Program Assistant

Summary

This position is part of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency. The incumbent will be responsible for planning, reviewing and advising senior leadership of policies and guidelines ensuring compliance standards are met.

Learn more about this agency

Duties

Help

As a Program Assistant at the GS-0344-5/6/7 some of your typical work assignments may include:

• Planning, reviewing and advising senior leadership of policies and guidelines ensuring compliance standards met.
• Processing and maintaining official records or files of classified documents; prepare correspondence and coordinating orders for Foreign Military Sales.
• Conducting quality review checks of Letters of Offer Acceptance (LOAs) to ensure the final product meets all regulatory and policy guidelines.
• Completing final phase development of LOA documents from Implementing Agencies (IAs).
• Participating with oversight in projects involving mathematical formulas, technical studies and data analyses requiring a high level of attention to detail.
• Performing recurring assignments of limited, but gradually increasing, difficulty and complexity; analyzing and evaluating routine issues/problems that are encountered and resolves them.

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. citizen
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
• Resume and supporting documents (See How To Apply)
• Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation
• May be required to successfully complete a probationary period
• Work Schedule: Full Time
• Overtime: Occasionally
• Tour of Duty: Flexible
• Recruitment Incentives: Authorized
• Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): Non-Exempt
• Financial Disclosure: Not Required
• Telework Eligibility: This position is telework eligible
• Must obtain/maintain Non-critical Sensitive/Secret security clearance
• This is a drug testing designated position

Qualifications

You may qualify at the GS-07, if you fulfill the following qualifications:

One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-06 grade level in the Federal service:

• Reviewing, analyzing, and processing Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) packages
• Ensuring documentation complies with applicable Security Cooperation, Security Assistance, Department of War, and implementing agency policies, procedures, and guidance
• Tracking LOA workload and document status
• Preparing reports and correspondence
• Identifying and resolving processing discrepancies
• Experience must also demonstrate the ability to maintain standard operating procedures, research regulations, coordinate with customers and internal/external stakeholders, and support quality assurance of case development; Or

You may qualify at the GS-06, if you fulfill the following qualifications:

A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service:

• Assisting with the review, tracking, processing, and quality assurance of Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) documentation
• Verifying that LOA packages are complete and meet agency policies, maintaining records to track document status and processing actions
• Researching regulations
• Identifying discrepancies
• Preparing correspondence, reports, briefings, or administrative materials
• Supporting Security Cooperation (SC) and Security Assistance (SA) case-development and processing activities

OR

B. Successful completion of 4 years above high school of higher level education in any field from an accredited college or university.

OR

C. You have some specialized experience as described in A, but less than one year; and you have more than one year but less than two years of education as described in B. You have computed the percentage of the requirements that you meet, and the total is at least 100%. (To compute the percentage, divide your total months of qualifying experience by 12. Then divide your semester hours of graduate education beyond the first year by 18. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify.)

You may qualify at the GS-05, if you fulfill the following qualifications:

A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-04 grade level in the Federal service:

• Collecting, organizing, analyzing and presenting information related to current and future program workload and has demonstrated the ability to analyze problems to identify significant factors
• Gathering pertinent data and tracking packages

OR

B. Successful completion of 2 years above high school of higher level education in any field from an accredited college or university.

OR

C. You have some specialized experience as described in A, but less than one year; and you have more than one year but less than two years of education as described in B. You have computed the percentage of the requirements that you meet, and the total is at least 100%. (To compute the percentage, divide your total months of qualifying experience by 12. Then divide your semester hours of graduate education beyond the first year by 18. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify.)

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.

*NOTE: Failure to provide transcripts will result in you being rated ineligible for this position.

Education

Incumbent must attain DoD Security Cooperation Workforce (SCW) Certification and complete related continuous learning requirements in accordance with the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) 2017, Title 10 United States Code, Section 384 and Security Cooperation Workforce Certification Program 2.0 requirements. Incumbent must complete DoD SCW Basic-level certification courses within one year. Requirements for Proficiency Level 1 - At least 1 year of successful SC work experience with a performance appraisal rating of 3 or better. Incumbent must complete DoD SCW Foundational level certification requirements within one year of entering the SC position. In addition, 40 hours of continuing education (CUE) every two years.

ARE YOU USING YOUR EDUCATION TO QUALIFY? You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims.

All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.

GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours that your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.

Foreign education may be qualifying if a private organization specializing in interpreting foreign education programs has deemed the foreign education equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program or a U.S. accredited college or university has given full credit for the foreign courses.

Unofficial transcripts from U.S. Department of Education accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions listing your name, the name of the school, the date and degree awarded, and the list of classes and credits earned are acceptable for the application process. If selected, official transcripts are required before a firm job offer is made. A photocopy of your degree/diploma is not acceptable.

When relying on foreign education, submit transcripts and a copy of the equivalency evaluation results letter with a course-by-course listing. Documents must be in English or include an English translation. The hiring employer for this position does not evaluate degrees from foreign colleges or universities. For further information, visit: Foreign Education

Additional information

Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment under Merit Promotion procedures, the veteran must be a preference eligible or a veteran separated after 3 years or more of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Programs : This program applies to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well-qualified for the position; Well qualified is defined as possessing the type and quality of experience that exceeds the positions minimum qualifications. and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility. For more information:

Noncompetitive Appointment Authorities : For more information on noncompetitive appointment authority eligibility requirements:

Persons with Disabilities - Schedule A

Special Hiring Authority for Veterans

Special Hiring Authority for Certain Military Spouses

Other Special Appointment Authorities - Subpart F

Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see

The selecting official may choose to conduct interviews, and once the selection is made, you will receive a notification of the decision.

NOTE: Declining to be interviewed or failure to report for a scheduled interview will be considered as a declination for further consideration for employment against this vacancy.

Selective Service Requirement: Please visit for more information.

For more information, please visit

Other Notes:

Re-employed Annuitant: This position Does not meet criteria for re-employed annuitant. The DoD criteria for hiring Re-employed Annuitants can be found at:

This position is subject to an initial drug screening, and random testing thereafter. A negative drug test result must be received by HR within 30 calendar days after the EOD (i.e., start date). The selectee's inability successfully pass; or refusal to conduct the test may result in: 1) the tentative or FJO being withdrawn during the recruitment process; or 2) subsequently being removed from Federal service for failure to meet a condition of employment.

You may be required to sign a "Drug Test Statement of Understanding" if you are selected for this position.

As required by 5 C.F.R. § 302.106., DLA will provide Section 508 conformant ICT to employees with disabilities. All ICT interfaces with the public related to vacancy announcements and career transition opportunities must conform to the applicable requirements in the current ICT Standards and Guidelines (36 C.F.R. § 1194).

Status candidates must meet time-in-grade requirements (52 weeks at the next lower grade level).

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.

Help

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.

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.