Business and Industry Specialist (Direct Hire) Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. ITA-IA-DH-24-12528586 Department Commerce, International Trade Administration
Salary $68,405.00 to $153,354.00 Grade 9 to 13
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 9/12/2024 Close Date 12/12/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

This vacancy is for a Business and Industry Specialist (Direct Hire) in the International Trade Administration within the Department of Commerce.
This is an open continuous vacancy announcement that will be used to fill vacancies as they occur. Applicants will receive consideration in 30 days cut-off. See "How You Will Be Evaluated" section.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

This position is being advertised through the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Delegated Direct-Hire Authority and is open to all U.S. citizens. Under this authority, competitive rating, ranking and veterans' preference procedures do not apply. All applicants who meet the basic qualification requirements will be forwarded to the Selecting Official for consideration.

Duties

As a Business and Industry Specialist (Direct Hire), you will perform the following duties:

  • Conducts research and analysis on foreign investment or trade issues of U.S competitivenss in a global context to facilitate the Department's position on various cases.
  • Tracks policy and administrative developments on assigned financial transactions.
  • Prepares written briefings and transaction clearance materials for high-level ITA and Department officials.
  • Participates in interagency meetings and coordinates with other CFIUS agencies.
These duties are described at the GS-13 full performance level; the GS-9, GS-11 and GS-12 are developmental levels leading to such performance.

This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other Business and Industry Specialist (Direct Hire) GS-1101-9/11/12/13 FPL GS-13 positions within the Department of Commerce in the same geographical location with the same qualifications and specialized experience.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
  • You must successfully pass a background investigation. This may include a credit check, a review of financial issues, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use of possession of drugs.
  • A probationary period may be required.
  • Selective Service: Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/).
  • If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application.
  • All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
  • Drug Test: Except as prohibited by law, all applicants tentatively selected for this position ·will be required to submit to a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment, and if appointed the incumbent will be subjected to random drug testing procedures. In addition, the applicant will be notified that appointments to the positions will be contingent upon a negative drug test result. Failure of the vacancy announcement to contain this statement notice will not preclude applicant testing if advance written notice is provided to applicants in some other manner.
  • License required: No
  • Pre-employment physical required: No
  • Bargaining Unit Position: No
  • Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE form 450): No
  • Permanent Change of Duty Station (PCS) Expense: will not be paid

Qualifications

Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/

Applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. This experience need not have been in the federal government.

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.


To qualify at the GS-09 level:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: You must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as:

  • Assisting in the analysis of financial transactions; and
  • Preparing and summarizing data for senior decision-makers; and
  • Assisting in research, analysis, and interpretation of business finances or industrial related data and information.



-OR-

SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B or J.D., if related.


-OR-

COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: A combination of education and experience as described above. Note: Only graduate education in excess of one year is qualifying for combination.


To qualify at the GS-11 level:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: You must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as:

  • Performing analysis of financial transactions; and
  • Compiling, analyzing or evaluating business finances or industrial related data and information in order to draw conclusions and make recommendations; and
  • Composing written presentations and presenting them to senior level management, customers, or other stakeholders


-OR-

SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: : Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related.

-OR-

COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: A combination of education and experience as described above. Note: Only graduate education in excess of two years is qualifying for combination.


To qualify at the GS-12 level:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: You must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as:

  • Analyzing foreign investment or trade issues affecting U.S. industry competitiveness; and
  • Participating in program planning and business process improvements or project management teams.
  • Providing advice and guidance on alternatives and resolutions to problems and explaining to customers and senior level management.


To qualify at the GS-13 level:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: You must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as:

  • Coordinating the analysis of foreign investment, trade issues, or national security issues affecting U.S. industry competitiveness; and
  • Formulating and identify operational and analytical techniques to accomplish project objectives and to produce reliable findings; and
  • Briefing senior officials or executives on the following issues: foreign investment, trade issues or national security issues.

Education


See Qualifications Above.

Additional information

ICTAP and CTAP Eligibles: CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a rating of 85 out of 100. Information about ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Career Transition Resources website at: Employee Guide to Career Transition

CTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:

  1. A copy of your specific RIF notice; notice of proposed removal for failure to relocate; a Certificate of Expected Separation (CES); or certification that you are in a surplus organization or occupation (this could be a position abolishment letter, a notice eligibility for discontinued service retirement, or similar notice).
  2. A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action", noting current position, grade level, and duty location;
  3. A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
  4. Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.

ICTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:

  1. A copy of your RIF separation notice; notice of proposed removal for failure to relocate; notice of disability annuity termination; certification from your former agency that it cannot place you after your recovery from a compensable injury; or certification from the National Guard Bureau or Military Department that you are eligible for disability retirement;
  2. A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" documenting your RIF separation, noting your positions, grade level, and duty location, and/or Agency certification of inability to place you through RPL, etc;
  3. A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
  4. Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.
Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

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.

Your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualification requirements for the position. Under the provisions of the Direct-Hire Authority (DHA), rating, ranking and veterans' preference does not apply; therefore, your responses to the questionnaire will not be used to determine a scored rating. All applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements, as defined in the job opportunity announcement, will be referred for selection consideration. While veterans' preference does not apply in DHA, preference eligibles are encouraged to submit their supporting documentation (DD-214 stating disposition of discharge or character of service, VA letter, SF-15, etc.).

Applicants applying as CTAP or ICTAP candidates, and are determined CTAP or ICTAP eligible, must exceed the minimum qualification requirements to be referred under this selection priority placement program by attaining at least a rating of 85 out of 100. For those deemed eligible and who meet the minimum qualifications, we will compare your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to your responses on the scored occupational questionnaire (True/False, Yes/No, Multiple Choice questions). Your resume and/or optional cover letter must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. CTAP/ICTAP eligibles who are not determined well-qualified by scoring at least 85 will not be referred under the CTAP/ICTAP selection priority placement program; however, will be referred for selection consideration with other minimally qualified applicants.

The scored occupational questionnaire will evaluate you on the following competencies; please do not provide a separate written response:
  • Reasoning
  • Oral Communication
  • Writing
  • Information Management
Do NOT include the following types of information in your resume/application. If any are included, you will be deemed INELIGIBLE for consideration.
  • Classified or government sensitive information
  • Social Security Number (SSN)
  • Photos of yourself
  • Personal information, such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.
We recommend that you preview the online questions for this announcement before you start the application process. To preview the questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12528586

This position will remain open until 12/12/2024 . The initial cut-off date is 09/26/2024. Applicants may receive consideration prior to the initial cut-off date, as requested by the organization, as well as on the following cut-off dates specified below. Applicants meeting the requirements will be referred for consideration on a cut-off date, or the date requested by the organization, and will continue to be referred on subsequent cut-off dates:
  • 10/26/2024
  • 11/26/2024
  • 12/12/2024

Required Documents

A complete application consists of the following:

  • Resume showing relevant experience; cover letter optional. Your resume should list your educational and work experience including the dates (mm/dd/yy) of each employment along with the number of hours worked per week. Your resume may be used to validate your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire. Your resume should also indicate your citizenship and if you are registered with the Selective Service System if you are a male born after 12/31/59. Refer to the "How you will be Evaluated' section for types of information not to include in your resume/application.
  • Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) documentation, if applicable (see other information).
  • Education. If this position requires proof of higher education, or you are substituting education for experience, you must submit an unofficial transcript or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. Please refer to http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp for more information.
  • Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee? Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment:
    • Position title;
    • Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee);
    • Agency; and
    • Beginning and ending dates of appointment.
You are not required to submit official documents at this time; copies are sufficient.

Failure to provide such documents when requested may result in lost consideration.

Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. A listing of these accredited organizations can be found on the Department of Education's website - http://www.ed.gov/international/usnei/us/workrecog.doc. You MUST provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

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. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

Your complete application, including required documents, must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.

To apply on-line, you must complete and submit an application by accessing the USAJOBS website at http://www.usajobs.gov. To begin, click the Apply button and follow the prompts to register/sign-in into your USAJOBS account, answer the questions, and submit all required documents.

To return to your saved application, log in to your USAJOBS account at http://www.usajobs.gov and click on "Application Status." Click on the position title, and then select Apply to continue.

For instructions on submitting your application in an alternate format, please contact the Agency Contact listed in this vacancy announcement.

Agency contact information

Kiana Barrett-Clybourn
Address
International Trade Administration
1401 Constitution Ave NW
Washington, DC 20230
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

You will be notified of your application status through USAJOBS at four points during the hiring process, as applicable. You can check the status of your application by accessing the USAJOBS website at http://www.usajobs.gov and clicking on "Track Your Online Application." The four points of notification are:

  1. Application Received or Application Incomplete
  2. Minimum Qualification Requirement Met or Minimum Qualification Not Met;
  3. Eligible (Application Referred to the Selecting Official) or Ineligible (Application Not Referred to the Selecting Official); and
  4. Selected or Not Selected.

By submitting your application, you are certifying the accuracy of the information contained in your application. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be terminated after you begin work; or, you may be fined or jailed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation.

You will be required to submit official documentation prior to appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., degree, veterans' preference, disability, etc.).


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


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