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

DIRECTOR OF PROTOCOL

Department of the Air Force
HQ USAF and Support Elements

Summary

Click on "Learn more about this agency" button below to view Eligibilities being considered and other IMPORTANT information.

The primary purpose of this position is to carry out Protocol Headquarters Air Force (HAF) responsibility for the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Air Force. To provide protocol advice, support, and operational work for both official and social functions in support of the Secretary and Under Secretary of the Air Force, Chief of Staff, and others.

Overview

Help
Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
05/14/2026 to 05/28/2026
Salary
$169,279 - $197,200 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 15
Location
Few vacancies in the following location:
Pentagon, Arlington, VA
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Sensitive Compartmented Information
Drug test
Yes
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
9L-AFPC-12961663-297032-SA1
Control number
869197600

Duties

Help

  • Exercises supervisory personnel management responsibilities. Advises and provides counsel to employees regarding policies, procedures, and directives of management.
  • Plans, organizes, manages, administers and executes protocol activities of the SecAF, USecAF, CSAF, CV, CVA, CCC and Space force CSO, VCSO.
  • Develops and implements protocol policy and procedural guidance for the Department of Air Force.
  • Responsible for the oversight of effective and accurate expenditure of Official Representation Funds (ORF, Special Morale and Welfare Funds (SM&W and Operations and Maintenance (O&M funds, and the management of expenditures for the office government purchase card and the travel budget.
  • Plans, arranges, and coordinates a variety of details associated with SecAF and CSAF hosted conferences.
  • Develops, updates and instructs core curriculum blocs of the DAF-level Protocol Fundamentals Course and provides other protocol training programs as required.

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship Required
  • Males must be registered for Selective Service, see www.sss.gov
  • If authorized, PCS will be paid IAW JTR and AF Regulations. If receiving an authorized PCS, you may be subject to completing/signing a CONUS agreement. More information on PCS requirements, may be found at: https://afciviliancareers.com/regulatory/
  • This posn is subject to provisions of the DoD Priority Placement Program
  • Disclosure of Political Appointments
  • Advance in hire may be authorized if there is demonstrable proof provided on your resume
  • Leave accrual may be authorized upon request
  • Depending on the type of position (competitive/excepted) you are selected for, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period OR 2-year trial period.
  • Upon completion of your probationary/trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
  • Must have recent Air Force Air Staff experience. Recent experience is defined as not greater than 3 years past the date of this job announcement.
  • Handles and safeguards sensitive and or classified information in accordance with regulations to reduce potential compromise.
  • A Baccalaureate Degree, preferably in an analytical field of study is highly desirable.
  • The work may require the employee to occasionally travel away from normal duty station via military or commercial aircraft.
  • Employee may be required to work overtime.
  • Ability to supervise, mentor, motivate and apprise the staff of medium size organization to meet program requirements and objectives.
  • Incumbent will be required to acquire and retain Top Secret Clearance eligibility with Sensitive Compartmented Information access, based upon a Single Scoped Background Investigation. Incumbent must be willing to submit to drug testing.
  • This position has been designated by the Air Force as a Testing Designated Position (TDP) under the Air Force Civilian Drug Demand Reduction Program. Employee must pass initial and periodic short notice drug testing.
  • This is a Supervisory Position in which a supervisory probation period may be required
  • This is a CENTRALLY managed position

Qualifications

In order to qualify, you must meet the specialized experience requirements described in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions, Administrative and Management positions.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience at the next lower grade GS-14, or equivalent in other pay systems. Examples of specialized experience include: (1) Providing strategic direction and authoritative oversight for a Protocol office, shaping organizational priorities, optimizing workforce performance, and ensuring alignment with mission objectives, (2) Exercising mastery of military governance structures, mission imperatives, and operational responsibilities to drive long-range planning, institutional coherence, and mission assurance, (3) Leading high-level evaluation of mission-critical programs, synthesizing complex data, assessing organizational risk, and advancing solutions that strengthen enterprise readiness and operational effectiveness; and (4) Extensive experience working with the concepts, principles and practices of protocol, military ceremonies, and military traditions, both national and international.

FEDERAL TIME-IN-GRADE (TIG) REQUIREMENT FOR GENERAL SCHEDULE (GS) POSITIONS: Merit promotion applicants must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements to be considered eligible. One year at the GS-14 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-15 level. TIG applies if you are in a current GS position or held a GS position within the previous 52 weeks. NOTE: Applicants applying as VEOA candidates who are current GS civil service employees or are prior GS civil service employees within the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:

1. Master knowledge of the concepts, principles and practices of protocol, military ceremonies, and military traditions, both national and international.

2. Master knowledge of the protocol and military operational planning process and ability to apply that knowledge in routine exercise, contingency and real world operations.

