Administrative Assistant

Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. (WJE) relies on the talent and dedication of our administrative staff to deliver project and operations support to meet the demands of a fast-paced work environment. We have an opportunity for an administrative professional to support our Houston office. Projects include investigation and repair of existing structures, historic preservation, and consulting on construction of new buildings. Support of the billable staff will be shared with one other existing administrative professional.

While this is a traditional administrative role at its core, it offers unique opportunities to be involved with interesting preservation, architecture, and engineering projects, including reviewing and editing comprehensive and technical reports of varying length, compiling marketing materials for detailed requests for proposals, and assisting with the creation of external presentations and professional publications.

Administrative staff are encouraged to take on responsibility and seek challenges in the position. A successful person in this role will demonstrate strong organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail and a strong ability to adapt to changing priorities and project demands from multiple staff members, all while maintaining the necessary interpersonal skills. While many of the duties of this role will be clerical in nature, some of the demands include high level administrative projects, requiring initiative, independent thinking, and the ability to synthesize complex concepts clearly and accurately. Advanced writing and proofreading skills will serve the candidate well.

Responsibilities

• Performing general office functions, such as processing correspondence, mail, and FedEx packages; managing office supplies and equipment; scanning, copying, printing, and filing documents, etc.

• Coordinating internal staff meetings, webinars, lunch presentations, conference calls, and office outings/activities

• Working closely with other administrative associates to ensure smooth flow of work, effective communication, and a cohesive team environment

• Employing advanced word processing, proofreading, editing, and formatting skills to support billable professionals (architects and engineers) in developing project documents in accordance with the firm’s format and writing standards; documents could range from proposals, meeting minutes, and letters to comprehensive and technical reports of varying length, specifications, and professional publications.

• Assisting billable professionals with project management tasks such as project correspondence, project scheduling, budget tracking, billing, and client contact

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree (English, communications, marketing, business, or similar a plus) with at least three years of prior administrative work experience preferred

• Positive attitude and enthusiasm for supporting others in their work

• Strong organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail

• Excellent writing skills with emphasis on editing and proofreading

• Ability to multi-task and adapt to changing priorities and project deadlines

• Strong interpersonal skills with ability to work with diverse professionals at all seniority levels in a fast-paced environment

• Proactive problem-solving skills and willingness to take on various responsibilities

• High capacity for learning, retaining, and independently executing processes

• Experience with Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint

• A/E/C-related industry experience a plus

WJE offers a robust, total compensation structure, where the hourly rate is just one component of an employee’s annual earnings. Additionally, employees may be eligible to receive overtime and variable compensation based on personal and company performance, often resulting in above-market annual earnings. Actual hourly rate will be based on several factors including consideration for a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies, and proficiency for the role while remaining mindful of our commitment to internal equity. A good faith estimate of the starting hourly rate (gross) for this position is in the following range:  

This non-exempt position is also eligible for WJE’s industry-leading, total rewards package which enables our employees to grow and thrive with comprehensive health and financial benefits including:

• Robust and affordable health plans for employees and their families, including HSA as well as low and high-deductible PPO options

• Generous 401(k) matching of 110% for the first 6% of eligible pay vesting immediately

• Time off to care for yourself and others

• Investments in employees’ educational assistance and professional development

​Learn more about WJE’s total rewards package here. 

WJE is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We invite all qualified applicants to apply including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans (VEVRAA federal contractor).

WJE will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of Fair Chance Ordinances.