Legislative Affairs Specialist- SV-0301-G/H - Transportation Security Administration - Arlington, Virginia - EXPIRED

This Legislative Affairs Specialist position is located within the Office of Legislative Affairs (OLA), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS). If selected for this position, you will provide assistance to the Assistant Administrator of OLA to include analyzing, developing, strategizing, coordinating, and monitoring TSA legislative issues and activities. Duties include:

• Advising TSA\'s Administrator on congressional and legislative strategy and preparing the Administrator for interactions before Congress, including congressional hearings and Member-level briefings.
• Coordinating with the Office of the Administrator and other DHS and TSA organizations specifically, the Office of Finance and Administration, and the Office of Chief Counsel, to articulate TSA’s mission, goals, and transportation and security policies, in unified and cohesive presentations to Congress.
• Providing expert legislative advice consistent with U.S. House and Senate rules and ethics in presenting a strategic framework to promote the agency’s legislative initiatives.
• Initiating and implementing internal organizational procedures and processes to ensure timely and accurate responsiveness to DHS, TSA, and congressional mandates and directives.
• Working with OLA’s Assistant Administrator and Deputy Assistant Administrator to plan and implement legislative strategy as a vital part of the OLA organization, and continually developing solid working relationships and effective communication with Members of Congress and their staffs.
• Serving as the technical lead for OLA, and providing expert guidance to other Legislative Affairs Specialists on complex legislative issues and situations.
• Providing recommendations, and as appropriate, solutions to current and anticipated challenging problems which cross organizational lines and disciplines and impact strategic objectives.
• Working with senior management to identify and jointly resolve problems.

To qualify for the SV-G Pay Band (equivalent to GS-11), you must meet one of the qualification requirements (A, B, OR C) outlined below.

A. Experience: One year of specialized experience at the SV-F Pay Band or GS-9 in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector. Specialized experience is defined as experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position, and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Such experience includes assisting in conducting legislative research in support of transportation security driven initiatives; and performing legislative coordination and clearance processes utilizing OMB Circular A-19.

OR B. Education: A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree from an accredited college or university in a related field; OR 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree; OR LL.M., if related.

OR C. A Combination of Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed progressively higher level graduate education (beyond the second year) and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements, and may be computed by first determining the total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the band level; then determining the education as a percentage of the education required for the band level; and then adding the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent. Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower band level may be used to qualify for positions at the SV-G pay band.

GRADUATE EDUCATION: Education at the graduate level in an accredited college or university in the amounts indicated above meets the requirements for this position. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. One (1) year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement.

Applicants who meet the qualifications listed above based on education or a combination of education and experience must provide proof of education, such as a list of completed college courses or the date and school of degree (including the number of semester or quarter hours) or transcript(s) from an accredited college or university. The information must be provided as an attachment to the application by the closing date of the announcement. If selected, you must supply a transcript(s) or certification of degree.

To qualify for the SV-H Pay Band (equivalent to GS-12), you must have one year of specialized experience at the SV-G Pay Band or GS-11 in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector. Specialized experience is defined as experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Such experience includes identifying resources to conduct legislative research in support of transportation security driven initiatives; experience with Federal government operations, legislatives process, structure and procedures of Congress, legislative proposal coordination and clearance process, legislative testimony drafting and review process, and interactions between Congressional and Executive branch staff; and experience with OMB Circular A-19 to perform legislative coordination and clearance processes.

National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): 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.

NOTE: Credit for experience is given based on a 40-hour workweek. Part-time experience is credited on a part-time ratio, i.e., working 20 hours per week for two months equals one month of experience. No additional credit is given for overtime.

You must meet the qualification requirements for this position no later than the closing date of the vacancy announcement.

HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:

You will be evaluated based on a comparison of the position requirements against the quality and extent of the experience and/or related education as reflected in your resume and supporting documentation. You are encouraged to ensure work experiences clearly show possession of the competencies required for this position. We will compare your resume and supporting documentation to your responses on the assessment questionnaire. If, after reviewing your resume and any supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your category placement may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job.

When completing the assessment questionnaire for this position, you will be prompted to elect if you wish for your application to be considered as External (where Veterans’ Preference applies), as Status (current or former Federal Employees), and/or Internal to TSA as a current permanent or competitive temporary employee. At that time, please select the answer(s) that apply to you and your application to this position.

Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Grouping procedures. Under Category Grouping, candidates will be rated and ranked into one of three categories:

Best Qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position;

Well Qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceed the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in most of the requirements of the job; and

Qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job.
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