Duties
Serves as an assistant department head in the Recreation Department at one of the Bureau of Prisons Federal Correctional Complex (FCC) facilities. An FCC consists of multiple institutions composed of various security levels. Will be required to rotate to various institutions within the complex on an as needed basis.
Reports to the Recreation Supervisor. Serves as the first line manager/supervisor for line staff assigned to the department.
Responsible for assisting in managing, developing, organizing, implementing, supervising, and maintaining a diversified recreation program for the inmate population. This includes both conventional programs such as intramural sports, arts, crafts, and community activities and special programs, such as activities for the physically challenged. Because of the wide variety of cultural backgrounds of the inmate population, application of professional skills and technical abilities are an important part of the complex mission.
Along with all other correctional institution employees, incumbent is charged with responsibility for maintaining security of the institution. The staff correctional responsibilities precede all others required by this position and are performed on a regular and recurring basis.
Requirements
Conditions of employment
- U.S. Citizenship is Required.
- See Special Conditions of Employment Section.
Career Transition Programs (CTAP): These programs apply to Federal and/or DOJ employees who meet the definition of surplus or displaced from a position in the competitive service. To receive selection priority for this position, you must:
- 1. Meet CTAP eligibility criteria;
- 2. Be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above based on scoring at least half of the total possible points for the vacancy KSAs or competencies; and
- 3. Submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP eligibility.
NOTE: Applicants claiming CTAP eligibility must complete all assessment questions to be rated under the established ranking criteria.
Qualifications
To be considered for the position, you must meet the following qualification requirements.
Basic Requirements:
Education:
Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- general recreation, or one of the appropriate fields of recreation such as outdoor recreation; recreation and parks leadership; wild land recreation management; natural resources recreation; youth recreation; public, urban, or community recreation; special populations recreation (e.g., senior citizens, institutional, etc.); or physical education.
OR
Experience:
Specialized Experience (for positions above GS-5): Experience that demonstrated the ability to apply the principles of one or more specialty areas of recreation. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include:
- Planning, organizing, coordinating, supervising, or evaluating community, industrial, outdoor, institutional, or other recreational programs.
- Planning, establishing, or evaluating a recreational curriculum for junior college or higher academic levels.
- Instructing in the principles and techniques of recreational program planning and management.
- Serving in a leadership role in the programs and activities of local, regional, and/or national recreational organizations.
AND
In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements above, applicants must have:
Education:
Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; OR 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree; OR LL.M., if related.
Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study – general recreation, or one of the appropriate fields of recreation, such as outdoor recreation; recreation and parks leadership; wild land recreation management; natural resources recreation; youth recreation; public, urban, or community recreation; special populations recreation (e.g., senior citizens, institutional, etc.); or physical education.
OR
Experience:
You must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade level. This experience is defined as that which demonstrated the ability to apply the principles of one or more specialty areas of recreation.
Some examples of this qualifying experience are:
- Experience which demonstrates knowledge in the areas of local and national policies, and regulations regarding inmate recreational programs, institutional security, and inmate discipline.
- Experience in providing information or training to staff to improve the operation in a recreation department.
- Experience planning and implementing enhanced recreation programs which meet the needs of varying inmate populations in an institution including executing a recreation activity program which involves community participants and program management responsibility.li>
OR
Combination of Education and Experience:
A combination of education and experience. This experience must have equipped you with the qualifications to perform the major duties of this position as described above.
If applicable, credit will be given for paid and unpaid experience. To receive proper credit, you must show the actual time (such as the number of hours worked per week) spent in activities.
**Your eligibility for consideration will be based on your responses to the questions in the application.**
Education
See Qualifications Section for education requirements, if applicable.
ONLY if education is a requirement/substitution for specialized experience, applicant MUST upload legible transcripts as verification of educational requirement. Transcripts MUST be uploaded and electronically linked from USAJOBS at the time you apply and MUST include identifying information to include School Name, Student Name, Degree and Date Awarded (if applicable). All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, Click Here.
Foreign Education: For information regarding foreign education requirements, please see Foreign Diploma and Credit Recognition at the U.S. Department of Education website: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications.
If you are selected for this position and qualified based on education (i.e. basic education requirement and/or substitution of education), you will be required to provide an OFFICIAL transcript prior to your first day on duty.
