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Administrative Officer

Department of State
Department of State - Agency Wide

Summary

This position is located in the Office of the Executive Director (EX), Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs (NEA) and Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA), U.S. Department of State and is assigned to the Domestic Services Division (NEA-SCA/EX/DSD). The incumbent serves as Chief of the Domestic Support Division (DSD) with responsibility for planning and managing the delivery of a wide array of vital administrative and management support services.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Posted this week · Apply by 07/09/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on July 9, 2026
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—Telework permitted in accordance with agency policy and regulations.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$169,279 - $197,200 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 15
Promotion potential
15
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Occasional Travel.
Appointment type
Temporary promotion - Temporary Promotion not-to-exceed 1 year. May be extended without further competition. Must sign a statement of understanding regarding conditions of time-limited promotion.
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
Yes
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Drug test
Yes
Security clearance
Top Secret
Position sensitivity and risk
Critical-Sensitive (CS)/High Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Announcement number
P/NEA-MPI-2026-0011
Control number
875169000

Duties

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  • Plans, coordinates, and oversees the administrative services program for the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs and the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs to ensure resources are properly obtained and used to achieve mission goals and objectives.
  • Provides leadership and direction in the development, implementation, and management of Bureau-wide administrative and management goals, objectives, plans, policies and procedures necessary to support the accomplishment of Bureau policy and mission.
  • Serves as the second level supervisor for the Division staff and exercises the full range of supervisory and managerial authorities and responsibilities required to accomplish the functions assigned to the Division.
  • Directs and oversees the acquisition of professional and technical management support services to NEA- SCA and tenants worldwide/Serves as the Contracting Officer’s Representative Level III (COR) and/or assigns such duties to Division staff members.
  • Implements non-discriminatory practices and affirmative action in many functional Equal Employment areas:

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is required.
  • Incumbent will be subject to random drug testing.
  • Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.
  • Annual Confidential Financial Disclosure required prior to appointment.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all the required qualification requirements described below by the closing date of this announcement. [If you are qualifying based on education OR if there are mandatory education requirements listed below, you MUST submit a copy of your college transcript with your application. 

NOTE: Applicants must meet time-in-grade and time after competitive appointment requirements, by the closing date of this announcement.

Time-In-Grade Requirements: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions, per 5CFR 300, Subpart F.

Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 level in the Federal service which provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position.

Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following:

  • Experience managing administrative operations for a senior executive or bureau-level office, including budgets, human resources, FOIA, records management, emergency planning, and administrative support.
  • Experience leading and supervising staff by assigning and reviewing work, providing guidance and performance feedback, and ensuring mission accomplishment.
  • Experience managing multiple priorities and adapting to changing organizational needs and time-sensitive operational demands.
  • Experience leading and supervising staff, resolving workplace challenges, and fostering a collaborative, accountable, and team-oriented work environment.

In addition, applicant's experience must also demonstrate that the candidate possesses the following qualities:

  • Ability to assign, review, and supervise the work of others;
  • Objectivity and fairness in judging people on their ability, and situations on the facts and circumstances;
  • Ability to adjust to change, work pressures, or difficult situations without undue stress;
  • Willingness to consider new ideas or divergent points of view; and
  • Capacity to "see the job through."

There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the GS-15 position.

Education

See the qualifications section of this vacancy announcement for education requirements.

Additional information

  • To request a reasonable accommodation for additional time on the timed sections of the assessment, please submit your request using the “Request a Reasonable Accommodation” button within the Assessment Application. 

    For all other reasonable accommodations at the U.S. Department of State, please contact the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations (OAA) at OAA@state.gov.    

    OAA is responsible for reviewing and adjudicating reasonable accommodation (RA) requests for the Assessment Battery being used for this announcement.  The following applies to all RA requests: 

    • RA requests cover additional time on timed sections only.   

    • Applicants submitting a RA request MUST attach supporting medical documentation signed by a licensed, treating medical provider. The documentation should describe the nature, severity, and expected duration of the condition, identify the relevant medical condition or diagnosis, and explain the basis for the requested extension.  RA requests that do not contain supporting medical documentation attachments at the time of initial request may be subject to further review.  

    • Note: the following documents do not, on their own, qualify for automatic approval of the RA request: Schedule A letters, VA benefits letters, or SSA letters. 

    • Applicants MUST submit their application before the vacancy closes, even if pending an accommodation decision.  

    • Applicants are encouraged to carefully follow instructions related to medical documentation provided in the vacancy announcement prior to beginning the RA process. 

    • Applicants will have 48 hours after their RA request is adjudicated to complete the assessment battery.  Scores generated after the allotted timeframe will not be admissible and the applicant will not be considered further for the vacancy.   

    • If a different type of RA is needed, please contact OAA directly at OAA@state.gov.       

  • If eligible, situational telework agreements may be permitted with supervisory approval.
  • Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.  If eligible, applicants to this announcement may be referred to other similar positions in this Bureau for up to 240 days and may require a higher or lower security clearance.  Telework eligibility and security clearance requirements may vary for such similar positions. 
  • Agency & Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP & ICTAP): View OPM’s  CTAP & ICTAP eligibility website for more information. You must be rated in the Well-Qualified category and submit supporting documents under the required documents section of this announcement to receive selection priority consideration. To be considered Well-Qualified applicants must: score an 85 or above, meet Minimum Qualifications, and demonstrate proficiency in some, but not all major aspects of the position. 

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.

The evaluation process consists of the ApplyGov Competency Based Assessments for which applicants will be assigned a score between 70 and 100. A resume review will be conducted for minimum qualification requirements, as described in the “Qualifications” section of this announcement, of applicants found to be among the top qualified candidates based on assessment scores.  Resumes longer than two pages will be deemed ineligible and will not be considered further.  

You will be assessed on the following job-related competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics:  

Supervisory: Oral Communication, Interpersonal Skills, Problem Solving, Decision Making, Customer Service, Leadership, Planning & Evaluating, Influencing/Negotiating, Strategic Thinking, Human Capital Management.

Set aside at least 2 hours to take the external assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. There are timed sections that must be completed within the allotted timeframe.

Your score from the external assessment (i.e., Supervisory) will remain on file for 180 days, allowing you to apply for multiple DOS-announced positions without needing to retake the assessments. 

Top applicants may be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration. Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies: 

  • Knowledge of administrative concepts, principles, and practices
  • Knowledge of contracting and procurement laws, regulations, and procedures
  • Skill in program/project management
  • Ability to plan and organize work
  • Ability to interact effectively with others

In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. We do not make assumptions regarding your experience. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials may result in your removal from consideration. 

Applicants found to be among the top qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring official for further consideration and possible interview.  Qualified non-competitive candidates must be deemed best qualified based on the applicant assessment in order to be referred to the hiring official for further consideration and possible interview. 


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Department of State - Agency Wide

Agency contact information

Candice D. Hanna
Phone
000-000-0000
Fax
000-000-0000
Email
hannacd@state.gov
Address
U.S. Department of State
Not accepting applications by Mail
Charleston, South Carolina 29405
United States

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