Supervisory Senior Management Advisor

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST); Gaithersburg (MD); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) – Engineering Laboratory in Gaithersburg seeks a Supervisory Senior Management Advisor to align and oversee administrative programs across divisions.

You will advise leadership on budget formulation and execution, acquisition planning, HR actions, travel, IT coordination, and facilities management, while leading staff and process-improvement initiatives to strengthen efficiency and accountability.

Qualifications

• One year of specialized experience at GS-13 level or equivalent in administrative advisory to division leadership on administrative and operational matters.
• Experience in budget formulation and managing financial execution to ensure organizational solvency.
• Experience in acquisition planning, personnel, travel, and other administrative operations.
• Experience developing or implementing streamlined processes and process improvement initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Manages and aligns administrative programs across divisions to ensure consistent, effective execution of operations and long-term financial and organizational stability.
• Advises leadership on resource management, including budget formulation and execution.
• Performs financial and operational analyses, identifies risks, and develops mitigation strategies to support decision-making.
• Leads and supervises staff, assigns work, evaluates performance, and supports development across administrative functions (HR, IT, travel, facilities, security, records governance).
• Translates agency policies into operational procedures and leads process-improvement initiatives to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and service delivery.

Skills

Budget formulation

Acquisition planning

Leadership

Financial execution

Tools

COR oversight

Job description

Summary

The Engineering Laboratory (EL) promotes U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology for engineered systems in ways that enhance economic security and improve quality of life. This announcement will close at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the date the first 100 applications are received or 9/28/26, whichever comes first.

Duties

Serves as a Supervisory Senior Management Advisor and operational integrator of the full resource management portfolio across multiple divisions. Duties include: Independently manages and aligns administrative programs to ensure consistent, effective execution of operations and long-term financial and organizational stability. Provides expert advisory services to leadership on resource management, including budget formulation and execution, financial solvency, acquisition planning, workforce coordination, and administrative operations. Conducts detailed financial and operational analyses, identifies risks, and develops mitigation strategies to support decision-making. Leads and supervises staff, assigning work, evaluating performance, and supporting development. Integrates administrative functions across divisions, including budget and finance, acquisitions (including COR and purchase card oversight), HR actions, IT coordination and workflow systems, travel management, facilities and space coordination, security and property management, and records and information governance. Translates agency policies into operational procedures, ensures compliance, and leads process improvement initiatives to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and service delivery.

Qualifications

This position requires one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 (ZA-3 at NIST) level. Specialized experience is defined as serving as an administrative advisor to division leadership on administrative and operational matters; advising on budget formulation and managing financial execution to ensure organizational solvency; providing expert advisory services to staff and leadership on acquisition planning, personnel, travel, and other administrative operations; and developing or implementing streamlined operational procedures and process improvement initiatives. 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. The qualification requirements in this vacancy announcement are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook. If requesting reconsideration of your qualification determination, please refer to the following site: Applicant Reconsideration