Skip to main content
U.S. flag
Back to results

Secretary (Office Automation)

Department of Defense
Department of Defense Education Activity
This job announcement has closed

Summary

About the Position: The Baumholder Community Schools are part of the DoDEA Europe Central District. We have 2 schools to serve military connected students in Prekindergarten (PK) through grade 12.

Federal employees in Baumholder, Germany are currently entitled to receive a 42% Post Allowance (COLA) in addition to the base salary. This percentage is subject to change.

Overview

Help
Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
10/31/2025 to 11/10/2025
Salary
$37,562 to - $49,927 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 5 - 6
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Baumholder, Germany
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
6
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
NC7X-26-12825899-MP
Control number
849009900

Duties

Help
  • Receive calls and visitors and direct inquiries to the appropriate staff member.
  • Manage incoming and outgoing correspondence.
  • Maintain and control the calendar and schedule appointments for the Principal and Assistant Principal.
  • Make travel arrangements for the school staff.
  • Establish and manage records and files.
  • Maintain time and attendance records to ensure timely submissions to payroll.
  • Compiles information for a variety of one-time and recurring administrative and/or technical reports.
  • Performs a variety of administrative and clerical duties unique to the school.

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

  • Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Requirement.
  • Proof of U.S. Citizenship required.
  • Direct deposit of pay is required.
  • One year trial or probationary period may be required.
  • Appointment subject to a suitability/fitness determination, as determined by a background investigation.
  • This position requires a Tier 1 (T1) investigation with Childcare Checks since its duties require interaction with children and youth under the age of eighteen (18) years of age.
  • Must be able to satisfy the requirements of the 26JUL12 DODI 1400.25 V1230, DoD Civilian Personnel Management System: Employment in Foreign Areas and Employee Return Rights. Visit https://www.esd.whs.mil/DD/DoD-Issuances/140025/.
  • Individuals hired from the Continental United States (CONUS) and their family members (who are US citizens) are required to obtain Official Passports prior to departure to the overseas area.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: Only applicants who meet one of the employment authority categories below are eligible to apply for this job. You will be asked to identify which category or categories you meet, and to provide documents which prove you meet the category or categories you selected. See Proof of Eligibility for an extensive list of document requirements for all employment authorities.

  • Current Competitive Service Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Civilian Employee
  • Current Permanent Department of Defense (DoD) Civilian Employee
  • Domestic Defense Industrial Base/Major Range and Test Facilities Base Civilian Personnel Workforce
  • Excepted Service Overseas Family Member Appointment
  • Family Member Preference (FMP) for Overseas Employment
  • Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan
  • Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act
  • Military Spouse Preference (MSP) for Overseas Employment
  • Non-Department of Defense (DoD) Transfer
  • Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technician Eligible
  • Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Spouse Preference (MSP) Eligible
  • Priority Placement Program, DoD Retained Grade Preference Eligible
  • Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) of 1998


In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application.

Specialized Experience for GS-05: One year of specialized experience which includes utilizing office automation software to receive/compose routine correspondence from verbal or written instructions; scheduling appointments or meetings; and compiling data. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-04).

OR

Education: Four years of education above the high school level obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university.

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide your semester hours of education beyond two years (total semester hours minus 60) by 60. Add the two percentages.

Specialized Experience for GS-06: One year of specialized experience which includes: One year of specialized experience which includes utilizing office automation software to prepare a variety of correspondence; maintaining office records, such as: time and attendance, payroll and/or leave records; and compiling data, such as: school inventory, employee personnel information, and/or budget information. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-05).

Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this grade, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone--no substitution of education for experience is permitted for the GS-06 level.

Proficiency Required:
This position requires a qualified typist. A qualified typist can type 40 words per minute based on a 5-minute sample with three or fewer errors. The Hiring Manager may require a typing proficiency test to be administered to verify meeting the typing requirements for this position. Applicants determined not to meet the typing proficiency will be considered ineligible and will not receive consideration for this position.

