Regional Affairs Specialist

Clarification from the agency

All US Citizens.

As a Regional Affairs Specialist, GS-0301-12, your typical work assignments may include:

• Identifying, developing, and implementing homeland security policies related to Mexico and Canada, in coordination with internal departmental stakeholders and other Federal agencies.
• Preparing and reviewing reports, summaries, and analyses on homeland security, intelligence sharing, and international affairs related to Canada, Mexico, and North America.
• Organizing and supporting meetings for senior DHS officials with foreign government officials, U.S. cabinet officers, or members of Congress.
• Assisting with organizing domestic or international meetings, events, or trainings to support the implementation of homeland security policy with Mexico and Canada.

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 100 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 may be required to serve a one-year probationary period.
• Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.

Qualifications

Specialized Experience GS-12:

You must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level, OR equivalent public or private sector experience. For this position, specialized experience is defined as:

• Coordinating policies, programs, and operations related to Canada or Mexico;
• Identifying, analyzing, and making recommendations on homeland security policy interests, concerns, and issues to support top-level management decision-making and engagements, especially matters involving Canada or Mexico; and
• Drafting comprehensive reviews, briefings, memorandum, policy studies, and special reports to lead and direct program reviews and special project teams.

Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience may not be used for this grade level.

All qualifications and eligibility requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

Interviews are required for this position. Failure to complete the interview may result in removal from further consideration.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done 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, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

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.

How you will be evaluated

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

We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements. The competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform this job are:

If you meet the minimum qualifications, you will be placed in one of the following categories:

1. Best-Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrate high proficiency in all of the critical competencies, including all Selective Placement Factors (SPF), and appropriate Quality Ranking Factors (QRF) as determined by the job analysis.
2. Well-Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrates acceptable proficiency in all of the critical competencies, including all SPF's and appropriate QRFs as determined by the job analysis.
3. Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrate basic proficiency in most of the critical competencies, including all SPFs and appropriate QRFs as determined by the job analysis.

Structured Resume Review. Subject matter experts (SMEs) will review your resume to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required specialized experience. SMEs will not review additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letter, links embedded in your resume). Applicants passing the structured resume review will move on to the next phase of the assessment process.

If you are best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview. Preview the job questionnaire https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13047393

If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have overstated your qualifications and/or experience, you may be removed from consideration or your score may be lowered.

Veterans: Qualified veterans who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10% are listed in the best-qualified category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level, or higher. (This position is notconsidered scientific/professional.). Other 10-point preference eligibles and veterans with 5-point preference who meet the eligibility and qualification requirements are placed above non-preference eligibles within the category in which they qualify. View information on veterans' preference.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) eligibles: If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not ICTAP eligible. View information about ICTAP eligibilityon OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To be considered eligible under ICTAP, you must be rated at a minimum score of 85 for this position. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this job announcement.

After DHS Headquarters completes its hiring, the resumes of the remaining candidates referred for selection consideration may be shared with other DHS Components and other federal agencies. During the application process, you may choose to opt-in if you would like your name, application material, and assessment results to be shared. There is no guarantee of further consideration, and you continue to explore other job opportunity announcements.

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/13047393


3. 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
4. Are you claiming special priority selection rights under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP)? Submit the following:
   • A copy of your agency notice,
   • A copy of your most recent performance rating, and
   • A copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, noting your current position, grade level, and duty location.
5. 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.

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