North Dakota Parks and Recreation Executive Assistant Office of the Director

Job Description

North Dakota Parks and Recreation is looking for an experienced executive support professional to serve as a strategic and operational partner to the Office of the Director, supporting the Director and two Deputy Directors.

This is a high-trust, high-impact role for someone who has experience supporting the C-suite level, manage competing priorities, handles confidential information with discretion, and turn executive priorities into action.

If you're someone executive’s rely on to anticipate needs, make complex information manageable, exercise sound judgment, and keep important work moving, this could be your next opportunity.

Great executive support isn't just about keeping a calendar organized. It's about seeing what's coming, knowing what matters, and making sure the right things happen at the right time.

Compensation & Benefits

• $5,484–$6,398 per month with up to a 3% increase after successful completion of six months’ probation.

• Comprehensive healthcare coverage for you and your family that is fully funded by the State.

• New Hire Leave: Eligible new team members receive up to 40 hours of new hire leave upon hire, available to use during the first year of employment.

• Hybrid Work: This position is based in Bismarck, North Dakota. Upon successful completion of the six-month probationary period, the position is eligible for a hybrid work schedule consisting of two days in the office and three days working remotely each week. Additional in-person attendance at the Bismarck office or park locations may also be required based on organizational needs.

Summary of Work
What You'll Do

Executive Suite Support & Strategic Coordination

You'll be a trusted partner to the Director and Deputy Directors, helping them stay focused on the department's highest priorities while ensuring the details don't fall through the cracks.
You will:

• Manage competing executive priorities, calendars, commitments, and deadlines while anticipating needs, resolving conflicts, and identifying issues before they become problems.

• Lead logistics for executive meetings, site visits, conferences, special events, and leadership activities, ensuring the right people, information, materials, and follow-up are in place.

• Develop and refine executive correspondence, briefings, presentations, reports, and other materials for senior leadership and governing bodies, ensuring accuracy, clarity, and professionalism.

• Serve as a trusted liaison and central point of contact between the Executive Office, department leadership, staff, governing bodies, legislative partners, and external stakeholders.

• Research emerging issues, monitor legislation affecting the department, support legislative session activities, and provide timely analysis to inform executive decision-making.

• Gather, analyze, and distill complex information into concise executive summaries, recommendations, presentations, and briefings that support evaluation of issues and determination of next steps.

• Partner with Communications to translate complex findings, priorities, and initiatives into clear, compelling executive-level materials and messaging.

• Handle sensitive and time-critical information with discretion; independently resolve issues, determine when escalation is appropriate, and represent the Executive Office on committees, initiatives, and special assignments.

• Support department-wide initiatives and ensure Executive Office activities, documentation, communications, and follow-up are coordinated, confidential, accurate, and timely.

What Success Will Look Like

In this role, success means being more than organized it means being trusted.
You'll know you're succeeding when you:

• Anticipate executive needs, manage competing priorities, and keep work moving forward.

• Track details, deadlines, decisions, and follow-ups to ensure commitments are completed and nothing falls through the cracks.

• Turn complex information into clear, concise research, briefings, presentations, and recommendations that support executive decision-making.

• Exercise sound judgment, resolve issues independently, and know when to escalate matters appropriately.

• Build strong, trusted relationships and communicate effectively with leadership, staff, governing bodies, legislative partners, and external stakeholders.

• Handle confidential information, sensitive matters, and executive time with discretion and professionalism.

• Strengthen Executive Office operations through initiative, organization, coordination, and consistent follow-through.

Minimum Qualifications
We're looking for an experienced executive support professional who knows how to think ahead, manage complexity, exercise sound judgment, and operate with discretion at the C-suite level.

Candidates must meet one of the following:

• Associate degree and four years of progressively responsible experience supporting C-suite or executive-level leaders; OR

• Six or more years of progressively responsible experience supporting C-suite or executive-level leaders.

Successful candidates must also demonstrate:

• Experience managing complex executive calendars, meetings, travel, logistics, and leadership materials.

• The ability to anticipate needs, identify issues, prioritize competing demands, and take action with minimal direction.

• The ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with sound judgment, accuracy, and professionalism.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to build effective relationships with executives, employees, governing bodies, partners, and stakeholders.

• Strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and commitments while ensuring work gets completed.

• Strong research and analytical skills with the ability to synthesize information and prepare clear, concise executive-level materials.

Preferred Qualifications
Candidates will be especially competitive if they also have:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Business Management, Public Administration, or related field.

• 2+ years supporting C-suite/executive leaders, including multiple executives simultaneously.

• Experience preparing executive presentations, briefings, reports, recommendations, and actionable research.

• Experience with legislative, governmental, regulatory, or public-sector activities.

• Experience coordinating executive events and public-facing initiatives with communications teams.

• Experience managing confidential records, contracts, financial documents, and sensitive information.

• Proven ability to adapt and prioritize in fast-paced, changing environments.

Don't check every box? That's okay. If you meet the minimum qualifications and believe your skills and experience will help you succeed in this role, we encourage you to apply.

About Team ND
"Far and away the best prize life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." - Theodore Roosevelt
More than 7,500 talented, hard-working people across sixty-three agencies have come together as Team North Dakota. At Team ND, we are driven to succeed through gratitude, humility, curiosity and courage. Our purpose is to empower people, improve lives, and inspire success. Join us in being legendary.
Total Rewards: The State of North Dakota is committed to providing team members with a strong and competitive rewards package that support you, your health and your family.
Considering a new position on Team ND? How does your current position stack up? Use our Total Rewards Calculator to estimate.

Application Procedures
HOW TO APPLY
Apply online via the North Dakota Job Seekers website. Applications must be submitted by 11:59 PM on the closing date.
Your application must include:

• Resume

• Cover letter describing your background, interest in the role, and relevant experience

Need assistance with your application? Contact recruiter@nd.gov or 701-328-3290 for all technical issues.
Applicants should contact Jillian Schlabach at 701-328-8826 or jschlabach@nd.gov in advance of the position closing date if the applicant is requiring accommodations during the application, recruitment, or selection processes.
Please note:

• Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. North Dakota Parks and Recreation do not provide sponsorship of any kind.

• A background check and criminal investigation are required for this position.

Equal Employment Opportunity
The State of North Dakota and this hiring agency do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), genetics, religion, age or disability in employment or the provisions of services and complies with the provisions of the North Dakota Human Rights Act.
As an employer, the State of North Dakota prohibits smoking in all places of state employment in accordance with N.D.C.C. § 23-12-10.