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Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts

Chief of Staff

Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts See More Job Openings by This EmployerArrow
  • Full Time
  • $207,059 - $230,065/year
  • Washington, DC
November 1, 2024

Job Description

The Chief of Staff position is in the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) and supports the Associate Director's Office. The Office is responsible for the strategic planning, coordination, and program assessment of DAS; providing policy and relevant Judicial Conference committee support and coordination; and managing the department level budget and human resources.

Duties

The AO is seeking a Chief of Staff in the Department of Administrative Services (DAS). The incumbent will report to the DAS Associate Director and assist them with the oversight of services that support the federal Judiciary, including budget, human resources, facilities, emergency management, continuous process improvement, support for Judicial Conference Committees and Advisory Councils, procurement and acquisitions, financial management, accounting, physical security, appropriations liaison and analysis, and administrative information technology systems.

DAS has 500 government employees that manage programs serving 26,000 judiciary staff and 3,740 active, senior, and retired judges. DAS oversees judiciary facilities and security programs, encompassing 375 courthouses and 800 facilities and serves as the liaison to General Services Administration, the Federal Protective Service, and US Marshals Service. DAS has budgetary and fiduciary responsibility for $10 billion in annual appropriations.

The duties of the Chief of Staff include, but are not limited to:

  1. Managing internal communications, planning, and preparing timely messages (e.g., memos, alerts, video content, email) from the Associate Director to the department's managers and staff; coordinating meetings with the department's senior staff and Management Network; and preparing the agenda and talking points for the Associate Director.
  2. Overseeing the processing and coordination of correspondence and documents requiring the Associate Director's review; reviewing communications products for content, style, and format; and providing the Associate Director a recommendation.
  3. Coordinating department-level strategic planning activities; organizing strategic planning sessions and discussions on behalf of the Associate Director; and coordinating department-wide tasks to provide input into the AO and Judiciary strategic plans.
  4. Managing the department's leadership calendar; identifying key meetings, suspense dates, training opportunities, and agency activities; coordinating department-wide tasks, including collecting inputs from the appropriate offices, and developing integrated department responses for review and approval by the Associate Director.
  5. Overseeing the execution of the department's decentralized salary allocations; coordinating with each DAS subunit to develop personnel plans for approval by the Associate Director; monitoring the execution of personnel funding to ensure the department remains within budget; advising the department's senior leaders regarding strategies for maximizing the impact of available salary allocations; and coordinating the development of department-wide requests for new positions.
  6. Coordinating the annual performance management and performance award processes; providing guidance, deadlines, and timely reminders to the department's managers to ensure all staff have a performance plan and receive mid-term feedback and annual appraisals; and developing the final submission package for the department.
  7. Assisting and advising the Associate Director on personnel matters pertaining to the department's senior staff, including preparing vacancy announcements, conducting candidate screening panels, participating in interviews, and preparing recommendations.
  8. Serving as the executive champion for continuous process improvement; overseeing the Continuous Process Improvement Staff (CPIS); maturing the department's business processes; providing process improvement training to AO staff; and fostering a culture of process improvement.
  9. Participating in meetings of the AO Executive Management Group (EMG); providing advisory support to the EMG, including preparing analysis, developing policy recommendations, gathering decision support materials, and providing similar support.
  10. Assisting the Associate Director in overseeing the department's role in supporting seven Judicial Conference Committees and six AO advisory bodies.
  11. Serving on formal and informal teams and working groups to address emergent issues, such as lapses in appropriations, natural disasters, and unanticipated emergencies; serving on the Judiciary Emergency Response Team; and ensuring DAS offices are alerted and respond in a timely manner.
  12. Serving as an advisor and resource for the department's senior staff on a wide range of issues, including questions regarding AO and Judiciary policies and processes, personnel issues, communications strategies, and resources.

Salary
  • $207,059 - $230,065/year
Conditions of Employment

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
  1. All information is subject to verification. Applicants are advised that false answers or omissions of information on application materials or inability to meet the following conditions may be grounds for non-selection, withdrawal of an offer of employment, or dismissal after being employed.
  2. Selection for this position is contingent upon completion of OF-306, Declaration of Federal Employment during the pre-employment process and proof of U.S. citizenship for competitive status positions or conversion to a competitive status position with the AO. If non-citizens are considered for hire into a temporary or any other position with non-competitive status or when it is confirmed by the AO Human Resources Office there are no qualified U.S. citizens for a competitive status position (unless prohibited by a law or statue), non-citizens must provide proof of authorization to work in the U.S. and proof of entitlement to receive compensation. Additional information on the employment of non-citizens can be found at USAJOBS Help Center | Employment of non-citizens/. For a list of documents that may be used to provide proof of citizenship or authorization to work in the United States, please refer to Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification.
  3. All new AO employees will be required to complete an FBI fingerprint-based national criminal database and records check and pass a public trust suitability check.
  4. New employees to the AO will be required to successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights/responsibilities, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/.
  5. All new AO employees are required to identify a financial institution for direct deposit of pay before appointment.
  6. You will be required to serve a trial period if selected for a first-time appointment to the Federal government, transferring from another Federal agency, or serving as a first-time supervisor. Failure to successfully complete the trial period may result in termination of employment.
  7. If appointed to a temporary position, management may have the discretion of converting the position to permanent depending upon funding and staffing allocation.

