Summary of Functions:

The Executive Assistant to the Senior Tribal Attorney is responsible for providing comprehensive and confidential complex administrative support to the Senior Tribal Attorney. Responsibilities require the exercise of independent judgment, effective time management, excellent written and oral communication skills. High level maintenance of budgets including tracking invoices and contracts relative to the budget are integral skills necessary for this position. Liaison between Senior Attorney and governmental departments and commercial entities. Confidentiality and discretion are a critical performance component. Active use of electronic legal case management software, running reports and tracking deadlines. Drafting necessary documents supporting the highest quality of legal practice.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Maintain strict confidentiality of all matters and use diplomacy in all situations, and a working knowledge of employment law.
• Prepare, analyze, edit and/or finalize correspondence that are complex, highly sensitive, and confidential, including letters, emails, financial documents, reports, and memoranda. 
• Must have a demonstrated capacity to function, with minimal guidance, in a highly demanding fast-paced environment and in the highest ethical manner. 
• Serve as communication link between Senior Tribal Attorney and Tribal enterprises and departments as well as with Tribal governmental leaders, departments, members and staff, the general public, elected officials, and all outside agencies and entities, public or private, whether through personal interaction, written correspondence, telephonic communication, email, or otherwise.
• Maintain Senior Attorney’s calendar, monitor email communications, and assist with case management tracking. Maintain tickler file of due dates and follow-up dates on action items. 
• Communicate Senior Attorney’s and Legal Department’s workflow with accuracy, diplomacy, and sensitivity in a manner to support the exchange of information efficiently towards department goals.
• Perform a variety of complex law office administrative duties required to include strategic planning, creating reports and spreadsheets, budget drafting and case management in both the government and enterprise procurement process.
• Devise and implement office procedures, including requisitions, human resources, reimbursements, travel, attorney licensing requirements, expense reports and other administrative support documentation.
• Must have a demonstrated ability to use advanced mathematical computations, account coding and understanding of budgeting theories and principles.
• Answer phones/emails and determine the need to take action on routing messages and making referrals where appropriate. Take the initiative to find out the nature of requests for appointments to assist with scheduling.
• Must be able to work well in a team environment and treat others with patience, dignity, and respect.
• Use proper formatting, terminology, spelling, grammar and punctuation in all correspondence and communications both internally and externally.
• Maintain office supplies and equipment using a purchase order system. Prepare Purchase Requisitions as needed and reconcile credit card charges and general ledger (GL) codes.
• Prepare agendas, attend weekly meetings, compose minutes and distribute approved minutes as directed. Demonstrated skills in taking minutes required.
• Maintain and update electronic and physical files on a regular basis to include case files and Resolutions.
• Assist in processing timesheets and other requests for leave from internal department.
• Collect, route and calendar incoming mail for legal department, familiarity with service of process for example certified mail.  Accept service of process for requests for information such as subpoenas for the Tribal Business Council, enterprises, and employees.
• Ability to work outside of usual business hours when needed.
• Maintain a good attendance record.
• This job description does not list all duties of this position. You may be instructed to perform other duties as assigned.

Additional Functions

• Knowledge of internal accounting software and procedures (OnBase and Legal Files).
• Ability to review monthly financial reports and understand the reports well enough to provide meaningful insight to the Senior Tribal Attorney.
• Prepare for staff meetings via computer, telephone or in person with sufficient knowledge of the necessary technology.
• Assist peers in submitting reimbursement requests to the Accounting Department.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position has minimal supervisory responsibilities.  May assist in tracking attendance for legal interns and administrative support.

Education / Experience

• Minimum, Associate degree (A.A.) from a two-year college with an emphasis in Paralegal, Law Office Management or Business Management Administration, or a closely related field.  Preferred bachelor’s degree (B.A.) or other advanced degree in related field, or a combination of related education and experience.
• Minimum three years of progressively responsible legal office experience providing high level support to attorneys.
• Minimum three years experience in a law firm/legal office with demonstrated experience/duties comparable to executive assistant.
• Demonstrated experience with case management software and contract management.
• Advanced proficiency with computer applications such as the Microsoft Office suite and related technologies with working knowledge of Word, Excel, Adobe Acrobat, and Power Point. Advanced proficiency with computer applications such as Microsoft Word, Outlook, Access, PowerPoint, Excel, Adobe Acrobat, and internet search engines such as Google.
• Advanced experience with electronic case management and creating spreadsheets/reports. 
• Familiarity with applicable procurement processes and contracts to track and process related invoices and billing.
• Familiarity with reviewing legal invoices and contracts and tracking billing. 
• Ability to type at least 60 wpm with proficiency.
• Ability to work in a challenging fast paced environment dealing with sensitive issues.
• Ability to develop and maintain effective working relations with departments, staff, and the public.
• Ability to coordinate and prioritize multiple tasks.
• Skill and knowledge of standard office procedures.
• Ability to use and assist in the use of copy machines, postage machines and other related office equipment.
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects simultaneously and follow through on issues in a timely manner.
• Skill in solving practical problems and dealing with situations where only limited standardization exists.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and leadership skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and demonstrate the highest of ethical standards.
• Skill in identifying and resolving administrative problems under pressure.

Other Requirements

• Valid driver’s license (must be in possession while operating a Tribal vehicle)
• Must be able to pass Level III background check
• Certified Notary

Physical Demands

The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential function of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Frequently involves sedentary work: exerting up to IO pounds of force and/or a negligible amount of force to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body.
• Occasionally involves light work: exerting up to 20 pounds of force and/or up to 10 pounds of force and/or negligible amount of force to move objects.
• Occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
• Constantly requires the ability to give and receive detailed information through verbal communication.
• Constantly requires verbally expressing or exchanging ideas of important instructions accurately, loudly, or quickly.
• Constantly requires working with fingers rather than the whole hand or arm.
• Constantly requires repetitive movement of the wrists, hands and/or fingers.
• Often requires walking or moving about to accomplish tasks.
• Occasionally requires standing and/or sitting for sustained periods of time.
• Occasionally requires ascending or descending stairs or ramps using feet and legs and/or hands and arms.
• Occasionally requires raising objects from a lower to a higher or higher to lower position or moving objects horizontally.
• Occasionally requires stooping which entails the use of the lower extremities and back muscles. Infrequently requires crouching.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be exposed to tobacco smoke, flashing lights, and loud noises as found in a casino setting. The employee is occasionally exposed to moving mechanical parts, repetitive motions, extreme cold or extreme heat. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Hiring Preference

The Kalispel Tribe of Indians is an Equal opportunity employer. Consistent with federal law, the Kalispel Tribe of Indians applies Indian preference in employment. It is the policy of the Kalispel Tribe of Indians to give preference in hiring, promotions, and transfers into vacant positions to qualified applicants in the following order: 1) Kalispel Tribal Members; 2) Spouses of an enrolled Kalispel Tribal Member; 3) enrolled members of other Indian Tribes; 4) all other applicants.

General Sign-off & Disclaimers

The employee is expected to adhere to all company policies.

At-Will Employment: Employment with the Kalispel Tribe of Indians is at-will and can be terminated with or without cause, and with or without notice, at any time, either at the option of the employee or the Kalispel Tribe of Indians.

Drug Testing: The Kalispel Tribe of Indians is a drug free workplace. All applicants are subject to drug testing at the time of hire and at unannounced times during employment.

Background Investigation: All candidates and employees may be subject to a background investigation.

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) incumbent in this position. Employee(s) will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments.

Required Travel

Local travel is occasionally required. Travel outside of the state is infrequently required. Typical travel time is generally less than a week.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.