CLOSING PERIOD: Open until filled. For best consideration apply by November 20, 2026

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 provide coordination. WASA is known for high-quality professional learning. 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 as 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 Communication 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
Three (3) years or more of event/professional development coordinating 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

Work Location: Hybrid remote with in person work in our Tumwater, WA office and event venues.

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

Professional Learning Assistant - WASA