Woman instructor in front of whiteboard teaching another woman in front of a computer

Administrative Officer

Download Details
GS-0341

Position Overview

Administrative Officers support DOI by providing a variety of management services that are essential to the direction and operation of offices and units across DOI. They apply their skills in organization and administration and leverage their knowledge of organizational goals and DOI’s mission to ensure that all business operations needs are being met.

This position is represented at the following bureaus

Bureau of Indian Affairs
Bureau of Land Management
Bureau of Reclamation
Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement
Office of the Secretary
National Park Service
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Candidate Description

The ideal candidate is a generalist with an interest in the total management process and knowledge of and skills in dealing with organization, methods, funds, people, equipment, and other tools or resources of management.

Specialty Areas

  • Budget
  • Personnel management
  • Data processing
  • Contracting
  • Procurement
  • Resource management

Work Environment

Work is performed in an office setting

Minimum Education Requirements

Please see the Administrative and Management Positions Group Qualification Standard on the OPM websites.

Career Level Requirements

Responsibilities by Level

  • Entry:

    • Develop, manage, and monitor records;
    • Provides key assistance in vital services, such as management analysis, human capital/resources, budget, workload reports, and automatic data processing
    • Provide advice on existing internal policies and procedures affecting general administrative functions.

  • Mid:

    • Buy, store, and distribute supplies; recommend changes to policies or procedures in order to improve operations
    • Monitor the facilities to ensure that they are safe, secure, and well-maintained;
    • Studies regulations, reports, and work measurement data within the office, and provides suggestions for reorganizing or changing work processes or functions
    • Oversees collection of donations, concessions, and other types of fees
    • Provides guidance and assistance on a variety of routine and non-routine management support program areas, such as HR, procurement, facilities, and travel management.

  • Journey:

    • Supervise clerical and administrative personnel
    • Manage the unit's administrative and financial operations
    • Ensure that facilities meet environmental, health, and security standards and comply with government regulations
    • Makes decisions to adjust workloads, reorganizing or changing work processes, functions, and manpower
    • Responsible for providing information technology, connectivity, communications, and automation advice in support of programs and is also responsible for internal controls
    • Advising on and negotiating contracts, agreements, and cooperative arrangements with other government agencies, universities, or private organizations as well as advising on hiring and workforce planning.
     

  • Senior:

    • Set goals and deadlines for the department
    • Manage processes and procedures while developing and implementing office initiatives and strategies
    • Serve as principal administrative advisor providing management, oversight, and control of the business operations
    • Directs or coordinates unique and/or critical management planning activities to include complex and highly sensitive tasks and projects
    • Formulate organizational strategies and communicate annual plans and updates to team members
    • Directs a staff of administrative, technical, and contract personnel in carrying out a variety of management support operations.
     

