Clarification from the agency

Current U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees who are currently working in a permanent competitive service position; Career Transition Assistance Plan CBP employees.

This position starts at a salary of $122,749.00 (GS-GS 13, Step 1) to $159,575.00 (GS-13, Step 10) with promotion potential to $159,575.00 (GS-13 Step 10).

Typical Duties Include:

• Providing expert technical advice to higher-level CBP officials on the entry process. Responding to and resolving technical and operational questions regarding the programs supervised. Coordinating with those involved in the program in other field locations and at the national Headquarters and Revenue Division levels, as requested.
• Coordinating national account related activities among other Centers and Ports of Entry to address uniformity issues. Ensuring open communication between Center and local Port Management. Providing expert advice regarding accounts and brokers to Centers, Ports of Entries and Headquarters. Evaluating policies affecting entry processes, taking all necessary actions to achieve operational objectives as they pertain to improving the level of trade compliance. Evaluating the outputs and outcomes of direct reports, and reviewing evaluations of front-line employees.
• Monitoring and evaluating the delivery of services to customers and the methods and techniques used to provide them. Developing and implementing plans to improve the delivery of services, individually and with other Entry Supervisors, and through process improvement teams. Recommending, adding and deleting services and upgrading facilities and equipment to improve services.
• Supervising, through subordinate supervisors, a medium to large sized staff, including remotely located employees, and performing a full range of supervisory functions. Stimulates, motivates, and instills a sense of participation among employees to achieve goals. Approves leave. Interviews candidates for direct reports and recommends appointment. Approves rewards for performance accomplishments, as well as promotions, within grade increases, etc. Hears and resolves complaints from employees, refers group grievances and more serious complaints to a higher level. Takes minor disciplinary actions, such as warnings and reprimands, and recommends actions in more serious cases.

Additional selections may be made beyond the total number of vacancies specified using this vacancy announcement. Further selections may also be made for additional organizational divisions and/or units within the duty location(s) listed above.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this position
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with Selective Service
• Primary U.S. residency for at least three of the last five years (additional details below)
• All pre-employment processes will be conducted in English
• You may be required to pass a background investigation
• CBP follows the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan for drug testing procedures.
• As an employee of CBP, you will be joining a workforce that is dedicated to accomplishing our mission while maintaining the trust of our Nation by strictly adhering to all government ethics standards. Your conduct will be subject to the ethics rules applicable to all Executive Branch employees, and to CBP employees specifically, as well as the criminal conflict of interest statutes. Once you enter on duty, these rules include obtaining approval for outside employment or business activity, to ensure such employment or business activity is not prohibited and does not interfere or conflict with performance of your official duties. Please review further details via the following link.
• DHS uses E-Verify, an internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify including your rights and responsibilities.
• Bargaining Unit: This position is not covered under the bargaining unit.

Qualifications

Experience: You qualify for the GS-13 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as:

• Applying expertise to resolve complex entry issues while ensuring strict adherence to established guidelines and judicial precedent
• Evaluating policies affecting entry processes, such as taking all necessary actions to achieve operational objectives as they pertain to improving the level of trade compliance efficiently and effectively, leveraging automation where applicable
• Sharing critical insights and best practices with peers, while fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement within the team;
• Interpreting and applying complex Federal laws, regulations, and documentation requirements governing the entry and examination of prohibited and restricted imports.

NOTE: Your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet this requirement, otherwise you will be found ineligible. Please see the "Required Documents" section below for additional resume requirements.

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.

You must:

• Meet all qualification requirements, including education if applicable to this position, subject to verification at any stage of the application process; and
• Meet all applicable Time in Grade requirements (current federal employees must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade or equivalent grade band in the federal service) by 05/07/2026.

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.

Background Investigation: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is a federal law enforcement agency that requires all applicants to undergo a thorough background investigation prior to employment in order to promote the agency's core values of vigilance, service to country, and integrity. During the screening and/or background investigation process, you will be asked questions regarding any felony criminal convictions or current felony charges, the use of illegal drugs (e.g., marijuana, cocaine, heroin, LSD, methamphetamines, ecstasy), and the use of non-prescribed controlled substances including any experimentation, possession, sale, receipt, manufacture, cultivation, production, transfer, shipping, trafficking, or distribution of controlled substances. For additional information on the preemployment process, review the following link: Applicant Resources | CBP Careers

