Program Assistant

Securing Travel, Protecting People – At the Transportation Security Administration, you will serve in a high-stakes environment to safeguard the American way of life. In cities across the country, you would secure airports, seaports, railroads, highways, and/or public transit systems, thus protecting America’s transportation infrastructure and ensuring freedom of movement for people and commerce.

Overview

• Accepting applications

• Open & closing dates

  12/11/2024 to 12/20/2024

  This job will close when we have received 150 applications which may be sooner than the closing date.

  
  
• Salary
  

  $45,146 – $88,926 per year
  Salary range listed includes Locality Pay of 33.26%.

• Pay scale & grade
  

  SV D – F

• Location

  1 vacancy in the following location:

• Remote job
  

  No

• Telework eligible

  Yes-as determined by the agency policy.

• Travel Required
  

  Not required

• Relocation expenses reimbursed
  

  No

• Appointment type
  

  Permanent

• Work schedule
  

  Full-time

• Service
  

  Excepted

• Promotion potential

  F – This recruitment provides promotion opportunity to a higher banded position without further competition. Promotion is not guaranteed and is dependent on agency needs and supervisory recommendation.

• Job family (Series)
• Supervisory status
  

  No

• Security clearance
• Drug test
  

  No

• Position sensitivity and risk
• Trust determination process
• Financial disclosure
• Bargaining unit status
• Announcement number

  HQ-FAM-795939-12635189-ST

  
  
• Control number
  

  823353500

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Duties

This Program Assistant position is located in the Law Enforcement Liaison Section (LELS), Flight Programs Branch, Flight Operations Division, Law Enforcement/Federal Air Marshal Service (LE/FAMS), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS). If selected for this position, you will serve as a Program Assistant and Point of Contact (POC) responsible for providing overall operational support on general administrative and program issues regarding policies, procedures, and requirements governing office operations. Duties include but are not limited to:

• Provides general support to the Administrative Unit.
• Performs data entry where appropriate with a high level of accuracy, and little or no supervision. Initiating personnel actions for employee awards, promotions, reassignments, demotions, etc.
• Maintains a purchase card for supplies, materials, professional development classes, etc. Assisting with the budget by running reports from financial system and updating a record keeping workbook.
• Processes time and attendance for the field office by entering leave and payroll data into the time and attendance database.
• Serves as a custodian for the field office government vehicles; tracks information, log-in books, and vehicle maintenance; tracks/managing government fleet credit card.
• Serves as Workers Compensation Coordinator (WCC); uploads and maintains claim records, etc. with the Department of Labor/Office of Workers Compensation.
• Serves as the travel regulations and policies POC; verifies and certifies all travel authorizations and vouchers in the government travel system, ensures that all travelers get reimbursed; and handles all travel arrangements for the Supervisory Air Marshal in Charge (SAC).
• Maintains files, records, schedules, and calendars for assigned squads within the field office such as Employee Performance Files (EPFs), administrative files, and physical/stress exams, recording TSA Online Learning Center training courses, etc.
• Updates specific squad rosters, and other FAM contact information.

The major duties described above reflect the full performance level of this position. Typically, the lower pay bands (D and E Bands) perform the same duties but will receive more guidance and training; and/or projects/work assignments may be less complex.

Requirements
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. Must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret Clearance.

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

To qualify at the SV-D Pay Band (equivalent to GS-3-6), you must meet one of the qualification requirements (A, B, OR C) outlined below:

A. Experience: If you are qualifying based on experience, your application must clearly outline at least six months of progressively responsible general experience. General Experience is defined as clerical, office, or other work that indicates the ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as:

• Experience filing and maintaining simple office records, compiling and tracking data, providing basic computer assistance, scheduling meetings, typing correspondences and providing standard information on administrative policies.

OR

B. Education: At least one full year of full-time academic study in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university.

OR

C. Combining Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements for this position and may be computed by first determining your total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the band level; then determining your education as a percentage of the education required for the band level; and then adding the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent.

Applicants who meet the qualifications listed above based on education or a combination of education and experience MUST provide proof of education such as a list of completed college courses or the date and school of degree including the number of semester or quarter hours or a transcript from an accredited college or university. The information must be provided as an attachment to the application by the closing date of the announcement. If selected, the applicant must supply a transcript or certification of degree.

To qualify at the SV-E Pay Band (equivalent to GS-7/8), you must have one year of specialized experience at the SV-D Pay Band or GS-6 in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector. Specialized experience is defined as experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience is defined as:

• Experience compiling, tracking and analyzing data, providing advanced computer assistance, scheduling meetings, preparing agendas and supplemental information, preparing written correspondence, providing standard information on administrative policies, maintaining records, monitoring metrics and obtaining and supplying readily available information to staff and superiors.

To qualify at the SV-F Pay Band (equivalent to GS-9/10), you must have one year of specialized experience at the SV-E Pay Band or GS-8 in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector. Specialized experience is defined as experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience is defined as:

• Experience performing a wide range of diverse administrative support assignments by assisting managers in compiling, tracking and analyzing data, providing advanced computer assistance, serving as a point of contact for travel and custodial issues, preparing correspondence and documents, maintaining records, monitoring metrics, researching files and records and assembling technical information.

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.

Resumes must include the following:

• Narrative description of duties with start and end dates (including the month and year) for work experience.
• State the number of hours worked in a position (i.e. full-time or part-time). If part-time, state the total number of hours worked per week.
• Performance level (i.e. band or grade)

Utilizing the and completing all available fields is strongly encouraged.

