Administrative Support Assistant

at Natural Resources Conservation Service in Champaign, Illinois, United States

Job Description

Summary The primary purpose of this position is to serve as an assistant for clerical and administrative activities pertaining to correspondence, budget, purchasing, human resources, timekeeping, travel and related administrative areas for the State Area. Responsibilities Serves as purchase card holder, purchase supplies, equipment and services within delegated authority using mandatory or open market sources, ensuring proper and timely documentation and reconciling. Serves as the timekeeper in reviewing and verifying time and attendance; maintaining master files for area employees; performing leave audits; and informing the supervisor of any inconsistencies or aberrations in time and attendance. Receives and reviews incoming correspondence, ensuring necessary background material is attached when sending forward; and determines whether items can be personally addressed or need to be forwarded to the supervisor or other appropriate staff. Establishes, organizes and maintains a filing system of official material and records. Schedules meetings, prepares agendas, makes arrangements for meeting facilities and notifies participants of schedule changes; prepares materials to be used in presentations or training conducted by the supervisor and staff. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions and specialized experience as defined below. Time in grade: Current federal employees must have one year of specialized experience at the next lower grade to be considered for the next higher grade (e.g., one year at the GS-05 grade level for consideration for the GS-06 grade level, one year at the GS-06 grade level for consideration for the GS-07 grade level, one year at the GS-07 grade level for consideration for the GS-08 grade level ). Specialized Experience for GS-06: To qualify for the GS-06 level, you must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level or higher in Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as providing a variety of administrative and technical support relating to personnel, procurement, budget and/or general administrative management; organizing travel and meeting arrangements for management officials and program staff. Specialized Experience for GS-07: To qualify for the GS-07 level, you must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-06 level or higher in Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as performing a variety of administrative support services in support of a business or program office, assisting in preparing operating budgets, making purchases of office supplies, equipment, vehicle and tracking expenditures, providing timekeeping services and reconciling time and attendance documents, making travel arrangements, and reviewing incoming and outgoing correspondence and other administrative documents. Specialized Experience for GS-08: To qualify for the GS-08 level, you must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level or higher in Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as performing a variety of administrative support services in support of a business or program office, preparing operating budgets for review, making purchases of office supplies and equipment and tracking expenditures, providing timekeeping services and reconciling time and attendance documents, making travel arrangements and reviewing travel reimbursement claims, and reviewing incoming and outgoing correspondence and other administrative documents. Note: There is no education substitution for the GS-06, GS-07 or GS-08 level. For more information on the qualifications for this position, click here: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=Group-StandardsExperience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Education There is no education substitution for the GS-06, GS-07 or GS-08 level. Additional Information Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100. Promotion Potential: If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed. PLEASE NOTE: In the interest of filling these positions as efficiently as possible, we are requiring the following: If called for an interview, applicants must be available to interview within 3 business days of being contacted. If a tentative job offer is extended, selectee will have 2 business days in which to accept or decline. This position is eligible for telework within the local commuting area of the position and other flexible work arrangements. Current USDA policy includes telework for an 8 hour work day, 4 days per week; other flexibilities are possible dependent upon availability and/or the position and its associated duties. Employee participation is at the discretion of the supervisor. Recruitment and/or relocation incentives may be authorized.