Operations and Financial Manager
What you'd do
NIST is seeking an Operations and Financial Manager to lead administrative and financial operations for JILA, a unique partnership between NIST and the University of Colorado. This role provides strategic leadership in budget, personnel, procurement, and policy, ensuring compliance across both institutions. Responsibilities include financial management, organizational planning, and administrative oversight.
Major duties
NIST's Physical Measurement Laboratory (PML) sets the definitive U.S. standards for nearly every kind of measurement employed in commerce and research, sometimes across more than 20 orders of magnitude. This pivotal position is embedded within PML's Quantum Physics Division - the NIST component of JILA, a world-renowned joint research institute with the University of Colorado Boulder. As the Operations and Financial Manager, you will: Lead administrative and financial operations for the NIST portion of JILA, ensuring effective management of budget, personnel, procurement, travel, space, and safety programs. Serve as the subject matter expert on NIST and University of Colorado administrative and financial policies, interpreting and reconciling complex regulatory requirements across both institutions. Advise NIST and JILA leadership on strategic planning, financial management, organizational policies, and operational improvements to support mission success. Resolve complex organizational and resource management challenges by exercising independent judgment in dual-institution operations and cross-functional program administration. Supervise 1 to 2 administrative staff at NIST and provide leadership to support an effective, collaborative, and high-performing administrative organization.
What you need to qualify
Applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 (ZA-III at NIST) level.Specialized experience is defined as ALL of the following: Experience managing complex administrative and business operations within a federal or academic scientific organization. AND Experience interpreting, reconciling, and applying complex, ambiguous, or conflicting regulations across distinct organizational structures to ensure program compliance. AND Experience executing independent oversight of multifaceted financial operations, including budget execution, property management, and conducting specialized fiscal analyses to evaluate division health and influence executive decision-making. 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: Section 14: Reconsideration of Qualification Determinations | NIST
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