Additional information
In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 3307, a maximum entry age of 36 has been established for original appointment to a position in a Bureau of Prisons institution.
The representative rate for this position is $81,331 per annum ($38.97 per hour).
Special Conditions of Employment Section:
Initial appointment to a supervisory/managerial position requires a one-year probationary period.
The incumbent is subject to geographic relocation to meet the needs of the agency.
Appointment is subject to satisfactory completion of a urinalysis, physical, and background investigation. All applicants are subject to National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and credit checks.
All applicants not currently working in an institution will be required to complete a qualification inquiry regarding convictions of misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence in order to be authorized to carry a firearm.
The Core Value Assessment (CVA) is an in-person assessment that must be facilitated at a Bureau of Prisons Human Resource Servicing office. On the day of the scheduled interview, a CVA will be administered. The applicant assessment must be completed within a 70 minute time period and a passing score of 68 must be obtained. Further employment consideration will not be extended if the applicant fails to complete the examination or fails to achieve a passing score. Note: The Core Value Assessment will not be administered to current BOP employees.
Successful completion of the "Introduction to Correctional Techniques," three-week training course at Glynco, Georgia is required.
The addresses listed on the USAJOBS account/resume must be the primary residence at the time of application. You may be required to provide proof of residence.
Additional selections may be made if vacancies occur within the life of the certificate.
Although competitive and non-competitive applications are being accepted, the selecting official may elect to have only one group reviewed.
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
- your performance and conduct;
- the needs and interests of the agency;
- whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
- whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Exceptions may apply. See 5 CFR part 11.
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.
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.
If your composite score exceeds the average score for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your online assessment responses and utilized to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed in this announcement. If your selections are not supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job. If you are found to be among the top candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.
There are several parts of the application process that affect the overall evaluation of your application:
- Your resume, which is part of your USAJOBS profile;
- Your responses to the eligibility questions;
- Your responses to the online assessment;
- Your supporting documentation, if required.
Time-in-Grade: Federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements for consideration. You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.
What Competencies/Knowledge, Skills and Abilities are Required for this Position?
The following Competencies/Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA's) are required:
- Ability to manage resources.
- Ability to communicate orally.
- Knowledge of sports/fitness programs.
- Ability to perform supervisory and administrative duties using principles and techniques of supervision.
- Ability to communicate in writing.
- Ability to analyze information and make recommendations, particularly in regards to the formulation of policies, plans and/or programs.
You may preview questions for this vacancy.
Required Documents
Failure to provide legible required documents and/or follow the prescribed format often results in removal from consideration. If uploading documentation, do not identify/save your documents utilizing a special character such as %, #, @, etc. Documentation should be identified/saved as VA Letter, DD-214, or Transcripts.
- Resume: Resume (includes name and contact information) limited to 2 pages showing relevant experience (cover letter optional). Experience that would not normally be part of the Federal employee's position is creditable when documented by satisfactory evidence of qualifying experience (e.g., a memorandum from the manager, Human Resource Manager, SF-52, etc.).
- To receive credit for experience contained in an application, the experience must be documented:
- Reflecting start date and end date in month/year format (MM/YYYY) AND
- Include the number of hours worked per week.
- SF-50: Current or former Federal employees NOT employed by the Bureau of Prisons MUST submit a copy of their SF-50 Form which shows competitive service appointment, tenure group, and salary. If you have promotion potential in your current position, please provide proof. If you are applying for a higher grade, and your experience was gained at a Federal agency other than the Bureau of Prisons, you MUST provide the SF-50 Form which verifies the length of time you have been in your highest grade and supports your claim for time in grade.
- Employees applying with an interchange agreement must provide proof of their permanent appointment.
- Current federal employees NOT employed by the BOP and former federal employees MUST submit a copy of their latest yearly performance appraisal/evaluation.
- CTAP, Click Here, if applicable.
- College transcript: includes the School Name, Student Name, Degree, and Date Awarded (if applicable).
- NOTE: If you are selected, official transcript(s) will be required prior to your first day.
For more help, visit USAJOBS Help Center - What should I include in my resume?
We cannot be held responsible for incompatible software, delays in mail service, applicant application errors, etc.
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.