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

Senior Advisor

Department of Health and Human Services
Administration for Children and Families
Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)

Summary

This position is located in the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, headquartered in Washington, District of Columbia.

HHS is using the Schedule A (i) Hiring Authority to fill temporary excepted service positions, directly related to the unaccompanied minor children response, at any grade level for up to one (1) year.

This announcement has an applicant limit of 50 and will close on the day that 50 applications have been received, at 11:59 PM.

Overview

Help
Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
11/14/2025 to 11/20/2025
This job will close when we have received 50 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$142,488 to - $185,234 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 14
Location
FEW vacancies in the following location:
Washington, DC
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Temporary - 1 Year
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
None
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
High Risk (HR)
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
Yes
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
HHS-ACF-ORR-UC-26-12830763
Control number
850021300

This job is open to

Help

Clarification from the agency

HHS is using the Schedule A (i) Hiring Authority to fill temporary excepted service positions, directly related to the unaccompanied minor children response, at any grade level for up to one (1) year.

Duties

Help

WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING DAY TO DAY

As a Senior Advisor, you will use your knowledge of and experience to optimize business results and customer experience by:

  • Managing a wide range of projects; oversees and makes decisions on the disposition and prioritization of issues.
  • Writing and preparing correspondence, reports, statistics, and analytical documents.
  • Acting as liaison with key personnel, groups, and stakeholders, internal and external to the agency and office, and independently solving problems.
  • Leading or managing teams or working groups with participation from managers and supervisors in developing solutions for ACF-wide implementation.
  • Planning, organizing, and prioritizing tasks to meet multiple workload goals.

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship required
  • Males born after December 31, 1959 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service - http://www.sss.gov
  • Suitable for federal employment
  • Meet time in grade restrictions by the closing date of the announcement
  • Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. All information concerning qualifications is subject to investigation.
  • Documentation that you present for purposes of completing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-Verify" System.
  • All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choice.
  • All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date.
  • Financial disclosure statement may be required.
  • Probationary (or trial) period may be required.

Qualifications

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Minimum Qualifications
You must have one year specialized experience to perform successfully the duties of the position. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service performing ALL of the following:

  • Leading collaboration between multiple agencies and components to develop and implement joint operational plans, legislation, and interagency agreements supporting White House or Administration priorities.
  • Providing authoritative guidance and operational support to senior executives, including drafting briefings, talking points, and formal responses on complex policy matters related to unaccompanied children, immigration, or human trafficking.
  • Conducting independent research and evaluation of mission progress to identify operational and investigative gaps.
  • Developing data-driven solutions and field guidance to enhance interagency coordination and case management.
  • Advising leadership on appropriations, resource allocation, and policy development matters affecting cross-agency initiatives to ensure program continuity and consistency during leadership transitions.

Documenting experience: IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Qualifications are based on breadth/level of experience. In addition to describing duties performed, applicants must provide the exact dates of each period of employment (from MM/YY to MM/YY) and the number of hours worked per week if part time. As qualification determinations cannot be made when resumes do not include the required information, failure to provide this information may result in disqualification. Applicants are encouraged to use the USAJOBS Resume Builder to develop their federal resume.

Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational application questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.

In accordance with Office of Personnel Management policy, federal employees are assumed to have gained experience by performing duties and responsibilities appropriate for their official series and grade level as described in their position description. Experience that would not normally be part of the employee's position is creditable, however, when documented by satisfactory evidence, such as a signed memorandum from the employee's supervisor or an SF-50 or SF-52 documenting an official detail or other official assignment. The documentation must indicate whether the duties were performed full time or, if part time, the "percentage of times" the other duties were performed. It is expected that this documentation is included in the employee's official personnel record. In order to receive credit for experience in your resume that is not within the official series and grade level of your official position, you must provide a copy of the appropriate documentation of such experience as indicated above.

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; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to gain employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. If such experience is on a part-time basis, you must provide the average number of hours worked per week as well as the beginning and ending dates of the experience so it can be fully credited.

OPM Qualification General Policies Website

Education

Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that 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.

Note: Applications can be accepted from students who expect to complete qualifying education within 9 months from the date of application. Education was completed successfully before the applicant can be appointed.

Additional information

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Federal agencies 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.

Incentives may be authorized; however, this is contingent upon multiple factors, including funds availability. If authorized, certain incentives may require you to sign a service agreement to remain in the Federal government for a period of up to 3 years. Note: This statement does not imply nor guarantee an incentive will be offered and paid. Incentives may include the following: moving expenses, recruitment or relocation incentive; student loan repayment, superior qualifications appointment, creditable service for annual leave for prior non-federal work experience or prior uniformed military service, etc.

Bargaining Unit Position: NO

Research position: NO

Drug Screening Required: NO

Special Hiring Authorities for Veterans - https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/veterans/

Special Hiring Authorities for Military Spouses - https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/military-spouses/

People With Disabilities (Schedule A(u)) - https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Individuals_with_Disabilities

Beginning January 1, 2010, agencies must seek prior approval from OPM before they can appoint a current or recent political appointee to a competitive or non-political excepted service position at any level under the provisions of title 5, United States Code. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you MUST disclose that to the Human Resources Office.

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.

Resumes must not exceed two (2) pages in length. Application requirements are clearly stated in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Failure to submit a resume and any other required documentation identified in this announcement will result in removal from further consideration.

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), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.

Once the application process is complete, a review of the resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the application questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

HHS is using the Schedule A (i) Hiring Authority to fill temporary excepted service positions, directly related to the unaccompanied minor children response, at any grade level for up to one (1) year.

  • Appointments may be extended for up to one (1) additional year
  • Appointments can be made through December 31, 2025
Traditional rating and ranking of applications does not apply to this vacancy. When using this authority, the provisions of 5 CFR part 302 must be applied, including veterans' preference. Applications will be evaluated against the basic qualifications and specialized experience requirements. Qualified candidates will be referred for consideration. Selections made under this announcement will be processed as new appointments to the civil service.

To be considered for this position, you must complete all the required steps in the process, including the application, resume submission and structured interview.

Additional selections may be made for similar positions across the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) within the local commuting area(s) of the location identified in this announcement. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with any interested selecting official(s) at HHS. Clearance of CTAP/ICTAP will be applied for similar positions across HHS.

In accordance with Executive Order 12564 of September 14, 1986, The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is A Drug-Free Federal Workplace. The use of illegal drugs, on or off duty, by Federal employees is inconsistent not only with the law-abiding behavior expected of all citizens, but also with the special trust placed in such employees as servants of the public.

To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12830763

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.