JOB TITLE: SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE ADJUTANT GENERAL, DMVA

JOB CODE: 76176

DEFINITION: This is highly responsible staff work serving as the special assistant to the Adjutant General at the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA).

The employee in this job provides executive-level staff support to the Adjutant General on strategic, operational, policy, and administrative matters affecting the DMVA. Work involves supporting and assisting with the development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of departmental goals and objectives, strategic initiatives, policies, and performance measures; assisting agency deputies and program managers with identifying and resolving significant issues across military, federal, state, and internal program areas; and serving as a senior liaison and representing the Adjutant General at meetings and conferences. Important aspects of this work include advising the Adjutant General on a variety of complex, sensitive, and time-critical agency matters that cross military and civilian organizational lines; developing recommendations, options, and proposed courses of action; and identifying and coordinating appropriate responses among military leadership, Commonwealth officials, federal representatives, and department executives. Work is performed under the general direction of the Adjutant General and is reviewed through conferences and evaluation of reports.

EXAMPLES OF WORK: (NOTE: The examples of work are representative of the work, but every position classified to this job may not perform all examples of work listed. Conversely, this is not an all-inclusive list of work examples.)

• Serves as a principal advisor and provides executive-level staff support to the Adjutant General on a variety of strategic, operational, programmatic, policy, and administrative matters in DMVA that cross military, federal, state, and internal program areas.

• Serves as a senior liaison and point of coordination for matters requiring communication or action among the Office of the Adjutant General, Pennsylvania National Guard components, the National Guard Bureau, Commonwealth agencies, federal military organizations, and other stakeholders; and identifies competing requirements, jurisdictional concerns, policy implications, and operational risks.

• Conducts research, analysis, and evaluation of complex, sensitive, confidential, and high-profile matters and provides findings and recommendations to the Adjutant General and department leadership to include new military initiatives.

• Consults and coordinates with agency deputies, program managers, and other agency leaders to facilitate communication, resolve issues, and support the accomplishment of strategic and programmatic objectives.

• Promotes DMVA and PA National Guard public and private partnerships on behalf of the Adjutant General in support of Commonwealth economic and strategic military development objectives.

• Monitors agency performance metrics; evaluates program effectiveness to identify operational, programmatic, and organizational issues; and recommends process improvements, corrective actions, and policy modifications to enhance effectiveness.

• Evaluates the effect of federal and state laws, policies, directives, military requirements, command relationships, and governmental processes on departmental operations and initiatives.

• Represents the Adjutant General at meetings, briefings, working groups, and other engagements and communicates the Adjutant General’s priorities, decisions, and direction within delegated authority.

• Performs the full range of supervisory duties.

• The employee in this job may participate in the performance of subordinates’ work consistent with operational or organizational requirements.

• Performs related work as required.

ENTRY LEVEL KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of the principles and practices of public administration.

• Knowledge of the principles and practices of policy, program, and operational analysis, planning, development, and evaluation.

• Knowledge of the armed forces operations and organizational structure.

• Knowledge of the use and functionality of Microsoft Office Suite software.

• Ability to analyze and interpret laws, regulations, policies, and procedures.

• Ability to analyze and interpret programmatic information.

• Ability to analyze and interpret numerical data.

• Ability to communicate effectively orally.

• Ability to communicate effectively in writing.

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING: (NOTE: Based on the Entry Level Knowledges, Skills, and Abilities)

• Five years of professional experience in strategic planning, project management, or policy analysis and development in any branch of the military, and a bachelor’s degree;

or

• An equivalent combination of experience and training that includes five years of professional experience in strategic planning, project management, or policy analysis and development in any branch of the military.