Executive Assistant - COLLEGE GRADUATE

Full Job Description

The CAO provides administrative support to the USPTO, including Human Resources (executive resources; comp & benefits; staffing; training; strategic HR; employee & labor relations); Administrative Services (facilities; safety; security; asset & transportation management); Records & Information Compliance (records; PRA; Privacy Act; CUI; forms); and the Insider Threat, CAO IT, and Telework offices.

You must meet the United States Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements (including specialized experience and/or educational requirements) for the advertised position.

You must meet all eligibility and qualifications requirements by the closing date of the job announcement. OPM Qualifications Standards are available at Administrative and Management Positions.

This position is being filled as a College Graduate under Public Law 115-232, 5 CFR § 315.614 (i).

Applicants must meet the BASIC REQUIREMENTS of the College Graduate authority: Recent graduates who have completed, within the previous two years, a bachelor's or graduate degree OR Veterans who have completed a bachelor's or graduate degree and were unable to apply within two years of obtaining their degree due to a uniformed service obligation of at least 4 years, may apply within two years of their discharge from uniformed service.

In addition to meeting the specialized experience below you must meet the basic requirement above to qualify for this position.

Specialized Experience is experience that has equipped applicants with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled.

GS-07 To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the federal service. For this position, the next lower grade level is a GS-05.

Specialized experience for this position includes: Experience performing daily administrative and office management duties to support senior level management, establishing and maintaining files; and screening and routing incoming correspondence.

OR EDUCATION: 1 academic year of graduate education in a related field of study such as: business administration, public administration or other administrative and management fields OR Superior Academic Achievement may be met by having a Bachelor's degree, with one of the following: A GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale for all completed undergraduate courses or those completed in the last 2 years of study, or a GPA of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale for all courses in the major field of study or those courses in the major completed in the last 2 years of study, or rank in the upper one third of the class in the college, university, or major subdivision, or membership in a national honor society recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies OR Equivalent combination of qualifying graduate education and experience.

GS-09 To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the federal service. For this position, the next lower grade level is a GS-07.

Specialized experience for this position includes: Experience managing calendars for senior level management, arranging travel orders or making travel arrangements to include preparing briefings, handbooks, reports, forms, and formal correspondence.

OR EDUCATION: A master's or equivalent graduate degree; OR 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a graduate degree in a related field of study (i.e., business administration, public administration or other administrative and management fields) OR an LL.

B or JD if related (i.e., business administration, public administration or other administrative and management fields) OR Equivalent combination of qualifying graduate education and 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. NOTE: This is a career-ladder position that includes grades GS-07, GS-09, GS-11 and GS-12.

Upon satisfactory completion of qualification/performance requirements and at management's discretion, the incumbent may be advanced non-competitively to the next higher level.

It is the ability to demonstrate satisfactory performance at the next higher level in all aspects of the position that is the primary basis for consideration for promotion.

Meeting the time-in-grade requirement for the higher-grade position does not automatically entitle the incumbent to a promotion. Major Duties:

The physical worksite for this position is located in Alexandria, Virginia.

Presence at the Alexandria, VA campus is required for this role, as it includes on site functions that must be performed in person.

Position may be eligible for situational telework in accordance with agency policy/business unit discretion. The agency currently allows for 52 hours of telework per calendar year.

Acting as a trusted gatekeeper and integrator, the Executive Assistant converts complexity into clarity so senior leadership can focus on strategic decisions.

In this role, you anticipate needs, resolve conflicts, and ensure seamless execution of meetings, correspondence, records, and high-visibility engagements.

This is your next ideal career move if: You can maintain confidentiality and discretion when maintaining executive leadership calendars; scheduling meetings and pre-briefing; arranging substitutes when needed; coordinating basic logistics and responding to routine scheduling inquiries.

You have strong time management and prioritization skills to assist in performing daily administrative support; establishing and maintaining official files/directives; tracking actions to completion; recording final dispositions and notifying leadership of changes in suspense or priorities.

You have proficient oral and written communication skills to assist with screening incoming/outgoing correspondence for completeness, format, and procedural compliance: composing routine responses and routing items for coordination.

You have experience in MS tools to assist with preparing and developing executive-ready presentations and talking points with minimal direction.

You have exceptional organizational skills to assist with arranging domestic/international travel and lodging to include preparing travel orders and vouchers for senior leadership.