Receptionist (Office Assistant 3)

Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen
The Central Region Director’s Office within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill a Receptionist (Office Assistant 3) position. This position will be located in our Central Region Office (CRO) in Union Gap, WA. Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

In this role, you will serve as the receptionist and first point of contact for the Central Region Office (CRO). You’ll work with Ecology’s ten environmental programs, private stakeholders, and a variety of government agencies. You will direct calls, visitors, and staff; conduct records management, facility management, data entry, State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) routing, distributing and processing mail/packages and serve as backup for the Customer Service Specialist 2 (Fleet Coordinator). You will also be the first point of contact for incidents that require documenting pertinent information and transferring to the Environmental Report Tracking System (ERTS) Coordinator for follow up. This position embodies the One-Ecology philosophy, requires a high degree of professionalism, ability to multi-task and provide excellent customer service. The ideal candidate will be bilingual and able to communicate in both English and Spanish.
The mission of the Department of Ecology (Ecology) is to protect, preserve and enhance Washington’s land, air and water for current and future generations.

The Central Regional Director's team is a group of hardworking individuals that take pride in their work and being a "team." It's a supportive environment where members of the team are encouraged to find new and improved ways of doing things.

Telework options for this position: This position is required to work in the office Monday – Friday, 8 am – 5 pm. Applicants with questions about position location options, tele-work, and flexible or compressed schedules are encouraged to reach out to the contact person listed below in “other information.” Schedules are dependent upon position needs and is subject to change.
 
 Application Timeline: The positions will remain open until filled, with an initial screening date of May 15, 2023. In order to be considered for initial screening, please submit an application on or before of May 14, 2023. The agency reserves the right to make an appointment any time after the initial screening date.
Ecology employees may be eligible for the following:
Medical/Dental/Vision for employee & dependent(s), Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), Vacation, Sick, and other Leave*, 11 Paid Holidays per year*, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver,  Long Term Disability & Life Insurance, Deferred Compensation Programs, Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP),  Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA), Employee Assistance Program, Commute Trip Reduction Incentives (Download PDF reader), Combined Fund Drive, SmartHealth *Click here for more information 

About the Department of Ecology

Protecting Washington State's environment for current and future generations is what we do every day at Ecology. We are a culture that is invested in making a difference. Join a team that is highly effective and collaborative, with leadership that embraces the value of people. To learn more, check out our Strategic Plan. 
Ecology cares deeply about employee wellness; we go beyond traditional benefits, proudly offering:

• A healthy life/work balance by offering flexible schedules and telework options for most positions.
• An Infants at Work Program that is based on the long-term health values of infant-parent bonding and breastfeeding newborns.
• Continuous growth and development opportunities. 
• Opportunities to serve your community and make an impact through meaningful work.

Our commitment to DEIR
Diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect (DEIR) are core values central to Ecology’s work. We strive to be a workplace where we are esteemed for sharing our authentic identities, while advancing our individual professional goals and collaborating to protect, preserve, and enhance the environment for current and future generations.

 Diversity: We celebrate and appreciate diversity; our unique perspectives and abilities enrich us all and lead to innovative approaches and solutions. Equity: We champion equity, recognizing that each of us need different things to thrive. Inclusion: We intentionally create and hold space so that we all have meaningful opportunities to participate and contribute to Ecology’s work. Respect: We treat each other with respect and dignity, acknowledging the inherent worth of our diverse perspectives and lived experiences, even in times of uncertainty and disagreement. 
We believe that DEIR is both a goal and an action. We are on a journey, honoring our shared humanity and taking steps to demonstrate our commitment to a vision where each of us is heard, seen, and valued. 

 

Duties

What makes this role unique?

As our first point of contact, you will manage the front lobby area and our main Ecology phone line, responding to general inquiries from the public in both English and Spanish, government agencies and staff, both in person and over the phone so you will need to be able to multi-task while maintaining a high level of professionalism. You will engage with Ecology’s ten environmental programs and make determinations on directing inquiries. You’ll be responsible for coordinating emergency personnel (i.e. fire, police and medical) that come to the building in response to an emergency, serving as the first line of security for the Central Region Office.

What you will do:

• Use a multi-functional telephone with five incoming lines.
• Process outgoing and incoming mail.
• Direct customers to appropriate staff for assistance, handling multiple forms of communication simultaneously, and providing courteous customer service.  
• Use agency standard computer and computer software to:
  • Create, maintain, and print documents.
  • Access information on the web page.
  • Communicate through electronic mail.
  • Access the calendar and schedule time.
  • Schedule conference rooms.
• Communicate effectively, verbally and in writing, with co-workers, agency staff, private sector and other government agencies. Maintain effective working relationships. 
• Participate in group processes and on teams.
• Provide positive, accurate and pleasant customer service to external clients.
• Take accurate messages and forward messages to the appropriate personnel. 
• Perform clerical support duties including but not limited to creating emails, typing letters, making copies, and scheduling meetings for the Region’s Business Administrator and other staff.
• Research and produce copies of well logs for customers.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:
Years of required experience indicated below are full-time equivalent years. Full-time equivalent experience means that any experience where working hours were less than 40 hours per week will be prorated in order to meet the equivalency of full-time. We would calculate this by looking at the total hours worked per week, divide this by 40, and then multiply by the total number of months worked. Examples of the proration calculations are:

• 30 hours worked per week for 20 months: (30/40) x 20 months = 15 months full-time equivalent
• 20 hours worked per week for 12 months: (20/40) x 12 months = 6 months full-time equivalent

Experience for both required and desired qualifications can be gained through various combinations of formal professional employment, education, and volunteer experience. See below for how you may qualify.

