Special Assistant

Summary

This position is located in the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, located in Washington, District of Columbia.

This announcement will close at 11:59 PM, on the day that 50 applications have been received or the closing date of the announcement, whichever comes first.

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Duties

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As a Special Assistant, GS-0301-12, you will perform the following duties:

• Coordinating policies, procedures, special programs, and projects.
• identifying issues, evaluating operations, and recommending improvements supporting agency goals and objectives.
• Managing and coordinating multiple projects and initiatives, establishing priorities, monitoring progress, and addressing issues identified by senior leadership.
• Analyzing administrative and program operations, conducting research, evaluating findings, and developing recommendations for improving organizational efficiency and effectiveness.
• Providing advice and analytical support to senior leadership on significant office issues, program priorities, and policies, including recommending corrective actions and tracking follow-up activities.
• Preparing correspondence, analytical reports, briefings, and presentations for senior leadership while coordinating with internal and external stakeholders to support organizational priorities.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship required
• Selective Service: Males born after December 31, 1959, must be registered or exempt from Selective Service -
• If not previously completed, a background security investigation will be required for all appointees. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Must meet time in grade requirements.
• One-year probationary period may be required.
• If you are selected for this position, the documentation that you present for purposes of completing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-Verify" System.
• All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choice.
• Financial disclosure statement may be required.
• Bargaining Unit Position: No
• Drug Screening Required: No
• Research Position: No
• Complete the initial online assessment and USAHire Assessment, if required.

Qualifications

ALL QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS MUST BE MET BY THE CLOSING DATE OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.

Your resume (limited to no more than 2 pages) must include detailed information as it relates to the responsibilities and specialized experience for this position. Evidence of copying and pasting directly from the vacancy announcement without clearly documenting supplemental information to describe your experience will result in an ineligible rating. This will prevent you from being considered further.

Applicants must demonstrate that they meet the Specialized Experience requirements as noted below.

Specialized Experience:

Applicants must demonstrate that they meet the Specialized Experience requirements as noted below.

Specialized Experience:

GS-12: You must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the GS-11 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors) performing ALL of the duties listed below:

• Supporting senior leadership in a fast-paced environment by independently managing competing priorities, exercising sound judgment, and anticipating leadership needs.
• Planning, coordinating, and monitoring multiple projects and initiatives simultaneously to ensure timely completion of assignments and organizational priorities.
• Preparing executive-level briefing materials, correspondence, talking points, and meeting packages; and coordinating domestic and international travel, meetings, and events.
• Building and maintaining effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders to coordinate activities, resolve issues, and facilitate communication.
• Developing, implementing, or improving administrative processes and organizational systems to enhance operational efficiency and support executive decision-making.

Documenting Experience:

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Qualifications are based on breadth/level of experience. In addition to describing duties performed, applicants must provide the exact dates of each period of employment (from MM/YY to MM/YY) and the number of hours worked per week if part time. As qualification determinations cannot be made when resumes do not include the required information, failure to provide this information may result in disqualification. Applicants are encouraged to use the USAJOBS Resume Builder to develop their federal resume.

Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.

In accordance with Office of Personnel Management policy, federal employees are assumed to have gained experience by performing duties and responsibilities appropriate for their official series and grade level as described in their position description. Experience that would not normally be part of the employee's position is creditable, however, when documented by satisfactory evidence, such as a signed memorandum from the employee's supervisor or an SF-50 or SF-52 documenting an official detail or other official assignment. The documentation must indicate whether the duties were performed full time or, if part time, the "percentage of times" the other duties were performed. It is expected that this documentation is included in the employee's official personnel record. In order to receive credit for experience in your resume that is not within the official series and grade level of your official position, you must provide a copy of the appropriate documentation of such experience as indicated above.

NOTE : 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; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to gain employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. If such experience is on a part-time basis, you must provide the average number of hours worked per week as well as the beginning and ending dates of the experience so it can be fully credited.

Time-in-Grade Requirement: Under competitive merit promotion procedures, any individual who is currently holding, or who has held within the previous 52 weeks, a General Schedule position under non-temporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service, must meet "time-in-grade" requirements (have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade of the grade for which you are applying). You must include an SF-50 (you may need to submit more than one) that supports meeting this requirement with your application package.

OPM Qualification General Policies Website

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

Education

Education may not be used or combined to qualify for this position.

Additional information

INCENTIVES

Incentives may be authorized; however, this is contingent upon multiple factors, including funds availability. If authorized, certain incentives may require you to sign a service agreement to remain in the Federal government for a period of up to 3 years. Note: This statement does not imply nor guarantee an incentive will be offered and paid. Incentives may include the following: moving expenses, recruitment or relocation incentive; student loan repayment, superior qualifications appointment, creditable service for annual leave for prior non-federal work experience or prior uniformed military service, etc.

Applicants selected for this position will be subject to reasonable suspicion and post-accident drug testing upon hiring.

Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) : To be eligible for a VEOA appointment under Merit Promotion consideration, the veteran must be: 1) a preference eligible; or 2) a veteran separated after 3 or more years of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions (you must submit a DD214-member copy 4).

Special Hiring Authorities for Veterans -

Special Hiring Authorities for Military Spouses and Family Members -

People With Disabilities (Schedule A) -

Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP/ICTAP): For information on how to apply as an CTAP/ICTAP eligible see To be well-qualified and exercise selection priority for this vacancy, displaced Federal employees must be rated at 85.0 or above on the rating criteria for this position.

Reemployment Priority List (RPL): To receive selection priority for this position, individuals on the RPL must meet the qualification requirements, complete all required assessments and be rated as qualified. RPL candidates are ranked using Category Rating procedures.

Beginning January 1, 2010, agencies must seek prior approval from OPM before they can appoint a current or recent political appointee to a competitive or non-political excepted service position at any level under the provisions of title 5, United States Code. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you MUST disclose that to the Human Resources Office.

In accordance with Executive Order 12564 of September 14, 1986, The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is A Drug-Free Federal Workplace. The use of illegal drugs, on or off duty, by Federal employees is inconsistent not only with the law-abiding behavior expected of all citizens, but also with the special trust placed in such employees as servants of the public.

For additional information about USAJOBS visit the Help Center:

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.

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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.

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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.