Congressional Liaison Specialist

Congressional Liaison Specialist

US Department of Homeland Security

Washington, DC

Job details

Salary

$60,129 - $94,581 a year

Job Type

Full-time

Full Job Description

Duties

Summary

As our nation navigates the COVID-19 pandemic, CBP is committed to delivering our mission to safeguard America's borders and enable legitimate trade and travel. Staffing mission critical positions remains a high priority. Be reassured that CBP is still hiring, despite potential hiring process step delays due to restrictions to in-person activities.

Responsibilities

Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Congressional Affairs, Washington, DC.

This position starts at a salary of $60,129.00 (GS-9, Step 1) to $94,581.00 (GS-11, Step 10) with promotion potential to $134,798 (GS-13 Step 10).

This position is located within the Office of Congressional Affairs (OCA), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The incumbent serves as a Congressional Liaison Specialist with responsibility for a variety of congressional liaison activities and serves to support the link between CBP and Congress. This position provides assistance to the Office of the Assistant Commissioner and Staff Members by planning, directing and coordinating congressional liaison activities. The incumbent develops and maintains a continuing awareness of the philosophies, mission, special interests, and areas of concern for the Office of Congressional Affairs. Duties include the following:

Maintains a comprehensive knowledge of all CBP and DHS programs and activities and the related policies of the Assistant Commissioner, Office of Congressional Affairs.

Develops and maintains an effective working relationship with other key program officials to remain thoroughly conversant with operational needs of the programs.

Maintains awareness of potential problems of a politically sensitive nature, areas of special or urgent congressional interest and any developments of unusual magnitude.

Conducts special briefings for Congressional leaders, Congressional committees and their staffs and individual Members of Congress concerning matters, as necessary, in order to promote favorable consideration of legislative needs. This includes oral briefings, statistical and narrative information, specific responses to inquiries; and, reports based on studies and various guidelines.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

Supervisory status

No

Promotion Potential

13

Job family (Series)

0301 Miscellaneous Administration And Program

Similar jobs

Assistants, Office

Office Assistants

Requirements

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this position

Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with Selective Service

Primary U.S. residency for at least three of the last five years (additional details below)

You may be required to pass a background investigation

CBP follows the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan for drug testing procedures

As an employee of CBP, you will be joining a workforce that is dedicated to accomplishing our mission while maintaining the trust of our Nation by strictly adhering to all government ethics standards. Your conduct will be subject to the ethics rules applicable to all Executive Branch employees, and to CBP employees specifically, as well as the criminal conflict of interest statutes. Once you enter on duty, these rules include obtaining approval for outside employment or business activity, to ensure such employment or business activity is not prohibited and does not interfere or conflict with performance of your official duties. Please review further details via the following link.

This vacancy has a local commuting area requirement, as defined below:

The area surrounding the duty station by which people reasonably travel back and forth from home to work; Or

The employee's permanent duty station is located within the reasonable travel area surrounding the duty station of this vacancy; Or if applicable

For employees who are detailed or temporarily promoted for more than 1 year to another duty location, the detailed or temporary duty location is considered to be the duty location of record for commuting area purposes. For employees detailed or temporarily promoted for less than one year, the permanent duty location is considered the duty location of record for commuting area purposes.

Qualifications

GS-9: Experience: You qualify for the GS-9 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as:

Attending Congressional/state legislative hearings or summarizing key issues;

Responding in verbal & written format to requests for information from Congressional staff or community leaders related to agency programs & projects;

Preparing Congressional correspondence for signature on routine, non-complex, & non-policy matters

Education Substitution: I have successfully completed a Master's or equivalent graduate degree or two full years of progressively higher level graduate education at an accredited or pre-accredited college or university leading to such a degree or related LL. B. or J.D.

Combining Experience and Education: I have successfully completed a Master's or equivalent graduate degree or two full years of progressively higher level graduate education at an accredited or pre-accredited college or university leading to such a degree or related LL. B. or J.D.

Experience: You qualify for the GS-11 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as:

Attending Congressional/state legislative hearings or summarizing key issues;

Responding in verbal & written format to requests for information from Congressional staff or community leaders related to agency programs & projects;

Preparing Congressional correspondence for signature on routine, non-complex, & non-policy matters; and

Participating in meetings to discuss information with Congress & non-government organizations.

Education Substitution: Successfully completed three years (or more) of full-time graduate education or a doctoral (or higher) degree in an appropriate discipline from an accredited college or university.

Combining Experience and Education: A combination of successfully completed graduate education in an appropriate discipline and experience as described in A above that totals at least one year.

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.

You must:

Meet all qualification requirements, including education if applicable to this position, subject to verification at any stage of the application process; and

Meet all applicable Time in Grade requirements (current federal employees must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade or equivalent grade band in the federal service) by 03/26/2021.

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

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.

Background Investigation: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is a federal law enforcement agency that requires all applicants to undergo a thorough background investigation prior to employment in order to promote the agency's core values of vigilance, service to country, and integrity. During the screening and/or background investigation process, you will be asked questions regarding any felony criminal convictions or current felony charges, the use of illegal drugs (e.g., marijuana, cocaine, heroin, LSD, methamphetamines, ecstasy), and the use of non-prescribed controlled substances including any experimentation, possession, sale, receipt, manufacture, cultivation, production, transfer, shipping, trafficking, or distribution of controlled substances. . For more information visit this link.

