Information Technology Specialist

Summary This position is located in the E Executive Office (E/EX) and supports executive direction across the E Family, including human resources, budget and fiscal operations, general services, and information technology management. This position exercises overall responsibility for the continuing functionality of all servers in the Bureau's enterprise LAN that supports Department-wide mission-critical functions. Responsibilities Apply performance metrics to IT and collaboration platforms; recommend configuration changes, resource reallocation, or AI-enabled solutions to enhance system efficiency. Plan and coordinate the maintenance, upgrade, and lifecycle administration of servers and SharePoint Online environments, including site governance and permissions. Serve as subject matter expert on M365 tools (SharePoint, Teams, Power Platform); advise specialists and deliver training on new methods, including AI-enabled workflows. Troubleshoot systems and collaboration platform issues, including SharePoint, Teams, and e-mail operations, applying access controls while working with Bureau customers. Participate in seminars and Bureau forums to exchange information, identify process-improvement opportunities, and support adoption of new digital and AI-enabled tools. At the GS-13 level, the incumbent performs the same duties as outlined above, however, the scope and complexity of assignments are increased, and the incumbent receives less supervision than the GS-12. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications Applicants must meet all the required qualification requirements described below by the closing date of this announcement. NOTE: Applicants must meet time-in-grade and time after competitive appointment requirements, by the closing date of this announcement. Time-In-Grade Requirements: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions, per 5CFR 300, Subpart F. Applicants applying for the GS-13 grade level must meet the following requirements: Have IT-related experience demonstrating EACH of the four competencies AND specialized experience listed below: Attention to Detail - Plan, coordinate, and implement periodic reviews of installed automated systems to determine if approved systems plans have been effectively followed and ensure that planned technical, economic, or other benefits are achieved. Customer Service - Advise other specialists and managers on implementation of new or enhanced IT systems including providing on-the-job and formal training for new and revised methods and techniques for resolving IT issues.. Oral Communication - Recommend software procedures for use and identifies and recommend standards criteria for assessing network server performance. Problem Solving - Optimize the functionality of networks and systems; and diagnose and recover failed systems. Run or coordinate related debugging and problem resolution. AND Have at least 1 full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal service which provided you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position. Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following: Experience monitoring and documenting systems performance to ensure that procedures and guidelines are followed to eliminate and prevent system disruption.; Experience maintaining and documenting in-house information technology configurations.; Experience identifying and recommending potential areas for enhancing system reliability and functionality.; AND Experience managing installation and integration of new products or equipment. NOTE: In order to qualify for this position, your experience MUST be IT related; the experience may be demonstrated by paid or unpaid experience and/or completion of specific, intensive training (for example, IT certification), as appropriate. There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the GS-13 position. Applicants applying for the GS-12 grade level must meet the following requirements: Have IT-related experience demonstrating EACH of the four competencies AND specialized experience listed below: Attention to Detail - Identify and recommend potential areas of enhancing systems reliability and functionality. Customer Service - Advise other specialists and managers on implementation of new or enhanced IT systems. Oral Communication - Conduct reviews and makes recommendations regarding the feasibility of system enhancements. Problem Solving - Optimize the functionality of networks and systems; and diagnose and recover failed systems. AND Have at least 1 full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal service which provided you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position. Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following: Experience assisting with monitoring and documenting systems performance to ensure that procedures and guidelines are followed to eliminate and prevent system disruption.; Experience documenting in-house information technology configurations.; AND Experience assisting with identifying and recommending potential areas for enhancing system reliability and functionality. NOTE: In order to qualify for this position, your experience MUST be IT related; the experience may be demonstrated by paid or unpaid experience and/or completion of specific, intensive training (for example, IT certification), as appropriate. There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the GS-12 position. Education Education requirements do not apply to this vacancy announcement. Additional Information To request a reasonable accommodation for additional time on the timed sections of the assessment, please submit your request using the “Request a Reasonable Accommodation” button within the Assessment Application. For all other reasonable accommodations at the U.S. Department of State, please contact the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations (OAA) at View email address on click.appcast.io. OAA is responsible for reviewing and adjudicating reasonable accommodation (RA) requests for the Assessment Battery being used for this announcement. The following applies to all RA requests: RA requests cover additional time on timed sections only. Applicants submitting a RA request MUST attach supporting medical documentation signed by a licensed, treating medical provider. The documentation should describe the nature, severity, and expected duration of the condition, identify the relevant medical condition or diagnosis, and explain the basis for the requested extension. RA requests that do not contain supporting medical documentation attachments at the time of initial request may be subject to further review. Note: the following documents do not, on their own, qualify for automatic approval of the RA request: Schedule A letters, VA benefits letters, or SSA letters. Applicants MUST submit their application before the vacancy closes, even if pending an accommodation decision. Applicants are encouraged to carefully follow instructions related to medical documentation provided in the vacancy announcement prior to beginning the RA process. Applicants will have 48 hours after their RA request is adjudicated to complete the assessment battery. Scores generated after the allotted timeframe will not be admissible and the applicant will not be considered further for the vacancy. If a different type of RA is needed, please contact OAA directly at View email address on click.appcast.io. If eligible, situational telework agreements may be permitted with supervisory approval. Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. If eligible, applicants to this announcement may be referred to other similar positions in other Bureaus/Offices in the Department for up to 240 days and may require a higher or lower security clearance. Telework eligibility and security clearance requirements may vary for such similar positions. Agency & Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP & ICTAP): View OPM's CTAP & ICTAP eligibility website for more information. You must be rated in the Well-Qualified category and submit supporting documents under the required documents section of this announcement to receive selection priority consideration. To be considered Well-Qualified applicants must: score an 85 or above, meet Minimum Qualifications, and demonstrate proficiency in some, but not all major aspects of the position.