Four positions located in the Northern Region, Region 1 with duty locations in Bozeman and Missoula, MT; and Bismarck, ND. The incumbent serves as a Program Support Specialist to the Forest Supervisor and Deputy Forest Supervisor on a Forest Service Unit and is responsible for the administrative support program to the Forest Supervisor, Deputy Forest Supervisor and the Forest Leadership Team. For information on locations and contact information, please see the EDUCATION section.

Duties

Duties listed are at the full performance level GS-09. Provide assistance to unit management team on business operation assignments, projects or studies. Apply analytical and evaluative techniques to identify and address administrative or operational procedural problems. Implement administrative procedures, controls and reporting requirements to manage work in a top level manager's office. Develop automation and streamlining procedures to improve leadership team administrative effectiveness. Manage leadership team calendars with complete authority for making time commitments. Notify appropriate subordinate management officials about a technical information request and follow up to ensure a timely and thorough response. Interpret regulations, organizational policies, management principles, administrative rules and staffing guidelines and stay apprised of new requirements affecting the work (e.g. correspondence, reports, forms, file management ) of the organization. Manage the correspondence processes for the office. Manage administrative activities to ensure accuracy, timeliness and procedural compliance. Coordinate with subordinate supervisors to ensure key staff members are present at meetings and brief the participants before the meeting occurred. Initiate contact with staff officers and program managers and provide technical advice and guidance on procedural issues. This position functions as a confidential employee with work in labor-management relations and is excluded from the bargaining unit.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Successful completion of one year probationary period, unless previously served.
• Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit e-verify.gov

Qualifications

In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's General Schedule Qualification Standards. Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary. Specialized Experience Requirement: For the GS-07 grade level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-5 grade level; Examples of specialized experience include performing one or more of the following duties: Assisted with administrative work related to record keeping, filing, purchasing, minor budget tasks, travel, human resources, property management, facility liaison, and/or other related tasks; Disseminated administrative information to unit employees and serves as a liaison for administrative support that is provided by other units; Analyze and monitor front desk and Visitor Center operations and recommend improvement to increase effectiveness; and/or Handled other general services for the unit, such as the acquisition, storage, and maintenance of field and office supplies. OR One full year of graduate level education; OR An appropriate combination of graduate level education and specialized experience; OR Superior Academic Achievement (go to this site determine if you are eligible: http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp). The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. For the GS-9 grade level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-7 grade level; Examples of specialized experience include performing all of the following duties: Operated as an organization's office manager or executive assistant for top level management/executive staff managing the activities, correspondence, visitors and inquiries for top level managers/executives; Maintained top level manager's/executive's appointment schedule by planning and scheduling meetings, conferences, teleconferences, and travel. OR A master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related; OR An appropriate combination of specialized experience and education (only graduate education in excess of 18 semester hours may be used to qualify applicants for this grade level). The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. Work Experience: Your resume must clearly document the following for each block of work experience; the beginning day, month and year the work assignment started and ended; the hours worked per week; position title, and series and grade if applicable; and description of duties performed. This information must be provided for each permanent, temporary or seasonal appointment/work assignment or volunteer work and should be clearly documented as a separate block of time. Incomplete, inaccurate or conflicting work history may not be credited for qualifications purposes. This can result in an applicant not being considered for the position. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. TIME IN GRADE REQUIREMENT: If you are a current federal employee in the General Schedule (GS) pay plan and applying for a promotion opportunity, you must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirements of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled. This requirement must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

See above for education that may be qualifying.

PLEASE NOTE: This vacancy is limited to the first 100 applications received and will close at 11:59 pm ET on the closing date identified above or the day we receive the 100th application, whichever occurs first.

INDIVIDUAL CONTACT INFORMATION
-Bozeman, MT: Custer Gallatin National Forest, Mary Erickson, [email protected]

-Missoula, MT: Lolo National Forest, Jeremy Casterson, [email protected]

-Bismarck, ND: Dakota Prairie Grasslands, Beth Ihle, [email protected]

Contacts

• Address USDA Forest Service HRM Contact Center DO NOT MAIL IN APPLICATIONS, SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE ANNOUNCEMENT. Albuquerque, NM 87109 US
• Name: HRM Contact Center
• Phone: 1-877-372-7248 X2
• Email: [email protected]