Congressional and Legislative Affairs Specialist (Bilingual) Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. IAF-25-DE-12662784CPO Department Inter-American Foundation
Salary $84,601.00 to $156,755.00 Grade 11 to 13
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 1/10/2025 Close Date 1/19/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

Come join the Inter-American Foundation (IAF), a nimble and transformative U.S. government agency that invests in community-led development across Latin America and the Caribbean. We directly engage local leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs in underserved areas to make communities more prosperous, peaceful, and democratic. The incumbent is a key part of the IAF team responsible for establishing and maintaining effective relationships with Congressional Members, staff, and Committees.

Duties

- Advises agency leadership on congressional strategy and provides analysis to inform congressional strategy.
- Develops briefing materials in support of Congressional communication and relationship strategies for current and emerging
programs.
- Researches and coordinates with other IAF offices to develop draft responses to Congressional inquiries.
- Participates in meetings with Congressional staff. Stays abreast of IAF program and policy developments and future plans.
- Provides advice and assistance to IAF staff on procedural Congressional matters.
- Drafts Congressional testimony, speeches, talking points, statements, and other related documents for use by the Foundation
management and senior staff.
- Participates in the review of reports, documents, correspondence, memoranda, and other material submitted by other offices for
completeness and conformity with requests made and directives issued.
- Researches and drafts reports or other documents such as the annual budget justification. Provides information and analysis
regarding Congressional impacts and considerations.
- Drafts written memorandum of meetings and the necessary follow-up actions.
-Supports Congressional Staff delegations including the identification of participants, logistical support and development of briefing materials.

Duties at the lower grade levels will be performed under more supervision.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • US Citizenship is required.
  • Suitable for Federal employment, determined by background investigation.
  • Direct Deposit of pay is required.
  • Selective Service registration required for male applicants, unless exempt.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all the required qualification requirements and the SPF described by the closing date of this announcement.

This position contains a selective placement factor (SPF) that is part of the minimum requirement of the position. If you do not meet the SPF, you are ineligible for further consideration. The SPF for this position is: Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, in English and Spanish. This experience must be clearly documented in your resume.

Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.

If selected for an interview, portions may be conducted in Spanish. There may also be a written exercise.

Applicants must also meet the specialized experience and/or the education listed below.
For the GS-11 level:
You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-09) in the Federal Service that has given you the particular knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties the position. Specialized experience includes: Monitoring and advising on legislative activities, and providing analysis and comments on proposed legislation, including impacts on programs and considerations; establishing and maintaining effective relationships and communications with members of congress and their staff members; and experience facilitating and arranging for Congressional meetings between agency staff and Members of Congress and/or their staff members. Must also demonstrate writing experience and interpersonal skills to represent governmental officials and their staff in a professional manner.
OR
You must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or a LL.M., if related (e.g., PhD. in Business, Management, or relating). (Note: Applicants who select this response must provide transcripts as verification of their education).
OR
You must have a combination of specialized experience as described in A and education as described in B, such that the total equals 100%. For example, I have 6 months of experience and half of the degree requirements for a Ph.D. (Note: Applicants who select this response must provide transcripts as verification of their education).

For the GS-12 level:
You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-11) in the Federal Service that has given you the particular knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties the position. Specialized experience is that which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience for this position is: Experience in legislative and congressional committee processes on politically sensitive issues, policies, and objectives; experience communicating with Members of Congress, Administration officials, or other executive level officials to explain, relate, actions; experience communicating complex matters, both in person and in writing, in a clear, concise and logical manner to be able to present the views of the Agency on matters of Congressional interest to Members of Congress and key staff, and to accurately convey Congressional views to high-ranking officials both inside and outside an Agency; and experience that demonstrates a detailed knowledge of the concepts, principles, and practices of the legislative process including parliamentary procedures in the House and Senate. In addition, specialized experience includes managing legislative liaison initiatives for Agency programs, assisting in the preparation of Agency staff and coordinating legislative documents for Congressional hearings or briefings, and understanding of the political, social and/or development challenges of Latin America and the Caribbean.

For the GS-13 level:
You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-12) in the Federal Service that has given you the particular knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties the position. Specialized experience is that which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience for this position is: Drafting formal reports, legislative proposals, testimony and other briefing materials; responding to inquiries and correspondence affecting regulatory policies and programs; experience researching legislative regulations and Congressional information; experience establishing contacts and maintaining relationships and liaison with certain United States Senate and House of Representative Committees; experience in providing information to management about Congressional trends or events that might affect the organization and ensure that Congressional offices keep abreast of current issues involving the organization; experience in providing written responses to Congressional inquiries, including constituent inquiries as necessary; experience in assisting in analyzing legislative proposals and bills introduced in Congress to determine the impact on organizational policies, programs, and procedures; and experience in drafting legislative proposals and other bills based on independent research and on review and analysis of comments of an organization's technical and field personnel, and understanding of the political, social and/or development challenges of Latin America and the Caribbean.