Residency: There is a residency requirement for all applicants not currently employed by CBP. Individuals are required to have physically resided in the United States or its protectorates (as declared under international law) for at least three of the last five years. If you do not meet the residency requirement and you have been physically located in a foreign location for more than two of the last five years, you may request an exception to determine if you are eligible for a residency waiver by meeting one or more of the following conditions:

Working for the U.S. Government as a federal civilian or as a member of the military

A dependent who was authorized to accompany a federal civilian or member of the military who was working for the U.S. government

Participation in a study abroad program sponsored by a U.S. affiliated college or university

Working as a contractor, intern, consultant or volunteer supporting the U.S. government

Probationary Period: All employees new to the federal government must serve a one year probationary period during the first year of his/her initial permanent federal appointment to determine fitness for continued employment. Current and former federal employees may be required to serve or complete a probationary period.

Education

Please see the Qualifications and Required Documents sections for more information if education is applicable to this position.

Additional information

Reasonable Accommodation Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended and Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a reasonable accommodation in your online application. Requests for Reasonable Accommodations for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for Reasonable Accommodation must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for Reasonable Accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a Reasonable Accommodation, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here.

Positions with known promotion potential do not guarantee promotion, nor is the promise of promotion implied.

This position is not in the bargaining unit.

Telework may be available on a regular recurring or situational basis.

DHS uses E-Verify, an internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify including your rights and responsibilities.

Follow U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Twitter @CustomsBorder

The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR § 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR § 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps/VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Applicants will only be considered for the Eligibilities for which they claim in the job questionnaire AND must provide the supporting documentation. Applicants will not be considered for Eligibilities for which they did not claim, regardless of the documentation submitted with the application. https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11063256

We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements. If you meet the minimum qualifications, your experience, education, and training will be rated using the responses you provide on the application questionnaire and the result of the online assessments required for this position.

The knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform this job are:

Knowledge of the principles and methods of written and oral communication and skills in applying principles and using methods in developing and disseminating information about the organizations programs and activities.

Knowledge and understanding of programs, and policies of the congressional affairs program.

Ability to plan, manage, and coordinate complex projects to meet the planning needs, requirements and objectives/goals of the organization.

Competencies:

Attention to Detail

Customer Service

Decision Making

Flexibility

Integrity/Honesty

Interpersonal Skills

Learning

Reading

Reasoning

Self Management

Stress Tolerance

Teamwork

If you are best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview. Preview the job questionnaire https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11063256

Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not CTAP/ICTAP eligible. View information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibilityon OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To be considered well qualified under CTAP/ICTAP, you must be rated at a minimum score of 85 for this position. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the Required Documents section of this announcement.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance

Top Secret

Drug test required

Yes

Required Documents

Required Documents

Your resume: A resume describing your job-related qualifications is required and will be used for the purpose of reviewing your qualifications and determining what training, if any, would be required when placed. A resume in English is required. It must contain your full legal name, address, phone number, complete work history including a detailed description of your duties, the dates you performed those duties (MM/DD/YY), your hours worked per week, job title, as well as series, grade, and salary (if applicable). For additional required items, see the link.

Your responses to the job questionnaire: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11063256

Your responses to the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment

Are you a current or former federal employee? ALL CURRENT AND FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES MUST SUBMIT THE MOST RECENT COPY OF THEIR SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing competitive status: Tenure 1 or 2 in Block 24 and Position Occupied 1 in Block 34. Additionally, applicants should also submit a SF-50 reflecting the highest grade held on a permanent basis in the competitive service or the full performance level of your current position, whichever is higher, AND a SF-50 to support having met the time-in-grade requirement of having served 52 weeks at the grade level (or equivalent) below the grade level(s) for this position. Current CBP Employees are encouraged, but not required, to submit an SF-50(s) for CBP experience; however, additional SF-50(s) are required when using federal experience outside of CBP to receive credit towards the requirements above. Examples of appropriate SF-50s include promotions, within-grade increases and accessions.

Are you qualifying based on education? Submit a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable at this time; however, official copies will be required prior to entrance on duty) or a list of coursework with hours completed provided from the institution. Education must be from an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Education obtained from a foreign university or college is not creditable unless it has been evaluated by an organization that specializes in interpretation of education credentials. For a listing of accrediting agencies see www.naces.org

Are you claiming special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP)? You must submit a separation notice; your most recent SF-50 (noting your current position, grade level and duty location); a copy of your most recent performance rating; an agency certification that you cannot be placed after injury compensation has been terminated; an OPM notification that your disability annuity has been terminated; or a Military Department of National Guard Bureau notification that you are retired under 5 U.S.C. 8337(h) or 8456.

Special Appointing Authority: See "Other Information" to determine what documentation you need to submit as proof of eligibility for a Special Appointing Authority.

Are you a veteran? If you are applying under a veteran appointing authority, you must submit documentation to support eligibility such as a DD 214 listing the character of service and either qualifying medal(s) or service period, a VA Disability Award letter dated 1991 or later, and/or supporting documentation as listed on the Standard Form 15. If you are currently serving on active duty, you must submit a written statement from the armed forces certifying your dates of service, your rank, expected type of discharge and anticipated date of separation. If you apply with a written statement at this stage, your preference will be verified by a DD 214 (Member Copy 4) upon separation from the military. To learn more click here.

Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee? Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment:

Position title

Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee)

Agency

Beginning and ending dates of appointment

If you are requesting a reasonable accommodation to the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, submit documentation to support your request, including the Reasonable Accommodation Request Form found here.

You may be asked to provide a copy of your recent performance appraisal and/or incentive awards.

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.

Benefits

Benefits

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.

Help

This job is open to

Federal employees - Competitive service

Current or former competitive service federal employees.

Veterans

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.

Clarification from the agency

Current Federal employees with competitive status within the LCA and Individuals who are eligible under Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA)