Job Description
POSITION: Operations Assistant
OFFICE: Mayor’s Office of Talent and Appointments (MOTA)
OPEN: August 8, 2025
CLOSED: August 15, 2025
GRADE: Excepted Service, Grade 5 (ES-5)
SALARY: $75,775
This is an Excepted Service position. Selected candidate must be a District resident or establish residency within 180 days of hire.
Current District of Columbia residents will receive priority and advanced preference for screening and interviews. background
Mayor Bowser established the Mayor’s Office of Talent and Appointments (MOTA) to conduct aggressive outreach and engagement to identify energetic community and business professionals to fill critical appointed roles in District government. This includes more than 200 appointed staff positions in the Mayor’s cabinet, including executive and independent agency directors, senior leadership, and policy positions. This also includes more than 2,000 appointees to District of Columbia boards and commissions. For more information about MOTA please visit
The Operations Assistant reports to to MOTA senior leadership and is the principal liaison and confidential personal assistant to for MOTA leadership, performing programmatic, analytical, and administrative assignments. The work supports MOTA in advancing the Mayor’s strategic plan and contributes to the improvement of the quality of life of women and their families in Washington, DC.
Major duties
- Manage scheduling events and meetings for the Director, Director of Operations, and Associate Directors in MOTA.
- Work directly with MOTA staff and senior administration leadership, including Directors of EOM offices to provide operational and logistical support.
- Serve as the key person engaging with clients, residents and stakeholders answering incoming communications, including phones, email and visiting guests.
- Provide administrative support such as but not limited to, scheduling meetings, answering incoming phone calls, and ordering office supplies.
- Assist in managing the boards and commissions appointments database.
- Assist in preparing various reports and maintaining agency website and social media accounts.
- Manage office documents for supervisor's use in preparing correspondence, meetings, reports, and events.
- Manage information systems and databases to track documents, processes, and appointments.
- Provide administrative support to the team on special events and other projects.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
COMPETENCIES, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES
- Highly organized and methodical; innovative with strong critical thinking abilities.
- Able to work well under pressure, with frequent interruptions and simultaneous attention to multiple tasks, to meet tough deadlines in a fast paced, demanding environment.
- Constituent focused; positive outlook; strong people skills.
- Strong writing, research and editing capabilities.
- Ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of audiences including senior government officials.
- Ability to organize and manage projects; to review, analyze, and evaluate data; and to prepare analytical reports.
- Ability to communicate both orally and in writing, and to utilize a high degree of tact, diplomacy, and persuasion in accomplishing goals of the office.
- Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion and integrity, maintaining strict adherence to information security policies and protocols.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Work or volunteer experience in public policy, community engagement, or related field preferred.
SUPERVISORY CONTROLS
Work is performed under the supervision of the MOTA Director and Director of Operations, who outline assignments and rely on the incumbent to exercise independent judgment in planning, organizing, and executing assignments, including determining the approach, methods, and procedures that will most effectively and expeditiously accomplish the work. This frequently requires identifying relevant office objectives, tools, and barriers to consider when addressing a task and finding a resolution based on those factors. The incumbent is occasionally required to respond to office emergencies. Completed work is reviewed for adherence to established policies and meeting the expected goals of the project.
Work environment
The work is performed primarily in-person in an office setting at the John A. Wilson Building. Time in the field is required for events. Occasional evening and weekend availability is expected for special events and to respond to emerging or time-sensitive projects.
SPECIAL NOTE - SECURITY SENSITIVE
This position is deemed security sensitive. The incumbent of this position will be subject to enhanced suitability screening pursuant to Chapter 4 of DC Personnel Regulations, Suitability – Security Sensitive.
RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT
There is a legal requirement that each new appointee to the Excepted Service either:
- be a District of Columbia resident at the time of appointment; or
- become a District resident within one hundred eighty (180) days of appointment.
The law also requires that Excepted Service employees remain District residents during the duration of the individual’s appointment. Failure to remain a District resident for the duration of the appointment will result in forfeiture of employment.
If you are interested in this role, please upload your resume and answer the questionnaire. Only the candidates deemed most suited for the position based on resume will receive a call to schedule further discussion.
Job Tags
Full time, Work at office, Afternoon shift,