A high school diploma or GED AND Two (2) years of clerical experience.

Desired Qualifications:
We highly encourage you to apply even if you do not have some (or all) of the desired experience below.

• Experience working with diverse communities.
• Microsoft Office Suite.
• Ability to communicate fluently and effectively in English and Spanish.

Note: Having some (or all) of this desired experience may make your application more competitive in a highly competitive applicant pool.

Supplemental Information

Ecology seeks diverse applicants: We view diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect through a broad lens including race, ethnicity, class, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, immigration status, military background, language, education, life experience, physical disability, neurodiversity, and intersectional identities. Qualified candidates from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.


Need an Accommodation in the application and/or screening process or this job announcement in an alternative format?

• Please call: (360) 407-6186 or email: careers@ecy.wa.gov and we will be happy to assist.
• If you are deaf or hard of hearing you can reach the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.
• If you need assistance applying for this job, please e-mail careers@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not send an email to this address to follow-up on the status of your application. You can view the latest status of your application on your profile's main page.
• If you are reading this announcement in print format, please enter the following URL to your search engine to apply: https://ecology.wa.gov/About-us/Get-to-know-us/Jobs-at-Ecology.   

Application Instructions:

It's in the applicant's best interest to submit all of the documents listed below. Applications without these documents may be declined.

• A cover letter describing why you are interested in this position.
• A resume outlining your experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to the minimum qualifications of this position.
• A list of three professional references.

Please do NOT include your salary history. Wage/salary depends on qualifications or rules of promotion, if applicable.  
 
For Your Privacy:
When attaching documents to your application (such as Resume, Cover Letter, Transcripts, DD-214, etc.):

• Please be sure to remove private information such as your social security number, date of birth, etc. 
• Do not attach documents that are password-protected, as these documents may not be reviewed and may cause errors within your application when downloaded. 

Per Governor Inslee’s Directive 22-13.1, state employees must be fully vaccinated effective November 4, 2022. Providing proof of being fully vaccinated is a condition of employment and your vaccine status will be verified prior to starting work. Being fully vaccinated means two weeks after you have received the second dose in a two-dose series of a COVID-19 vaccine or a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine authorized for emergency use, licensed or otherwise authorized or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or listed for emergency use or otherwise approved by the World Health Organization. If you have questions, please contact Careers@ecy.wa.gov with “COVID-19 vaccination” in the subject line.  

Additional Application Instructions for Current Ecology Employees:
 
Please make sure to answer the agency-wide questions regarding permanent status as a classified employee within the Washington General Service or Washington Management Service. Do not forget to select Department of Ecology as a response to question 2, and type your personnel ID number for question 3. If you are not sure of your status or do not know your personnel ID number, please contact Human Resources.

Application Attestation: 

The act of submitting application materials electronically is considered affirmation that the information is complete and truthful. The state may verify this information and any untruthful or misleading answers are cause for rejection of your application or dismissal if employed. 

Other Information:

If you have specific questions about the position, please email Joy Espinoza at Joy.Espinoza@ecy.wa.gov.  Please do not contact Joy to inquire about the status of your application.

To request the full position description: email careers@ecy.wa.gov

Why work for Ecology?

As an agency, our mission is to protect, preserve and enhance Washington's environment for current and future generations. We invest in our employees to create and sustain a working environment that encourages creative leadership, effective resource management, teamwork, professionalism, and accountability.

Joining Ecology means becoming a part of a team committed to protecting and restoring Washington State's environment. A career in public service allows you to help solve some of the most challenging problems facing our state, while keeping your health and financial security a priority. We combine one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation with a strong commitment to life/work balance.

To learn more about The Department of Ecology, please visit our website at www.ecology.wa.gov and follow, like or visit us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or our blog.

Collective Bargaining: This is a position covered by a bargaining unit for which the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) is the exclusive representative.   

Equal Opportunity Employer: The Washington State Department of Ecology is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, veterans, military spouses or people with military status, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply. Persons needing accommodation in the application/testing process or this job announcement in an alternative format may call (360) 407-6186. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.

Note: This recruitment may be used to fill other positions of the same job classification across the agency. Once all the position(s) from the recruitment announcement are filled, the recruitment may only be used to fill additional open positions for the next sixty (60) days. 

Please apply at the link provided: State of Washington Job Opportunities | Work that Matters (governmentjobs.com)

Emailed applications or resumes will not be reviewed.