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Assistant Secretary Jobs in Washington (NOW HIRING)

Administrative Assistant

Washington, DC ยท On-site

$20.50 - $27.50/hr

  • Medical

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Serve as a liaison between the H Assistant Secretary and senior officials both within and outside the Department, keeping them informed of actions taken by the Assistant Secretary or views on ...

Supports travel preparations for the Assistant Secretary and other Bureau senior leadership, including tasking papers, supporting the development of travel briefing books, and preparation for trip ...

New

Supports travel preparations for the Assistant Secretary and other Bureau senior leadership, including tasking papers, supporting the development of travel briefing books, and preparation for trip ...

New

Supports travel preparations for the Assistant Secretary and other Bureau senior leadership, including tasking papers, supporting the development of travel briefing books, and preparation for trip ...

New

Supports travel preparations for the Assistant Secretary and other Bureau senior leadership, including tasking papers, supporting the development of travel briefing books, and preparation for trip ...

Executive

Washington, DC ยท On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

Provide support directly to Deputy Assistant Secretary level and above. * Conduct research, draft, and edit written materials such as correspondence, memoranda, speeches, reports, newsletters, and ...

Provide executive administrative support to senior leadership, including the Assistant Secretary, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Deputy Assistant Secretaries, Directors, and other executive ...

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Assistant Secretary information

See Washington salary details

$12

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How much do assistant secretary jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 14, 2026, the average hourly pay for assistant secretary in Washington is $28.66, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $19.33 and $30.24 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Assistant Secretary vs Administrative Assistant?

AspectAssistant SecretaryAdministrative Assistant
Required CredentialsBachelor's degree, relevant experience, sometimes specialized certificationsHigh school diploma or equivalent, some roles may require post-secondary education
Work EnvironmentGovernment agencies, large organizations, often in office settingsOffice settings across various industries, including corporate and nonprofit
Employer & Industry UsageGovernment departments, international organizations, large corporationsBusinesses, nonprofits, government offices
Common Search & Comparison IntentUnderstanding roles, qualifications, and responsibilitiesJob duties, career path, and qualifications

The Assistant Secretary typically holds a higher-level position with specialized credentials and works in government or large organizations. An Administrative Assistant provides clerical support across various industries. While both roles support organizational functions, the Assistant Secretary has more strategic responsibilities and requires more advanced qualifications.

What is an assistant secretary?

An assistant secretary is responsible for supporting administrator-level employees in an office setting. In this role, you are usually assigned to work for a specific department or employee. Your job duties include utilizing telecommunications systems to screen calls, take messages, schedule meetings, and transfer calls. You also perform other clerical service tasks like creating spreadsheets, delivering reports, negotiating contracts with a vendor for supplies, and drafting PowerPoint presentations. Qualifications for this career include excellent communication, grammar, and typing skills and at least a high school diploma or GED certificate. Experience is usually not necessary. You can find assistant secretary positions in any industry.

What are some common challenges faced by an assistant secretary when managing communication among multiple departments?

Assistant Secretaries often serve as a crucial liaison between various departments, which can present challenges such as coordinating schedules, ensuring clear and timely communication, and managing conflicting priorities. Staying organized and maintaining strong attention to detail are essential to prevent miscommunications and missed deadlines. Developing effective systems for tracking tasks and maintaining open channels with team members can help overcome these challenges and contribute to smoother operations across the organization.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an assistant secretary, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Assistant Secretary, you need excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and proficiency in office administration, typically supported by a relevant degree or diploma. Familiarity with office software such as Microsoft Office Suite, calendar management systems, and sometimes shorthand or transcription tools is common. Strong interpersonal skills, discretion, and the ability to multitask help an individual excel in supporting executives and managing sensitive information. These skills ensure smooth office operations, effective communication, and the professional handling of confidential matters.

What are the most commonly searched types of Secretary jobs in Washington?

The most popular types of Secretary jobs in Washington are:

What are popular job titles related to Assistant Secretary jobs in Washington?

For Assistant Secretary jobs in Washington, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Assistant Secretary jobs in Washington look for?

The top searched job categories for Assistant Secretary jobs in Washington are:

What cities in Washington are hiring for Assistant Secretary jobs?

Cities in Washington with the most Assistant Secretary job openings:

What are popular job titles related to Assistant Secretary jobs in WA?

For Assistant Secretary jobs in WA, the most frequently searched job titles are:

Infographic showing various Assistant Secretary job openings in Washington as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 75% Full Time, 21% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 98% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 1% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $59,623 per year, or $28.7 per hour.