Click to read more

Strengths by Level

Entry 5-7
Mid 9-11
Journey 12
Senior 14
  • Accountability
    Holds self and others accountable for measurable high-quality, timely, and cost-effective results. Determines objectives, sets priorities, and delegates work. Accepts responsibility for mistakes. Complies with established control systems and rules.
    Show Tool Tip
    Entry 5-7
    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12
    Senior 14
  • Administration and Management
    Knowledge of planning, coordination, and execution of business functions, resource allocation, and production.
    Show Tool Tip
    Entry 5-7
    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12
    Senior 14
  • Asset Management
    Knowledge of asset management concepts, policies, and procedures used to plan, manage and carry out all aspects of concession programs and facility management.
    Show Tool Tip
    Entry 5-7
    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12
    Senior 14
  • Attention to Detail
    Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail.
    Show Tool Tip
    Entry 5-7
    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12
    Senior 14
  • Budget Administration
    Knowledge of the principles and practices of budget administration and analysis; including preparing, justifying, reporting on, and executing the budget; and the relationships among program, budget, accounting, and reporting systems.
    Show Tool Tip
    Entry 5-7
    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12
    Senior 14
  • Business Management Systems
    Knowledge of business management systems, including financial management, procurement, personnel, property management, travel, and private sector business operations. Ability to assess organizational capability of managing business processes.
    Show Tool Tip
    Entry 5-7
    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12
    Senior 14
  • Clerical
    Knowledge of filing, typing, entering data, maintaining records, taking shorthand, and using and completing forms.
    Show Tool Tip
    Entry 5-7
    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12
    Senior 14
  • Compliance
    Knowledge of procedures for assessing, evaluating, and monitoring programs or projects for compliance with Federal laws, regulations, and guidance.
    Show Tool Tip
    Entry 5-7
    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12
    Senior 14
  • Computer Skills
    Uses computers, software applications, databases, and automated systems to accomplish work.
    Show Tool Tip
    Entry 5-7
    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12
    Senior 14
  • Contracting/Procurement
    Knowledge of various types of contracts, techniques, or requirements (for example, Federal Acquisitions Regulations) for contracting or procurement, and contract negotiation and administration.
    Show Tool Tip
    Entry 5-7
    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12
    Senior 14
  • Decision Making
    Makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change.
    Show Tool Tip
    Entry 5-7
    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12
    Senior 14
  • Delegation
    Assigns the authority for particular functions, tasks, and decisions to others.
    Show Tool Tip
    Entry 5-7
    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12
    Senior 14
  • Dependability
    Displays the self-discipline and resolve to reliably complete tasks in a timely manner and in accordance with procedures or directions.
    Show Tool Tip
    Entry 5-7
    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12
    Senior 14
  • External Awareness
    Identifies and understands economic, political, and social trends that affect the organization.
    Show Tool Tip
    Entry 5-7
    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12
    Senior 14
  • Financial Management
    Prepares, justifies, and/or administers the budget for program areas; plans, administers, and monitors expenditures to ensure cost-effective support of programs and policies; assesses financial condition of an organization.
    Show Tool Tip
    Entry 5-7
    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12
    Senior 14
  • Influencing/Negotiating
    Persuades others to accept recommendations, cooperate, or change their behavior; works with others towards an agreement; negotiates to find mutually acceptable solutions.
    Show Tool Tip
    Entry 5-7
    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12
    Senior 14
  • Information Management
    Identifies a need for and knows where or how to gather information; organizes and maintains information or information management systems.
    Show Tool Tip
    Entry 5-7
    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12
    Senior 14
  • Initiative
    Independently takes action to influence events. Offers own ideas for improvement and to promote the goals of the organization. Seeks feedback from appropriate persons on effects of actions.
    Show Tool Tip
    Entry 5-7
    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12
    Senior 14
  • Integrity/Honesty
    Contributes to maintaining the integrity of the organization; displays high standards of ethical conduct and understands the impact of violating these standards on an organization, self, and others; is trustworthy.
    Show Tool Tip
    Entry 5-7
    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12
    Senior 14
  • Interpersonal Skills
    Treats others with courtesy, sensitivity, and respect. Considers and responds appropriately to the needs and feelings of different people in different situations.
    Show Tool Tip
    Entry 5-7
    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12
    Senior 14
  • Leadership
    Influences, motivates, and challenges others; adapts leadership styles to a variety of situations.
    Show Tool Tip
    Entry 5-7
    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12
    Senior 14
  • Manages Resources
    Selects, acquires, stores, and distributes resources such as materials, equipment, or money.
    Show Tool Tip
    Entry 5-7
    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12
    Senior 14
  • Oral Communication
    Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
    Show Tool Tip
    Entry 5-7
    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12
    Senior 14
  • Organization
    Systematically employs a standard system of organization in work processes and related resources and an overall concern for integrating all aspects of the task, situation, and/or work-related problem as a means of achieving optimal efficiency and effectiveness in performing job-related duties/responsibilities.
    Show Tool Tip
    Entry 5-7
    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12
    Senior 14
  • Organizational Awareness
    Knows the organization's mission and functions, and how its social, political, and technological systems work and operates effectively within them; this includes the programs, policies, procedures, rules, and regulations of the organization.
    Show Tool Tip
    Entry 5-7
    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12
    Senior 14
  • Organizational Development
    Knowledge of the principles of organizational development and change management theories, and their applications.
    Show Tool Tip
    Entry 5-7
    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12
    Senior 14
  • Planning and Evaluating
    Organizes work, sets priorities, and determines resource requirements; determines short- or long-term goals and strategies to achieve them; coordinates with other organizations or parts of the organization to accomplish goals; monitors progress and evaluates outcomes.
    Show Tool Tip
    Entry 5-7
    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12
    Senior 14
  • Political Savvy
    Identifies the internal and external politics that impact the work of the organization. Perceives organizational and political reality and acts accordingly.
    Show Tool Tip
    Entry 5-7
    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12
    Senior 14
  • Problem Solving
    Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations.
    Show Tool Tip
    Entry 5-7
    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12
    Senior 14
  • Process Improvement
    Searches for and generates novel, creative, and resourceful ideas and solutions to achieve individual and personnel efficiency and effectiveness and contribute to the overall organizational success.
    Show Tool Tip
    Entry 5-7
    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12
    Senior 14
  • Self-Management
    Sets well-defined and realistic personal goals; displays a high level of initiative, effort, and commitment towards completing assignments in a timely manner; works with minimal supervision; is motivated to achieve; demonstrates responsible behavior.
    Show Tool Tip
    Entry 5-7
    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12
    Senior 14
  • Strategic Thinking
    Formulates effective strategies consistent with the business and competitive strategy of the organization in a global economy. Examines policy issues and strategic planning with a long-term perspective. Determines objectives and sets priorities; anticipates potential threats or opportunities.
    Show Tool Tip
    Entry 5-7
    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12
    Senior 14
  • Writing
    Recognizes or uses correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling; communicates information (for example, facts, ideas, or messages) in a succinct and organized manner; produces written information, which may include technical material, that is appropriate for the intended audience.
    Show Tool Tip
    Entry 5-7
    Mid 9-11
    Journey 12
    Senior 14

Common Pathways

Candidates who made this career change most commonly held these occupations...

26.8%

Budget Analysis

See Position Details
20.1%

Miscellaneous Clerk and Assistant

See Position Details
13.6%

Miscellaneous Administration and Program

See Position Details
0343 - Management and Program Analysis 6.5%
1101 - General Business and Industry 5.4%
2210 - Information Technology Management 2%
0025 - Park Ranger 2%
Less Common Pathways (<2%)

Where We Are

DOI employs people at more than 2,400 locations across the United States and territories. Use the Position Locator tool to see where current DOI employees work. To check for job opportunities, scroll down and click "See jobs on USAjobs.gov."

Explore the possibilities.

See all jobs on USAJobs.gov