Residency: There is a residency requirement for all applicants not currently employed by CBP. Individuals are required to have physically resided in the United States or its protectorates (as declared under international law) for at least three of the last five years. If you do not meet the residency requirement and you have been physically located in a foreign location for more than two of the last five years, you may request an exception to determine if you are eligible for a residency waiver by meeting one or more of the following conditions:

• Working for the U.S. Government as a federal civilian or as a member of the military
• A dependent who was authorized to accompany a federal civilian or member of the military who was working for the U.S. government
• Participation in a study abroad program sponsored by a U.S. affiliated college or university
• Working as a contractor, intern, consultant or volunteer supporting the U.S. government

Probationary Period: All employees new to the federal government must serve a one year probationary period during the first year of his/her initial permanent federal appointment to determine fitness for continued employment. Current and former federal employees may be required to serve or complete a probationary period.

How you will be evaluated

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

Applicants will only be considered for the Eligibilities for which they claim in the job questionnaire AND must provide the supporting documentation. Applicants will not be considered for Eligibilities for which they did not claim, regardless of the documentation submitted with the application. https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12935134

Reasonable Accommodation Requests: If 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 assessment, you are able to request a Reasonable Accommodation prior to the Managerial Writing Skills and Critical Thinking Skills tests. Decisions on requests for Reasonable Accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis.

If you are best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be contacted for an interview.

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), your responses to the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. Failure to demonstrate sufficient detail in the body of your resume may impact your final rating.

This position requires a 90-minute timed General Supervisor Test Battery consisting of two parts: 1) Managerial Writing Skills; 2) Critical Thinking Skills. The assessments are administered unproctored and online. Questions are multiple-choice; candidates select the best answer and can mark items for review.

The General Supervisor Test Battery will be used to assess the following Supervisory competencies:

• Written Communication
• Decision Making
• Problem Solving
• Reasoning

Your final rating will be determined by your cumulative score on the Supervisory exam. All applicants will be contacted via email to complete the General Supervisor Test Battery. Applicants who do not complete the entire exam will be removed from consideration. To be considered for the position, you must demonstrate minimum proficiency and achieve a passing score on the exam. A passing score does not guarantee selection. Failure to demonstrate sufficient detail in the body of your resume may impact your final rating. Please note you are not required to provide specific narrative responses to the skills and competencies described in this section. If you are best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be contacted for an interview.

Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not CTAP eligible. View information about CTAP eligibilityon OPM's Career Transition Resources website. You must submit the supporting documents listed under the Required Documents section of this announcement. To be considered well qualified under CTAP, you must be rated at a minimum score of 85 for this position.

• Your resume: A resume describing your job-related qualifications is required and will be used for the purpose of reviewing your qualifications and determining what training, if any, would be required when placed. A resume in English is required. It must contain your full legal name, phone number, relevant work history including a detailed description of your duties, the dates you performed those duties (MM/DD/YY), your hours worked per week, job title, as well as series, grade, and salary (if applicable). For additional required items, see the link. *Note- It is recommended that you upload your resume as a PDF instead of a Word document to ensure document quality. Ensure that your uploaded resume is not a password protected document, to include Office 365 passwords. 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.
• Your responses to the job questionnaire: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12935134
• Are you a current or former federal employee? ALL CURRENT AND FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES MUST SUBMIT THE MOST RECENT COPY OF THEIR SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing competitive status: Tenure 1 or 2 in Block 24 and Position Occupied 1 in Block 34. Additionally, applicants should also submit a SF-50 reflecting the highest grade held on a permanent basis in the competitive service or the full performance level of your current position, whichever is higher, AND an SF-50 to support having met the time-in-grade requirement of having served 52 weeks at the grade level (or equivalent) below the grade level(s) for this position. Current CBP Employees are encouraged, but not required, to submit an SF-50(s) for CBP experience; however, additional SF-50(s) are required when using federal experience outside of CBP to receive credit towards the requirements above. Examples of appropriate SF-50s include promotions, within-grade increases and accessions.
• Are you claiming special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP)? You must submit a separation notice; your most recent SF-50 (noting your current position, grade level and duty location); a copy of your most recent performance rating; an agency certification that you cannot be placed after injury compensation has been terminated; an OPM notification that your disability annuity has been terminated; or a Military Department of National Guard Bureau notification that you are retired under 5 U.S.C. 8337(h) or 8456.
• Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee? Submit a copy of your initial and termination SF-50s.
• You may be asked to provide a copy of your recent performance appraisal and/or incentive awards.

Next steps