MANAGEMENT AND PROGRAM ANALYST (PRIVACY/FOIA) PATHWAYS RECENT GRADUATES

Clarification from the agency

U.S. citizens who are recent graduates of qualifying educational institutions.

As a MANAGEMENT AND PROGRAM ANALYST (PRIVACY/FOIA) PATHWAYS RECENT GRADUATES, GS-0343-7/9, your typical work assignments may include the following under supervision:

At the GS-07 grade level -

• Perform entry-level analytical, evaluative, and administrative assignments in privacy and information disclosure operations in preparation for higher-level work.
• Conduct assessments, analyzing and resolving issues with productivity, effectiveness, and efficiency of management and program operations and administrative support staff activities.
• Maintain full/accurate case administrative files to develop case history timelines and/or to provide current case status.
• Communicate with senior level staff members including requesters, internal offices, and components to provide and/or receive information.

At the GS-09 grade level -

• Provide analytical/evaluative services to support Privacy Act (PA) and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) programs/operations in one of the following areas: Privacy Compliance, Privacy Oversight, FOIA Policy and Compliance, FOIA Training, and FOIA Appeals and Litigation.
• Conduct assessments, analyzing and resolving issues with productivity, effectiveness, and efficiency of management and program operations and administrative support staff activities.
• Maintain full/accurate case administrative files to develop case history timelines and/or to provide current case status.
• Communicate with a variety of stakeholders including requesters, internal offices, teams, components, and/or plaintiffs to provide and/or receive information.

All DHS-HQ announcements have a 5 business day open period due to the number of applications received. This announcement will be open for 5 business days OR until the first 150 applications have been received, whichever happens first.

View common definitions of terms found in this announcement: Common Definitions.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
• You must successfully pass a background investigation.
• You must submit to a pre-employment drug test.
• You must be 16 years of age or older to apply.
• Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.
• You may be required to obtain and maintain a Secret Security Clearance.
• The appointment of Recent Graduates is in the excepted service.
• You will be required to complete at least 40 hours of formal interactive training every year that advances the goals and competencies outlined in your established Individual Development Plan (IDP).
• You will be required to complete and sign an Individual Development Plan (IDP) within 45 days of your initial appointment date.
• You will be required to serve a trial period for the duration of the Recent Graduates appointment.
• The Pathways Program requires the incumbent to submit official or unofficial transcripts with your application and provide official transcripts prior to entrance-on-duty (EOD).
• The incumbent will be required to sign a Program Participant Agreement.
• The degree conferred date must be within the 2 years preceding the closing date of this announcement. Proof of education must be submitted with your application package and received by the closing date of the announcement.

Qualifications

To be eligible for this position, you must have completed, within the previous two years, a qualifying associate's, bachelor's, master's, professional, doctorate, vocational or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution. Veterans unable to apply within two years of receiving their degree, due to military service obligation, have as much as six years after degree completion to apply.

NOTE: Qualifying educational institution means-
Any of the following educational institutions or curricula that have been accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the Secretary of Education:

• A technical or vocational school;
• A 2-year or 4-year college or university;
• A graduate or professional school (e.g., law school, medical school); or
• A post-secondary home-school curriculum.

AND

You must also meet all qualification requirements:

For the GS-07 grade level -

Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes: 1) Identifying significant factors, gathering pertinent data, and recognizing solutions that support assessments for determining the efficiency/effectiveness of management and program operations; 2) Conducting work utilizing spreadsheet software to independently track, manage, and present information to stakeholders; and 3) Communicating orally and in writing to prepare written reports, analyses and provide recommendations regarding program issues and operations. (NOTE: Your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet this requirement, otherwise you will be found ineligible.) This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-05).

OR

Education: One full year of graduate level education in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position.

OR

Superior Academic Achievement: Successful completion of all the requirements for a bachelor's degree with Superior Academic Achievement. In order to be creditable under this provision, Superior Academic Achievement must have been gained in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled, such as that identified in Education above. [Note: Remove the words "such as that identified in Education above" if the position you are filling does not require education in specific fields found in an Individual Occupational Requirement.] Superior Academic Achievement is based on:
(1) Class Standing - Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses; OR
(2) Grade-Point Average (G.P.A.) - Applicants must have a grade-point average of either (a) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on your official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or (b) 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum.; OR
(3) Honor Society Membership - Applicants may be considered eligible based on membership in one of the approved national scholastic honor societies listed by the Association of College Honor Societies (https://www.achsnatl.org/).

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) by 18. Add the two percentages.

For the GS-09 grade level -

Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes: 1) Identifying significant factors, gathering pertinent data, and recognizing solutions that support assessments for determining the efficiency/effectiveness of management and program operations; 2) Conducting work utilizing spreadsheet software to independently track, manage, and present information to stakeholders; and 3) Communicating orally and in writing to prepare written reports, analyses and provide recommendations regarding program issues and operations. (NOTE: Your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet this requirement, otherwise you will be found ineligible.). This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-07).

OR

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. in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position.

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the first year (total graduate semester hours minus 18) by 18. Add the two percentages.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

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 online assessments required for this position.

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 assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

The assessment includes a cutscore based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements. Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be considered in the following order:

1. Preference eligibles having a compensable service-connected disability of 10% or more;
2. Other 10-point preference eligibles;
3. 5-point preference eligible; and
4. Non-preference eligibles (i.e., non-veterans).

1. Your resume NOTE: Limit your resume to no more than two pages. The USAJOBS database will not allow an applicant to submit an application that includes a resume over two pages. For what to include in the resume, click on the link: USAJOBS Help Center
2. Your responses to the job questionnaire. https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13042364
3. Submit a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable) from an accredited institution. Once selected and prior to appointment, applicants must provide an official college transcript. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. For example, specific courses accepted for college-level credit by an accredited U.S. college or university, or foreign education evaluated by an organization recognized for accreditation by the Department of Education as education equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. college or university. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications for more information.
4. Are you a veteran? You must provide acceptable documentation of your preference or appointment eligibility. The member 4 copy of your DD214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," is preferable. If claiming 10 point preference, you will need to submit a Standard Form (SF-15), "Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference." If applying based on eligibility under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces that you will be discharged or released from active duty within 120 days from the date on the certification. This must indicate your dates of service, your rank, and confirm that you will be separated under honorable conditions. View more veterans' information.
5. If you are requesting a reasonable accommodation to the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, submit documentation to support your request, including the Reasonable Accommodation Request Form found here.
6. 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,
   • Beginning and ending dates of appointment.
7. If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration of Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.

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