Time in Grade Requirement for GS-06: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent (GS-05).

Time in Grade Requirement for GS-05: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) positions within the last 52 weeks may not be promoted more than 2 grades within the preceding 52 weeks.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire

Education

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

  • Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
  • Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
  • Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
  • Management may select at any of the grade levels announced. This recruitment provides promotion opportunity to the target grade of the position without further competition when selectee is eligible and recommended by management. Duties described reflect the full performance GS-06 level. If not selected at the full performance level, duties will be performed in a developmental capacity under close supervision.
  • Applicants must comply with the Exceptional Family Member Program requirements as outlined in the DoD Instruction 1315.19.
  • Applicants must be U.S. citizens who are not considered Ordinarily Resident under the applicable Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA). An ordinarily resident is anyone who has lived in the host country longer than the allowed number of days without being a member of the forces assigned, civilian component or a family member of either the aforementioned or who has obtained a work permit for any duration. Ordinarily Resident restrictions apply and vary depending on the host nation.
  • Pay retention may be offered to selected applicants for positions at overseas locations. Pay retention will not be offered as an incentive for employees moving between overseas positions.
  • Applicants who have family members with special medical needs should ensure that prior to accepting a position overseas their family members' medical needs can be met. Access to care in a military treatment facility may not be available to civilian employees except on a space available basis. Consequently, host nation medical facilities may be the only care available. The availability and level of care at host nation medical facilities will vary by location.
  • Employees (and family members) who require medical or dental care in the overseas location will be responsible for obtaining and paying for such care. Access for civilian employees and their families to military medical and dental treatment facilities is on a space-available and reimbursable basis only.
  • Medical and dental care may be provided by host nation providers. The availability and level of care at host nation medical and dental facilities will vary by location.
  • Status candidates subject to the 5 year overseas rotation, who are currently overseas, must have enough time to meet the initial tour stated in the job announcement. Waivers may not be granted to meet the 5 year limitation requirement.
  • Status applicants in their fourth year of an overseas assignment cannot be selected unless a waiver of the 5 year overseas service limitation requirement is approved.
  • Selectees recruited outside the U.S. will have their eligibility for foreign area benefits determined at the time of hire.
  • For positions in a foreign country, that country's laws or international agreements may have a direct impact on the ability of an employee's same sex domestic partner or spouse to accompany the employee and receive certain benefits. If you believe you may be affected by these laws and agreements, you should familiarize yourself with relevant information before applying for or accepting this position.
  • The initial length of this overseas tour is 36 months.
You will find additional information about this vacancy in the How You Will Be Evaluated section.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

  • This position is not covered by a bargaining unit.
  • If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.
  • You may claim Priority Placement Program (PPP) preference.
You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the online assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):
  • Accountability
  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork


The USA Hire Assessments includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

Additional Information regarding overseas appointments:
  • If an employee brings a child to an overseas location and that child is entitled to attend a DoD school on a space-required basis in accordance with DoDEA Regulation 1342.13, the DoDEA and the Military Department responsible for providing related services will ensure that the child, if eligible for special education, receives a free appropriate public education, including related services pursuant to DoDI 1342.12 and DoDM 1342.12.
  • If an employee brings an infant or toddler (up to 3 years of age) to an overseas location, and that infant or toddler, but for the child's age, is entitled to attend the DoDEA on a space-required basis in accordance with DoDEA Regulation 1342.13, then the Military Department responsible for EIS will provide the infant or toddler with the required EIS in accordance with the eligibility criteria consistent with DoDI 1342.12 and DoDM 1342.12.
  • If an employee brings a family member to an overseas location who requires medical or dental care, then the employee will be responsible for obtaining and paying for such care. Access for civilian employees and their families to military medical and dental treatment facilities is on a space-available and reimbursable basis only.

Your session is about to expire!

Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in 8 minutes. Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire. Click the button below to continue your session.