Correspondence Specialist

The Indian Health Service; Rockville (MD); On-site; USD 85,000 - 133,000; Full time

Job summary

The Indian Health Service in Rockville, MD seeks an Executive Secretariat Specialist to manage controlled documents, verify content, and route materials to the ESS Director and relevant officials. The role requires careful adherence to procedures and strong attention to detail.

You will analyze incoming materials, provide orientation on standards, help develop policies, and generate management reports on correspondence timelines and quality.

Qualifications

• Education requirement noted; transcripts may be submitted.
• Acceptance of transcripts from accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
• Certificate of Foreign Equivalency required for foreign education.
• Official transcripts required from selectees prior to offer.

Responsibilities

• Serves as ESS focal point for IHS and external orgs for verification, validation, and processing of incoming controlled documents.
• Analyzes documents to determine actions for the ESS Director or other officials and routes accordingly.
• Informs staff about ESS policies, formats for congressional correspondence, and provides orientation to new employees.
• Assists in developing policies to enhance internal controls and signature procedures for ESS and IHS-wide.
• Prepares summary reports for the Director ESS and recommends improvements in performance.
• Manages reports on correspondence statistics and timeliness; researches background for replies.
• Independently prepares replies for select documents based on subject matter knowledge.

Job description

• Department: Department of Health and Human Services

This position is located in the Executive Secretariat Staff (ESS), Office of the Director. Reports to IHS Headquarters at Rockville, MD.. A REAL ID will be required beginning May 7, 2025, in accordance with 6 C.F.R. 37.5 (2021).

Key Responsibilities

Serves as Executive Secretariat Staff (ESS) primary focal point for Indian Health Service and external organizations for the verification, validation, and processing of incoming controlled documents. Provide document status; determination of appropriate format; interpretation of policies, procedures, standards; and prioritization of documents.

Analyzes incoming documents and decides whether incoming materials require the ESS Director's attention or should be routed to the appropriate IHS/HHS official or component. Identifies the action to be taken, Keeps abreast of changes in correspondence protocol and procedures for meeting timeliness and quality demands, Provides quality control management of controlled documents agency-wide to ensure conformity with established policies and standards.

Informs IHS clerical support staff about Executive Secretariat policies, procedures, and formats required for congressional and other highly specialized correspondence as prescribed by HHS and provides orientation to all new IHS employees on matters pertaining to the control and preparation of correspondence.

Assists in the development of special policies and procedures which enhance the functions relative to the processing of internal controls and integrity constraints for the ESS and IHS-wide. Assist the Director, ESS, in the development and enforcement of all written communication standards that affect the signature of the Director, IHS.

Prepares summary reports, and analyzes and interprets these reports for Director ESS, making recommendations for improvements in performance of controlled correspondence. Maintains close liaison with ESS counterparts in other HHS Operating/Staff divisions, and Office of the Secretary's Executive Secretariat to ensure timeliness and proper control of document coordination and correspondence requiring signature of officials organizationally above the Director, IHS.

Manages, maintains, develops, and generates management reports regarding correspondence statistics and timeliness of responses. Reviews and analyzes documents to determine the nature, complexity, and extent of the reply, which necessitates researching published literature, precedent policies and document file, and assembling pertinent background for preparing a response.

Independently prepares reply for select documents based on knowledge of subject matter involved and the information obtained from researching reference materials.

Requirements & Education

This position has an education requirement. If you are substituting education for experience; You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer.

Only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education may be credited. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: https://www.ed.gov/accreditation. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education.

For further information, visit https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Which agency is hiring for this position?

This position is with Indian Health Service, Department of Health and Human Services.

What is the salary for this position?

The posted pay range is $85447 – $133142/yr.

What security clearance is required?

This position requires a Other security clearance.

What is the application deadline?

Applications close on 2026-11-09.

Who is eligible to apply?

This position is open under the 'Fed Transition' hiring path.