Summary
The Branch Chief is responsible for the management of all activities of the Branch including proposal generation, review, negotiation, award, administration and close-out of all grants, and other assistance arrangements for one or more Program Directorates. These activities comprise all business and management aspects of up to 10,000 awards obligating from $500 million to $1 Billion including highly complex grants and cooperative agreements and other amendments for research.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
Current or former Federal employees with competitive status obtained through a permanent Federal competitive service appointment OR individuals with eligibility for noncompetitive special appointing authority OR ICTAP/CTAP eligibles OR veterans eligible under the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act.
Duties
As a Supervisory Grants Management Specialistyou will perform the following duties:
- Projecting range from small basic research activities to highly complex projects for the operation and management of large multimillion dollar research facilities or projects involving unique and extremely complex arrangements and subawards.
- Planning, controlling and directing the Branch activities; for making decisions on whether a project of a performer can be supported; for determining the appropriate
proposal generation technique and award instrument; for making decisions and taking actions which directly affect relationships with and impact on NSF programs, divisions, and directorates, as well as various performer organizations and institutions; for resolving differences; and for making organizational changes and adjustments in the Branch.
- Serving as a liaison and coordinating coordination with and providing advice and guidance to Assistant and Deputy Assistant Directors, Division Directors and other program officials and for assisting in the planning development and review of Directorate activities such as program plans, announcements and solicitations.
- Performing institutional and organizational liaison assignments; for maintaining appropriate relations; and for dealing with issues of mutual interest with senior management officials of a large number of educational, non-profit, commercial and governmental organizations with which the agency does business.
- Making recommendations on and participates in the development of Foundation administrative and management policies and practices.
- Participating in the development and implementation of Division operating instructions and the Foundation implementation of Federal Assistance Regulations and issuances. In addition, the incumbent plays a key role in facilitating the implementation of electronic grant awards administration in the Branch.
- Conducting outreach to institutions and clientele groups, and advice on matters such as; resolution of audit reports, cost analyses, special studies, financial report monitoring and review, interagency reporting, operation of the Intergovernmental Review System, and internal and external training opportunities.
- Possessing extensive knowledge and understanding of NSF program objectives, plans and goals; procurement, granting and other assistance laws, Federal Acquisition Regulation, Office of Management and Budget circulars, 2CFR 200, policies and procedures; alternative project implementation and management techniques and support arrangements; agency policies and practices; management and administrative aspects and issues of concern to a variety of different types of performers; and the management and business aspects of diverse and varied types of projects and activities.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- You must be a US citizen.
- Selectee will be required to have a background investigation prior to onboarding.
- Selectee may be required to serve a 1-year supervisory probationary period.
Additional Requirements:
Time in Grade Requirement: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade/equivalent.
You must meet eligibility & qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date.
You must answer all job-related questions in the NSF eRecruit questionnaire & any external assessment that is included.
All online applicants must provide a valid email address. If your email address is inaccurate or your mailbox is full/blocked, you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.
Qualifications
To qualify at the GS-15 level, you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 Level in the federal government managing grant programs. Examples of specialized experience include: providing research administration & business assistance to a variety of awardees; determining the financial conditions & adequacy of accounting systems of organizations recommended for funding; assisting awardees in implementing adequate financial, accounting, & compliance systems for Federal awards; & reviewing, analyzing, & resolving audit findings.
Experience refers to paid/unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) & other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, & skills & can provide valuable training/experience that translates directly to paid work. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
This vacancy will utilize a multiple hurdle assessment process to determine the qualifications of applicants. The first hurdle will consist of applicants completing an occupational questionnaire related to the major duties and competencies of the position. For the second hurdle,
Subject matter experts (SMEs) will review your resume to determine your technical qualifications for this position. SMEs will not review additional information beyond your resume (e.g., links embedded in your resume will not be opened).This process will determine the final rating of the applicant for possible referral to the hiring official for hiring consideration. You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above. Ratings will be assigned based on your responses to the occupational questionnaire which will rate the following competencies:
1. Technical Competence
Uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or extensive on-the-job experience to perform one's job; works with, understands, and evaluates technical information related to the job; advises others on technical issues.
2. Leadership
Inspires, motivates and guides others toward goal accomplishment; coaches, mentors, and challenges subordinates; adapts leadership styles to a variety of situations; models high standards of honesty, integrity, trust, openness, and respect for the individual by applying these values to daily behaviors.
3. Partnering
Develops networks and builds alliances; collaborates across boundaries to build strategic relationships and achieve common goals.
4. Financial Analysis
Knowledge of financial methods, procedures, and practices to assess the financial stability of those applying for or receiving Federal grants or agreements.
5. Grants Management Laws, Regulations, and Guidelines
Knowledge of principles, laws, regulations, policies, practices, and guidelines (for example, Executive Orders, Code of Federal Regulations, OMB circulars) of grant or agreement programs, including their order of precedence.
For the second hurdle, resumes will be reviewed by SMEs for their level of experience in the following areas.
- Knowledge and experience with at least one aspect of Federal grant financial management processes: examples include Federal grant payment systems, payment request and expenditure reporting, general knowledge of cost allowability guidelines, program income, and other grant financial requirements.
