Cemetery Administrator Job in Sturgis, SD

Vacancy No. RP-25-AB-12798238-84 Department National Cemetery Administration
Salary $88,621.00 to $137,000.00 Grade 12 to 13
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 9/12/2025 Close Date 9/22/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Sturgis, SD


Summary

This position is located at the Black Hills National Cemetery in Sturgis, South Dakota.

This position requires extensive background and knowledge in interment operations, grounds maintenance, financial management, personnel management, public relations, contract oversight and operation of a National Cemetery.

Duties

As the Cemetery Administrator, the incumbent is the independent station head responsible for developing and implementing local administrative, financial, human capital, and other resource management policies. The Cemetery Administrator directs the overall day-to-day operation of the cemetery to include overseeing the interment schedule, preparation and closing of all graves, placement of temporary and permanent markers, and maintenance of all gravesites, roads, grounds, and landscape. Responsible for administrative operations of the cemetery to include verifying complex eligibility issues prior to interment and arranging for committal services, maintaining all property accounts, time and leave records, records management, and the preparation of recurring and special reports. The incumbent establishes performance standards, evaluates the performance of employees, and carries out Equal Employment Opportunity policies and program activities. Personally, develops studies and analyses of cemetery operations to determine personnel requirements; to make modifications and improvements needed for more effective operations; and to define trends in utilization of burial benefits. Prepares, submits, and defends budgetary requirements and maintains all related reports and records to ensure all submissions and expenditures are substantiated by full and complete justification. The Administrator executes the approved annual financial plan for the cemetery. The Cemetery Administrator develops statements of work and controls over work, inspects work, authorizes payment, and is ultimately responsible for those contracts initiated by the cemetery for work associated with the administration of the national cemetery. The Cemetery Administrator will be actively engaged in conducting community outreach activities to promote the cemetery and raise Veterans' awareness of VA burial benefits.

  • YOU MUST SIGN A MOBILITY AGREEMENT INDICATING THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THE NECESSITY FOR AND AGREE TO ACCEPT ASSIGNMENTS AT VARIOUS INSTALLATIONS DURING EMPLOYMENT.
  • Selected candidates, from outside the National Cemetery Administration, must coordinate with management to develop a competency-based training plan within 30 days of hire, with completion required within one year.
Work schedule: Required to work Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. May include occasional weekends. Due to the mission of the National Cemetery, the cemetery cannot be closed for more than 2 consecutive days at any given time. Additionally, when a Federal holiday falls on a Monday or Friday, staff may be required to work on that holiday or a Saturday. All staff is required to work Memorial Day and Veteran's Day each year. Staff will be required to work overtime, weekends and holidays when necessary to meet the needs of the cemetery. Occasionally staff may be called back to the facility to perform emergency overtime work.
Compressed/Flexible Schedule: Not Available
Telework: Not Available
Remote/Virtual: This is not a virtual or remote position.

Position Description Title/PD#: Cemetery Administrator/PD1589540
The full performance level of this position is GS - 13. At the level GS-12, you will perform similar duties but under closer supervision.

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

Salary:
GS-12: $88,621 to $115,213
GS-13: $105,383 to $137,000

Relocation Expenses: May be Authorized
The Department of Veterans Affairs offers Permanent Change of Station (PCS) relocation services. Permanent Change of Station is the relocation of a household due to government convenience in connection with a transfer between duty stations or facilities. For more information go to http://vaww.fscdirect.fsc.va.gov/pcs.aspRelo.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Required

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Subject to a background/security investigation.
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
  • You may be required to serve a probationary period.
  • You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job.
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
  • MBI Background Investigation is required.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all specialized experience and time in grade requirements within 45 days of the closing date of this announcement, 09/22/2025.

You may be required to serve a supervisory probationary period.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements within 45 days of the closing date of this announcement.
  • For a GS-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11.
  • For a GS-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12.
The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If your most recent non-award SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional non-award SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one year time-in-grade. Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience as described below:

GS-12:
  • Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-11 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to experience supervising, leading, influencing, motivating, and challenging others; performing the full scope of supervisory duties; preparing, justifying managing, administering, and executing a budget for a program or organization; monitoring expenditures to ensure cost-effective support of programs; establishing short or long term goals for a program, project, or initiative; planning, coordinating, and executing business functions and resource allocations; overseeing procurement and contract activities for a program or organization; serving as a contract officer representative; promoting the services and products of an organization; engaging in speaking events; and preparing or delivering oral presentation.
GS-13:
  • Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-12 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to experience supervising, leading, influencing, motivating, and challenging others; performing the full scope of supervisory duties; preparing, justifying managing, administering, and executing a budget for a program or organization; monitoring expenditures to ensure cost-effective support of programs; establishing short or long term goals for a program, project, or initiative; planning, coordinating, and executing business functions and resource allocations; overseeing procurement and contract activities for a program or organization; serving as a contract officer representative; promoting the services and products of an organization; engaging in speaking events; and preparing or delivering oral presentation.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
  • Administration and Management
  • Communications
  • Contracting/Procurement
  • Financial Management
  • Leadership


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; religions; 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.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Physical Requirements: This position requires walking and standing including significant periods of outdoor duty to perform tasks such as attending services and inspection sections of the cemetery (including sections which are active interment areas or sections under construction). The position requires bending, stooping, and lifting cemetery records, manuals, cremains containers, and other small items. The position requires assisting with the moving of caskets placed on wheeled biers in and out of committal shelters. The work is primarily administrative within facilities that are adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated, but includes exposures to outside elements such as heat and cold as well as wet, humid, or arid conditions.

Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.

Education

There is no educational substitution for experience at the GS-12 or higher.

PLEASE NOTE: Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications (particularly positions with a positive education requirement). Therefore, applicants must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html. All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly. 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.

Additional information

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.

The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 85 or more) for this vacancy. Information about CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

  • Resume


The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please use this checklist to make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information.
  • Cover Letter
  • DD-214/ Statement of Service
  • Disability Letter (Schedule A)
  • Disability Letter (VA)
  • References
  • Other (2)
  • Performance Appraisal
  • Resume
  • Separation Notice (RIF)
  • SF-15
  • SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action


Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled Veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit www.fedshirevets.gov/job-seekers/veterans/veterans-preference/#content.

How to Apply

All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 09/22/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12798238.
1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USA JOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.

NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USA JOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Application page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USA JOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USA JOBS account or your application will be incomplete.

Agency contact information

NCA Human Resources Center
Address
Black Hills National Cemetery
20901 Pleasant Valley Drive
Sturgis, SD 57785
US

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.

You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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