3. Ability to plan, organize and direct the functions and staff of a large sized organization.

4. Master knowledge of communication techniques, principles, and regulations to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing in responding to work related problems and questions.

5. Ability to indirectly supervise and provide supervisory guidance to bod1 military and civilian personnel.

6. Knowledge of standard organizational budget procedures. Skill in working with people to maintain effective working relationships with groups interested in or affected by ceremonial and protocol programs and policies and skill in working with high level military and civilian
officials.

PART-TIME OR UNPAID EXPERIENCE: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid and or part-time work. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.

VOLUNTEER WORK EXPERIENCE: Refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service Programs (i.e., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student and social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge and skills that can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Additional information

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): For information on how to apply as an ICTAP eligible click here. To be well-qualified and exercise selection priority for this vacancy, displaced Federal employees must be rated well qualified or above for this position. You must submit a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location.

Employed Annuitants (Reemployed Annuitants): Applicants in receipt of an annuity based on civilian employment in the Federal Service are subject to the DoD Policy on The Employment of Annuitants. Click here for more information.

Current Federal Civilian employees may apply for temporary and term positions and if selected, a break in service may be required prior to appointment to the position.

120-Day Register: This announcement may result in a 120-day register that may be used to fill like vacancies for 120 days after the closing date. Applicants may be referred for consideration as vacancies occur.

Military Spouse Preference (MSP) Eligible: MSP applicants, if determined best qualified, must be selected, and placed at the highest grade for which they applied. You must include a completed copy of the DD Form 3145-4, Military Spouse PPP Self-Certification Checklist dated within 30 days along with the documents identified on the checklist to verify your eligibility for MSP. Click here to obtain/download a copy of the DD Form 3145-4, Military Spouse PPP Self-Certification Checklist.

Priority Placement Program (PPP) Applicant Eligible: PPP Applicants, if determined well qualified and selected, will be placed at the at the full performance level. You must include the applicable completed copy of the PPP Self-Certification Checklist dated within 30 days along with the documents identified on the checklist to verify your eligibility as a PPP Applicant. Click here to obtain/download a copy of the applicable PPP Self-Certification Checklist (DD3145-1 through DD3145-4, select the appropriate checklist for your claimed preference). To determine the applicable PPP Self-Certification Checklist required to substantiate the eligibilities you are claiming, refer to the AF Civilian Employment Eligibility Guide located in the Required Documents section of this vacancy announcement.

Direct Deposit: All federal employees are required to have direct deposit.

Disabled veteran leave is available to a Federal employee hired on/after 5 Nov 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30% or more. For more information, click here.

If you have questions regarding this announcement and have hearing or speech difficulties 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.

Your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

The resume/documents you submit must support your responses to the online questionnaire. If your application contradicts or does not support your questionnaire responses, you will receive a rating of "not qualified" or "insufficient information" and you will not receive further consideration for this job.

For additional information on what to include in your resume, click here.

APPRAISALS/AWARDS: Hiring Managers use objective methods and consider previous performance appraisals and awards in the selection process. Current Federal Civilian employees should list any relevant performance related rating and/or awards in your resume.

Applicants who disqualify themselves will not be evaluated further.

HQ USAF and Support Elements

The mission of the United States Air Force is: To fly, fight, and win ... Airpower anytime, anywhere. To achieve that mission, the Air Force has a vision of Global Vigilance, Global Reach and Global Power. That vision orbits around three core competencies: Developing Airmen, Technology-to-Warfighting and Integrating Operations. Core competencies and distinctive capabilities are based on a shared commitment to three core values -- integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do.

Click here to view the AF Civilian Employment Eligibility Guide:

  • 30 Percent or More Disabled Veterans
  • AF DCIPS Interchange
  • AF Internal Employee
  • DoD Transfer (Excluding Air Force)
  • EO 12721 Certain Former Overseas Employees
  • EO 13473 Appointment of Certain Military Spouses
  • Former Federal Employees (Reinstatement)
  • Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan
  • Land Management Employee
  • Military Spouse Preference
  • National Service (Peace Corps and VISTA)
  • Non-AF DCIPS Interchange
  • Non-Appropriated Fund
  • Non-DoD Transfer
  • Other (Interchange Agreements)
  • People with Disabilities, Schedule A
  • PPP DoD Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technicians
  • PPP DoD Retained Grade Preference Eligible
  • PPP Mil Res (MR) and Nat Guard (NG) Pref Eligible Technician Receiving Disability Retirement
  • Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction
  • Veterans Employment Opportunities Act

Agency contact information

Total Force Service Center
Phone
1-800-525-0102
Email
DO.NOT.EMAIL@CALL.ONLY
Address
HQ USAF and Support Elements - Pentagon
1720 Air Force Pentagon
Washington, DC 20330
US

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.