Mission Support Specialist (finance)
Department of Homeland Security
Summary
Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, Laredo Sector, Mission Readiness Operations, located in Laredo, TX. Additional selections may be made for other organizational divisions and/or units within the duty location(s) listed above.
Duties
- In this position, you will execute a wide range of finance-related administrative, management, and analytical activities that support Mission Readiness Operations for the U.S.
- By improving budget formulation, financial analysis, and workflow management, the position helps ensure Border Patrol sectors have the resources and processes needed to meet mission and personnel requirements.
- This position starts at a salary of $52,413.00 (GS-7, Step 1) to $83,349.00 (GS-9, Step 10) GS Salary: Visit this link to view the locality pay tables by geographic area.
- If you do not see your geographic area listed, select the "Rest of United States" pay table.
- Some positions fall under a special pay rate depending on the series, grade level and location of the position.
- Please visit this link to view special pay rate charts.
- A Mission Support Specialist (Finance), you will be responsible for carrying out administrative and analytical duties that support the budgeting and resource management needs of the U.S.
- Typical duties will include: Preparing budget reports using various databases and automated systems, assisting in analyzing financial trends, and compiling data for management analysis.
- Assisting in developing budget briefings, project papers, budget status dashboards, and related correspondence, and collaborating with the budget team on finance submissions.
- Performing purchase cardholder responsibilities, researching applicable acquisition policies, creating Internal Recurring Obligations (IROs), reviewing certified IRO invoices, and forecasting IRO budgetary requirements.
- Supporting the travel manager by coordinating travel authorizations and vouchers in the organization's travel system, reviewing travel documents, and conducting monthly travel card reviews to identify misuse and delinquencies.
Requirements
You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this position Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with Selective Service Primary U.S. residency for at least three of the last five years (additional details below) All pre-employment processes will be conducted in English You may be required to pass a background investigation CBP follows the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan for drug testing procedures As an employee of CBP, you will be joining a workforce that is dedicated to accomplishing our mission while maintaining the trust of our Nation by strictly adhering to all government ethics standards. Your conduct will be subject to the ethics rules applicable to all Executive Branch employees, and to CBP employees specifically, as well as the criminal conflict of interest statutes. Once you enter on duty, these rules include obtaining approval for outside employment or business activity, to ensure such employment or business activity is not prohibited and does not interfere or conflict with performance of your official duties.
Please review further details via the following link. DHS uses E-Verify, an internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify including your rights and responsibilities Bargaining Unit: This is a bargaining unit covered position, represented under the National Border Patrol Council – NBPC. For local chapter contact information see https://bpunion.org/#.
You may be asked to provide a copy of your recent performance appraisal and/or incentive awards. Due weight will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards in merit promotion selection decisions in accordance with 5 CFR 335.103(b)(3). Additionally, if you are a former federal employee, and have been separated from Federal service for over 52 weeks, it is recommended that you submit your most recent rating of record (performance appraisal) when applying.
Education
Please see the Qualifications and Required Documents sections for more information if education is applicable to this position.
How You Will Be Evaluated
Applicants will only be considered for the Eligibilities for which they claim in the job questionnaire AND must provide the supporting documentation. Applicants will not be considered for Eligibilities for which they did not claim, regardless of the documentation submitted with the application. https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12985574 After CBP completes its hiring, the resumes of the remaining candidates referred for selection consideration may be shared with other DHS Components. During the application process, you may choose to opt-in if you would like your name, application material, and assessment results to be shared. There is no guarantee of further consideration, and you can continue to explore other job opportunity announcements.
You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics). The USA Hire Assessment will be used to assess the following general competencies: Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reading Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork If you are best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be contacted for an interview.
As a part of the interview process, additional selection criteria may be administered by the hiring manager. Preview the https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12985574 In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. 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 receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here.
Required Documents
- Your resume: A resume describing your job-related qualifications is required and will be used for the purpose of reviewing your qualifications and determining what training, if any, would be required when placed.
- A resume in English is required.
- It must contain your full legal name, phone number, relevant work history including a detailed description of your duties, the dates you performed those duties (MM/DD/YY), your hours worked per week, job title, as well as series, grade, and salary (if applicable).
- For additional required items, see the link.
