Duties
This position serves as head of the Knowledge Services Group (KSG), the division at CRS responsible for general and legal reference and research, knowledge management, acquisition and collections, and technical services. In this capacity, and reporting directly to the Assistant Director of the KSG, the Deputy Assistant Director assists in leading, planning, directing and evaluating KSG services to congressional users and CRS staff, and ensures that it is of the highest quality and consistently meets the Service's standards of objectivity, nonpartisanship, timeliness, authoritativeness; and confidentiality.
The Deputy Assistant Director assists with leading the delivery of general reference and legal research support activities in CRS. This includes demonstrating personal intellectual leadership in monitoring congressional needs for information research across a broad spectrum of policy areas, and assures the availability of the intellectual capacity needed to meet the current and changing needs of the United States Congress at a sustained level of excellence. In addition, the incumbent helps oversee the management of institutional knowledge, instruction in the use of information tools, maintenance of authoritative research materials, and development of knowledge bases.
The Deputy Assistant Director also serves as one of the advisors to the Director, counseling the Director on all aspects of the research management and operations of CRS and recommending specific policies and procedures for improving the Service’s overall quality, efficiency, and effectiveness. The Deputy Assistant Director serves as a member of the Director’s senior management team and serves as a CRS representative to Members, committees, and officers of the United States Congress.
Major duties of this position include:
- Counsels the Assistant Director of the Knowledge Services Group on all aspects of the administration and operations of the division. Has overall responsibility, as well as delegated authority, for the oversight and administration of broad, emerging, and/or critical division programs or operations. Is responsible for the formulation and administration of policies affecting the KSG at the highest level, and implementing a strategic vision and successfully meeting the CRS mission. Monitors immediate and longer term needs of CRS for information resource support in its policy making activities.
- Oversees implementation of the KSG research agenda, including approaches, frameworks, and methodologies for addressing policy and legislative issues within the division's areas of responsibility. Continually assesses the overall performance of information research delivery and information resource management practices and systems in meeting needs of Congress and the priorities, goals and policies of CRS for meeting those needs.
Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with various high-level individuals, including Members of Congress and their staff, Library of Congress and CRS management, executive departments and agencies, professional organizations and universities.
- Performs the human resource management functions relative to the staff supervised. Communicates work standards and expectations to supervisors and staff and holds them accountable to those standards.
This position is not eligible for permanent remote telework.
CRS works exclusively for the United States Congress, providing policy and legal analysis to committees and Members of both the House and Senate, regardless of party affiliation. As a legislative branch agency within the Library of Congress, CRS has been a valued and respected resource on Capitol Hill for over a century.
CRS is well known for analysis that is accurate, authoritative, confidential, objective and nonpartisan. Its highest priority is to ensure that Congress has immediate access to the nation's best thinking on public policy issues of interest to its Members and Committees.
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce that ensures the Service is well positioned to anticipate and meet the information and analytical research needs of a 21st-century Congress.
The selected applicant will be required to file a financial disclosure statement with the House of Representatives, United States Congress, in accordance with the provisions of Public Law 95-521, the Ethics in Government Act of 1978.
The salary range indicated reflects the basic pay adjustment of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.
Number of vacancies: one.
This is a permanent, supervisory, non-bargaining unit position.
The tour of duty for this position is full-time.
The position description number for this position is 013367.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- See requirements listed below under Qualifications Required.
Conditions of Employment
Library of Congress employees are prohibited from using illegal drugs, including marijuana. The Library is part of the Federal Government and abides by federal law, so regardless of individual state or District of Columbia laws, marijuana use is illegal, considered criminal activity, and can affect your employment at the Library. In addition, past drug use and activities (e.g., selling or distributing) may deem you ineligible for employment.
The Deputy Assistant Director leads division staff toward meeting the Library’s vision, mission, and goals by acting decisively, leveraging diversity and inclusiveness, demonstrating flexibility and resilience, fostering continuous improvement and innovation, and fostering integrity and honesty. To view the Library’s Supervisory Core Competencies click the following link: http://www.loc.gov/hr/employment/uploads/loc_supervisor_core_competencies.pdf.
Library of Congress employees are prohibited from using illegal drugs, including marijuana. The Library is part of the Federal Government and abides by federal law, so regardless of individual state or District of Columbia laws, marijuana use is illegal, considered criminal activity, and can affect your employment at the Library. In addition, past drug use and activities (e.g., selling or distributing) may deem you ineligible for employment.
The Library reserves the right to fill a lesser or greater number of vacancies indicated during the life of this vacancy announcement.
Appointment/retention is subject to a favorable evaluation of an appropriate personnel security/suitability investigation.
Initial appointments, permanent or indefinite, to the Library of Congress require completion of a one-year probationary period. In addition, all newly appointed Senior Level executives from outside the Library, as well as from within, must serve a one-year probationary period in accordance with Library of Congress Regulation (LCR) 9-1610, Senior Level Executive System.
Qualifications
The competencies below are required for this position. Those marked with a double asterisk (**) are considered the most critical competencies for this position.