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

Education

For positions requiring positive education requirements, or if you are using education to meet all or part of the qualification requirements, you MUST submit a copy of your transcripts or an itemized list of college courses from an accredited college or university, which includes equivalent information from the transcript (course title, semester/quarter hours, and grade/degree earned) in your resume. The information must be provided with the application by the closing date of the announcement. If selected, the applicant must supply a transcript or certification of degree.

Additional information

Eligibility to apply for other Federal positions: TSA is an Excepted Service agency exempt from most of Title 5 United States Code, including regulations which apply to displaced Federal employees (CTAP/ICTAP) of other agencies, and employment with TSA does not confer “Competitive Status” that generally results from selection and service in Competitive Service agencies. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has established an Interchange Agreement, which allows most permanent TSA employees to apply and be considered for vacancies in Competitive Service agencies. Information from OPM on this or other Interchange Agreements is available at:

To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully pass a background investigation as a condition of placement into this position.

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 , including your rights and responsibilities.

If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an , and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.

TSA employees who are absent for the purpose of performing military duty may apply for any vacancies announced in their absence.

More than one position may be filled from this announcement.

If you are entering TSA employment on an appointment without time limitations, you must serve a basic trial period unless you have already met the requirement.

DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including: health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays. Other benefits may include flexible work schedules; telework; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers. DHS is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and developmental opportunities. For more information, go to the website and select “Benefits.” will be available to any Federal employee hired on or after November 5, 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30 percent or more.

Employees who transfer to TSA from an agency that allows employees to maintain an annual leave balance higher than the maximum accumulation for the appointed position will have their leave ceiling set to the maximum accumulation for the appointed position (e.g., United States duty location – 240 hours, foreign duty location – 360 hours, or TSES position – 720 hours). TSA will not make a monetary payment for any leave forfeited under these circumstances.

• 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. .

  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.

  
  
  

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 a comparison of the position requirements against the quality and extent of the experience and/or related education as reflected in your resume and supporting documentation. You are encouraged to ensure work experiences clearly show possession of the competencies required for this position. We will compare your resume and supporting documentation to your responses on the assessment questionnaire. If, after reviewing your resume and any supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your category placement may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job.

Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Grouping procedures. Under Category Grouping, candidates will be rated and ranked into one of three categories:

• Best-Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrate high proficiency in all of the critical competencies as determined by the job analysis.
• Well-Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrates acceptable proficiency in all of the critical competencies as determined by the job analysis.
• Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrate basic proficiency in most of the critical competencies as determined by the job analysis. If you are best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies that are relevant to the duties of this position and must be fully supported by information in your resume:

• Attention to Detail
• Computer Skills
• Organizational Awareness
• Written Communication

You may preview the questions for this vacancy here:

• 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. .

  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.

  
  
  
• Required Documents

  As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have – whether you’re a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you’re eligible under their policies.

  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.

  
  
  

  Resume: For qualification determinations, your resume must contain hours worked per week (part-time or full-time) and dates of employment (i.e. month/year – month/year or month/year – present). If your resume does not contain this information, your application will be marked as insufficient, and you will not receive consideration for this position. If you are a current Federal employee or previous Federal employee, provide your pay plan, series, and grade (i.e. SV-0343-09) on Federal job entries included in your resume. 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.

  Utilizing the and completing all available fields is strongly encouraged.

  
  

  Transcripts: If you are qualifying based on education OR if there are mandatory education requirements listed under the Qualifications and Evaluations section, you MUST submit a copy of your college transcript(s) with your application. If selected, an official/sealed college transcript(s) will be required to verify education prior to employment.

  
  

  Veterans: If claiming VEOA or Veterans Preference- submit a copy of the official DD-214, which must include the character of service (i.e., with an Honorable or General discharge). If no DD-214 is available, please submit a memo/certification of military service as outlined in the VOW Act. This will be annotated in block 24 on member copy 2,4, or 7 of the DD-214. If claiming veterans’ consideration which involves considering your disability rating, you must submit a VA Letter or a disability determination from a branch of the Armed Forces. Note: All veterans claiming 10-point preference must also submit a SF-15.

  
  
  

  Note: VOW Act Certification– A “certification” is any written document from the armed forces that certifies the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active-duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions within 120 days after the certification is submitted by the applicant. The certification letter should be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the character of service.

  
  
  

  If the certification has expired; an agency must request other documentation (e.g., a copy of the DD form 214) that demonstrates the service member is a preference eligible per 5 U.S.C. 2108, before veterans’ preference can be awarded.

  
  
  

  TSA Employees: Current TSA employees are 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 .

  
  

  Current or Former Federal Civilian employees (Non-TSA): You must submit a legible copy of a SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action. The SF-50 block 24 must contain a “1” or “2” AND block 34 must contain a “1” or “2.”

  
  
  

  Individuals with Disabilities: Documentation of eligibility for employment under this hiring authority can be obtained from a licensed medical professional (e.g., a physician or other medical professional certified by a state, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory to practice medicine); a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist (i.e., state or private); or any Federal agency, state agency, or agency of the District of Columbia or a U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefits. Documentation is used to verify that the individual being hired is indeed a person with an intellectual disability, severe physical disability, or psychiatric disability.

  Military Spouse Preference:If you are eligible based on one of the below, please submit the following:
  (1) spouse of an active-duty member of the armed forces: DD214 of spouse, marriage license, and PCS orders showing dependency (if applicable)
  (2) a spouse of a service member who is 100% disabled due to a service-connected injury: DD214 of spouse, marriage license, and VA Letter or disability determination showing 100%
  (3) spouse of a service member killed while on active duty: DD214 of spouse, marriage license, documentation from the Armed Forces casualty office

  
  

  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 .

  
  
  

  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.

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