Executive Receptionist

Full Job Description

Please Note: The starting salary offer will be determined based on the successful candidates’ qualifications within the starting salary range of $47,000 - $63,000 annually. Our physical office is located in Olympia, WA. The incumbent will be required to be in office five days a week.

Why work for the Office of the Governor?

As an Executive Receptionist with the Washington State Governor’s Office, you are often the first and only connection people have to their government. You set the tone. You listen, guide, and help people feel heard.

Step into a role where your voice, judgment, and presence truly matter!

The job opportunity

In this role, you lead the day-to-day flow of the front office within the Constituent Services Unit in the Communications Department.

You greet visitors, manage a high volume of incoming calls, route inquiries, and review voicemails to ensure people get the help they need.

You keep things running smoothly behind the scenes as well, coordinating office maintenance and managing scheduling, including the Governor’s Conference Room.

You’ll handle complex, sometimes difficult conversations with people from all walks of life. Some may be frustrated, overwhelmed, or in crisis.

You meet them with calm, respect, and good judgment, helping to de-escalate situations while connecting them to the right resources.

Your understanding of how government works, along with your ability to communicate clearly and compassionately, makes a real difference.

You’ll work closely with the Executive Team and at times the Governor, representing the office with professionalism and care. You’ll also have a voice in shaping how Constituent Services operates, improving processes and helping the team serve the public better every day. If you’re someone who stays steady under pressure, communicates with empathy, and wants to serve your community in a meaningful way, this role is for you.

Requirements

What you’ll work on

• Answer and transfer high volume calls. Track various issues and relay talking points to callers as directed.
• Evaluate calls and voicemails and record in the Intranet Quorum (constituent relationship management database).
• Welcome, screen, and/or refer guests, walk-ins, tour groups, staff appointments, and visitors. Monitor schedules of executive team and schedule/maintain the Governor’s Conference Room.
• Accept and distribute letters and mail.
• Assist with office repairs and work with maintenance staff and historic preservation on requests and upkeep of historical furnishings.
• Act as a member of the Governor’s Office Safety Team.

Qualifications

What we need you to bring

Required Qualifications:

• Experience communicating effectively and helping diffuse situations with individuals who are frustrated, distraught, confrontational, and/or experiencing mental health challenges or crises.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize competing priorities, manage time effectively, and remain productive under pressure in a fast-paced, changing environment.
• Familiarity working with Washington state government agencies.
• Knowledge of government operations, including the levels and branches of government, state agency programs, and available community resources.
• Ability to learn new computer applications, including electronic tracking software.
• Ability to work independently and exercise discretion.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of information.
• Proven track record of providing customer service with strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Experience with data entry.
• The ability to learn and grow.
• The ability to meet the needs of others.

Desired Qualifications:

• Clerical training or related field of study.
• De-escalation training.
• Mental Health First Aid Training.

We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may be one from a less traditional background. Don’t let doubts stop you from applying for this position.

If you have transferable experience, please tell us about it or contact us with questions about the required qualifications and how your experience relates to them.

Additional Information

What we offer:

We foster a culture of integrity, innovation, inclusion, and belonging. We value both learned and lived experiences, believing that diversity makes us stronger. To support your health and well-being, we offer a variety of benefit programs for our employees.

Please visit our Recruitment Page for a full list of benefits available to employees. Here’s a quick glance at some of the unique benefits that we offer:

• An environment of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging
• Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance
• 12 paid holidays, 14 paid vacation days (minimum), and 12 days of sick leave per year
• State retirement programs

Application Process: Once you’ve decided to apply for a state government job, you’ll complete an online application to showcase your qualifications.

Keep in mind that once you submit the application, a real person is going to read it. We do not use AI or other technology that screens your application and rejects it.

So please be sure to provide clear and detailed information about your work history so your qualifications can be accurately assessed.

We will contact the top candidates directly to schedule interviews. If you need reasonable accommodation in applying, please call 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6384.

When completing your application, we encourage you to attach all of the following:

• Cover letter: describing your qualifications for this specific position
• Resume: that details your applicable experience and education.
• References: at least three professional references and their contact information.

Questions:

Our Staff ASL interpreter is available to all deaf and hard of hearing applicants. For questions about this recruitment or to request a reasonable accommodation in the application or interview process, please email us at TalentAcquisition@ofm.wa.gov.

The Office of the Governor is an equal opportunity employer.

We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity.

Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, and disabled and Vietnam-era veterans are encouraged to apply.