Congressional Relations Officer Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. DE-25-12-MW Department U.S. International Trade Commission
Salary $139,395.00 to $191,900.00 Grade 14 to 15
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 12/6/2024 Close Date 12/20/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

This position is located in the Office of External Relations of the U.S. International Trade Commission. We are seeking a candidate who has an expert-level understanding of congressional and federal procedures, including the appropriations process.

Duties

This position is in the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC or Commission), Office of External Relations. The mission of the Office of External Relations is to develop and maintain an effective liaison program between the USITC and its varied external customers and manage the public information activities for the agency. The office is the focal point for contacts with the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) and other executive branch agencies, Congress, foreign governments, international organizations, the public, and the international, national, and local news media.

The incumbent oversees the Commission's congressional relations portfolio. The primary purpose of the Congressional Relations Officer is to serve as the Commission's liaison with Congress and elected/appointed officials of state, county and local government. The incumbent has an expert-level understanding of congressional and federal procedures, including the appropriations process. The incumbent is the primary agency resource for Commissioners, senior managers, and staff on congressional and legislative matters.

  • The incumbent serves as the Commission's singular liaison with members of Congress, their staff and elected/appointed officials of state, county, and local government and establishes, maintains, and leverages robust professional relationships with respect to congressional members, focusing particularly on key staff associated with the Commission's authorizing committees, namely the Committee on House Ways and Means and the Senate Finance Committee, as well as the appropriations committees.
  • Manages Congressional engagement concerning the yearly budget proposal, which includes coordinating the development of various materials such as talking points and slide presentations, organizing briefings and meetings, and fostering support for the Commission's funding request.
  • Oversees all correspondence with Congressional representatives as well as state, county, and local government entities, which includes drafting and formulating responses to various letters and inquiries received from these officials.
  • Engages in educational outreach and disseminates pertinent information to congressional members and their staff regarding the Commission's various programs, policies, and services, ensuring they are well-informed about the Commission's initiatives and objectives.
  • Assists members of Congress in their participation in Commission hearings through personal appearances and submission of written testimony. Hearings held at the Commission on such issues as antidumping and countervailing may affect the constituents of Congressional members; and the incumbent must keep both Congressional members and the Commission informed regarding petitions and processes.
  • The incumbent monitors and informs the Commission of any congressional or legislative matters that might impact the Commission's work, advises the agency on a strategy to deal with any congressional or legislative issues, and takes a leadership role in producing an agency response to these matters drawing on the incumbent's expert knowledge of Congress and working closely with the Commission's subject matter excerpts and leadership.
  • Manages the discussions with Congress and their staff to develop and implement requests for Commission factfinding research, analysis, and investigations, as well as manages the preparation of statistical, data and narrative information for congressional inquiries.
  • Evaluates and ensures adherence to the Commission's directives and guidelines throughout all interactions and discussions with Congress, thereby maintaining a consistent and compliant approach in addressing legislative inquiries and advancing the Commission's objectives. This includes regular updates and strategic planning to align with evolving legislative priorities.
  • Provides guidance and support to Commissioner nominees while navigating the Senate nomination process. Arranges and attends meetings with Congressional staff; provides Commission nominees with briefing materials on members and staff along with summaries of issues that are relevant to members related to Commission activities; and assists with drafting the hearing opening statement.
  • Performs other related duties as assigned.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a U.S. citizen or national.
  • You will be required to successfully complete a background investigation.
  • You may be required to serve a one-year probationary period.
  • You are required to register for Selective Service if you are a male born after 12/03/1959.
  • You may be required to submit a Financial Disclosure Statement.
  • You must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret clearance.

Qualifications

You must meet all the requirements below by the closing date of the announcement and they must be clearly identified in your application, resume, or supporting documents. This includes any general and specialized experience, education, and/or selective placement factors mentioned. These are used to determine if you possess the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities to successfully perform in this position.

BASIC REQUIREMENT

To qualify at the GS-14 level, you must have one-year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 obtained in the federal or private sector which demonstrates all of the following:
  • Demonstrated ability to cultivate and uphold productive working relationships with Members of Congress, their aides, and Congressional committees, while fostering favorable interactions on behalf of an organization.
  • Proficient in navigating the complexities of legislative processes to effectively advocate for organizational interests and objectives.
  • Proven expertise in monitoring, assessing, and interpreting legislative issues to offer strategic guidance and counsel to senior leadership.
  • Skilled in articulating intricate and/or sensitive information in a clear and succinct manner, both verbally and in written formats.
To qualify at the GS-15 level, you must have one-year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 obtained in the federal or private sector which demonstrates all of the following:
  • Demonstrated ability to cultivate and uphold productive working relationships with Members of Congress, their aides, and Congressional committees, while fostering favorable interactions on behalf of an organization.
  • Proficient in navigating the complexities of legislative processes to effectively advocate for organizational interests and objectives.
  • Proven expertise in monitoring, assessing, and interpreting legislative issues to offer strategic guidance and counsel to senior leadership.
  • Skilled in articulating intricate and/or sensitive information in a clear and succinct manner, both verbally and in written formats.
  • Extensive experience in addressing issues related to international trade and competitiveness.
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.

Education

There is no education requirement for this position.

