates travel and lodging arrangements and drafts, reviews and submits travel expense reports for members of the GS administrative office and Center for Technology Innovation to the Director of Finance and Administration.
• Assumes the role of ITS Liaison for GS; attends monthly ITS Liaison meetings; assists scholars and staff with ITS issues as they arrive; serves as the point of contact between the Help Desk and GS staff; oversees GS printers; submits all hardware and software requests, including requests for Brookings-issued phones.
• Works with the Director of Finance and Administration to problem-solve payment and accounting issues as needed.
• Prepares requisitions in PeopleSoft for invoices received by GS for payment and assists with drafting and submitting contracts, agreements and other legal documents for review.
• Assists Director of Finance and Administration with drafting proposal budgets, setting up new awards and grants, reviewing and reconciling expenses to correct funding sources, and solving any budgetary or reconciliation issues if needed.

20% Development Support

• Maintains and updates records of GS scholar and staff communications with donors in the Brookings-wide donor database, Raiser’s Edge (e.g.: meetings, correspondences, proposals, and invoices).
• Assists Director of Development and Assistant Director of Development with preparing donor and prospect meeting memos and briefings; preparing invitations, book mailings and acknowledgement letters; scheduling calls and meetings between prospects, donors, the development teams, the VP, and the executive office as needed.
• Supports the Assistant Director of Development with the preparation of grant and endowment reports and with routing proposals through the institution’s SharePoint site.
• Provides administrative support to the development and communications teams during events and meetings.
• Updates GS Impact Tracker database to reflect recent program deliverables.

15% Research Support

• Assists the VP in implementing short- and long-term research and policy projects.
• Collects research material through internet, library and database searches.
• Compiles and prepares materials for the VP in advance of meetings, presentations and testimony.
• Conducts background research, compiles literature reviews, and organizes bibliographies.
• Undertakes interviews for research projects.
• Assists the VP with proofreading, editing and drafting of publications.

10% Intern Coordinator

• Serves as the program’s Intern Coordinator, liaising with the human resources office and GS program staff.
• Surveys program intern demand year-round; drafts intern postings for the program and works with HR to upload the postings to the Brookings website.
• Screens interns through phone interviews and transcript reviews; assigns interns to appropriate GS scholars and staff; completes intern arrival notifications and coordinates all intern orientations.
• Leads GS program intern orientation, which includes: updating orientation PowerPoint presentation; compiling and disseminating information on the GS internship program.
• Meets twice-monthly with all GS interns to survey workloads; assists with intern brown bag preparation; plans program-to-program intern activities; and facilitates intern departures and survey research.

Only applicants meeting minimum qualifications for the position will be considered. Successful completion of a background investigation is required for employment in this position. Brookings welcomes resumes from all qualified applicants, particularly women and minorities. No phone calls and no employment agencies please.