Section Chief Jobs

Section Chief jobs are open across federal agencies, public safety, and healthcare, at every level from supervisory specialist to senior executive, with specializations in operations, program management, and policy oversight. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.

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Overview

Open roles73
Top stateColorado
Top employerUS Department of Veterans Affairs
Top cityDenver, CO
Work type81% On-site
Top industryEducation

Showing 5 of 73+ Section Chief jobs

Physician- Neurology Section Chief
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Added 1d ago
Physician- Neurology Section Chief
US Department of Veterans Affairs
Shreveport, Louisiana
Program Management
Project & Program Management
Project Management
$280k - $335k/yr
On-Site
Military encouraged
10,000+

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Physician-Mental Health Psychiatry Section Chief
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Added 3d ago
Physician-Mental Health Psychiatry Section Chief
US Department of Veterans Affairs
Orlando, Florida
Clinical Support
Healthcare Administration
Human Resources
$145k - $335k/yr
On-Site
Military encouraged
10,000+

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Public Health Section Chief
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Added 5d ago
Public Health Section Chief
State of Arkansas
Little Rock, Arkansas
Business Strategy
Consulting & Professional Services
Strategy & Corporate Development
$71k - $105k/yr
Bachelor's degree in social work
10,000+

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Supervisory Logistics Management Specialist (Logistics Section Chief Type 2)
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Added 6d ago
Supervisory Logistics Management Specialist (Logistics Section Chief Type 2)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Kansas City, Missouri
Customer Service
Customer Support
$51.84 - $79.63/hr
On-Site
Military encouraged
10,000+

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Physician - Section Chief of Primary Care
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Added 6d ago
Physician - Section Chief of Primary Care
US Department of Veterans Affairs
Albany, New York
Healthcare Administration
Medical Specialists
Physicians
$225k - $335k/yr
Hybrid
Military encouraged
10,000+

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Section Chief Job Market

Who's Hiring

  • US Department of Veterans Affairs33
  • AC Disaster Consulting14
  • Federal Emergency Management Agency3
  • Rush University Medical Center2
  • Virginia Commonwealth University2

Top Industries Hiring

  • Education
  • Healthcare & Medical Services
  • Government & Public Sector

What Employers Look For

The qualifications that appear most often in section chief jobs.

  • Five or more years of supervisory or program management experience in a relevant field
  • Bachelor's degree in public administration, criminal justice, healthcare administration, or a related discipline
  • Demonstrated ability to develop and oversee departmental budgets and resource allocation
  • Active or eligible security clearance appropriate to the agency's classification requirements
  • Experience drafting policy, standard operating procedures, or regulatory compliance documentation
  • Proficiency with government project management systems, ATS platforms, and reporting tools

Tips for Your Section Chief Job Search

Align your resume to federal KSAs

Section chief postings in government agencies often score applicants on specific Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Pull those exact phrases from each announcement and mirror them in your resume's work history bullets so your application clears automated screening.

Highlight cross-functional supervision experience

Hiring managers for section chief roles prioritize candidates who've coordinated between departments or divisions, not just managed a single team. Name the units you bridged and the outcomes you drove to separate yourself from applicants with purely vertical experience.

Apply early to roles that fit

Migrate Mate lists section chief openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.

Target agencies matching your clearance level

Many section chief postings require active security clearances at Secret or Top Secret levels. Applying to roles that match your current clearance status cuts processing time and signals to recruiters that you're immediately deployable, a real differentiator in competitive pools.

Prepare a structured leadership narrative

Section chief interviews frequently use behavioral and situation-based formats. Develop three to five examples that demonstrate budget oversight, staff development, and cross-agency coordination. Rehearse them until you can deliver each in under three minutes without notes.

Negotiate scope before accepting an offer

Before signing, clarify the reporting structure, headcount you'll directly supervise, and whether the section's budget authority is shared or independent. These details affect your day-to-day authority significantly and are negotiable at the offer stage more often than candidates expect.

Section Chief Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions

Which companies are hiring the most section chiefs?

US Department of Veterans Affairs, AC Disaster Consulting, and Federal Emergency Management Agency are hiring the most section chiefs right now, with openings concentrated in Colorado, Texas, and New York, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Federal departments and large public safety agencies consistently post the highest volume of section chief openings nationwide.

How many section chief jobs are remote?

About 19% of section chief openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, though fully on-site arrangements remain common in law enforcement, emergency management, and classified government environments. Policy coordination and program oversight roles within civilian federal agencies tend to offer the most flexibility for hybrid or remote work schedules.

How do you become a section chief?

Start by building several years of supervisory experience within your field, whether in a federal agency, public safety department, or healthcare system. Progress into roles that involve cross-departmental coordination, budget responsibility, and policy development. Earning a relevant graduate degree or professional certification strengthens your candidacy, and volunteering for interagency working groups builds the visibility that leads to section chief appointments.

Can you get hired as a section chief without direct management experience?

It's possible but uncommon. Most employers require demonstrated supervisory history, so candidates without formal management titles should emphasize project lead roles, acting supervisory assignments, and situations where they directed the work of others informally. Presenting measurable outcomes from those experiences, such as improved compliance rates or reduced response times, can offset a lack of official management titles on your resume.

What does the section chief interview process look like?

Most hiring panels use a structured behavioral interview format with a panel of two to four evaluators, often including an HR representative and senior agency officials. Expect questions about how you've handled staff conflicts, resource constraints, and interagency coordination. Some federal and public safety employers add a written exercise or scenario assessment, followed by reference checks before a final offer is extended.

Where can I find and apply to section chief jobs?

You can find and apply to section chief jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States in one place. Search the listings to find roles that match your background and apply directly to each one that fits your experience, location preference, and clearance level.

See All 73 Section Chief Jobs

Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.

Find Section Chief Jobs