Within the context of a program sponsored by an organization or institution, a program support assistant provides comprehensive administrative and clerical support. He or she will typically perform a variety of routine clerical support tasks, such as managing correspondence, making travel arrangements, and keeping track of files. The support assistant, on the other hand, may be responsible for managing communications with clients, recruits, or other parties outside the program. He may also be in charge of writing brochures, newsletters, and reports. In many cases, the program support assistant will be expected to have advanced computer skills, as he will be responsible for maintaining program files and spreadsheets, as well as conducting extensive research. Depending on the employer and the assistant’s knowledge and skills, the exact responsibilities will vary.
Many governmental and private organizations run a variety of programs that may necessitate the hiring of dedicated workers. While programs with limited funding may require employees to do their own administrative and clerical work, in some cases the budget allows for the hiring of a program support assistant. Although the requirements for this position vary depending on the hiring organization, many hiring managers prefer to hire an assistant with significant administrative, secretarial, or clerical experience. Furthermore, the assistant may be required to have experience working with various types of office software, as well as a thorough understanding of various databases. Because the department may entrust the program support assistant with a significant amount of writing and research, a hiring manager may require the assistant to have a college diploma.
A program support assistant may be involved in training both program employees and clients in some situations. The support assistant may be called upon to produce training material and orient new hires and clients to the program’s policies and procedures, as the assistant will typically have significant knowledge of the program’s operations and goals. When the program requires additional funding, staffing, or other types of assistance, the assistant may be asked to provide input on the program’s needs, as well as to compile documentation and research that can be included in the support request.
A program support assistant may have a lot of responsibilities in the area of travel and event planning in many cases. As a result, having some knowledge of local travel options and event planning can be very useful for the assistant. The support assistant may be asked to book airline tickets, as well as local transportation and hotel accommodations for the guests. She may also be required to collaborate with local meeting room managers to ensure that the conference runs smoothly.