Policy Advisor Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. 24-DO-727 Department Treasury, Departmental Offices
Salary $82,764.00 to $153,354.00 Grade 11 to 13
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 6/13/2024 Close Date 7/7/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Job Description (Please follow all instructions carefully)

Summary

This position serves as a Policy Advisor in the Office of Global Transactions within the Treasury's Office of Investment Security. This new office will house the Outbound Investment Security Program; the Policy Advisor will support efforts focusing on national security risks from global transactions, particularly those related to sensitive technologies and products crucial for military, intelligence, surveillance, or cyber capabilities of countries of concern.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

All candidates who are: 1. Current or former federal employees qualifying as Status Candidates, Federal employees currently serving on a VRA, VEOA eligibles, CTAP/ICTAP eligibles, eligible for special hiring authorities (e.g., the Schedule A appointment for persons with disabilities, or covered by an Interchange Agreement), or VRA eligibles (VRA only at the GS-11 level). OR 2. Land Management employees eligible under Public Law 114-47.

Duties

Created as a result of the 2023 Executive Order (E.O.) on Addressing United States Investments in Certain National Security Technologies and Products in Countries of Concern, the Office of Global Transactions will present an opportunity to work on cutting-edge policy, legal, and operational issues at the nexus of national security, emerging technologies, and international economics and finance.

The following are the duties of this position at the GS-13 level. If you are selected at a lower grade level, you will have the opportunity to learn to perform all these duties and will receive training to help you grow in this position

.

  • Support the intake of notifications to the Department of the Treasury of outbound investments.
  • Conduct reviews and analyses of notified outbound investments and provide recommendations.
  • Identify prohibited and non-notified outbound investments, including by leveraging open-source, law enforcement, and intelligence information, and support enforcement actions, where appropriate.
  • Coordinate with other offices in the Office of Investment Security on engagement with domestic and international stakeholders, including Congress, the White House, industry, foreign allies and partners, other executive branch departments and agencies, and the general public.
  • Prepare analyses, reports, and reviews required by the E.O.
  • Provide research and policy guidance to the Deputy Director and Director based on the analysis of identified prohibited or non-notified transactions.
  • Support coordination within the Department of the Treasury and the interagency.
  • Perform other duties related to investment security as directed by the Deputy Director and Director for Global Transactions.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Key Requirements:

  • Must be U.S. Citizen or U.S. National.
  • A one-year probationary period may be required.
  • Must successfully complete a background investigation..
  • All new hires will be required to comply with federal ethics laws. A review of financial or other interests may be conducted to determine if they create any real or apparent conflict of interests with official Treasury duties.
  • Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.
  • Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer.
  • If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so.
  • Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form I-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S.
  • Obtain and use a Government-issued charge card for business-related travel.
  • File a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report within 30 days of appointment and annually from then on.
  • Undergo an income tax verification
  • Please refer to the "Additional Information" section for additional Conditions of Employment.

Qualifications

You must meet the following requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

GS-13 SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Specialized experience for the GS-13 is one year (52) weeks of experience at the GS-12 grade level or equivalent in either public or private sectors, that is directly related to the position as listed in this announcement and which has equipped the candidate with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience for this position is defined as experience:

- Conducting market, financial, legal or economic analyses (e.g. due diligence, risk exposure, detailed credit analysis, market analysis) of issues across a range of financial products and activities and relating them to public policy; AND
- Communicating results of research and analysis and making policy recommendations to senior decision makers; AND At least ONE of the following:

1) A range of international financial and investment policy issues; OR
2) Conducting analyses of foreign direct investment to identify economic or national security risks.

GS-12 SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Specialized experience for the GS-12 is one year (52) weeks of experience at the GS-11 grade level or equivalent in either public or private sectors, that is directly related to the position as listed in this announcement and which has equipped the candidate with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience for this position is defined as experience:

- Conducting market, financial, legal, or economic analyses (e.g. due diligence, risk exposure, detailed credit analysis, market analysis) of issues across a range of financial products and activities; AND
- Experience with a range of international financial and investment policy issues to identify economic or national security risks; AND
- Communicating results of research and analysis to senior decision makers.