- It is recommended that you upload your resume as a PDF instead of a Word document to ensure document quality.
- Ensure that your uploaded resume is not a password protected document, to include Office 365 passwords.
- Limit your resume to no more than two pages.
- The USAJOBS database will not allow an applicant to submit an application that includes a resume over two pages.
- Your responses to the job questionnaire: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12985574 Your responses to the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment Are you a current or former federal employee?
- ALL CURRENT AND FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES MUST SUBMIT THE MOST RECENT COPY OF THEIR SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing competitive status: Tenure 1 or 2 in Block 24 and Position Occupied 1 in Block 34.
- Additionally, you should also submit a SF-50 reflecting the highest grade held on a permanent basis in the competitive service or the full performance level of your current position, whichever is higher, AND an SF-50 to support having met the time-in-grade requirement of having served 52 weeks at the grade level (or equivalent) below the grade level(s) for this position.
- Current CBP Employees are encouraged to submit an SF-50(s) for CBP experience; however, additional SF-50(s) are required when using federal experience outside of CBP to receive credit towards the requirements above.
- Examples of appropriate SF-50s include promotions, within-grade increases, and accessions.
- Retired former federal employees must submit your retirement SF-50 and encouraged to submit your most recent annuity statement.
- Are you qualifying based on education?
- Submit a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable at this time; however, official copies will be required prior to entrance on duty) or a list of coursework with hours completed provided from the institution.
- Education must be from an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S.
- Education obtained from a foreign university or college is not creditable unless it has been evaluated by an organization that specializes in interpretation of education credentials.
- Note: If submitting documentation of an evaluation, transcripts are still required.
- For a listing of some accrediting agencies see NACES | Credentials Evaluations Provided by NACES Members.
- See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications for more information.
- Are you claiming special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP), Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), or the Reemployment Priority List (RPL)?
- You must submit a separation notice; your most recent SF-50 (noting your current position, grade level and duty location); a copy of your most recent performance rating; an agency certification that you cannot be placed after injury compensation has been terminated; an OPM notification that your disability annuity has been terminated; or a Military Department of National Guard Bureau notification that you are retired under 5 U.S.C. 8337(h) or 8456; or RPL registration documentation.
- Are you a veteran?
- If you are applying under a veteran appointing authority, you must submit documentation to support eligibility such as a DD 214 listing the character of service and either qualifying medal(s) or service period, a VA Disability Award letter dated 1991 or later, and/or supporting documentation as listed on the Standard Form 15.
- If you are currently serving on active duty, you must submit a written statement from the armed forces certifying your dates of service, your rank, expected type of discharge and anticipated date of separation.
- If you apply with a written statement at this stage, your preference will be verified by a DD 214 (Member Copy 4) upon separation from the military.
- To learn more click here.
- Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee?
- Submit a copy of your initial and termination SF-50s.
- If you are requesting a reasonable accommodation to the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, submit documentation to support your request, including the Reasonable Accommodation Request Form found here
About this role
The Mission Support Specialist (finance) position with the Department of Homeland Security is based in Laredo, Texas. Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. The role pays $52,413 to $83,349 per year.
Day to day, the work involves in this position, you will execute a wide range of finance-related administrative, management, and analytical activities that support Mission Readiness Operations for the U.S. The full list of duties, conditions, and required documents appears in the official announcement linked on this page.
Who should apply
This role calls for United States citizenship and the ability to obtain and hold a security clearance. It is graded at GS-7, which sets both the pay band and the experience reviewers expect you to document. Be prepared for a pre-employment drug screening as part of the hiring process. Match your federal resume directly to the announcement's wording so a reviewer can confirm each requirement in writing. For this Mission Support Specialist (finance) position with the Department of Homeland Security in Laredo, Texas, confirm you meet each requirement before applying.
How competitive it is
The posted pay of $52,413 to $83,349 per year places this in a competitive but attainable range for qualified applicants. The security clearance requirement means a longer hiring timeline, so patience and an early application help. Based in Laredo, Texas, it competes within that local market, which can mean lighter competition than major metropolitan postings. The announcement closes on June 25, 2026, and federal postings can close early once enough applications arrive, so applying promptly is wise.
This overview is general guidance from Job Army to help you understand the role. Always read the official announcement for exact duties, qualifications, and requirements before applying.