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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

Education alone will not qualify for the GS-12 or GS-13 levels.

If qualifying based on EDUCATION you MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.

Only education from institutions which are accredited or preaccredited/candidate for accreditation may be used to meet education requirements.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for RA for Online Assessments here.

Career Transition Assistance Programs: CTAP/ICTAP provides placement assistance to permanent Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated. To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, applicants must be well-qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), score at least 85 on the assessment questionnaire, and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. Please refer to Required Documents section for additional details. For information on CTAP and ICTAP visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/federal-employees/career-transition/

Telework Suitability:

The duties of this position are suitable for occasional telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval and if they meet the eligibility criterion in the 2010 Telework Act.

Stipulations of Employment:

Selection may require completion of a 1-year probationary period.

If selected, you will be required to file a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450).

Work Schedule:

This position allows for a flexible work schedule.

Miscellaneous:

IAF uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify.

This vacancy announcement may be used to fill similar positions within 90 days.

If selection is made below the full performance level, promotion up to the full performance level may be made without further competition. However, promotion(s) will depend on the performance of the incumbent and are not guaranteed.

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.

For Category Rating: Once the application process is complete, qualified candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies required for this position. The categories for this announcement are defined as: Best-Qualified and Qualified. Your resume and supporting documentation will then be used to determine if you are qualified for this job. 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. If you are found to be among the top candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration. The Category Rating Process does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of three," but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligible within each category. Preference eligibles who meet the minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent must be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-09 level or higher).

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment(s) required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

Note: Duplicative competencies indicate that the competency is being assessed in both the Assessment Questionnaire and USA Hire Competency Based Assessment.

  • Analytical Thinking
  • Attention to Detail
  • Congressional and Legislative Affairs
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Communication
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Oral Communication
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork
  • Written Communication

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online USA Hire Competency Based Assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

1. Your Resume listing work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment mm/yy and duties performed. If multiple resumes are submitted, only the most current resume will be reviewed for qualifications.
2. Other supporting documents:

  • College transcript(s), if qualifying based on education or if this position has a basic education requirement
  • Veterans' Preference documentation, if applicable (e.g. DD-214 Member Copy 4 showing type of discharge/character of service, SF-15 Form and related documentation, VA letter, etc.)
  • Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program Documentation: If you are applying under CTAP or ICTAP, you MUST submit proof of eligibility under 5 CFR 330.602(a) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance rating, and a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP or ICTAP eligible
  • Cover Letter, optional but highly recommended
If you are a veteran with preference eligibility and you are claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility. If applicable, you must also submit an SF-15, "Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference" plus the proof required by that form. Failure to provide this documentation may result in a non preference determination. For more information on veterans' preference (see https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/veterans-employment-initiative/vet-guide/). Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - you must remove your image from any badges, licenses, etc.

Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices. Note: A PDF Portfolio contains multiple files assembled into an integrated PDF unit. The files in a PDF Portfolio can be in a wide range of file types created in different applications. To ensure the document is not a PDF Portfolio document, open the document and if there are multiple different documents with a variety of extensions, it is a PDF Portfolio document and will not be processed.

It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted prior to the closing date of the announcement.

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

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section of this vacancy.

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial online assessment and submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section of this vacancy.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:

  1. To begin the application process, click Apply Online button.
  2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. You may preview the Application Questionnaire at:https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12662784
  3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
  4. Read the Eligibility questions carefully. The questions address if you are eligible to apply to this JOA. Your responses will affect your consideration for the position. You may qualify for more than one eligibility, so please choose carefully. You will only be considered under the options you have selected. If you respond that you do not meet any of the eligibility questions, you will not be considered for this position.
  5. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
  6. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
  7. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
  8. Set aside at least 3 hours to take the assessment; however, most applicants complete the assessment in less time. If you need to stop the assessment and continue at a later time, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
  9. Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.

This position is being advertised concurrently with vacancy announcement #IAF-25-MP-12662785CPO using Merit Promotion procedures. If interested, refer to that announcement to determine if you meet merit promotion requirements and can apply to that announcement. NOTE: You must apply separately to each announcement in order to be considered under both.


For more general information, system requirements, reasonable accommodation information, and to request assistance regarding the USA Hire Assessments, review the following resources: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=USA_Hire_Assessments

To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Edit Application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To view the announcement status or your application status: Click on this: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.

Agency contact information

Dawn Craun
Address
Inter-American Foundation
1331 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Suite 1200 North
Washington, DC 20004
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

If you have questions about this job, please contact the HR Office representative listed in the "Agency Contact Info" section of this vacancy announcement.

For status updates on your application, please follow the directions listed above in the How to Apply section. Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. If you are selected for an interview for this position, you will be contacted directly. A final job offer for this position is typically made within several weeks after the closing date of the vacancy announcement. After confirming a job offer, all other applicants will be notified of their non-selection.


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


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