KEY REQUIREMENTS



• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this position
• You must meet the Selective Service requirement
• You must submit your complete application and all supporting documents
• You must complete the questionnaire and/or knowledge, skills &
• abilities/competency statement
• You will be subject to a background/suitability investigation/determination

Receives calls, greets visitors, and directs inquiries to the appropriate member of the school staff. Serves as liaison between the principal and/or assistant principal, the school staff, and students or families in the community by providing accurate, timely information and guidance on school procedures, reports, and requirements, as well as school programs, policies, procedures, and activities. Maintains and controls the principal's and assistant principal's calendars and schedules appointments without prior approval based on personal knowledge of their workload, priorities, and commitments. Establishes and manages all records and files related to school correspondence, mail distribution, word processing material, office equipment, and Freedom of Information and Privacy Act data. Uses a personal computer and a variety of software types to prepare letters, messages, memoranda, reports, charts, school bulletins, and other
documents. Reviews incoming correspondence and ensures distribution and/or appropriate posting of information of interest or concern to school personnel. Reviews outgoing correspondence for format, grammar, accuracy, conformance, completeness, coherence, and consistency. Make travel arrangements for school principal and school staff. Arranges and schedules visits, makes reservations, notifies
organizations and officials to be visited, and upon completion of travel prepares and submits travel vouchers and other documents as appropriate. Enforces policies and procedures for the use of personal computers and other office automation equipment, monitors office compliance with system security procedures and ensures computers are secured at the end of the day, monitors access to computers,
computer usage, and type of output being displayed, controls passwords, keys/locks, and privacy data. Reports deficiencies, suspected violations, and other concerns to the principal. Orders and maintains supplies and materials. Arranges for substitute teachers from current listings, calling eligible candidates to  verify availability for duty.  Determines appropriate placement and assigns substitute for daily teaching schedule.   Maintains time and attendance and leave records.  Processes time cards and personnel/position actions for all assigned staff.  Provides technical direction and oversight to the school clerical staff and office volunteers.  Schedules, assigns, reviews work and arranges training. 

For the GS-06 level: 1 year of specialized experience at the GS-05 or equivalent, is required.

Education is not substitutable or creditable.

Specialized Experience - Experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position as a school secretary, providing clerical and administrative support to the principal, assistant principal and other school personnel, children, and their families. 

In addition to meeting experience requirements, applicants must demonstrate typing speed of at least 40 words per minute.
Please indicate your typing speed on your application/resume. Applicants who fail to indicate their typing speed will not be considered.

Must meet minimum qualifications to be considered for this position.

HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:

Your application will initially be reviewed to determine whether you meet the minimum eligibility and qualifications requirements.  If you are qualified, you will then receive a rating based on the degree to which your background matches the knowledge, skills, and abilities for the position listed.  If, after reviewing your resume and supporting documentation, a determination is made that you inflated your qualifications and/or experience, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities or you may be found ineligible/not qualified.  Your application will be placed in one of three categories:  Best Qualified, Highly Qualified, or Qualified. 

   Best Qualified will show experience working in an education environment, working with children, parents and teachers as well as others in the work environment; preparing personnel forms and performing time-keeping tasks, maintaining office supplies, as well as the experience required for the Highly Qualified level.

   Highly Qualified will show experience in coordinating meetings, assisting with planning events, serving as a liaison and maintaining partnerships with various organizations and individuals and other duties as a personal assistant to the head of a department or office, as well as their experience required for the Qualified level.

   Qualified will show experience equivalent to a GS/AD 05 and consists of performing a variety of clerical and administrative support duties such as receiving and directing visitors, maintaining supervisor's calendar, reviewing correspondence using word processing systems, entering and retrieving data on a computer and preparing travel orders. In particular, the applicant should have experience managing incoming and outgoing correspondence, creating a variety of documents through various mediums and demonstrate ability to communicate both orally and in writing.

Within these categories, applicants for Veterans Preference will receive selection priority over non-veterans.

Working for the Deparment of Defense Education Activity offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation, sick leave, holidays, life insurance, health benefits, and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System.  The following Web address is provided for your reference to explore the major benefits offered to most Federal employees. To find out more click here http://www.usajobs.gov/EI/benefits.asp. 
 

OTHER INFORMATION:

Positions under this announcement will be filled by appointment in the Excepted Service.
 
Relocation expenses will not be authorized.
 
Military Spouse Preference (MSP):  You may be eligible for MSP if you are the spouse of an active duty military member and you are ranked among the Best Qualified for this vacancy. 
 
