Program Analyst Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. DE12584150-25JR-HRC0870315 Department Department of State - Agency Wide
Salary $99,200.00 to $153,354.00 Grade 12 to 13
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 11/26/2024 Close Date 12/10/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

This position is located in the Bureau of Consular Affairs, Adoption Oversight Division (CA/OCS/CI/AO), in Washington DC.

As a Program Analyst you will provide expert analysis, advice and guidance on matters affecting the planning and execution of the
programs and activities administered by the Adoption Oversight Division. Give expert advice and guidance to adoption service providers, accrediting entities, and prospective and post-adoptive parents.

Duties

  • Provide expert advice and guidance to the accrediting entity in carrying out its functions and responsibilities.
  • Lead efforts to update the Hague Accreditation Technical Guidance, a compendium of answers to questions adoption service providers might have about becoming accredited or approved under the Hague Adoption Convention.
  • Promote the widespread use of adoption counseling and post adoption services in the U.S. that enable adoptive parents to overcome emotional, developmental and behavioral challenges.
  • Draft new and updated guidance and coordinates the internal clearance process in cooperation with the Office of Children’s Issues Senior Policy Analyst.
  • Provide interpretations of legal, regulatory, and policy related to adoption service providers in response to requests from stakeholders including Congress, the White House, attorneys, adoptive parents, and the public.
  • Collaborate with a range to public and private sector stakeholders to promote safe, legal, ethical, and transparent intercountry adoptions.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is required.
  • Incumbent will be subject to random drug testing.
  • Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.
  • Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit: www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/
  • Must serves on a rotational basis as an Overseas Citizen Services duty officer.
  • May require occasional travel, including overseas travel.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all the required qualification requirements described below by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: To be considered minimally qualified for this position, you must demonstrate that you have the required specialized experience for the grade level to which you are applying:

GS-12
Specialized Experience: Must have at least one full-time year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service (or comparable level of experience from outside the Federal service) performing ALL of the following duties:
  1. Applying laws or regulations to assist members of the public with information or services related to adoptions or another child welfare-focused service;
  2. Participating in meeting or conferences to share information about programs or explain decisions; and
  3. Assisting with program analysis in order to identify areas for changes or improvements to operations.

GS-13
Specialized Experience: Must have at least one full-time year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service (or comparable level of experience from outside the Federal service) performing ALL of the following duties:
  1. Applying laws or regulations to assist members of the public with information or services related to adoptions or another child welfare-focused service;
  2. Making presentations to senior leadership on findings from program analysis studies;
  3. Conducting program analysis in order to make recommendations for changes or improvements to operations; and
  4. Planning activities with a variety of stakeholders to ensure operational effectiveness.
There is no education substitute for specialized experience at the GS-12 or GS-13 levels.

Your resume must CLEARLY demonstrate this experience. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume must support your application responses.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work performed through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

If eligible, telework agreements may be permitted with supervisory approval. Employee participation is at the discretion of the supervisor.
If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed.

The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) / Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) provides eligible surplus and/or displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP/ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your CTAP/ICTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and have a final assessment score of 85 or better. You must provide proof of eligibility with your application. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of CTAP/ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form. For additional information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility click here.

Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, non-career SES, or Presidential appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

Physical Demands: Occasional travel, including overseas travel, may be required.

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.

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

Once the announcement closes, a review of your resume will be conducted and compared against your responses to the assessment questions to determine if you are qualified for this job. Note: Responses to questions that are not fully supported by the information in your resume may result in adjustments to your rating. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration.

Category rating will be used to rank and select eligible candidates. Applicants who meet basic minimum qualifications will be placed in one of three categories:

  1. Highly Qualified - Applicants must fully demonstrate proficiency in all of the required competencies (knowledge, skills and abilities) for the position.
  2. Well Qualified - Applicants must demonstrate proficiency in some but not all of the required competencies (knowledge, skills, and abilities) for the position.
  3. Qualified - Applicants must demonstrate a basic level of the required competencies (knowledge, skills and abilities) for the position.
Highly Qualified applicants may be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies (knowledge, skills, and abilities) required for this position. Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies:
  • Attention to Detail
  • Influencing/Negotiating
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Legal, Government and Jurisprudence
  • Organizational Awareness


Veterans: Qualified veterans who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10% are listed in the Highly Qualified category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level, or higher.

The Category Rating Process does not add veteran's preference points but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles 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-9 level or higher). Veteran preference eligibles will receive selection consideration before non-preference eligibles within each quality category.

Agency Career and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP and ICTAP) candidates must be rated "Well Qualified" for the position and earn a score of at least 85 (when applicants are rated in a range of 70 to 100) to receive consideration for selection priority. Applicants found to be among the top qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring official for further consideration and possible interview.

To preview the Application Questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12584150.

Required Documents

All required documents listed below must be submitted electronically by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, your system failure, etc. Encrypted documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.

