Administrative Specialist - Arlington, VA

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Position Title:
Administrative Specialist
Series/Grade:
GS-0301-11
Promotion Potential:
GS-12
Promotion is not automatic and depends on performance, completion of applicable qualification requirements, management approval, and other agency requirements.
Agency/Component/Office:
Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Office of External Affairs
Location
Arlington, Virginia
Who May Apply:

• Veterans with a 30% or more service-connected disability rating
• Individuals eligible under Schedule A (5 CFR 213.3102(u))

Summary:
The Office of External Affairs is seeking an Administrative Specialist to provide executive administrative, operational, and task-management support to office leadership and staff.

The incumbent independently plans, performs, and coordinates administrative functions supporting efficient office operations. Responsibilities include executive support, calendar and meeting coordination, official travel support, task and workflow management, records administration, data collection and reporting, service-request coordination, and administrative process improvement.

The position requires sound judgment, attention to detail, discretion, and the ability to prioritize competing assignments involving senior leaders and multiple organizational stakeholders.

Major Duties:

Executive and Administrative Support:

• Provide a full range of administrative services to Office of External Affairs leadership and staff.
• Plan, perform, and coordinate administrative functions necessary for effective office operations.
• Control assigned actions and projects and resolve administrative-processing issues.
• Determine which matters can be handled independently and which require referral to management.
• Provide calendar management and logistical support for senior managers.
• Maintain office records and coordinate the dissemination of administrative instructions.
• Prepare correspondence, reports, spreadsheets, briefing materials, daily binders, and other administrative products.
• Research and draft responses to general correspondence and inquiries in consultation with technical experts.
• Maintain detailed or confidential administrative records consistent with applicable handling requirements.

Meeting and Event Coordination:

• Schedule and coordinate meetings, conferences, and briefings.
• Arrange meeting logistics and prepare agendas and minutes.
• Maintain status information concerning meeting participants and guests.
• Coordinate supporting documents, files, and other materials required for leadership meetings and events.
• Arrange lodging, transportation, communication services, and other logistical requirements when needed.
• Coordinate specialized support such as interpretation, administrative assistance, or overseas communications.

Official Travel Support:

• Prepare travel authorizations and expense vouchers using the agency’s official travel system.
• Make official travel arrangements for office leadership and staff.
• Research and respond to general travel-related questions.
• Maintain travel-related records and files.
• Coordinate lodging, transportation, and other travel requirements in support of conferences, meetings, and briefings.

Task and Workflow Management:

• Coordinate special assignments and workflows across Office of External Affairs functions.
• Review incoming task requirements and route work to the appropriate offices or points of contact.
• Track deadlines and support leadership in ensuring timely, accurate, and complete responses.
• Prepare tasks for coordination with other CISA offices.
• Conduct data calls, research issues, develop information, and consolidate office responses.
• Produce daily reports supporting leadership task management.
• Coordinate with executive secretariat personnel, CISA divisions, programs, DHS Headquarters, other components, and external agencies.
• Monitor project status, identify potential delays, and follow up on incomplete actions.

Administrative Services Coordination:

• Submit, coordinate, and track service requests involving:
  • Human capital
  • Procurement
  • Information technology
  • Facilities
  • Records management
  • Administrative services
• Consult with subject-matter specialists, program managers, and technical staff to resolve administrative requirements.
• Prepare supporting documentation and track requests through completion.
• Assist in resolving routine administrative and program issues.
• Communicate solutions, requirements, and status information to leadership and staff.

Data Analysis and Reporting:

• Collect, review, evaluate, and interpret administrative and program data.
• Gather information for dashboards, reports, and leadership products.
• Assist in developing metrics for budget, training, procurement, records management, and recruitment activities.
• Develop spreadsheets, charts, presentations, reports, and other products supporting management decisions.
• Identify procedural or operational problems and recommend practical solutions.
• Support studies and analyses intended to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of office operations.

Records and Office Management:

• Maintain distribution lists, shared mailboxes, call-down lists, phone lines, and similar office-management resources.
• Monitor organizational mailboxes and route requests appropriately.
• Maintain administrative documents and resources on SharePoint sites and shared directories.
• Update administrative policies and standard operating procedures.
• Track and coordinate office supply requirements.
• Support records-management activities and maintain organized, accurate office files.

Qualifications:
Applicants must meet the applicable federal qualification requirements for the GS-0301 series and grade.

Specialized Experience:

• Applicants must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in scope and responsibility to the GS-9 level in the federal service.
• Specialized experience should demonstrate experience performing duties such as:
  • Providing administrative and operational support to an office, program, or senior leadership team.
  • Coordinating executive calendars, meetings, conferences, briefings, or related logistics.
  • Managing tasks, assignments, deadlines, data calls, and organizational workflows.
  • Preparing correspondence, reports, spreadsheets, presentations, briefing materials, or status updates.
  • Coordinating official travel arrangements, authorizations, vouchers, or travel records.
  • Tracking administrative service requests involving human resources, procurement, information technology, facilities, records management, or similar support functions.
  • Collecting, reviewing, and analyzing administrative or program data.
  • Developing dashboards, metrics, reports, trackers, or other management products.
  • Interpreting and applying administrative policies, procedures, and guidelines.
  • Identifying administrative or procedural problems and recommending corrective actions.
  • Coordinating work across multiple offices, organizational components, or external partners.

The applicant’s resume should clearly identify when and where the experience was performed. Official qualification determinations rest with HR.

Key Competencies:

• Administrative management
• Executive support
• Calendar and meeting coordination
• Task and workflow management
• Official travel administration
• Written and oral communication
• Records and information management
• Data collection and analysis
• Metrics and dashboard development
• Report and correspondence preparation
• Administrative policy interpretation
• Problem solving
• Quality control
• Customer service
• Stakeholder coordination
• Organizational skills
• Attention to detail
• Independent judgment
• Time and priority management

Desired Background

• Strong candidates may demonstrate:
• Experience supporting senior executives or organizational leadership.
• Experience managing multiple time-sensitive assignments in a high-volume office.
• Experience working with executive secretariat or formal task-management processes.
• Experience preparing official travel authorizations and vouchers.
• Experience coordinating administrative services with human capital, procurement, IT, facilities, or records-management offices.
• Experience developing or updating administrative policies and standard operating procedures.
• Experience collecting data and developing dashboards, metrics, reports, or leadership status products.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, email, calendar, and shared-file systems.
• Experience supporting government, national security, emergency management, cybersecurity, communications, or other mission-driven organizations.

Resume Guidance for Applicants

• →Applicants should ensure their resumes:
• →Demonstrate at least one full year of qualifying specialized experience.
• →Tie duties and accomplishments to specific jobs and dates.
• →Include hours worked per week where requested.
• →Identify the organizational level and number of leaders or staff supported.
• →Describe responsibility for calendar, meeting, travel, and logistical coordination.
• →Explain experience assigning, routing, tracking, and closing organizational tasks.
• →Identify administrative systems and tools used.
• →Describe experience preparing travel authorizations or vouchers, if applicable.
• →Identify the types of reports, dashboards, spreadsheets, presentations, or correspondence prepared.
• →Explain how administrative problems were identified and resolved.
• →Include measurable scope and results where available, such as number of tasks, travelers, meetings, service requests, reports, or organizational customers supported.
• →Clearly distinguish independent responsibility from general clerical support.

Federal HR cannot infer experience or read between the lines. Tailoring can clarify experience that was performed, but it cannot replace experience the applicant does not possess.