A candidate's resume must show a proven record of accomplishment that clearly demonstrates he or she has:
- Ability to lead and manage a program/area of responsibility.** The successful candidate has the ability to acquire and administer human, financial, material, and information resources to accomplish an organization’s mission. This includes the ability to accomplish strategic and operational goals by ensuring the effective interaction and integration of processes; delegating and managing multiple tasks; and planning and organizing resources, people, and activities effectively and efficiently. This includes the ability to take ownership of the organization’s work and results and to determine the most effective methods necessary to get things done.
- Ability to apply knowledge of information research within public policy research frameworks.** The successful candidate has ability to apply knowledge of the theories, concepts, processes, techniques, principles and/or practices of librarianship and information science to integrate information research with public policy analysis. This includes applying these approaches and frameworks, methodologies and techniques to the evaluation of complex issues. This also includes the willingness to acquire new skills and knowledge by staying current in information research methods, techniques, and technologies.
- Ability to lead people and manage a workforce.** The successful candidate has the ability to oversee the overall performance of direct reports as well as the Division by assessing staffing requirements in relation to current and anticipated needs of Congress; developing staffing plans, justifications, and requests; and making policy area assignments for staff in order to assure the availability of the intellectual capacity needed to meet the current and changing needs of Congress at a sustained level of excellence. This includes the development and oversight of recruiting, hiring, mentoring, and training a diverse workforce as well as building and maintaining exceptional staff performance.
- Ability to instill a collaborative work environment. The successful candidate has the ability to create, promote, and sustain collaborative approaches to the work of the organization. This includes creating organizational protocols that constitute an environment in which collaboration is expected. This also includes ensuring an atmosphere in which input is sought from colleagues with diverse expertise, skills, and abilities and using that input to inform and enhance the work of the organization. This includes the ability to marshal the expertise of other individuals and/or programs to accomplish goals and articulate problems and issues from an enterprise perspective.
- Ability to lead and effect change. The successful candidate has the ability to lead and effect change in carrying out the organizational mission that integrates key goals, priorities, values, etc. This includes championing ideas that promote the mission with enthusiasm, conviction, and assertiveness; gaining support and commitment from others; and motivating and inspiring others.
- Ability to define and solve problems and make decisions. The successful candidate has the ability to identify the problem or issue, and to gather, examine, and interpret information to generate effective solutions to problems and make sound decisions. This includes the ability to seek, logically examine, analyze, interpret, and synthesize information from different sources; generate and evaluate reasonable alternative solutions and the implications, consequences, and benefits of choosing each alternative; recommend the most promising alternative or course of action; and commit to action, even in uncertain situations. This includes the willingness to bring issues into the open and attempt to resolve them in a collaborative manner.
- Ability to innovate. The successful candidate has the ability to approach institutional challenges with creativity and an appropriate level of risk taking to advance organizational goals and mission. This includes the ability and willingness to challenge oneself and the status quo, to generate new ideas, and to apply new and emerging technologies to improve work efficiencies, productivity, and client service. This also includes exploring new ways to undertake work activities or accomplish organizational goals.
- Ability to communicate effectively other than in writing. The successful candidate has the ability to speak clearly, politely, and under control to peers, staff, managers, supervisors, and external audiences to both provide and seek information. This also includes actively listening to and understanding information; and listening to and answering questions thoughtfully and completely. This includes appropriately judging the amount, form, depth and level of detail, and content of information to the needs of the receiver/audience.
- Knowledge of information research and knowledge management principles. The successful candidate has knowledge of information seeking behaviors and how to design information research approaches in order to support a research community. Understands information resource management, including the full life cycle of information from its creation or acquisition through its disposition in order to support an enterprise-wide knowledge asset management program.
- Ability to communicate in writing. The successful candidate has the ability to write a variety of clear, cogent, and well-organized products, including targeting the amount, form, depth and level of detail, and content of the information to the needs of the receiver/audience.
- Knowledge of congressional decision-making. The successful candidate has knowledge of congressional decision-making, including how legislation becomes law, the federal budget process, the appropriations process, and oversight, sufficient to ensure timely and legislatively relevant assistance to congressional committees, Members, and senior staff. Knowledge of institutional and political environment in which congressional decision making occurs, including the roles and relationships of the President and executive and independent agencies, the judiciary, state and local governments, and interest groups, and the ramifications of those decisions on existing policies and affected constituencies.
Continue with the application process only if you are able to document on your resume that you meet all the critical competency requirements at the levels described below.
- Ability to lead and manage a program/area of responsibility: I have led and managed a program(s) for a department or division and accomplished its’ strategic and operational goals.
- Ability to apply knowledge of information research within public policy research frameworks: I have knowledge of the theories, concepts, processes, techniques, principles, and/or practices of librarianship and information science to integrate information research with public policy analysis.
- Ability to lead people and manage a workforce: I have led and managed the performance of a diverse and inclusive workforce.
Education
Experience must have demonstrated the ability to perform, supervise, or direct one or more of the functional areas of work covered by this series; to understand the concepts, theories, new developments, and co-relationship of information in related fields; and to maintain up-to-date information on the state of the art. For positions where foreign language proficiency is needed, applicants must be able to read and/or translate material in the appropriate specialized subject-matter field.
