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

This Ombudsman Specialist position is located in the Ombudsman Division, within the Office of Civil Rights and Liberties, Ombudsman and Traveler Engagement (CRL/OTE), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS). If selected for this position, you will apply the principles of confidentiality, neutrality, and impartiality to issues and concerns raised by internal and external customers. Duties include:

• Functioning as a source of information and referral to employees within TSA programs; directing individuals to the appropriate office and resources within TSA; assisting in answering questions and helping individuals understand and explore their options for action; serving as a communications conduit between conflicting individuals with the aim of expediting informal dispute resolution.
• Utilizing Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) principles, concepts and methodologies to resolve a wide range of difficult issues, and developing well researched recommendations for managers and employees which contribute to a resolution that reflects the mutual interests and goals of the parties involved.
• With limited supervisory guidance, working with applicable program officials to assist in resolving complex issues and/or identifying options from a wide range of possibilities to achieve case closure; ensuring that the most recent guidance is applied and that interpretation of guidance is consistent with TSA mission requirements and compliant with underlying statutes.
• Documenting visits and calls in the case tracking system for the purposes of data gathering, research, analyses, and case resolution; identifying trends, developing reports, tracking trends and systemic issues for use by the Director and agency leadership.
• Analyzing case information and providing management with recommendations, strategies, and approaches to resolve complex workforce concerns.
• Responding to customer concerns via e-mail that relay detailed and complex information, and ensuring correspondence is professional, accurate, complete, and appropriate to the audience; following up on workforce inquiries and complaints by contacting all necessary parties, and communicating both orally and in writing to ensure that appropriate action takes place.
• Keeping up to date on changes to HR regulations, civil rights laws and regulations and internal TSA policy and practices.

To qualify for the SV-H Pay Band (equivalent to GS-12), you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to 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 serving as an Alternative Dispute Resolution practitioner utilizing a variety of approaches and techniques which include conflict management coaching, facilitation and negotiation to resolve complex and difficult workplace problems with individuals or groups; developing and presenting persuasive arguments to ensure fairness in organizational policies and practices; executing strategies for communicating and marketing the value of the office to internal and external audiences and documenting contacts into a case management system.

To qualify for the SV-I Pay Band (equivalent to GS-13), you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the SV-H Pay Band or GS-12 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 serving as an Alternative Dispute Resolution practitioner utilizing a variety of approaches and techniques which include conflict management coaching, facilitation, negotiation and mediation to resolve complex and difficult workplace problems with individuals or groups; developing and presenting persuasive arguments to ensure fairness in organizational policies and practices; anticipating and identifying future sources of potential conflict within an organization and developing strategies to effectively deal with the issues; and developing, and executing strategies for communicating and marketing the value of the office to internal and external audiences.

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.