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Supervisory Administrative Assistant

Judicial Branch
U.S. Courts
Federal Public Defender - District of Puerto Rico

Summary

The Supervisory Administrative Assistant supervises at least three members of the administrative staff and provides support and advice to the Defender and/or Administrative Officer in a variety of administrative and management matters. The position reports directly to the Administrative Officer and interfaces regularly with leadership and staff at all levels, requiring the ability to manage competing demands effectively and communicate clearly in both written and verbal form.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Posted today · Apply by 06/04/27
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on June 4, 2027
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
No
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$89,508 - $106,347 per year
Pay scale & grade
JS 12 - 13
Promotion potential
None
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Supervisory status
Yes
Federal service type
This job is in the Excepted Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Other
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
2026-05
Control number
871898500

Duties

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Beyond administrative support, the Supervisory Administrative Assistant will play an active role in process improvement initiatives, contributing to the evaluation and refinement of office policies and procedures, and ensuring compliance with federal regulations and Defender Services guidelines. The position requires a high degree of professionalism, discretion, and the ability to exercise sound judgment with minimal supervision

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Appointment to this position is contingent upon the successful completion of an FBI name and fingerprint check.
  • You must be a U.S. citizen or person authorized to work in the United States.
  • Advanced proficiency in Excel and Microsoft Office is required.
  • Hands-on experience reviewing financial statements and other documents is expected.

Qualifications

  • General administration and management: responding to administrative inquiries from staff, ensuring adherence to personnel and procurement procedures and regulations, and assisting in the maintenance and monitoring of internal controls.
  • Financial management: assisting with financial operation and budget projections, reviewing and analyzing relevant data for staffing needs and resource allocation purposes, monitoring and controlling expenses and day-to-day accounting functions alongside the financial administrator, maintaining accounting records, and preparing and reviewing vouchers for payment.
  • Personnel administration and management: providing the Defender and Administrative Officer with technical advice in the areas of staffing, recruitment, compensation, and evaluation of employees, assisting in the creation of personnel policies, and maintaining personnel records.
  • Space, telecommunications, and office automation management: coordinating construction projects and office relocations, renovations and repairs, assisting with the procurement, installation and oversight of telecommunications equipment, and contracting for office equipment and furniture.
  • Purchasing, procurement, and property management: acts as advisor to staff in purchasing and procurement matters, monitors funds, assists with maintenance of data and administrative files.
  • Office operations: relieves the Administrative Officer of routine operation concerns, supervises office staff as assigned, may participate in training programs and other educational events for staff members.
  • Other duties: as designated by the Defender, may supervise the work of the Financial Administrator, Property and Procurement Administrator, and Personnel Administrator.
Preferred qualifications include:
  • An advanced degree in business administration, finance, public administration, organizational leadership, business analytics, or a related field.
  • Prior experience in a state or federal public defender officer or comparable state or federal government agency.
  • Spanish fluency is highly preferred.

Education

Applicants must be a high school graduate and have at least five years of progressively responsible experience in public administration, financial management, office operations, or a related field.

Additional information

This position will remain open until filled and is subject to the availability of funding.

Federal Public Defender employees are members of the judicial branch of the government and are considered "at will." This position is in the excepted service and does not carry the tenure rights of the competitive Civil Service.

The Federal Public Defender for the District of Puerto Rico is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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.

Accurate compliance with these application instructions is a factor expressly considered in the evaluation of the applicant.

U.S. Courts

The Office of the Federal Public Defender for the District of Puerto Rico is accepting applications for a Supervisory Administrative Assistant. We're not a bureaucracy pretending to care about indigent defense. We're people who've chosen this work because we believe everyone deserves a fierce advocate, regardless of their bank account. Our 25+ attorneys range from brilliant lawyers fresh from clerkships to seasoned litigators, and they're backed by investigators, mitigation specialists, and administrative staff who are equally as invested in our clients' outcomes. We're serious about growth: mentorship, training, and collaboration aren't perks here, they're how we work. We don't practice in isolation, we brainstorm theories together, workshop suppression hearings as a team, and run mock trials. We test our themes, challenge each other's assumptions, and refine our narratives. We present context alongside facts, humanity alongside allegations, and complete narratives instead of piecemeal arguments.

Agency contact information

Elizabeth Molina
Email
Elizabeth_Molina@fd.org
Address
Federal Public Defender, District of Puerto Rico
241 F.D. Roosevelt Ave.
San Juan, PR 00918
US

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