Program Specialist - Transportation Security Administration - Arlington, Virginia - EXPIRED

This Program Specialist position is located in the Office of the Chief of Staff, Office of the Executive Secretariat in the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS). If selected for this position, you will be responsible for reviewing, analyzing, and controlling complex correspondence, reports, documents, and other materials received in the Office of the Executive Secretariat; and determining the appropriate organization and level for review and response in accordance with TSA policies, procedures, and requirements. Typical assignments include but are not limited to:

• Reviewing sensitive and potentially controversial materials received from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), other government agencies, the White House, or the Congress and coordinating with appropriate officials in program offices for response. Ensuring response meets the intent of the initial request and is accomplished timely.
• Analyzing special requests for information from Congressional committees; ensuring the appropriateness of the request and completion by expected timeframes.
• Conducting substantive research and analyzing complex materials in responding to requests submitted under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Reviewing and evaluating the nature of the request, potential sources of information, level of confidentiality involved, and appropriateness of release under applicable FOIA guidelines, policies, and procedures.
• Coordinating tasker tracking updates and ensuring completeness and accuracy of information presented to the Executive Secretary for TSA. Coordinating meetings and discussions with program offices to ensure completion of all taskings.
• Preparing special reports for the Executive Secretary requiring research into specific action items, coordinating with appropriate specialists or executive level management officials, and providing recommendations to the Executive Secretary addressing unique requirements, accomplishment of taskings, and performance under established metrlcs.

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: If you are qualifying using experience, your application must clearly outline one year of specialized experience at the SV-F Pay Band or GS-9 in 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 tracking and following up on executive correspondence, reports, and other materials utilizing communication protocols, policies, practices, and methods; and knowledge of Freedom of Information and Privacy Act rules, regulations, and procedures that impact the release of potentially sensitive information.

OR
B. Education: Completion of a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in a related field; OR three (3) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree; OR LL.M., if related.


OR
C. Combining of Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed higher level graduate courses (beyond the second year) leading to a doctoral degree and specialized experience that would total one year in combination to meet the specialized experience requirements for this position.

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.

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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