Policy Advisor Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. 24-DO-666-P Department Treasury, Departmental Offices
Salary $117,962.00 to $181,216.00 Grade 13 to 14
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 6/28/2024 Close Date 7/8/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Job Description (Please follow all instructions carefully)

Summary

This position is located in the U.S. Department of the Treasury; Departmental Offices (DO); Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Accessibility (ODEIA), Equity Hub. The Equity Hub provides support to the Office of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (ODEIA) through policy development, advice and consultation, program outreach as well as data collection and analytics support.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

U.S. citizens or U.S. Nationals; no prior Federal experience is required.

Duties

**IMPORTANT PLEASE READ** This announcement contains a two-phase process. Upon completion of Phase 1, you must click on the exclusive link to complete the manual assessment. The next phase it will take one hour, at a minimum, to complete.

The following are the duties of this position at the GS-14. 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

- Research and analyze policy initiatives and legislative proposals in terms of how they are impacting or would impact DEIA and economic goals.
- Be responsible for assessing the adequacy of existing activities, identifying emerging issues and problems, anticipating the need for additional knowledge, and then developing project plans to address them.
- Brief and advise the Equity Hub Director and senior Treasury officials on progress and developments in strategies designed to promote equitable opportunity and inclusive economic growth, related legislation, and related regulatory and policy developments.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

The experience may have been gained in either the public, private sector or volunteer service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/day/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week on your resumé.

Key Requirements:
  1. Please refer to "Conditions of Employment."
  2. Click "Print Preview" to review the entire announcement before applying.
  3. Must be U.S. Citizen or U.S. National
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.

Qualifications

You must meet the following requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Specialized experience for the GS-14: You must have one (1) year of specialized experience that has equipped you with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.
To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-13 level in the Federal service, public or other private sectors.

Specialized experience includes experience with 2 or more of the following:

-Experience developing written analyses or memoranda for senior officials regarding the economic, financial, legal, or policy issues and recommending courses of action; OR
-Experience preparing written products such as tables, memoranda or reports and communicating the analytical findings of research to senior officials or decision makers; OR
-Experience creating policy implementation plans based on legislative and regulatory guidelines; OR
-Presenting findings and research in written products of various types such as tables, charts, short summaries, or longer memos, presentations and reports to senior officials or decision makers.

Specialized experience for the GS-13: You must have one (1) year of specialized experience that has equipped you with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.
To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal service, public or other private sectors.

Specialized experience includes experience with 2 or more of the following:
-Experience reviewing and/or developing written analyses or memoranda for your supervisor regarding the economic, financial, or domestic policy issues and recommending courses of action; OR
-Experience preparing written products such as tables, memoranda or reports and communicating the analytical findings of research; OR
-Experience communicating policy implementation plans based on legislative and regulatory guidelines; OR
-Experience reviewing and/or preparing analysis or responses to inquiries from private companies, interested parties, governmental authorities, members of the public.

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.
  • We offer opportunities for telework.
  • We offer opportunities for flexible work schedules.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
  • A one year probationary period may be required.
  • Must successfully complete a background investigation.
  • 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.
  • 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).

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.

THIS IS A TWO-PHASED PROCESS.

Phase 1: Your application will be evaluated in the following areas: Analytical, Technical, and Communication.
Category rating will be used to rank and select eligible candidates. Depending on your responses to the online questions regarding your qualifications, experience, education, and training related to this position, you will be assigned to one of three quality level categories, A, B, or C. 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. Your application may be reviewed by a Subject Matter Expert.

Phase 2: You will be given an exclusive link in the last question of this assessment to complete a manual assessment for Phase 2. Please be sure to allow sufficient time to complete the questions before the close date of the second announcement. Failure to complete the narrative questions will result in an incomplete application and no further consideration will be given. Your narrative responses will be rated and ranked by a Subject Matter Expert (SME) to determine your level of proficiency.

Veterans' preference is applied after applicants are assessed. Preference-eligibles will be listed at the top of their assigned category and considered before non-preference-eligibles in that category.

Qualified preference-eligibles with a compensable service-connected disability of 10% or more will be listed at the top of the highest category.

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 be assigned the middle category or better to be rated as "well qualified" to receive special selection priority.

Required Documents

It is anticipated that there will be significant interest in the announcement. As a result, the announcement will close at 11:59 p.m. ET on the date of receipt of the 100th application or at 11:59 p.m. ET on Date of Closure; whichever occurs first. Any required documents should be submitted at the time that you apply as documents will not be accepted after the vacancy closes.

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).
  • VETERANS' PREFERENCE DOCUMENTATION: If you are claiming veterans preference, please see applicant guide for required documentation. In order to be considered for veterans preference, you must submit all required documentation as outlined in the applicant guide.
  • 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 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

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.

IN ORDER TO COMPLETE BOTH PHASES, YOU WILLNEED TO SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION IN BOTH ANNOUNCEMENTS.

To do this:

1. Click on the link provided in the last question of announcement number 1 (this announcement). This will open a new window to the second announcement.
2. Before completing the application in the new window, click back to announcement number 1 (this announcement) and finish the remaining steps through submitting your application.
3. Click back on the second (new) window for announcement number 2. You will need to click on the APPLY button on the second announcement and go through the 5 steps in USA Jobs to get to the narrative questions.
4. Review and submit your second announcement application.

Once completed, BOTH announcements should show the Application Status as Application Submitted.

Please do not share the link with anyone else, as the exclusive link is for you to complete your application.

There is a 2,500 character limit on each response. Please allow sufficient time to complete before midnight on the close date of the announcement. The narrative responses are expected to take one hour, at a minimum. Non-detailed and answers such as N/A, see resumé, etc. will be deemed ineligible.

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/12424912

Agency contact information

Applicant Call Center
Address
Office of the Deputy Secretary
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.

YOU MUST COMPLETE THE PHASE 2 QUESTIONS. Failure to complete the narrative questions will result in an incomplete application and no further consideration will be given. After the Phase 2 announcement closes, we will review your resumé and transcript(s) (if appropriate) to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements and your application will be reviewed by a SME and rated to determine your level of proficiency. We may interview the best-qualified applicants. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct any required suitability and/or security background investigation.

Please note, you will only receive status updates in the first announcement.


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