Transportation Security Administration Representative (TSAR)

Clarification from the agency

All current TSA permanent or competitive temporary employees, TSA-Wide. This is not a permanent assignment; the initial tour of duty is normally 36 months, and with agency approval a second tour of duty up to 24 months. Any subsequent tour of duty extension beyond the second tour will be based on the Agency's needs.

This position serves as a Transportation Security Administration Representative (TSAR) assigned to International Operations (IO), Security Operations (SO), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS). As a TSAR, you will serve as the on-site Transportation Security Representative for assignments located outside and/or inside the continental United States. You will serve under the administrative supervision of the Regional Director for an Area of Responsibility (AOR) and have overall responsibility for developing and maintaining effective and professional relationships with U.S. and foreign government officials to promote consistency with international security standards, foreign government requirements, and TSA regulatory programs. You will be considered a technical subject matter expert in a broad range of highly complex transportation security issues for host countries within the assigned AOR.

Duties may include, but are not limited to:

• Liaison: Serving as the TSAR for foreign governments and embassy officials, ensuring attainment of international security standards, sharing best practices, serving as the on-site coordinator for the TSA/DHS response team to transportation-related terrorist incidents and threats, coordinating the dissemination of threats or security related information, representing TSA with U.S. and international stakeholders engaged in transportation security activities, developing TSA/DHS positions through coordination and communication on a wide range of highly complex transportation security issues, and facilitating Federal Air Marshal (FAM) operations in foreign airports.
• Analysis: Planning and carrying out complex analytical reviews involving international transportation security issues and coordinating with TSA Headquarters to identify and mitigate threats to the international security system, developing engagement strategies for countries within the AOR. Developing and presenting briefings, speeches, issue papers, country profiles and background/talking points on a wide range of issues of interest to high level officials.
• Networking: Developing stakeholder networks and cultivating effective relationships to manage crisis situations and resolve complex and potentially controversial transportation security issues involving the international community.
• Program Management: Planning and formulating proposed mitigation options for transportation security issues and presenting options for review by leadership. Conducting in-depth and timely analyses of National Civil Aviation Security, Quality Control, Training, and other transportation security programs for assigned countries; providing extensive assistance to host governments to improve the security of international transportation security systems.
• Resource Management: Serving as budget and resource manager for the AOR and preparing funding requests, justifications, and advance estimates on AOR program requirements. Providing technical and administrative guidance and direction to contract employees.

Conditions of employment

1. You must possess U.S. Citizenship or be a U.S. National.
2. You must have reached the minimum age (18) at the time of application.
3. You must complete a favorable Background Investigation (BI).
4. Selective Service registration is required.
5. You must pass Drug Screening, subject to random drug tests.
6. You must be able to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI clearance.
7. This is an Emergency Essential position.
8. Must sign mobility agreement upon selection.
9. This position requires Financial Disclosure
10. Please see the Qualifications section for conditions of employment.

If you fail to meet the conditions of employment or any other pre-employment requirements, such as missing any of the scheduled appointments, the hiring agency may rescind their tentative offer of employment.

Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for TSA to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.

Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance, and Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.

Qualifications

In addition to the minimum qualifications described above, you must meet the following specialized experience to be considered qualified for the position:

To qualify for the SV-K Pay Band (equivalent to GS-15), you must have one year of specialized experience at the SV-J Pay Band or GS-14 in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector. Specialized experience is defined as experience that has equipped you with the knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience is defined as:

• Experience interpreting, developing, and applying transportation security policy or programs in an enforcement, investigation, inspection or compliance arena.
• Demonstrated experience advising on aviation security policies, laws, and regulations.
• Demonstrated experience evaluating and recommending improvements in transportation security, including issues with international impact.
• Demonstrated experience developing influence and maintaining professional relationships with high-level international partners and other officials across organizational and functional boundaries.

