About This Position
This position is part of the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), Department of the Interior (DOI). As a Chief of Staff act as the principal advisor to the Director, responsible for providing executive-level leadership and coordination of administrative services. Ensure BIE strategic oversight, implement national priorities, and organizational planning to maintain operations and advance BIE's mission of delivering quality education to American Indian and Alaska Native students.
Qualifications
Applicants must meet the qualification requirements contained in the OPM Standards. For this position, they are listed below. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled.
To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. GS-0301-15: One (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-14 level in the Federal service that involved advising senior leadership on organizational strategy and administrative operations for a nationwide education program; conducting comprehensive reviews, analyses, and evaluations of Indian education programs, operations, and administrative processes to identify improvements and ensure compliance; representing senior executives in high-level meetings and activities, speaking on their behalf, and making recommendations on policy and programmatic issues; serving as a team lead and/or supervisor of personnel engaged in administrative management and Indian education program work to ensure effective coordination across multiple functional areas; and interpreting and applying legislation, regulations, and policy directives to guide organizational operations and resolve complex issues. Time-In-Grade Requirements: Merit Promotion (status) candidates must have completed one year (52 weeks) of service at the next lower grade level.
Learn more about what is time-in grade. All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
Major Duties
The duty location will be either; Albuquerque, NM, Oklahoma City/Tulsa, OK, or Washington DC.
Applicants may indicate a preferred location, but the final assignment will be determined based on agency needs and availability of an approved worksite. As a Chief of Staff, GS-0301-15, your typical work assignments will include the following under supervision: Serve as principal advisor and liaison to the Director, BIE on administrative and operational matters, ensuring effective coordination across all support functions. Plan, coordinate, and oversee administrative services including budget management, financial operations, human resources, information technology, security, and property management for BIE.
Represent the Director in interactions with senior officials, Congress, and external stakeholders regarding administrative issues, policy recommendations, and programmatic changes. Advise on legislative matters affecting BIE operations, prepare reports, and coordinate the development of proposed legislation and policy guidance. Lead organizational assessments and process improvement initiatives, including strategic planning, performance measurement, and trend analysis to enhance Bureau-wide efficiency.
Ensure compliance with federal regulations and directives related to financial administration, property management, and contracting/grants under P.L. 93-638. Research and recommend innovative technologies and management strategies to improve administrative processes and support BIE's mission.
Education
This position does not have a positive education requirement at this grade level. Therefore, no transcripts are required.
How You Will Be Evaluated
Once the announcement has closed, your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine if you meet the qualifications listed on this announcement. To determine if you are minimally qualified, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your application to determine your level of experience. Please follow all instructions carefully, you must complete all required steps in the process.
In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires successful completion of additional assessments, which may include a medical examination, drug test, physical readiness test, written examination, and structured interview. These assessments measure the critical competencies required to successfully perform the job.
This position requires successful completion of the following assessment: SME Resume Review. This assessment measures the critical competencies that are required to successfully perform the job in the following areas: Leadership, Oral Communication, Planning and Evaluating, Problem Solving, and Strategic Thinking
Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you inflated your qualifications and or experience, you may lose consideration. Errors or omissions may affect your qualification. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action. To preview the assessment questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12899574
Additional Information
Initial appointments to the competitive or excepted service: The probationary or trial period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider: Your performance and conduct; The needs and interests of the agency; Whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and Whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized.
In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. Upon completion of your probationary or trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Documentation: The CTAP/ICTAP provides placement assistance (click here for more details, here for DOI's policy) to permanent Federal civilian employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated.
Applicants claiming eligibility must submit a 1) copy of their most recent performance appraisal, 2) proof of eligibility, 3) most current SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with their application. To be considered, applicants must be well-qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), score at least 85 on the assessment questionnaire, and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. Status Candidates: Consideration will be given to Non-Indian applicants (Status or Reinstatement eligibles) in the absence of a qualified Indian preference eligible.
Applicants not entitled to Indian Preference or Veteran's Preference must be Federal civilian employees with competitive status or former Federal civilian employees with reinstatement eligibility and must submit latest Notification of Personnel Action, SF-50, as proof. Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA): Preference eligibles may apply for permanent positions (career or career-conditional appointments) under merit promotion procedures for VEOA appointments; however, veteran's preference is not a factor in these appointments. To be eligible for a VEOA appointment, a veteran must be a preference eligible OR veteran separated after 3 or more years of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions.
Applicants must submit a copy of their DD-214 (Member Copy 4) for verification of eligibility. For more information about this program and to determine whether you are eligible, click here.
How to Apply
A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. To begin, click Apply to access the online application.
You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package.
You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted.
Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position.
Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE AND/OR EMPLOYMENT STATUS.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
If you are unable to apply online, require reasonable accommodation in the application process, or an applicant with a disability, please contact Sasha Lewis at (480)500-9537 or [email protected] for alternate application instructions. Notification to Applicants: Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Bureaus/Offices within the Department of the Interior (DOI) who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s), including within the same metro/commuting area. Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration.
Additional selections may be made from this announcement if identical vacancies occur within 90 days from the closing date.
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes: 1. Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, dates specified in month and year format, and the resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount of qualified specialized experience.
If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade. For more information see How do I write a resume for a federal job?
Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. Headers may be slightly larger but must remain legible. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.
2.
Complete all required assessments.
- All other supporting documents (if applicable) such as: Current & Former Federal Employees: Most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, if applying as a status candidate with current or former Federal Service. An SF-50 showing your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted and should include your position title, pay plan/series/grade, tenure and the type of appointment (i.e.
Competitive or Excepted). Please be aware that award SF-50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade. Due Weight for Performance Appraisals and Awards, please submit 1) a copy of your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation and 2) a list of any awards (e.g. superior performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increase, etc.) you received in the last 5 years.
Any performance appraisal/evaluation and award documentation you provide will be forwarded to the selecting official. The selecting official will review this documentation and give it due weight consideration during the overall selection process. If you do not have your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation, please submit a statement as to why it is not available.
Please indicate if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level. If claiming Indian Preference, Form BIA 4432. The form must be completed by the appropriate official with the Federally recognized tribe where the applicant is enrolled as a member.
No other form will be accepted. If claiming Veterans Preference, you must submit your preference eligibility documents or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty. If you are claiming 5-points veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 (member 4 copy) or other proof of eligibility.
If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, you must also submit an SF-15 plus the proof required by that form including your DD-214 (member 4 copy), SF-15 and VA letter, or other proof of eligibility. CTAP/ICTAP Documentation, if applicable. 1) Proof of eligibility (e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force (RIF) Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal); 2) SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and 3) most recent performance appraisal. FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES: Are required to indicate whether they received a Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment (VSIP) buyout in their previous employment with the Federal government and are required to submit a copy of the applicable SF-50 regarding the VSIP.
The majority of individuals, who accept reemployment with the Federal government within 5 years of receiving the VSIP amount, must repay the gross amount of the separation pay prior to reemployment. Learn more about buyouts.
NOTE: Persons submitting incomplete applications will be given credit only for the information they provide. The applicant is responsible for submitting all required documentation in support of their application in order to receive full credit for their Indian preference, veteran preference, experience, training, and/or education as applicable. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WILL NOT BE SOLICITED FROM THIS OFFICE.