You must submit a complete Application Package including:

  • Resume showing relevant work/volunteer experience, education and training. Include the following for each position: Company or agency name, Start and end dates (from month/year to month/year), total hours worked per week, position title, duties performed, and if the position is/was Federal, include the pay plan-series-grade level. Your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations and must support your answers to the completed online assessment questions.
  • A complete Assessment Questionnaire.
  • Other Supporting Documents, if applicable to you:
  • Veterans' Documentation:
    • To claim 5-point preference, submit a copy of your DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty.
    • To claim 10-point preference, submit all required documentation outlined on the SF-15 (Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference) to support your claim (e.g., DD-214, official statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs, etc.). If we cannot verify your 10-point preference claim, your application will be reviewed for 5-point preference.
    • To claim 10-point derived preference (i.e., spouses, widows, widowers or mothers of veterans), submit a completed SF-15 and all required documentation listed on the SF-15 to support your claim.
    • To claim 0-point Sole Survivorship preference, submit a copy of your DD-214 or another form of official documentation showing that your discharge or release from active duty occurred on or after August 29, 2008 and was based on a sole survivorship discharge.
    • For all preference claims:
    • DD-214 Member 4 copies are preferred and must show the dates of service, type of discharge, and any qualifying service campaign medals.
    • Active Duty Service Members: If you are currently on active duty and applying based on eligibility under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must provide a certification on letterhead from your military branch which contains your military service dates, expected date of discharge or release, and the character of service to show that your military service was performed under honorable conditions. The expected date of discharge or release must be no later than 120 days after the certification is submitted for consideration for this vacancy announcement.
    • For more information on veterans' preference and special hiring authorities for veterans click here.
  • CTAP/CTAP documentation, if applicable (e.g., reduction-in-force (RIF) separation notice, RIF separation SF-50 personnel action, certification of expected separation, etc.). Visit our agency's ICTAP and CTAP eligibility information sites for more information and required application documentation.
Carefully read and follow the instructions outlined in this announcement. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility to be considered for this announcement and/or qualifications for the position. Failure to submit a complete Application Package may result in an ineligible rating.

How to Apply

Please read the entire announcement and all instructions before you begin your application. To apply for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the Required Documents section. You must submit a complete Application Package by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date to be considered. The application process is as follows:

STEP 1: Select the "Apply" button and follow the instructions to register or sign into USAJOBS.

STEP 2: Submit your resume. Please see the Required Documents section for specific information that should be outlined in your resume.

STEP 3: Complete the online assessment questions.

STEP 4: Submit all required documentation applicable to you, as listed in the Required Documents section.

STEP 5: Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.

To learn how to view the status of your submitted supporting documentation and application, visit the Application Instructions section of our agency's Civil Service selection process site.

To verify your application is complete: Log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To see your application and job status: After you apply for the job, return to your USAJOBS account where you can check your application status by clicking the Track this application link. Your application status page is where you can view your application status and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application. USAJOBS shows the job status on your Dashboard.

It is applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and uploaded, (i.e., resume, veteran's documentation, completed assessment, and SF-50's) is received and accurate. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application. If a document is not in legible format, applicant will not be able to view it in Application Manager which means applicant must again upload by the closing date of this announcement.

NOTE: If a document is resubmitted, it replaces the previous submission, which means the previous document is no longer available to the Human Resources Office. If you are adding to, rather than replacing a previous submission, you must upload both the old document and the new document. You must verify that uploaded documents from USAJOBS transfer into the Agency's staffing system as there is a limitation to the number of documents that can be transferred. However, once in the Agency's staffing system, you will have the opportunity to upload additional documents. Applicants may combine all like required documents (e.g. SF-50s or veteran docs) into one or more files and scan for uploading into the application. Each file must not exceed 5MB. Grouping like documents into files will simplify the application process. Documents must be in one of the following formats: GIF, JPEG, JPG, PDF, PNG, RTF, or Word (DOC or DOCX). Uploaded documents may not require a password, digital signature, or other encryption to open.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, please contact Midwest Services Branch. You must submit a complete application by the close of the announcement.

Agency contact information

Midwest Services Branch
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

After all application packages are received, we will review applications and evaluate applicants' qualifications. Your application will be reviewed to verify that you meet the eligibility and qualification requirements for the position as described in the "How You Will Be Evaluated" section. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted. Log in to your USAJOBS to check your application status.

Your application status will be updated up to four times during the following hiring phases:

  1. After applications are received.
  2. After applications are assessed to determine qualifications.
  3. After candidates are referred to the hiring manager.
  4. After a selection is made.
For the selected candidates who receive a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability review and/or security background investigation that generally takes an average of at least two to six months.

Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. If eligible, applicants to this announcement may be referred to other similar positions (same series and grade) in other Bureaus/Offices in the Department for up to 240 days. Telework eligibility and security clearance requirements may vary for such similar positions.


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


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