For Librarian (appropriate specialization): Applicants must also possess specialized knowledge of a subject-matter field and/or proficiency in one or more foreign languages directly related to the position(s) being filled. When such knowledge is required for the position, an applicant's education or experience must have included or been supplemented by the requirements specified in one of the paragraphs below:
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A full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university that meets all academic requirements for a bachelor's degree that included at least 24 semester hours in the specialized field for which the applicant is being considered, e.g., physical science, biological science, social science; or that included any combination of subjects with at least 15 semester hours in a major subject (such as physics or chemistry) that is especially applicable to the position for which the applicant is being considered;
or
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Completion of at least 24 semester hours of legal study in an accredited law school for positions primarily concerned with providing library services in law or legislative reference;
or
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Four years of pertinent experience of such nature and level to provide a knowledge of the basic principles, theories, practices, techniques, terminology and expressions of the appropriate discipline or subject-matter field; an understanding of the standard methods, procedures, and techniques of research and analysis in the subject-matter field; ability to acquire additional information about the field and related fields; and some knowledge of literature resources in the field.
Such experience should be equivalent to that which would have been acquired through successful completion of a full 4-year curriculum in an accredited college or university with major study in appropriate subjects, or combination of subjects, as specified in (a) above; or legal training as specified in (b) above;
or
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Any time equivalent combination of experience as described in (c) with education as described in (a) or (b) above;
or
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Demonstrated ability as shown by education or experience to read or translate information from one or more foreign languages into English.
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.
Required Documents
Current or former federal employees must submit their most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50 or equivalent).
Applicants with disabilities may be considered under special hiring procedures and must submit an appropriate certificate of eligibility when applying for this position. The proof or disability/certification may be issued by the State Vocational Rehabilitation Office, Disability Services or Career Services office of the applicant’s college or university, or the Department of Veterans Affairs. The letter must verify that the applicant has a severe disability and must be dated within three years of the date of the application. The program does not accept certification from health care providers. For more information contact the Library's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity Programs at 202-707-6024 or email spp@loc.gov. FAILURE TO SUBMIT YOUR CERTIFICATION WILL CAUSE YOUR APPLICATION TO NOT BE CONSIDERED UNDER THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT PROGRAM.
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 this agency. The decision on granting reasonable accommodations will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Applicants with disabilities may be considered under special hiring procedures and must submit an appropriate certificate of eligibility when applying for this position. The proof or disability/certification may be issued by the State Vocational Rehabilitation Office, Disability Services or Career Services office of the applicant’s college or university, or the Department of Veterans Affairs. The letter must verify that the applicant has a severe disability and must be dated within three years of the date of the application. The program does not accept certification from health care providers. For more information contact the Library's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity Programs at 202-707-6024 or email spp@loc.gov.
FAILURE TO SUBMIT YOUR CERTIFICATION WILL CAUSE YOUR APPLICATION TO NOT BE CONSIDERED UNDER THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT PROGRAM.
Are you a veteran? Please indicate the type of Veterans' Preference you are claiming in your application materials and/or applicant profile and provide the appropriate supporting documentation to validate your claim. Those applying for 5-point preference must submit Member Copy 4 of your DD 214. Those applying for 10-point preference must fill out an SF-15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and provide the required documentation listed on the back of the form. For more information regarding eligibility requirements, please see the Library's Merit Selection Plan, Section X.D. IF REQUIRED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION IS NOT ATTACHED, VETERANS' PREFERENCE WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED IN THE APPLICATION PROCESS.
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
Please carefully follow all instructions under the How to Apply tab to ensure that you are considered for the position.
Step 1: If you do not already have one, create a resume on USAJOBS. Although you must enter your Social Security Number for USAJOBS, this information will not be provided to the Library of Congress.
Step 2: Review the Job Announcement. We recommend you go to the Qualifications and Evaluations section of the job announcement to review the qualifications listed to ensure that your resume reflects your accomplishments in those areas.
Step 3: Click on the "APPLY ONLINE" button to the right of this announcement. Follow USAJOBS' instructions to access your account and submit your resume. You will be redirected to the Hiring Management website to complete the application process. If this is your first time in Hiring Management, you will be asked to answer questions related to your eligibility for Federal employment. You will be able to update this information and save it to our account for future announcements.
Step 4: Click on "Finish" after you have completed your application. Once you have submitted your application, you can check your status online through your Hiring Management or MY USAJOBS account. If you are experiencing any technical difficulty with the online process, you MUST CONTACT THE POINT OF CONTACT FOR THIS ANNOUNCEMENT BEFORE THE CLOSING DATE. For all technical issues please contact jobhelp@loc.gov , no later than 4:30pm EST of the Closing Date.
Next steps
Please review our evaluation process under Qualifications and Evaluations. You may check the status of your application for this position at any time by logging onto the USAJOBS "My USAJOBS" tab and clicking on "My Applications." You will receive final notification via e-mail when the vacancy has been filled.