This position is located in the US Department of Agriculture, Office of the Secretary, Immediate Office. The College Graduate Authority offers developmental experiences in the Federal Government intended to promote careers in the civil service to individuals who have recently graduated from qualifying educational institutions or program. Graduates are appointed to career or career-conditional permanent positions in the competitive service.

Duties

Assists with managing the day-to-day complex administrative and organizational activities in the office. Plans and manages special projects for assignments to support significant administrative program operations and initiatives. Prepares executive level communications to include memoranda, correspondence, public announcements, written speeches, Power Point presentations, reports, etc. Determines the need for written policies and procedures, participates in their development, reviews and provides recommendations. Provides administrative and technical support to ensure administrative activities/functions supports compliance, quality and timely outcomes. Manages all correspondence (memorandums, letters, decision papers, information papers, promotions, etc.) and other documents for approval, as well as documents submitted for the signature. Provides travel support to staff, including preparing travel authorizations, coordinating transportation; making flight, hotel, and rental car reservations; and preparing travel vouchers at the conclusion of supported travel. Serves as liaison between staff and executive leadership throughout USDA, representatives of other federal agencies, customers, vendors, and contracting office on various assignments and projects. Plans, designs, and conducts periodic reviews of ongoing administrative initiatives to ensure that the organization meets stated administrative goals.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Successful completion of one-year probationary period.
• Direct Deposit - 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 https://www.e-verify.gov/.
• Satisfactory Background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including college graduate eligibility, specialized experience and/or education as defined below. To meet the minimum requirements for this position, you must: (1) Meet the Eligibility Requirements for College Graduates; (2) Provide a copy of transcripts for verification; AND (3) Meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements. College Graduate Eligibility Requirements: Completion of all requirements for a bachelors or masters from a qualifying educational institution within the previous two (2) years; or Due to military service obligation, was precluded from applying to the Recent Graduates Program during any portion of the 2-year eligibility period described above shall have an intervening period of obligated service of at least four years in the uniformed services, the two-year eligibility begins on the date of discharge or release from uniformed service Minimum Qualification Requirements: Applicants must meet the specialized experience and/or education requirements shown below. If qualifying based on experience, your application or resume must clearly show that you possess the specialized experience requirements. Specialized experience is defined as experience that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled and has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. At the GS-09: You must possess at least one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-7 level in the Federal service or equivalent responsibility in the private sector/pay systems that has equipped the candidate with the particular competencies to successfully perform as an Administrative Support Specialist. For this position, specialized experience is experience providing administrative support to staff; preparing correspondence for review; communicating with customers and internal staff. OR Education Substitution: Completion of Masters or equivalent graduate degree in an accredited or pre-accredited college or university; or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree. Graduate level education must demonstrate the competencies necessary to do the work of the position. (Must submit transcripts). OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of graduate-level education and experience, as described above, may be used to qualify for this position. This combination must have equipped you with the necessary knowledge and/or experience to successfully perform the duties of this position. Combinations of experience and education must total at least 100% as outlined in OPM Qualifications policy. (Must submit transcripts). GS-11: You must possess at least one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-9 level in the Federal service or equivalent responsibility in the private sector/pay systems that has equipped the candidate with the particular competencies to successfully perform as an Administrative Support Specialist. For this position, the specialized experience includes scheduling meetings and events and coordinating the logistics of them; preparing correspondence utilizing correct grammar; coordinating travel arrangements for a staff. OR Education Substitution: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, LLB or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. (Must submit transcripts.) OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of graduate-level education and experience, as described above, may be used to qualify for this position. This combination must have equipped you with the necessary knowledge and/or experience to successfully perform the duties of this position. Combinations of experience and education must total at least 100% as outlined in OPM Qualifications policy. (Must submit transcripts.) 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 and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

All applicants must meet the College Graduate eligibility requirements as outlined above. Additionally, education may be substituted for specialized experience at the GS-09 and GS-11 levels as noted above.

You must submit a copy of your college transcript as proof that you meet the eligibility requirements for the position to which you are applying. You may submit unofficial copies of transcripts at the initial phase of the application process; however, if selected, you will be required to submit official transcripts prior to entrance-on-duty. See "Required Documents" section for more details.

All academic degrees or course work must be completed in an educational institution that has obtained accreditation from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, see http://www.ed.gov/.

Contacts

• Address Office of the Secretary 1400 Independence Ave SW Washington, DC 20250 US
• Name: Teresa Thompson
• Phone: 202-260-8935
• Email: [email protected]