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Chief of Staff

Department of the Interior
Bureau of Indian Education
Director's Office

Summary

This position is part of the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), Department of the Interior (DOI). As a Chief of Staff act as the principal advisor to the Director, responsible for providing executive-level leadership and coordination of administrative services. Ensure BIE strategic oversight, implement national priorities, and organizational planning to maintain operations and advance BIE's mission of delivering quality education to American Indian and Alaska Native students.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
03/02/2026 to 03/06/2026
Salary
$147,945 to - $192,331 per year

Final salary will be determined by grade and duty location.

Pay scale & grade
GS 15
Locations
1 vacancy in the following locations:
Washington, DC
Albuquerque, NM
Oklahoma City, OK
Tulsa, OK
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
High Risk (HR)
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
Yes
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
BIE-12899574-26-SL
Control number
859427200

Duties

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The duty location will be either; Albuquerque, NM, Oklahoma City/Tulsa, OK, or Washington DC. Applicants may indicate a preferred location, but the final assignment will be determined based on agency needs and availability of an approved worksite.

As a Chief of Staff, GS-0301-15, your typical work assignments will include the following under supervision:

  • Serve as principal advisor and liaison to the Director, BIE on administrative and operational matters, ensuring effective coordination across all support functions.
  • Plan, coordinate, and oversee administrative services including budget management, financial operations, human resources, information technology, security, and property management for BIE.
  • Represent the Director in interactions with senior officials, Congress, and external stakeholders regarding administrative issues, policy recommendations, and programmatic changes.
  • Advise on legislative matters affecting BIE operations, prepare reports, and coordinate the development of proposed legislation and policy guidance.
  • Lead organizational assessments and process improvement initiatives, including strategic planning, performance measurement, and trend analysis to enhance Bureau-wide efficiency.
  • Ensure compliance with federal regulations and directives related to financial administration, property management, and contracting/grants under P.L. 93-638.
  • Research and recommend innovative technologies and management strategies to improve administrative processes and support BIE's mission.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Be sure to read the 'How to Apply' and 'Required Documents' Sections.
  • U.S. Citizenship is required.
  • A background security investigation will be required for all new hires. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication.
  • As a condition of employment, you will be required to serve a 2-year trial or 1-year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.
  • Appointment may be subject to a 1-year supervisory probationary period unless the requirement has already been met.
  • If you are a male applicant born after 12-31-1959, you are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act and the Defense Authorization Act of 1986 (https://www.sss.gov), in order to be eligible for appointment to this agency.
  • Driving Requirement (Required only at time of appointment): Incumbent may be required, as an incidental duty, to operate a government-owned or leased motor vehicle, in the performance of duties, therefore, a valid driver's license is required.
  • Financial Statement Requirements (Required only at time of appointment): The candidate selected for this position must meet conflict of interest requirements of the Bureau of Indian Education (OGE Form 450 Confidential Financial Disclosure Report).

Qualifications

Applicants must meet the qualification requirements contained in the OPM Standards. For this position, they are listed below.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

GS-0301-15: One (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-14 level in the Federal service that involved advising senior leadership on organizational strategy and administrative operations for a nationwide education program; conducting comprehensive reviews, analyses, and evaluations of Indian education programs, operations, and administrative processes to identify improvements and ensure compliance; representing senior executives in high-level meetings and activities, speaking on their behalf, and making recommendations on policy and programmatic issues; serving as a team lead and/or supervisor of personnel engaged in administrative management and Indian education program work to ensure effective coordination across multiple functional areas; and interpreting and applying legislation, regulations, and policy directives to guide organizational operations and resolve complex issues.

Time-In-Grade Requirements: Merit Promotion (status) candidates must have completed one year (52 weeks) of service at the next lower grade level. Learn more about what is time-in grade.

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

This position does not have a positive education requirement at this grade level. Therefore, no transcripts are required.

Additional information

Initial appointments to the competitive or excepted service: The probationary or trial period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider:

  • Your performance and conduct;
  • The needs and interests of the agency;
  • Whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
  • Whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. Upon completion of your probationary or trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Documentation: The CTAP/ICTAP provides placement assistance (click here for more details, here for DOI's policy) to permanent Federal civilian employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated. Applicants claiming eligibility must submit a 1) copy of their most recent performance appraisal, 2) proof of eligibility, 3) most current SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with their application. To be considered, applicants must be well-qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), score at least 85 on the assessment questionnaire, and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry.

Status Candidates: Consideration will be given to Non-Indian applicants (Status or Reinstatement eligibles) in the absence of a qualified Indian preference eligible. Applicants not entitled to Indian Preference or Veteran's Preference must be Federal civilian employees with competitive status or former Federal civilian employees with reinstatement eligibility and must submit latest Notification of Personnel Action, SF-50, as proof.

Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA): Preference eligibles may apply for permanent positions (career or career-conditional appointments) under merit promotion procedures for VEOA appointments; however, veteran's preference is not a factor in these appointments. To be eligible for a VEOA appointment, a veteran must be a preference eligible OR veteran separated after 3 or more years of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions. Applicants must submit a copy of their DD-214 (Member Copy 4) for verification of eligibility. For more information about this program and to determine whether you are eligible, click here.

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.

Once the announcement has closed, your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine if you meet the qualifications listed on this announcement. To determine if you are minimally qualified, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your application to determine your level of experience.

Please follow all instructions carefully, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires successful completion of additional assessments, which may include a medical examination, drug test, physical readiness test, written examination, and structured interview. These assessments measure the critical competencies required to successfully perform the job.

This position requires successful completion of the following assessment: SME Resume Review. This assessment measures the critical competencies that are required to successfully perform the job in the following areas:

Leadership, Oral Communication, Planning and Evaluating, Problem Solving, and Strategic Thinking

Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you inflated your qualifications and or experience, you may lose consideration. Errors or omissions may affect your qualification. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action. To preview the assessment questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12899574

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