Qualifications Applicants must have demonstrated experience which shows competence in the qualifications as listed below. This requirement is according to the AO Classification, Compensation, and Recruitment Systems which includes interpretive guidance and reference to the OPM Operating Manual for Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions.

Specialized Experience: Applicants must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-15/JSP-15/CL 31 level which is in or directly related to the line of work of this position. Specialized experience for this position is defined as follows:
  1. Experience serving as an advisor and resource for senior staff regarding policies, processes, personnel issues, and communications strategies.
  2. Experience developing and implementing communications strategies and preparing and delivering analysis of complex issues.
Additional Assessment: Applicants who meet the specialized experience requirements also will be assessed on the following Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) and Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs).

Mandatory Technical Qualifications: The MTQs listed below should be evident in your resume. A supplemental narrative must be uploaded and attached to your application addressing each MTQ listed below. Please limit your response to two pages for each MTQ.
  1. Demonstrated experience providing executive oversight of a highly complex organization with a broad portfolio of missions, including budgeting, congressional appropriations, procurement and acquisition, human resources, financial Management, accounting, facilities, security, and administrative information technology systems.
  2. Demonstrated experience leading a large, complex organization. This includes experience defining mission, vision, goals; overseeing strategic planning; monitoring and evaluating mission performance; managing significant portfolios of human and financial resources; leading transformation, change management, and process improvement; managing significant resources such as funding and personnel; guiding strategic communications; and establishing and sustaining a culture of customer service.
  3. Demonstrated knowledge and experience with the structure, function, and processes of the committees and subcommittees composing the Judicial Conference of the U.S. Courts and the AO advisory bodies.
Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs): Applicants currently serving in an AOES and Court Unit Executive positions or under a career Senior Executive Service (SES) appointment, eligible for reinstatement into SES, or have successfully completed a SES Candidate Development Program (CDP) approved by OPM are not required to submit a narrative response for the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ). A narrative response as part of the application package for each of the following ECQs is MANDATORY for all other applicants. Please limit your response to two pages for each ECQ.
  1. Leading Change: This core qualification involves the ability to bring about strategic change, both within and outside the organization, to meet organizational goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to establish an organizational vision and to implement it in a continuously changing environment. Leadership Competencies: Creativity & Innovation, External Awareness, Flexibility, Resilience, Strategic Thinking, Vision.
  2. Leading People: This core qualification involves the ability to lead people toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to provide an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others, facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports constructive resolution of conflicts. Leadership Competencies: Conflict Management, Leveraging Diversity, Developing Others, Team Building.
  3. Results Driven: This core qualification involves the ability to meet organizational goals and customer expectations. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to make decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks. Leadership Competencies: Accountability, Customer Service, Decisiveness, Entrepreneurship, Problem Solving, Technical Credibility.
  4. Business Acumen: This core qualification involves the ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically. Leadership Competencies: Financial Management, Human Capital Management, Technology Management.
  5. Building Coalitions / Communication: This core qualification involves the ability to build coalitions internally and with other Federal agencies, State and local governments, nonprofit and private sector organizations, foreign governments, or international organizations to achieve common goals. Leadership Competencies: Partnering, Political Savvy, Influencing/Negotiating.
Education This position does not require education to qualify. Other Information

The AO is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Required Documents

For this job announcement the following documents and/or information are required:

  • Resume - Any written format you choose to describe your job-related qualifications.
  • MTQ Narrative - Statement addressing the MTQs
  • Current or former career AOES/SES members - Provide a copy of your AOES/SES appointment SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action), and an SF-50 showing current career AOES/SES status or reinstatement eligibility.
  • Applicants who have successfully completed an OPM approved SES Candidate Development Program (CDP) - Submit a copy of your CDP certification.
  • ECQ Narrative - A narrative response as part of the application package for each of the following ECQs is mandatory for all applicants who are not current or former career AOES/SES members, and/or completed an OPM approved CDP.
  • Citizenship - Include country of citizenship on resume.
  • Current or former Federal Civilian employees - All applicants outside of the AO must submit a copy of your latest SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action)to verify current or former Federal employment status.
  • Veterans Preference documentation - Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (DD Form 214), if applicable Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference (SF-15) and an official statement, dated 1991 or later, from the Department of Veterans Affairs or from a branch of the Armed Forces, certifying to the veteran's present receipt of compensation.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11/22/2024 to receive consideration. To begin:

  • Apply Online to access an online application. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account.
  • You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application.
  • You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement.
  • To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
  • Click the following link to view and print the occupational questionnaire https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12594950.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Learn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.



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