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy Legislative Initiatives and Outreach

Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity

Alexandria, VA โ€ข On-site, Remote

$151K - $228K/yr

Full-time

Posted 8 days ago


Job description

Summary
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is seeking highly qualified individuals who are willing to meet the challenges of public service and support our mission. Our compensation package is comparable to the private sector. And we also offer a broad array of program activities to develop your career, such as: networking and training opportunities. At HUD, you'll have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to gain insight into federal housing policy and community development.
Learn more about this agency
Duties
Help
This position is located in the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, Office of the General Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Policy, Legislative Initiatives and Outreach. The incumbent serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary. The Office is responsible for the formulation and communication of all Departmental fair housing policy to the public, the press, Congress, and executive branch agencies. The Office formulates policy on emerging and first-impression fair housing issues and is also responsible for promoting greater understanding among the general population of its fair housing rights and how the Department promotes fair housing.
The Office works with outside community and industry organizations on fair housing initiatives; performs activities designed to develop and implement education and outreach efforts to heighten public awareness of all forms of housing discrimination prohibited under the Fair Housing Act: coordinates the National Fair Housing Month activities, Fair Housing National Policy Conference activities and national conferences and events.
Major Duties:
Serves as advisor to the General Deputy Assistant Secretary (GDAS) and the Assistant Secretary on policy issues and manages the Policy and Legislative Initiatives Division and Education and Outreach Division.
Oversees the development of policy justifications for all HUD-funded fair housing activities, proposed legislations, and Congressional testimony documents; the Department's response to fair housing related legislation and responses to the White House and the Office of Management and Budget on fair housing policy and initiatives. Oversees the interagency civil-rights activities and contracts relating to fair housing program Initiatives and education and outreach program initiatives.
Plans work to be accomplished by subordinates, sets, and adjusts short-term priorities, prepares schedules for completion of work, evaluates work performance of subordinates, develops budget and administers and manages funds. The DAS also establishes goals, objectives and activities for the Office and makes recommendations for the best approach or solution for resolving budget and staffing shortages.
Oversees the planning, design, and implementation of research on fair housing and fair lending Issues, including long-term, nationwide studies of housing discrimination, multifamily housing accessibility and public awareness of the fair housing laws.
Oversees the preparation and clearance of Congressional testimony, speeches of the Assistant Secretary (and remarks of other senior Department officials who speak on fair housing); press releases; annual reports to Congress; research reports on fair housing and fair lending; all fair housing educational material; policy justifications in fair housing budgets; and opinion articles. Works closely with the Office of Public Affairs in publicizing fair housing activities and responding to press inquiries.
Serves as FHEO's liaison to Capitol Hill and represents HUD and FHEO in meetings with U.S. Senators, Members of Congress, and their Staff. Meets and consults regularly with senior officials throughout the Department on policy and procurement matters relating to fair housing and education and outreach program activities.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Requirements
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Conditions of employment
  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National of the United States.
  • Ability to complete personnel security vetting (e.g., investigation, evaluation, and adjudication) prior to entrance on duty. Failure to obtain and maintain the required level of clearance may result in the withdrawal of a job offer or removal.
  • Subject to an one-year supervisory probationary period (unless already completed).
  • If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so (see www.sss.gov).
  • File a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report OGE-278e within 30 days of appointment and annually from then on.
  • Complete the Declaration for Federal Employment, Optional Form (OF) 306, to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.

Qualifications
Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last five (5) years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch (including noncareer SES and Limited Term SES and Limited Emergency SES) OR an assistant position to a political appointee OR an individual serving in a political capacity under agency-specific authority occupying a position excepted from the competitive service by the President/OPM because of the confidential or policy-determining nature of the position duties; you must disclose this information on your resume and to the Human Resources Office.
As a basic requirement for entry into the senior executive service (SES), applicants must provide evidence of progressively responsible executive leadership and supervisory experience that is indicative of senior executive level managerial capability. This experience should be sufficiently broad in scope and at a major management level in a large or complex organization. The ideal candidate will have experience supervising many employees through subordinate supervisors and have experience hiring, developing, and evaluating employees. Typically, experience of this nature is at the GS-15 or equivalent level in the federal service or its equivalent in the private sector.
Your application should demonstrate that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully fulfill responsibilities inherent in SES positions such as:
  • Leading the work of an organizational unit
  • Ensuring the success of one or more specific major programs or projects
  • Monitoring progress toward strategic organizational goals, evaluating organizational performance and taking action to improve performance
  • Supervising the work of employees, developing policy and other executive functions