Additional information

Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you are registered with the Selective Service or are exempt under Selective Service regulations. For additional information concerning Selective Service requirements, please visit https://www.sss.gov

Foreign Education Credential Interpretation: https://www.naces.org/members

DD-214: https://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/

SF-15 (veterans claiming 10-point preference): https://www.gsa.gov/system/files/SF15-13.pdf

Special hiring authorities for veterans: https://www.fedshirevets.gov/job-seekers/veterans/special-hiring-authorities/#content

Severely disabled persons program information: https://www.opm.gov/about-us/careers-at-opm/individuals-with-disabilities/

Cover page to fax paper application - OPM Form 1203fx: Occupational Questionnaire - OPM Form 1203-FX

This position may be designated as essential personnel. Essential personnel must be able to serve during continuity of operation events without regard to declarations of liberal leave or government closures due to weather, protests, and acts of terrorism or lack of funding. Failure to report for or remain in this position may result in disciplinary or adverse action in accordance with applicable laws, rules, and regulations (5 U.S.C. § 7501-7533 and 5 CFR Part 752, as applicable).

If you are selected, travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid by the Commission. Any travel, transportation, and relocation expenses associated with reporting to work in this position will be your responsibility.

Except in special circumstances, those new to the federal government will be hired at the starting salary (step 1) of the applicable grade range listed in the Overview section.

Assessment Question: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12619077

Vacancy ID number: DE-25-12-MW

Reasonable accommodations: This agency provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the contact listed on the vacancy announcement. The decision to grant a reasonable accommodation is made on a case-by-case basis.

Verification of information: Any information claimed on your resume and in application materials, such as education, credentials, employment history, etc., will be verified as part of the security clearance process.

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 application will be rated by our applications system using the Category Rating procedure. A quality review will then be conducted by the HR Office and/or Subject Matter Expert (SME). Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following area:

  • Legislative Expertise
  • Outreach, Coordination, and Collaboration
  • Expert Advisor, Strategic Thinking, and Analysis
  • Documentation and Technical Support
We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications and/or education on the information provided and evaluate your relevant education and/or work experiences as it relates to fundamental competencies, competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) mentioned above.

Based on the results of this evaluation, you will be placed in one of the following quality categories:

Best: Placement in this category indicates you have the type and quality of experience and/or education that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position, including any selective placement factors and/or appropriate quality ranking factor(s).

Better: Placement in this category indicates you have the type and quality of experience and/or education that exceed the minimum qualifications of the position.

Good: Placement in this category indicates you meet the minimum qualifications and/or education of the position and are proficient in some, but not all, of the requirements of the position. You may require extensive training and/or orientation in order to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position.

Candidates in the Best category will be the first ones sent to the hiring manager for interview consideration. Within each category, those with veterans' preference eligibility will receive selection priority over non-veterans.

We will evaluate your relevant education and/or work experience as they relate to the competencies, knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) mentioned above. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job

Your experience is also evaluated using an assessment questionnaire, which is available at the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12619077

Required Documents

To receive consideration, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified below by 12/20/2024

1. Resume: Your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations and must highlight your most relevant and significant work experience(s) as it relates to this job opportunity. In order to fully evaluate your application and receive proper credit, your resume should include: (1) paid and non-paid experience, job title, dates held (month and year for qualifying purposes to receive credit), number of hours worked per week, and salary (2) knowledge of the subject matter and technical skills pertinent to this position; (3) specific duties performed that fully detail the level and complexity of the work; and (4) names and phone numbers of your current and/or previous supervisor(s). Your resume should contain sufficient information to make a valid determination that you fully meet the basic/specialized experience requirements as stated in this job opportunity announcement for each grade level(s) for which you are applying.

2. Occupational Questionnaire: A complete job-specific occupational questionnaire submitted through your Application Manager account or faxed using the methods outlined in the How to Apply section.

3. Transcripts: You MUST submit a copy of your academic transcript(s), as specified under the Education section of this announcement. Unofficial transcripts are sufficient for application purposes, provided they show your classes, grades, dates of attendance and award of any degree. If selected, an official/sealed academic transcript(s) will be required to verify education prior to employment.

Foreign Education: You can use education you completed in a foreign college or university if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. You must provide an official statement certifying that your education is equivalent with your application package. The link contains a list of accredited organizations that specialize in interpreting of foreign education credentials: https://www.naces.org/members. If you are selected for a position, you must submit an official/sealed college transcript(s) prior to employment.

4. Veterans' Preference: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to direct hire positions; however, the Commission considers veterans' preference eligibility a positive factor in the hiring of all positions. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include such information in their cover letter, or resume, and submit supporting documents (e.g. DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active duty) as part of their application package. Although the point preference system is not used as in the competitive service, applicants eligible to claim a 10-point preference must submit a Standard Form 15 (SF-15), and documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed, as listed on the SF-15. Specific information is available on the Office of Personnel Management website at: http://www.opm.gov.

5. Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Eligibles. You must submit the following documents:

  • a copy of your agency notice;
  • a copy of your most recent performance rating; and
  • a copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, noting your current position, grade level, and duty location.

6. Cover Letter. This is optional.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 12/20/2024 to receive consideration.

1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.

2. Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package. It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation are submitted prior to the closing date.

3. To verify that your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

4. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.

The Vacancy ID is 12619077

Agency contact information

Melanie West
Address
Office of External Relations
500 E St SW
Washington, DC 20436
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once the online questionnaire is received, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. After a review of your complete application is made, you will be notified of your rating and/or referral to the hiring official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted.

To check the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, select Application Status, and click on the More Information link under the application status for this position.

You will be notified up to four times during the hiring process:

  1. Upon receipt of your application
  2. Upon minimum qualifications determination
  3. After candidates have been referred to the hiring official
  4. Once a selection has been made


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


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