- Developing financial management or business operations policy, guidance, or reports that synthesize input from multiple stakeholders internal and external to the organization.
- Formulating and executing financial management or business operations strategies in alignment with leadership priorities in an effort to improve program efficiency, enhance customer service, or deliver on mission results.
Review your resume and responses carefully. Responses that are not fully supported by the information in your application package may result in adjustments to your score. A Human Resources Representative will validate the qualifications of those candidates eligible to be referred to the selecting official.
Education
Education may enhance skills required for this position; however, no substitution of education for specialized experience may be made at this level.
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.
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), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the online assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):
- Financial Analysis
- Grants Management Laws, Regulations, and Guidelines
- Leadership
- Partnering
- Technical Competence
In some cases, additional assessment processes may be used.
Review your resume and responses carefully. Responses that are not fully supported by the information in your application package may result in adjustments to your score. A Human Resources Representative will validate the qualifications of those candidates eligible to be referred to the selecting official.
Applicants eligible for selection preference under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) must meet the agency definition of "well qualified." At NSF, this means a score of 90.0 or higher.
In the merit promotion selection process, formal performance appraisals may be considered if voluntarily submitted by the applicant.
To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12428409
Required Documents
All applicants should submit a resume/CV of their choice and may also submit a cover letter.
- If you are an NSF employee on or eligible for a permanent, competitive service position or you are an NSF employee who is reinstatement eligible based on prior Federal permanent, competitive service, you need not submit documents to confirm status.
- If you are not an NSF employee as described above, but you are eligible under merit promotion, under an Interchange Agreements, under a non-competitive authority, or under a similar authority, you will be required to submit supporting documentation. This will typically require the submission of one or more of the following documents:
- Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50s) or comparable federal agency forms to verify your eligibility for reinstatement and/or grade/step/salary if you are a current or former permanent federal civil service employee.- SF-50 must indicate that appointment is/was to a competitive service position with permanent tenure or conditional tenure within the last three years; OR, to a similar position in the excepted service at an agency that has an Interchange Agreement.- An example of a comparable agency form is a personnel action from a DOD Non-appropriated Fund organization or from the US Postal Service for a current and continuing appointment without a break in service.- Documents that are NOT comparable and NOT acceptable substitutes for a SF-50 include a SF-52, a Performance Appraisal form, a Personnel Action Request (PAR), or a Request for Personnel Action (RPA).
- Performance appraisals and awards may be considered during the evaluation process if voluntarily submitted.
- DD-214 (Member-4 copy); and if applicable, an SF15, the Department of Veterans Affairs Notice of Compensable Disability Rating (VA Letter) from applicants requesting consideration under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA), Veteran Recruitment Act (VRA), or the disabled veterans appointing authority.
- Schedule A Certification - from applicants requesting consideration under the Schedule A appointing authority for disabled applicants.
- Other - Documentation which verifies you are eligible to be appointed to a permanent position in the federal competitive civil service.If you are requesting consideration under a Special Hiring Authority listed below, you must submit the required documentation as outlined in the regulation or Executive Order. Please also annotate your application to reflect that you are applying under a special hiring authority. This includes:
- Returned Peace Corp Volunteers
- Certain Military Spouses (Executive Order 13473)
- Former Overseas Employees
- Foreign Service Employees
- Career Service Employees
- Postal Rate Commission Employees
- Government Accountability Office (GAO) Employees
- Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts Employees
- If you are requesting special employment consideration under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) or CTAP, you must submit documentation provided by your current or former employing agency verifying your eligibility for that program. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance rating, and a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP or ICTAP eligible.
All uploading must be completed before 11:59 PM Eastern time on the vacancy closing date.
IMPORTANT NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER, DATE OF BIRTH OR ANY OTHER PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION ON YOUR APPLICATION DOCUMENTS.
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
Applicants must complete and submit an application online at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) USAJOBS website at https://www.USAJOBS.gov. An account must be established at the OPM website following the instructions provided in order to apply for the position. Once you have completed the USAJOBS process, you will be re-directed to the USA Staffing system to complete your application process, answer the online questions, and submit all required documents. Applications submitted other than the USAJOBS online application WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED under this announcement.
- Applicants applying online for this position will be able to apply until 11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the closing date of this announcement. Please allow adequate time to complete your application.
- If you encounter technical difficulties during the process, please submit a USA Staffing Help Ticket for assistance. If you have technical difficulties applying to the vacancy on the USAJOBS website, click on Contact USAJOBS. It is suggested that you do not wait until the last day to apply for a vacancy announcement. We will not accept applications other than those submitted through USAJOBS.
- As the applicant, it is your responsibility to verify that information entered, uploaded, and submitted is received and is accurate. Ensure that your application includes the required documents listed under "Required Documents" and that they are uploaded in the appropriate fields.
- If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of this application and hiring process, please notify the point of contact on this job opportunity announcement.
Next steps
You may check the status of your application at any time on the USAJOBS website
Applicants should click 'Track this Application' in the Applicant Dashboard to receive application updates.
|