About the Position: This is an open continuous announcement. Recruitment will continue through the announcement closing date until the position is filled.
As a SECRETARY (OA) (TITLE 5), GS-0318-05, you will:
Serve as the personal assistant and principal clerical and administrative support to one or more supervisors.
Receive visitors and telephone calls and exercise judgment in screening those that can be handled personally or be referred to other staff personnel or divisions.
Determine when the supervisor should be interrupted.
Give out administrative and substantive information to callers.
Schedule appointments and make arrangements for time, participants, and location of meetings in accordance with instructions from supervisor based upon personal knowledge of supervisor's workload and current issues of importance.
Remind supervisor of appointments.
Furnish supervisor with information from files and schedule briefings in preparation for scheduled meetings
Reschedule supervisor's appointments according to changing priorities and obligations.
Receive incoming correspondence, screen material prior to distribution, establish controls, and follow-up for the supervisor.
Prepare responses to requests for general information concerning the organization's functions from source material.
Anticipate the need for information and prepare material so that it is immediately available for supervisor's needs.
Read incoming correspondence, publications, regulations, and directives, which may affect the supervisor.
Determine those that can be acted upon personally and draft replies to general inquiries not requiring a technical knowledge of the program.
Determine which items are of importance or interest to the supervisor and refer them accordingly.
Maintain suspense records on incoming correspondence and action documents.
Review outgoing correspondence for proper format, conformance with general policy and procedural instructions, grammar, accuracy, and inclusion of necessary attachments.
Advise and instruct subordinate offices to obtain higher degree of compliance with general policies and correspondence.
Sign routine correspondence of a non-technical nature.
Utilize word processing equipment to produce various forms of correspondence and documents.
Arrange for travel, visit schedules, notify organizations and officials to be visited, make reservations and submit travel vouchers and reports.
Make arrangements for conferences and meetings.
Maintain office files of correspondence, directives, regulations, and other convenient information.
To ensure compliance with an applicable nationwide preliminary injunction, which may be supplemented, modified, or vacated, depending on the course of ongoing litigation, our agency will take no action to implement or enforce the COVID-19 vaccination requirement for Federal Employees. Our agency may request information regarding the vaccination status of selected applicants for the purposes of implementing other workplace safety protocols, such as protocols related to masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine.
Federal employment suitability as determined by a background investigation.
May be required to successfully complete a probationary period.
Participation in direct deposit is mandatory.
Recruitment and relocation incentives may be available for this position.
A qualified typist is required.
Qualifications
GENERAL EXPERIENCE: To qualify for this position, your resume must reflect sufficient experience and/or education performing progressively responsible clerical, office, or other work that indicates ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position to be filled.. Your resume is key in evaluating your experience, as it relates to this position. Therefore, we encourage you to be clear and specific when describing your work experience.
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-04 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: prepare and review a wide variety of executive correspondence, reports, and other documents; proofread/edit correspondence and documents for correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, and format; establish and monitor suspense dates; receive telephone calls, greet visitors, and ascertain the nature of calls; monitor visitors to the organization; maintain calendars for superiors and office staff; perform other clerical and administrative work in support of office; use varied and advanced functions of word processing software and other various computer software as needed to successfully perform required duties.. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the GS-04 grade/level position or equivalent in the federal service.
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.
Verbiage displayed on your resume or application must contain your own words. You may refer to position descriptions, i.e. the general and specialized experience located within the vacancy announcement, to assist with describing work experiences; however, resumes or applications received in verbatim will not be considered. In your resume you will need to address the general and specialized experience listed below. Please use as much detail as needed, giving dates (months and years) of the experience, position title and how the experience was gained. This information is needed to determine if you are qualified for the position.
Education
If you are using Education to qualify for this position:
Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 4 years of education above high school. Successfully completed education above the high school level in any field for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. This education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university. One year of full-time academic study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university, or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business, secretarial, or technical school. OR Combination of Education and Experience: Combination of Specialized Experience and Education: You may meet the qualifications requirement for this position by combining your specialized experience and appropriate education according to the following formula: (a) your total months of full time specialized experience as a percentage of a 12 month total; PLUS (b) your total number of qualifying graduate semester or quarter hours as a percentage of one year of graduate study. The total of the two percentages must equal at least 100 percent.
For GS-5 level positions, only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours (i.e., beyond the second year) is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirement. One full academic year of study (30 semester hours) beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience.
You must provide official transcripts or other documentation to support your Educational claims. To receive credit for Education, you must provide documentation of proof that you meet the Education requirements for this position.
Additional information
If you are a male applicant who was born after 12/31/1959 and are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act, the Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency (Register | Selective Service System : Selective Service System (sss.gov)).
If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Once the announcement has closed, your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine if you meet the qualifications listed on this announcement. If you are minimally qualified, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application package, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this position. If you are found to be among the top qualified candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.
Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:
1. Your resume (Should not exceed 15 pages in length) that clearly demonstrates experience that meets the requirements of this position as outlined in the "Qualifications" section. Your resume should show your work schedule, hours worked per week, dates (including Month and Year, e.g., 02/2017, Feb 2017, etc.) of employment and duties performed. If you use Resume Builder, you are encouraged to save your resume to a Word document and upload the Word document in lieu of submitting your resume created through Resume Builder. This helps ensure you meet the 15-page resume limit.
2. Other supporting documents: The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50 (current and former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or documentation to support a Reinstatement Eligible claim. You will not be contacted for additional information.
DD-214
SF-15
SF-50
Transcripts
It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted prior to the closing date of the announcement.
Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit https://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/veterans.aspx
Reinstatement Eligibles: Individuals, who previously held a career or career-conditional appointment with the federal government, may be eligible for reinstatement, which allows re-entry to the Federal competitive service workforce without competing with the public. Reinstatement eligibles can also apply for Federal jobs open only to status or merit promotion candidates.
Additional Resources: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/reinstatement/
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application/Occupational Questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. To view the Occupational Questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11869745
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.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), 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/.
IL IG
1301 N MacArthur Boulevard
Springfield, IL 62702-2399
US
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:
1. Your resume (Should not exceed 15 pages in length) that clearly demonstrates experience that meets the requirements of this position as outlined in the "Qualifications" section. Your resume should show your work schedule, hours worked per week, dates (including Month and Year, e.g., 02/2017, Feb 2017, etc.) of employment and duties performed. If you use Resume Builder, you are encouraged to save your resume to a Word document and upload the Word document in lieu of submitting your resume created through Resume Builder. This helps ensure you meet the 15-page resume limit.
2. Other supporting documents: The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50 (current and former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or documentation to support a Reinstatement Eligible claim. You will not be contacted for additional information.
DD-214
SF-15
SF-50
Transcripts
It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted prior to the closing date of the announcement.
Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit https://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/veterans.aspx
Reinstatement Eligibles: Individuals, who previously held a career or career-conditional appointment with the federal government, may be eligible for reinstatement, which allows re-entry to the Federal competitive service workforce without competing with the public. Reinstatement eligibles can also apply for Federal jobs open only to status or merit promotion candidates.
Additional Resources: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/reinstatement/
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application/Occupational Questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. To view the Occupational Questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11869745
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.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), 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/.
IL IG
1301 N MacArthur Boulevard
Springfield, IL 62702-2399
US
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