GS-11 SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Specialized experience for the GS-11 is one year (52 weeks) of experience at the GS-9 grade level or equivalent in either public or private sectors, that is directly related to the position as listed in this announcement and which has equipped the candidate with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience for this position is defined as experience:

- Conducting market, financial, legal, or economic analyses (e.g. due diligence, risk exposure, detailed credit analysis, market analysis) of issues across a range of financial products and activities; AND
- Communicating results of research and analysis to senior decision makers; AND
- Experience with a range of international financial and investment policy issues to identify economic or national security risks.

OR

EDUCATION:
You may substitute education for specialized experience as follows:Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree OR3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, ORLL.M., if related.

OR

COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION:
You may qualify on a combination of education and experience. To combine education and experience, the total percentage of experience at the required grade level compared to the requirement, as well as the percentage of completed education compared to the requirement must equal at least 100 percent. Only graduate level education in excess of the first 36 semester hours (54 quarter hours) may be combined to be considered for qualifying education.

TIME-IN-GRADE: In addition to the above requirements, you must meet the following time-in-grade requirement, if applicable:

For the GS-13, you must have been at the GS-12 level for 52 weeks.
For the GS-12, you must have been at the GS-11 level for 52 weeks.
For the GS-11, you must have been at the GS-9 level for 52 weeks.

TIME AFTER COMPETITIVE APPOINTMENT: Candidates who are current Federal employees serving on a non-temporary competitive appointment must have served at least three months in that appointment.

Education

The education generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Refer to the OPM instructions.

  • EDUCATION DOCUMENTATION:
    • You are not required to submit transcripts for this initial phase of the application process. Candidates will be referred for consideration based on their self-certification. If you are selected for a position which has a positive education requirement (as described in the vacancy announcement) and/or you are qualifying solely on your education, you will be required to submit official transcripts verifying your qualifications prior to a job offer being issued.
    • A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Refer to the OPM instructions.

Additional information

OTHER INFORMATION:

  • We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies.
  • This is a non-bargaining unit position.
  • A recruitment incentive may be offered.
  • We offer opportunities for telework.
  • We offer opportunities for flexible work schedules.
  • This position requires that the successful candidate undergo personnel vetting, which includes a background investigation and enrollment upon onboarding into "Continuous Vetting." Enrollment in Continuous Vetting will result in automated record checks being conducted throughout one's employment with Treasury. The successful candidate will also be enrolled into FBI's Rap Back service, which will allow Treasury to receive notification from the FBI of criminal matters (e.g., arrests, charges, convictions) involving enrolled individuals in near real-time. For more information about individual rights, Noncriminal Justice Applicant's Privacy Rights - FBI, FD-258 Privacy Act Statement - FBI, and SEAD-3-Reporting-U.pdf (dni.gov).
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION REQUESTS: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended and Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a reasonable accommodation in your online application. Requests for Reasonable Accommodations for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for Reasonable Accommodation must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for Reasonable Accommodations 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 Reasonable Accommodation, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire

Our comprehensive benefits are very generous. Our benefits package includes:

  • Challenging work, opportunities for advancement, competitive salaries, bonuses and incentive awards.
  • Eleven paid holidays, 13 days of sick leave, and 13 to 26 days of vacation time each year.
  • Access to insurance programs that may be continued after you retire.
  • A wide choice of health insurance plans, coverage for pre-existing conditions, and no waiting periods. We pay a substantial amount (up to 75%) of the health insurance premiums.
  • A retirement program which includes employer-matching contributions.
  • Learn more about Federal benefits programs at: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Pay_and_Benefits

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.

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 includes your resumé, responses to the online questions, and required supporting documents. Please be sure that your resumé includes detailed information to support your qualifications for this position; failure to provide sufficient evidence in your resumé may result in a "not qualified" determination.

Rating: Your application will be evaluated in the following areas: Analytical and Communication.

Your application will be reviewed and evaluated by a Subject Matter Expert, using a Structured Resume Review assessment process. Your application will be rated and ranked, based on your responses to the online questions, regarding your experience, education, training, performance appraisals and awards relevant to the duties of this position. Your rating may be lowered if your responses to the online questions are not supported by the education and/or experience described in your application.

Referral: If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application may be referred to a selecting official for consideration. You may be required to participate in a selection interview.

If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee (eligible for the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan. (ICTAP)) you must must receive a score of 85 or better to be rated as "well qualified" to receive special selection priority.

