Summary

The incumbent serves as Program Assistant in the Congressional Office for International Leadership (COIL). The incumbent provides assistance and general support on matters associated with COIL's service functions, business operations and international exchange programs, completes on-going assignments and business support functions with supervision, and undertakes special assignments under the supervision of the program managers.

This job is open to

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Duties

Works with higher-graded Program Managers/Officers and assists with specific/selected phases of the design, implementation, and evaluation of program and projects, including communicating issues and assisting in the coordination of activities with COIL. Reviews assigned program issues in accordance with instructions and participates in the preparation of project documentation, including concept and planning papers, program descriptions, and program assessments in line with COIL regulations and specific guidance. Reviews objectives based on requests, perceived needs, U.S. policy, and determined priorities.
Assists the program managers/officers with work related to the conceptualization, design, documentation, and/or management of programs and/or projects. Assists the program managers/officers with designing, documenting, and/or evaluating mission-specific and/or centralized programs and projects. May travel to view and/or monitor project implementation and to participate in project activities.
Under the guidance of an assigned supervisor or mentor, completes work assignments and special projects. Plans and carry out assignments in strict accordance with instructions and policy guidelines and informs the supervisor and mentor of progress and status.
Provides support for and assists in the research and/or analysis of established or regularly recurring issues of a program and/or administrative nature. Determines pertinent issues and collects relevant information from a variety of sources.
Prepares correspondence, reports, proposals, or other documents related to work assignments or program activities conducted under supervisory guidance. In conjunction with the immediate supervisor and/or program managers/officers, gathers and records information necessary for reports and other documents.
As needed, the program assistant will input contact information for local host families in the agency database. This task requires careful attention to detail, as duplications must be avoided, and identifying the hosts' congressional district will usually require outside research. Data must be entered following a correct sequence of events to ensure relationships between database tables are established. No knowledge of SQL or other database languages is required for successful database operation. Also creates participant profiles, runs reports, and other related tasks for the program managers/officers as requested.
Works with higher level staff to identify and analyze feasibility and effectiveness of existing and proposed agency standards, regulations, programs, or policies.
Researches and gathers data, preparing reports for a variety of functions.
Perform additional duties as assigned.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

To be selected, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen or otherwise have status that makes them eligible for federal employment per Title VII, Sec. 704 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022.
The selected individual must successfully undergo a background investigation and maintain eligibility for a Public Trust position.

Qualifications

Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal skills.
Ability to interpret policy and resolve complex problems that may arise.
Excellent interpersonal skills to form mutually beneficial relationships with staff, vendors, or other external and internal stakeholders.
Ability to work quickly and accurately in a quick-paced environment while code-switching between various unrelated tasks effectively.
Legislative Branch experience preferred, but not required.
Attention to detail is a must.

Education

Minimum of a Bachelor's Degree in a relevant field.

Additional information

Employees of the Congressional Office for International Leadership are in the Excepted Service, are not appointed to the Competitive Service, and will not obtain competitive status.
This announcement is open to all who meet citizenship and eligibility requirements.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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.

The selected candidate may participate in the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program, with costs shared with your employer. Life insurance coverage is also provided. New federal government employees are automatically covered by the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). If you are transferring from another federal agency and covered by CSRS, you may continue in this program. You will earn annual leave and sick leave. You will be paid for federal holidays that fall within your regularly scheduled tour of duty. If you use public transportation, part of your transportation costs may be subsidized. You may elect Health Care Flexible Spending Accounts for expenses that are tax-deductible, but not reimbursed by any other source, including out-of-pocket expenses and non-covered benefits under FEHB plans.

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.

Upon review of all résumés, COIL will determine which candidates will be asked to interview. Candidates will be notified and scheduled for interviews, if selected. All applicants will be evaluated based on their educational and relevant work experience. COIL does not discriminate against candidates based on their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or disability.

Required Documents

Cover letter
Resume
Most recent SF-50, if applicable.

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

Send cover letter and résumé to openworld@coil.gov. All résumés must be accompanied by a cover letter for consideration.

Applications sent through automated systems, including through "Apply Now" or similar features on third-party job websites, will not be considered. To be considered, the application must come directly from an applicant through their own email.

Agency contact information

Human Resources

Email: openworld@coil.gov

Address: Congressional Office for International Leadership
101 Independence Ave., SE
Washington, DC 20540
US

Next steps

A selection panel will review all complete applications and set up an interview with those individuals who are considered most qualified for the position.

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