Professional Learning Assistant

CLASSIFICATION

Support Personnel

REPORTS TO

Assistant Executive Director for Learning Innovation and

AI POSITION OVERVIEW

The Professional Development Assistant serves as a trusted operational, communication, and event coordination team member in a fast-changing, relationship-driven, and increasingly AI-informed environment. This role goes beyond traditional clerical support. It helps create clarity, protect time and attention, support sound decision-making, strengthen stakeholder relationships, and coordinate high-quality professional learning operations. The position requires strong judgment, exceptional organization, responsiveness, discretion, and the ability to manage complex logistics, contracts, communications, and documentation with a high level of accuracy and professionalism.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Develops & Maintains Event Registration

• Coordinates registration systems, event setup, participant tracking, invoicing, communications, and related website or database updates for professional learning events and programs.
• Monitors registration, calendar, and event information for accuracy and communicates needed updates in a timely manner. Event Preparation, On-site Support, and Follow-up
• Coordinates on-site pre-event logistics, materials, participant support, meal coordination, evaluations, and event follow-up activities.
• Drives to venues across Washington and stays overnight needed.
• Provides on-site event support and helps ensure smooth event operations and a high-quality participant experience.
• Coordinates with support staff at AWSP, OSPI, WSSDA, WSIPC and other partner organizations
• Supports academy, lunch & learn and other virtual event planning timelines, including coordination related to communication schedules, video-conferencing session logistics, and milestone requirements. Event Communications and Stakeholder Support
• Prepares and disseminates event-related communications, including registrations, confirmations, reminders, follow-up messages, sponsor emails, speaker emails, and related materials.
• Creates and distributes clock hour applications and event evaluations.
• Supports smooth communication before, during, and after events to ensure a high-quality participant experience. Executive and Operational Support
• Coordinates schedules, travel, meeting logistics, contract content/signatures, and workflows with attention to urgency, alignment, and competing priorities.
• Anticipates needs, streamlines administrative processes, and protects time for strategic leadership work.
• Prepares briefing materials, meeting agendas, background information, and follow-up documentation.
• Monitors contract-related details to support accuracy, follow-through, and compliance, including deadlines, deliverables, and internal documentation.
• Serves as a responsive point of contact for speakers, sponsors, venues, caterers, and participants, ensuring strong customer service and relational trust.
• Drafts, edits, and organizes correspondence, summaries, agendas, talking points, and internal updates on behalf of the leader or department.
• Surfaces key themes, unanswered questions, and needed decisions from meetings, documents, and stakeholder input.
• Helps ensure internal and external communications are clear, timely, and aligned.
• Flags risks, inconsistencies, and unresolved issues requiring attention.
• Serves as the primary responder to general incoming phone calls by establishing the reason for the call, resolving the issue or transferring the call to the appropriate individual, and recording and delivering messages as needed.
• Provides direct support to the Assistant Executive Director for Learning Innovation and AI, the Professional Learning Coordinator and other staff in support of WASA priorities. Department Documentation
• Organizes department files, planning materials, event documentation, templates, reports, and tracking systems.
• Supports the creation and upkeep of timelines, status reports, and operational records for department initiatives.
• Helps ensure documents are current, accessible, and useful for planning, follow-up, and accountability. AI-Enabled and Digital Workflow Support
• Uses approved digital and AI-assisted tools to improve scheduling, drafting, meeting preparation, information organization, and workflow efficiency.
• Reviews AI-assisted outputs for tone, accuracy, completeness, and context before use.
• Supports the thoughtful use of technology while maintaining confidentiality, quality control, and human oversight.
• Identifies opportunities where automation can improve routine work without diminishing relationships, judgment, or service quality. Ethical, Confidential, and Human-Centered Practice
• Handles sensitive information with thoughtfulness and sound professional ethics.
• Supports processes that are fair, accurate, transparent, and attentive to human impact.
• Maintains professionalism in all interactions with colleagues, members, sponsors, speakers, and partners.
• Exercises sound judgment about what to escalate, what to resolve independently, and what requires consultation.

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES

Human Connection

• Builds trust through professionalism, responsiveness, clear communication, and strong interpersonal judgment. Sound Judgment
• Prioritizes well, manages complexity, and knows when to escalate concerns or resolve issues independently. Learning Agility
• Adapts quickly, learns new processes and tools, and responds well to changing priorities. AI and Digital Fluency
• Uses workplace technologies confidently and understands how to utilize AI to support efficiency while still requiring human review and judgment. Clear Sensemaking
• Synthesizes information, keeps details organized, and communicates what matters in a way that helps others act. Operational Precision
• Coordinates contracts, timelines, logistics, and documentation with close attention to detail and follow-through. Ethical Stewardship
• Protects confidentiality, handles information responsibly, and approaches work with fairness, discretion, and accountability.

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES AND PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

(Education, Experience, Skills, Abilities, Attributes, Knowledge):

REQUIRED

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Consistently exhibits a positive, solution-oriented attitude and professional demeanor
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, including business writing, letter formatting, grammar, punctuation, phone etiquette, and professional correspondence
• Ability to establish effective working relationships, maintain confidentiality, contribute to a team environment, and help others succeed
• Strong organization and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple details, priorities, projects, events, or programs accurately and efficiently
• Knowledge of writing and editing fundamentals, publication production, digital content maintenance, communications workflows, and expense reconciliation
• Accuracy with detailed information, data, records, and reports
• Experience using Microsoft Office programs, including Outlook, Word, and Excel, and Google Documents, and AI tools
• Minimum of three years of experience developing and/or coordinating professional training/programs or equivalent events
• Knowledge of basic relational database concepts
• Experience supporting communications workflows, maintaining digital content, and coordinating logistics across multiple projects

PREFERRED

• Ability to create database SQL queries preferred
• Experience working with K-12 administrators preferred
• Experience with on-line content or media platforms and event communications preferred
• Knowledge of contracts, basic accounting, and bookkeeping principles preferred
• Experience using Crystal Reports, Adobe Photoshop, Informz or other email marketing platforms, and Adobe Form Central preferred

WORKING CONDITIONS

Safety is essential to job performance. Employees must exercise caution and comply with standard safety regulations and association procedures. Physical Demands

• Indoor office environment
• Balancing, bending, crouching, kneeling, reaching, and standing
• Lifting, carrying, and moving work-related supplies and equipment
• Frequent hand and wrist motion, including keyboarding
• Frequent sitting

FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT

(FLSA) STATUS Non-Exempt

COMPENSATION

$32.50 per hour Benefits include:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage
• Retirement Plan (WASA is NOT part of the Washington State Department of Retirement Services system)
• Paid time off

NOTE:

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. The employee may perform other related duties to meet the ongoing needs of the organization.

WASHINGTON ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Pay:

$32.50 per hour

Benefits:

Dental insurance Health insurance Health savings account Paid time off Retirement plan Vision insurance Application Question(s): Do you have experience using Microsoft Office programs, including Outlook, Word and Excel?

Education:

High school or equivalent (Preferred)

Experience:

Event/Professional Development Coordinating:

3 years (Preferred)

Work Location:

Hybrid remote in Tumwater, WA 98512