Required Documents

A complete application includes:

1. All applicants are required to submit a resumé, either by creating one in USAJOBS, or uploading one of their own choosing. (Cover letters are optional.)
  • Please limit your resume to 5 pages. If more than 5 pages are submitted, your resume will still be accepted, however only the first 5 pages will be reviewed and considered for qualifications and eligibility determination in whether or not the minimum qualifications for the position have been met.
  • To receive full credit for relevant experience, please list the month/date/year and number of hours worked for experience listed on your resumé.
  • It is suggested that you preview the entire announcement and online assessment questionnaire, to ensure that your resumé thoroughly describes how your skills and experience align to the criteria defined in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement and support your responses to the online assessment questionnaire.
  • For resumé writing guidance, please visit USAJOBS Resources Center.
2. Vacancy assessment question responses: All applicants are required to complete vacancy question responses by clicking the apply online button of this vacancy announcement.
3. Submission of any required documents identified below, if applicable: Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).
  • CURRENT AND FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES: Documentation Relating to Your Federal Employment:
    • You must submit a copy of your SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, which shows your current (or most recent) grade and competitive service status. (The "position occupied" block on the SF-50 should show a "1" and your "tenure" block should show a "1" or "2".)
    • If you are currently on a Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA), you must submit a copy of an SF-50 showing that. Also, you must submit a copy of your DD214 or other documentation showing dates of service and type of discharge (Member 4) and any other applicable documents such as SF-15, VA letters, etc.
    • Indicate on your application the highest permanent grade you have held; if this grade is different from your current grade, you must submit a copy of an additional SF-50 showing this grade.
  • Land Management Eligible: Youmust provide all required documentation to verify eligibility, prior performance, and qualifications for the target position. You can find information on the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act and eligibility HERE. Land Management Eligibles must compete under competitive merit promotion procedures and meet all applicable requirements as such (time-in-grade restrictions do not apply).
  • CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (CTAP) OR INTERAGENCY CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (ICTAP) DOCUMENTATION: If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee, click CTAP/ICTAP for eligibility and a detailed list of required documents you must submit in order to be eligible.
  • If you are applying under a special hiring authority (e.g. Military Spouses, Interchange Agreement, VEOA, VRA, Schedule A Disability, etc.), please see applicant guide for required documentation. In order to be eligible under one of these authorities, you must submit all required documentation as outlined in the applicant guide.
  • NON-COMPETITIVE REINSTATEMENT: If you are a former federal employee that has been separated for at least 1 year and wish to be non-competitively reinstated to a higher grade or full performance level than which you left federal employment, you MUST provide a copy of your separation SF50 (the "position occupied" block on the SF-50 should show a "1" and your "tenure" block should show a "1" or "2") AND you MUST submit a qualifying performance appraisal from your most recent career or career-conditional position of at least Fully Successful (or equivalent). You will NOT be given consideration for non-competitive reinstatement, under this option, if a performance appraisal document is not submitted.

How to Apply

DO has partnered with the Treasury's Bureau of the Fiscal Service to provide certain personnel services to its organization. Fiscal Service's responsibilities include advertising vacancies, accepting and handling applications, and extending job offers.

The following instructions outline our application process. You must complete this application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET, Monday - Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, please contact us by noon ET on the announcement's closing date.

The Bureau provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us if you require this for any part of the application and hiring process.

  • To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
  • Follow the prompts to select your resumé and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
  • After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
  • You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
To verify the status of your application:
-Log into your USAJOBS account (USAJOBS Login). A list of announcements in which you have applied is at the Welcome screen.
-Under "application status," click "Track this application" and you will be taken to the agency website where you can check your application status.

For more information regarding the job and applicant status, please refer to https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/

If you wish to make changes/updates to your application and the vacancy is still open, you can click on the job announcement and "Update Application" to be taken back to your application. No updates can be made once the announcement has closed.

Please notify us if your contact information changes after the closing date of the announcement. Also, note that if you provide an email address that is inaccurate or if your mailbox is full or blocked (e.g., spam-blocker), you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.

For additional information on how to apply, please visit the Partnership for Public Service's Go Government website.

The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Treasury and its bureaus from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Treasury by email at, FairChanceAct@treasury.gov.

To learn more, please visit our page at: Treasury.gov/fairchanceact.

To preview the assessment questionnaire: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12438308

Agency contact information

Applicant Call Center
Address
International Affairs-Investment Security Office
Administrative Resource Center
Parkersburg, WV 26101
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. We will review your resumé and transcript(s) (if appropriate) to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications on the information provided and may interview the best-qualified applicants. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct any required suitability and/or security background investigation.


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