Operations Administrative Specialist / OAS, Principal

Working Title: Operations Administrative Specialist

Job Class: Office & Administrative Specialist, Principal

Agency: Minnesota Zoological Garden

• Job ID : 96910

• Location : Apple Valley

• Telework Eligible : No

• Full/Part Time : Full-Time

• Regular/Temporary : Unlimited

• Who May Apply : Open to all qualified job seekers

• Date Posted : 10/02/2026

• Closing Date : 10/15/2026

• Hiring Agency/Seniority Unit : Minnesota Zoological Garden / Zoological Gardens-AFSCME

• Division/Unit : Administration / Administrative Support

• Work Shift/Work Hours : Day Shift; 8:30 A.M. - 5:00 P.M.

• Days of Work : Monday - Friday

• Travel Required : Yes - up to 25%, on campus

• Salary Range: $24.54 - $33.11 / hourly; $51,239 - $69,133 / annually

• Classified Status : Classified

• Bargaining Unit/Union : 206 - Clerical/AFSCME

• Work Area : All others

• FLSA Status : Nonexempt

• Designated in Connect 700 Program for Applicants with Disabilities (https://mn.gov/mmb/careers/diverse-workforce/people-with-disabilities/connect700/) : Yes

The work you'll do is more than just a job.

At the State of Minnesota, employees play a critical role in developing policies, providing essential services, and working to improve the well-being and quality of life for all Minnesotans. The State of Minnesota is committed to equity and inclusion, and invests in employees by providing benefits, support resources, and training and development opportunities.

Under limited supervision, provides advanced level administrative and strategic support to the Zoo’s Operations Division and its leadership (which includes areas like campus planning, facilities management, construction, finance, and human resources), serving as the primary administrative coordinator for the Operations programs. The position ensures seamless coordination of division processes, organizational alignment, and program execution while independently resolving complex administrative and operational issues. The position also supports enterprise-wide administrative initiatives led by the Director of Administration, including governance, government relations, and other executive priorities.

This position supports operations across a large campus environment and requires the employee to travel between multiple buildings and work sites located throughout the campus to perform assigned duties and respond to operational needs. The incumbent must be able to travel between campus locations in a timely and reliable manner to carry out essential job functions. When job duties require the operation of a motor vehicle to access work sites, transport equipment, or respond to service needs, the employee must be able to safely operate a vehicle and possess a valid and unrestricted driver’s license.

This position exists to provide advanced level administrative support to the Operations division leadership; coordinate division-wide projects and executive initiatives requiring cross-functional collaboration, organizational planning, and independent judgment ; oversee division-wide administrative operations to ensure the continuity of campus planning, finance, HR, and other activities of the division; develop, implement and improve systems, procedures, and guidelines to govern the program areas; and support the Director of Administration with administrative, governance, government relations, and organizational initiatives as assigned.

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Provide advanced level administrative leadership to the Operations Division leadership so that seamless, confidential and strategically aligned operations across all units are ensured.

• Support the Director of Administration in other administrative duties such as Board operations, Board governance, and Government Relations so that their requests are met effectively.

• Coordinate division wide special projects and processes on behalf of Operations division leadership, so that division leaders’ interests are met.

• Facilitate and support Operations Division meetings and cross-divisional meetings, serving as the administrative lead so that agenda development, documentation, follow-up and status reporting are completed.

Minimum Qualifications

The following qualifications are required of all applicants seeking consideration for this position. Only applicants whose application materials clearly demonstrate fulfillment of each of these minimum qualifications will be considered for the position. To ensure accurate evaluation, your resume must clearly describe your experience in the required areas. For each job, include whether it was full-time, part-time, or intermittent/on-call; how many hours per week you worked; and the month and year you started and ended.

• Knowledge of administrative office management principles and practices, business procedures, correspondence, records management, fiscal reporting, and business English (grammar, spelling, and document preparation).

• Skill in providing exceptional customer service and building effective working relationships with people from diverse backgrounds while exercising professionalism, discretion, and sound judgment when interacting with executive leadership, board members, donors, staff, and external partners.

• Skill in planning, organizing, and managing multiple priorities simultaneously, meeting deadlines, and producing high-quality work with exceptional attention to detail and accuracy.

• Skill in written and verbal communication sufficient to prepare, edit, and present a variety of correspondence, reports, presentations, meeting materials, and other business documents.

• Skill in using Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) or comparable software to analyze data, maintain records, prepare reports, and create presentations.

• Knowledge of basic budgeting, bookkeeping, expense reconciliation, and mathematical principles sufficient to maintain accurate financial records and identify discrepancies; ability to exercise independent judgment, analyze operational issues, lead projects, improve processes and procedures, and adapt to changing priorities.

• Valid current driver’s license

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in communications, business administration, public administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Three (3) years of experience providing executive-level administrative support, office management, or project coordination.

• Experience working with state government, public agencies, boards and commissions.

• Experience working with diverse communities and demonstrated ability to work with diverse populations.

• Experience supporting organizations in construction, facilities management, or skilled trades.

• Knowledge of construction project management, finance, or other technical terminology sufficient to prepare and maintain clear, accurate business documents and correspondence

• Fluent in a second language, such as Spanish, Hmong, ASL, etc.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to physically navigate uneven terrains, steps, and slippery surfaces

• Ability to stand, walk and sit for long periods of time

• Manual dexterity sufficient to operate a computer keyboard, collate materials, distribute materials, etc.

• Ability to occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds

Additional Requirements

Applicants must have the ability to meet the physical requirements and work in the environmental conditions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodations.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.

It is policy of the Minnesota Zoo that all candidates submit to a background check prior to employment. The background check may consist of the following components:

• Conflict of Interest Review

• Criminal History Check including fingerprinting

• Education Verification

• Employment Reference / Records Check

• License / Certification Verification

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities is an Equal Opportunity employer/educator committed to the principles of diversity. We prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their race, sex, color, creed, religion, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or membership in a local commission as defined by law. As an affirmative action employer, we actively seek and encourage applications from women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and individuals with protected veteran status.

Reasonable accommodations will be made to all qualified applicants with disabilities. If you are an individual with a disability who needs assistance or cannot access the online job application system, please contact the job information line at 651-259-3637 or email [email protected] . Please indicate what assistance is needed.