SUPERVISORY ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT 26-36

SUPERVISORY ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Office of the Federal Public Defender

Western District of Texas (El Paso)                                                                                                                                                                       

THE FEDERAL PUBLIC DEFENDER for the Western District of Texas is accepting applications for the position of supervisory administrative assistant, to be stationed in El Paso, Texas. The Federal Public Defender operates under authority of the Criminal Justice Act, 18 U.S.C. § 3006A, to provide defense services in federal criminal cases and related matters by appointment from the court to individuals unable to afford counsel.

Requirements. To be considered for the Supervisory Administrative Assistant position, candidates must hold a bachelor's degree and have a minimum of eight years of professional experience, including at least five years in specialized administrative roles. Equivalent qualifying work experience may be considered in lieu of a degree. Must be able to analyze and apply relevant policies and procedures to office operations; exercise good judgment; analyze and recommend practical solutions; be proficient with Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Acrobat, Excel, and word processing. Must be able to work independently, take initiative, and work in harmony with other team members while performing different roles. Must have the ability to communicate effectively with attorneys, supervisors, staff, clients, court personnel, and the public.

Experience with the policies and procedures of a public defender, law office, or court is required. The selected candidate must complete a ten-year background investigation with periodic updates every five years thereafter. Employment will be considered provisional pending the initial ten-year background investigation. Continued employment will depend upon favorable determinations from the background investigation. The full position qualifications statement with position description is available upon request.

Duties. The supervisory administrative assistant performs or supervises the performance of tasks such as the following:

• Assists the Defender and Administrative Officer with all aspects of office administration and management and supervises administrative support staff.
• As designated, supervises office support staff: Assigns and assesses workload; reviews work for accuracy and completeness; assists with performance evaluations and disciplinary problems; orients and trains new support staff. Assists with recruitment and hiring of office support personnel.
• Serves as level 1 contracting officer for the local office. Monitors supply inventory. Secures services locally. Obtains prior approval for purchase of goods and services when required. Verifies and forwards all invoices for supplies and services to Administrative Officer (or designee) for payment.
• Arranges travel and prepares travel vouchers for payment reimbursement, ensuring accuracy and compliance with government travel regulations; prepares invoices for payment.
• Assists with coordination of space and facilities: renovations; repair of office space, equipment, and furniture; problems encountered with any service requests.
• Performs all other duties as assigned.

Salary and Benefits. The starting salary of a supervisory administrative assistant will be commensurate with the experience and qualifications of the applicant, within a range from JSP-11, Step 1, to JSP-13, Step 10, and currently yielding $74,678 to $138,370 per annum. The position is in the excepted service and does not carry the tenure rights of the competitive Civil Service. This position offers federal government employment benefits, including participation in health and life insurance, retirement, and the Thrift Savings Plan. Salary is payable only by Electronic Funds Transfer (direct deposit).

How to Apply. Qualified persons may apply by sending a letter of interest (mentioning announcement 26-36), and résumé. Experience should be described in detail. Send all required documents in a single PDF document named with applicant's “last name, first name-Announcement 26-36 SAA” by email. Electronic submissions sent directly to the Defender will not be considered. For applicants with disabilities, this organization provides reasonable accommodations, which are decided on a case-by-case basis. To request a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or interview process, contact personnel administrator Christopher Schmidt at (210) 981-2081. Position announced May 27, 2026; open until filled.

The Office of the Federal Public Defender is an Equal Opportunity Employer.