Administrative Officer

Role overview

The Administrative Officer will handle a broad range of school operations, with an emphasis on budgeting, manpower coordination, compliance, records management, and supervisory support. This position is based in Sembach, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, and supports the effective running of the school’s administrative and operational functions.

Key duties

• Lead the planning, coordination, analysis, and execution of the annual budget.
• Liaise with Headquarters to secure and manage staffing support for the school.
• Oversee facility management, safety, and security activities while ensuring alignment with applicable regulations.
• Handle student registration, attendance tracking, academic record upkeep, tuition status, and related administrative workflows.
• Maintain oversight of school assets, property, and equipment.
• Generate administrative and personnel reports through the organization’s information management system.
• Supervise and assist with civilian personnel actions.
• Provide first-level supervisory direction to support staff.

Conditions of employment

• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959 must complete the Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service compliance.
• Applicants must be U.S. citizens.
• Pay must be routed through direct deposit.
• A one-year trial or probation period may be required.
• Employment is contingent on a suitability and fitness review based on a background investigation.
• This role requires a Tier 1 investigation with childcare checks because it involves contact with children and youth under 18.
• On joining, and then every year, the employee must file either the Public Financial Disclosure Report (OGE 278) or the Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE450).
• The appointee must meet the requirements of DoD Civilian Personnel Management System rules for employment in foreign areas and return rights.
• Individuals hired from the Continental United States and their U.S. citizen family members must obtain official passports before moving overseas.

Qualifications

Applicants must be U.S. citizens and meet the stated education and/or experience criteria. Qualifying experience may include paid, unpaid, volunteer, and service-based work. If education is used to qualify, transcripts must be provided.

To qualify through experience, candidates need one year of specialized experience that includes managing an annual budget and handling manpower support and/or hiring actions. This is equivalent to work at the GS-09 level in federal service.

Applicants may also qualify through education by holding a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or by completing three full years of progressively higher graduate study leading to such a degree, in a discipline such as Business Administration or Public Administration.

A combination of qualifying education and experience may also be accepted if the total equals 100% of the required standard.

Additional information

• Reasonable accommodation may be requested for the USA Hire competency-based assessments, with supporting documentation submitted before the assessments begin.
• After a request is reviewed, eligible applicants will receive an invitation to complete the USA Hire assessments.
• All assessments must be completed within 48 hours of receiving the assessment link if it is sent after the announcement closes.
• Foreign education may be used only if it has been evaluated by a recognized credential evaluation service and determined equivalent to accredited U.S. education, or if full credit has been granted by a U.S. accredited institution.
• The organization is transitioning from the Department of Defense Education Activity to the Department of War Education Activity.
• Selection is subject to restrictions tied to the Department of War referral system for displaced employees.
• Salary includes locality pay or a local market supplement where applicable.
• Multiple vacancies may be filled from this announcement.
• Applicants must meet Exceptional Family Member Program requirements.
• Applicants must be U.S. citizens and not be considered ordinarily resident under the applicable Status of Forces Agreement.
• Ordinarily resident status varies by host nation and depends on residence duration, force affiliation, and work authorization.
• Current overseas status candidates are subject to the five-year overseas rotation rule and must have enough time left to complete the initial tour.
• Waivers may not be granted to bypass the five-year limitation requirement for those in their fourth overseas year.
• Candidates recruited from the United States may be eligible for foreign area benefits such as Living Quarters Allowance, government quarters, and home leave, subject to approval.
• Employees recruited outside the United States will have foreign-area benefit eligibility determined at the time of hire.
• Host-nation laws or international agreements may affect whether a same-sex domestic partner or spouse can accompany the employee and receive benefits.
• The initial overseas tour length is 36 months.
• Retired federal employees interested in reemployment as annuitants should review the applicable reemployment guidance.
• Priority Placement Program preference may be claimed.
• Candidates are expected to support federal efficiency, the rule of law, and the principles of the United States Constitution.
• Applicants with family members who have special medical needs should confirm overseas care availability before accepting the role.
• Military treatment facilities may not be available to civilian employees except on a space-available basis.
• Host-nation medical facilities may be the only source of care depending on location.
• Employees and accompanying family members are responsible for arranging and paying for required medical or dental care overseas.
• Access to military medical and dental facilities for civilians and family members is limited to space-available and reimbursable use.

Education

If foreign education is used to meet eligibility criteria, the credential must be evaluated for U.S. equivalency by an approved private evaluator or receive full credit from a U.S. accredited college or university.

Tour and overseas service notes

The position is tied to an overseas assignment with an initial tour of 36 months. Candidates already serving overseas must have sufficient remaining service time to meet the tour requirement, and fourth-year overseas applicants may need an approved waiver to be considered.

Medical and family considerations

Employees who need medical or dental treatment, or who are accompanied by family members with such needs, may need to rely on host-nation providers. Availability and quality of care vary by location, and civilian access to military treatment facilities is limited and subject to reimbursement rules.

• Build, coordinate, analyze, and carry out the annual budget process.
• Work with Headquarters to arrange the school’s manpower support requirements.
• Run programs related to facilities, safety, and security in line with governing rules.
• Administer student registration, attendance, academic records, tuition tracking, and connected processes.
• Manage the school’s property, assets, and equipment inventory.
• Produce reports through the administrative information system for school operations and personnel matters.
• Support personnel actions for civilian employees.
• Act as the first-line supervisor for support staff.

• U.S. citizenship is mandatory.
• Applicants must meet the specialized experience or education standard for the role.
• One year of specialized experience must include annual budget management and manpower support and/or hiring actions.
• Alternatively, a doctoral degree, three years of postgraduate study, or a qualifying education-experience combination may satisfy the requirement.
• Military selectivity and background-investigation requirements must be met.
• Applicants must be willing to complete financial disclosure filings and childcare-related investigation checks.
• Overseas employment rules, including official passport requirements and SOFA-related residency restrictions, apply.

• Potential eligibility for foreign area benefits such as Living Quarters Allowance, government quarters, and home leave, subject to approval.
• Salary may include locality pay or a local market supplement.
• Priority placement preference may be available.
• Support for reasonable accommodation requests during online assessments.

• Open only to U.S. citizens.
• Applicants may qualify through specialized experience, doctoral-level education, postgraduate education in a relevant field, or a combined education-and-experience pathway.
• Individuals from the Continental United States and their U.S. citizen family members must be able to obtain official passports before overseas travel.
• Candidates must satisfy overseas employment and return-rights rules for foreign assignments.