If your experience does not include these basic qualifications, you will not be determined qualified for this position.
Veterans' preference: Is not applicable to positions in the Senior Executive Service.
To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) and Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) related to this position within your resume - NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES. Applications received with resumes exceeding the 2-page limit will be disqualified and will not receive further consideration.Your resume should include examples of experience, education, and accomplishments applicable to the qualification(s). If your resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of these qualifications, you may not receive consideration for the position.
There is NO requirement to prepare narrative statements specifically addressing the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) or the Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs).
MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (MTQs)
: Your resume should demonstrate accomplishments that would satisfy these technical qualifications.
MTQ 1: Demonstrated experience applying federal civil rights laws, relevant executive orders, and regulations governing HUD programs activities.
MTQ 2: Demonstrated experience managing an organization responsible for developing policies, planning, designing and implementing programs related to fair housing or civil rights, on a state or national level.
MTQ 3: Demonstrated experience representing organizations publicly, at industry events, as well as negotiating and interacting with stakeholders to accomplish fair housing and/or civil rights program objectives.
EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): In addition to the Mandatory Technical Qualification (MTQ) requirements listed above, all new entrants into the Senior Executive Service (SES) under a career appointment will be assessed for executive competency against the following five mandatory ECQs. If your two-page resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of the ECQs and MTQs, you may not receive further consideration for the position. Review ECQ guidance in OPM Guide to Senior Executive Service Qualifications and the Qualifications Review Board.
These are the five ECQs and their competencies:
ECQ 1 - COMMITMENT TO THE RULE OF LAW AND THE PRINCIPLES OF THE AMERICAN FOUNDING: This core qualification requires a demonstrated knowledge of the American system of government, commitment to uphold Constitution and the rule of law, and commitment to serve the American people. (Competencies: Knowledge of the American System of Government, Commitment to the Rule of Law, Civic-Mindedness).
ECQ 2 - DRIVING EFFICIENCY: This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to strategically and efficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades. (Competencies: Fiscal Responsibility, Managing Resources, Leveraging Technology).
ECQ 3 - MERIT AND COMPETENCE: This core qualification involves the demonstrated knowledge, ability, and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality. (Competencies: Technical Skill, Problem Solving, Agility and Resilience).
ECQ 4 - LEADING PEOPLE: This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals, and to drive a high-performance, high-accountability culture. This includes, when necessary, the ability to lead people through change and to hold individuals accountable. (Competencies: Accountability, Developing Others, Executive Judgement).
ECQ 5 - ACHIEVING RESULTS: This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors. (Competencies: Operational Mindset, Innovation, Strategic Thinking).
Note: If you are a member of the SES or have been certified through successful participation in an OPM approved SES Candidate Development Program (SESCDP), or have SES reinstatement eligibility, you do not need to respond to the ECQs. Instead, you MUST attach proof (e.g., SF-50, Certification by OPM's SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB)) of your eligibility for noncompetitive appointment to the SES.
A method to present demonstrated evidence of the ECQs and MTQs is to use the C - C - A - R model (Challenge / Context / Action / Results):
1. Challenge - Describe a specific problem or goal.
2. Context - Talk about the individuals and groups you worked with, and/or the environment in which you worked to tackle a particular challenge (e.g., clients, co-workers, members of Congress, shrinking budget, low morale).
3. Action - Discuss the specific actions you took to address a challenge.
4. Results - Give specific examples of the results of your actions. These accomplishments demonstrate the quality and effectiveness of your leadership skills.
Education
This job does not have an education qualification requirement.
Additional information
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development strives to ensure that the public perceives HUD as a fair and equitable agency that administers its programs in an objective and impartial manner. As such, HUD is committed to its government ethics program which advises employees on applicable ethics laws and regulations designed to protect the agency against real and apparent conflicts of interest.As a federal employee, you will be subject to the Standards of Ethical Conduct, and the U.S. criminal conflict of interest statutes. As a HUD employee, you will also be subject to the HUD Supplemental Ethics Regulations which includes restrictions on working in a real estate related business, and having Section 8 tenants, along with other prohibited interests and outside activities and employment. To review applicable ethics rules, including HUD specific rules, please visit https://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/general_counsel/ethics.
Depending on your position, you may also be required to file a Public Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 278e) within 30 days of your appointment. Upon your new appointment, you will receive guidance regarding your ethics obligations. You will also be required to attend a mandatory ethics training within 3 months of your appointment. If you have any questions or concerns about the ethics requirements, please contact the Ethics and Appeals Division at email address: EthicsLawDivision@hud.gov
Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will