Conditions of employment:

• MOBILITY: The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was created in the wake of 9/11 to strengthen the security of the nation's transportation systems while ensuring freedom of movement for people and commerce. TSA employs a risk-based strategy to secure U.S. transportation systems, with nearly 50,000 Transportation Security Officers, each day at approximately 450 airports nationwide. The agency continuously sets the standard for excellence in transportation security through its people, processes, technologies and use of intelligence to drive operations. Mobility is a condition of employment. Applicants and current TSA employees who are selected for this position must sign and submit a mobility agreement upon acceptance of a job offer. Executing this agreement is required as a condition of employment for an individual selected for a vacant mobility position.
• Work may require driving or traveling by motor vehicle and occasionally involves regular and reoccurring exposure to moderate risk or discomforts that require special safety precautions.
• This duty assignment can result in dangerous and/or austere living conditions. In addition, work may require driving or traveling by motor vehicle to surrounding countries and therefore may be required to obtain vaccinations depending on guidance from State Department, DHS, and/or the host country.
• The TSAR position is a tour of duty assignment generally lasting up to five years, with an initial 36-month tour and, with agency approval, a second tour of up to 24 months. Any extensions beyond the second tour are based on agency needs. During the assignment, Human Capital will assist the employee with a career assessment and future position interests, and TSA will provide a consistent and timely placement process upon tour expiration, subject to priority placement eligibility, qualification requirements, career development considerations, and agency needs.

Credit for experience is given based on a 40-hour workweek. Part-time experience is credited on a part-time ratio, i.e., working 20 hours per week for two months equals one month of experience. No additional credit is given for overtime.

National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): 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.

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.

You must meet the qualification requirements for this position no later than the closing date of the vacancy announcement.

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), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service
• Decision Making
• Flexibility
• Influencing/Negotiating
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Learning
• Reasoning
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork

The USA Hire Assessments include a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

You may preview the questions for this vacancy here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13041913

The following documents are required and must be provided with your application. Applicants who do not submit required documentation to determine eligibility and qualifications will be eliminated from consideration. Documentation is needed to verify the eligibilities you are claiming.

NOTE: Your resume must clearly demonstrate how you meet this requirement; otherwise, you will be deemed ineligible. Additionally, copying and pasting information from the announcement into your resume will not adequately convey your qualifications.

Resume Requirements:

1. All applicants are required to submit a resume. 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.
2. Narrative description of duties with start and end dates (including month and year) for work experience.
3. Number of hours worked in a position (i.e., full-time or part-time). If part-time, (i.e., less than 40 hours per week) state the total number of hours worked per week.
4. If you are a current Federal employee or previous Federal employee, provide your performance level for federal civilian positions (i.e., band or grade).

If your resume does not contain this information, your application will be marked as insufficient, and you will not receive consideration for this position.

Do NOT include photographs (or links to social media such as LinkedIn), inappropriate content, classified information, nor personal information such as age, gender, religion, social security number, etc. on your resume.

Utilizing the USAJOBS Resume Builder and completing all available fields is strongly encouraged.

Note: Do NOT include photographs (or links to social media such as LinkedIn), inappropriate content, nor personal information such as age, gender, religion, social security number, etc. on your resume.

In addition to a resume and the assessment questions, you must submit copies of any of the following documents if you are applying based on being a current eligible TSA employee (which includes permanent employees and 5 year temporary employees), or education or a combination of education and experience:

TSA Current Employees- Strongly encouraged to submit the most recent non-Award SF-50, at the time of application, to support eligibility for Status consideration. TSA employees who do not submit the SF-50 with the application must document their current TSA position in their resume and may be required to provide the SF-50 document during the selection process. TSA employees may obtain a copy of their most recent non-Award SF-50 at https://eopf.opm.gov/dhs/.

TSA Displaced Employees- If you indicate eligibility for this priority consideration and exemption from Area of Consideration restrictions, you must submit a copy of the official notification that supports this eligibility at the time of application.

Detail Documentation: Eligible applicants who wish to qualify for this position based upon experience obtained while serving on a detail with TSA must submit signed copies of the corresponding TSA form 1160, Terms And Conditions For Temporary Internal Assignment -Detail, or an SF-52, Request for Personnel Action, as supporting documentation along with their application otherwise the experience cannot be credited.

If you do not submit required documentation described in this job opportunity announcement, your application will be deemed incomplete and you will be ineligible for further consideration for this vacancy.

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