If you are selected for this position and are not a current DDESS employee, the documentation you present for purposes of completing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Form I-9 on your entry-on-duty date will be verified through the DHS 'E-Verify' system.  Federal law requires DDESS to use the E-Verify system to confirm the employment eligibility of all new hires.  Under this system, the new hire is required to resolve any identified discrepancies within eight (8) Federal government work days as a condition of continued employment.

All selectees will be subject to a background investigation that must be favorably adjudicated.
 
Condition of Employment:  Selectee will be required to participate in Direct Deposit/Electronic Fund Transfer as a condition of employment, reassignment, or promotion, in accordance with DoD Regulation 7000.14-R.

Follow the steps below to apply online.  Your application and ALL required supporting documents must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on Tuesday, October 09, 2012.

Paper, faxed or e-mailed electronic applications submitted directly to the agency and not through the USA Jobs program using the instructions below will not be considered.

Step 1:  Create USA Jobs account, including resume and saved documents.  It is essential that your resume provide sufficient information to substantiate your responses in the self-assessments vacancy questions.  If your responses are not adequately substantiated by your resume, the HRO will amend your responses to more accurately reflect the level of competency that is indicated by the content of your resume.

   NOTE: Your application/resume for Federal employment must include the following information in order to be considered for the position:
      -- Total employment period, i.e., starting and ending dates (month and year)
   for each work experience, paid and unpaid, related to the job for which you are
   applying. You MUST include the hours per week that you worked in each
   specific position.
      -- For each position listed in your resume, include a description of your duties
   and accomplishments to include the following:
      -- employer’s name and address,
      -- supervisor’s name
      -- supervisor's phone number
      -- salary.
      -- If you are currently employed, you must indicate if we may contact your
   current supervisor.
Your resume must show:
      -- Highest level of education completed.
      -- Job-related training courses (title and year).
      -- Job-related skills.
      -- Job-related certificates and licenses (current only).
      -- Job-related honors, awards, and special accomplishments (give dates-but
   do not send documents).
   If you are a current permanent Federal employee, please list your highest Federal civilian grade held, job series and dates of employment.

Step 2:  Answer vacancy questionnaire.  Click the Apply Online button, which is available when you search for a job on www.usajobs.gov, click on the title and proceed.

Step 3:  Submit supporting documents.  Submit the required documents (only if applicable to you) specified in the "Required Documents" Section of this vacancy.  If you submit a document using the same document title, the second submission will overwrite the first submission.

To fax supporting documents you are unable to upload, complete this cover page http://staffing.opm.gov/pdf/usascover.pdf using the following Vacancy ID 755293. Fax your documents to:  1-478-757-3144.

Step 4:  Review application and click Finish.

Step 5:  Edit application as needed by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time of closing date.

If you cannot apply online, click the following link to view and print the questionnaire:  View Occupational Questionnaire OPM Form 1203-FX must be provided to show your responses to the occupational questionnaire.  Form 1203-FX can be found at:  http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/OPM1203fx.pdf

Fax all required documents to 1-478-757-3144.
Your OPM Form 1203-FX will be the cover page for your faxed transmission.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

The following documents must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, October 09, 2012.  You must submit all required documents; otherwise your application will be considered incomplete.  
 
  --  Online application (Questionnaire) - Required
  --  Resume (must include beginning/ending month and year for each employment period) - Required
  

  --  Eligibility documentation (SF-50, DD-214, etc.) - If applicable to you
 

Eligibility documentation may contain:  Copy of latest SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, if applicant has current or previous Federal civil service experience.

Applicants requesting Military Spouse Preference (MSP) must submit the following documents along with their completed application:
a.  Military Spouse Employment Request Form (Form available online at:
http://www.am.dodea.edu/ddessasc/employment/MSPRequestFormNov05.DOC
b.  A copy of the sponsor's Permanent Change of Station orders indicating authorization of dependent travel.
c.  Copy of marriage certificate
 
Applicants claiming 5-point veteran’s preference must submit a copy of DD-214 (copy member 4), Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. Applicants claiming 10-point veteran’s preference must submit an SF 15 Application for 10-Point Preference (form available at: http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf.)  as well as the required documentation indicated on the SF-15.  Lack of supporting documentation will result in the agency's inability to recognize veteran status for this announcement.
 
Note:  Applicants may not be considered or rated if they do not submit all of the forms indicated above and failure to submit the required forms will not be a basis for subsequent appeal or grievance.

AGENCY CONTACT INFO:

WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT:

Once your complete application is received and the announcement has closed, we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications and determine your ranking. The most highly qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview.