About this role
Job SummaryYou will serve as the Administrative Officer with the National Park Service at Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve. First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the step 1 rate.
QualificationsAll qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement - 10/06/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Competitive candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F. For current Federal employees, if hours worked per week are not included on your resume, you must submit a non-award SF-50 as part of your application to be used to validate your work schedule and determine the amount of specialized experience that you will be granted. An award SF-50 will not be acceptable documentation for which to consider your amount of qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the work schedule requirement as the service dates will be reflected. For all other applicants who are not current federal employees, your resume must state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications: To qualify for this position at the GS-12 grade level: Specialized Experience: To qualify, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: 1) Providing administrative direction to staff in accordance with established standards, regulations, and policies, as well as directing day-to-day administrative activities in Budgeting and Accounting; 2) Planning and coordinating budget and financial plans and operations. You must include hours per week worked. Volunteer Experience: Experience 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, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Major DutiesSome of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following: Provides accurate and reliable advice on a wide range of administrative functions as these apply to the park, either as personal advisory service to the Superintendent and Division Chiefs, or by directing (or obtaining services of) specialists, technicians, and clerical support positions. As a member of the park management team, plans, analyzes and monitors the formulation and development of park-wide plans, programs, procedures, operating policies, internal controls and program goals. Responsible for keeping the park's revenues and spending in balance through sound advice and supervision of the staff of the Administration/Business Office (and Cost of Collection Program) through dedication to budget and financial management on a day-to-day basis. Provides a wide variety of administrative services and business operations to park staff and programs that include budget, property management, contracting, housing, information technology (IT), communications, connectivity, and human resources. Performs supervisory duties to a limited number of employees. Physical Demands: Most of the work is performed indoors in an office setting. There may be some extended walking through facilities, carrying light items, or driving an automobile. Mentally stressful and taxing situations are frequently present. Work Environment: The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts, which require normal safety precautions typical of places such as offices, meeting and training rooms, and commercial vehicles. The park's front country area is located at an elevation of approximately 8,170 feet above sea level. We are looking for a proactive team member to serve as the Chief of Administration/Business Manager for Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. The primary purpose of this position is to manage the complex administrative and business operations of the organization and serve as the principal advisor and management consultant to the Park Manager and the organization's management team for administrative matters that often require the incumbent to troubleshoot a wide range of unusual situations. The primary responsibility of this position is to provide authoritative advice on a wide range of administrative functions as these apply to the organization, as a personal advisory service to the Park Manager and the organization's management team and also by directing specialists, technicians, and clerical support positions in delivering services to management and employees of the organization. This includes: Budget and Financial Management Administrative Services (e.g., payroll and timekeeping, bills of collection, payments of invoices, internal controls and audits, travel services) Planning Human Resources Management (liaison and information) Acquisition and Property Management Information Management (liaison) Housing Management Supervision of the Fee Collection Program. The position is a key position on the management team, working closely and collaboratively with the superintendent and the four other division chiefs. This position is the supervisor for the Fee Collection Program, currently supervising five permanent staff and up to three seasonal employees. Area Information: Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is a treasure of visual, geological and biological surprises --- a high mountain valley holding the tallest dunes in North America and flanked by some of the highest peaks in the Rocky Mountains; unique wind-powered geologic systems; insects physically adapted to life in the sand and found nowhere else; alpine lakes and tundra; disappearing creeks; interdunal wetlands and much more! Nestled in southern Colorado, North America's tallest dunes rise over 750 feet high against the rugged Sangre de Cristo Mountains. This geologic wonderland, containing over 30 square miles of massive dunes, became a national monument in 1932. With the passage of the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve Act in 2000, resources now also include alpine lakes and tundra, six peaks over 13,000 feet in elevation, ancient spruce and pine forests, large stands of aspen and cottonwood, grasslands and wetlands --- all habitat for diverse wildlife and plant species. The city of Alamosa, Colorado, is 35 miles from the park and offers a full range of shopping, medical facilities and other amenities.RequirementsMust be a U.S. Citizen or National. Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication. Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service. Direct Deposit participation required. Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/. You are required to wear a uniform and comply with uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided. You are required to complete training, obtain and maintain a government credit card with travel and purchase authority. You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, and overtime. You may be required to travel overnight away from home. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary to evaluate your fitness and whether your continuation of employment advances the public interest. This probationary period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. Upon completion of your probationary your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.