Special Assistant

View of terms found in this announcement.

Organizational Location: This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), in Washington, District of Columbia.

These positions may be approved for remote work and/or telework arrangements, at management discretion. PLEASE INQUIRE WITH THE INTERVIEW PANEL FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

This is a non-bargaining unit position.

Overview

• Accepting applications

• Open & closing dates

  12/18/2024 to 12/24/2024

  
  
• Salary

  $163,964 – $191,900 per year

• Pay scale & grade
  

  GS 15

• Location
• Remote job
  

  No

• Telework eligible

  Yes-as determined by the agency policy.

  
  
• Travel Required

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

• Relocation expenses reimbursed
  

  No

• Appointment type
  

  Permanent

• Work schedule
  

  Full-time

• Service
  

  Competitive

• Promotion potential
  

  None

• Job family (Series)
• Supervisory status
  

  No

• Security clearance
• Drug test
  

  Yes

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

  DRO-12645096-MP-AKG

• Control number
  

  824467500

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Duties

As a Special Assistant, you will perform the following duties:

• Coordinate implementation of projects and policies and keep the supervisor informed of activities and events that may affect programs and policies;
• Provides advice and guidance on undefined issues and elements for programs essential to the organization’s mission, such as major programs of national scope and impact; plans, directs, and executes liaison operations for critical department-wide programs, with national or international implications;
• Advises and recommends active approaches for avoiding and/or resolving problems and reducing conflicts; recommends long-range program plans, goals, objectives, and milestones, which serve as the basis for substantive changes in the organization and administration programs affecting large numbers of people;
• Provides authoritative guidance in the resolution of complex problems or issues impacting major DHS programs
• Researches and writes reports or other working documents that provide authoritative guidance on complex and wide-impacting program issues; writes correspondence, memoranda, briefings/announcements, or other documents relevant to program activities.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
• You must successfully pass a background investigation.
• You must successfully pass a drug screen.
• Males born after 12/31/59 must certify registration with Selective Service.
• Requirements by Closing Date: Unless otherwise noted, you must meet all requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
• Time in Grade: Current Federal employees must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade in the Federal service. Time in grade requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
• Probationary Period: This is a full-time permanent position (Career/Career-Conditional appointment). Upon appointment to this position, you may be required to serve a one-year probationary period.

Qualifications

Please limit your resume to 5 pages. If more than 5 pages are submitted, only the first 5 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

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.

You qualify for the GS-15 grade level if you possess one (1) year of specialized experience at the GS-14 grade level or equivalent performing duties such as:

• Serving as a consultant on broad projects and programs with national impact;
• Mastering the laws, policies and regulations of an administrative field sufficient to apply new theories and initiate strategic developments;
• Developing, analyzing and evaluating policies and programs for effectiveness; and
• Plans, organizes, and completes analytical studies involving the substance of key department programs.

Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Qualification claims will be subject to verification.

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.

Current or Former Political Appointees: 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.

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. , , , and 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.

Education

Education is not required.

Additional information

This position is at the full performance level.

E-Verify: 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.

Suitability: 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.

Background Investigation: To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet these standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully obtain and maintain a background investigation for Secret as a condition of placement into this position. This may include a credit check, a review of financial issues such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs.

Benefits: 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.

• 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.

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 an Assessment Questionnaire that is based on the following competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform this job:

• Attention to Detail
• Oral Communication
• Partnering
• Planning and Evaluating
• Writing

Based on your responses, you will receive a score from the Assessment Questionnaire between 70 and 100.

If you are best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview.

Interviews may be required for this position. Failure to complete the interview may result in removal from further consideration.

Due weight will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards in merit promotion selection decisions in accordance with 5 CFR 335.103(b)(3).

Pursuant to Executive Order 12564, and the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan, ICE is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace and, therefore, personnel in safety- or security-sensitive positions (testing designated positions) are subject to random drug testing. Moreover, other drug testing of employees (e.g., reasonable suspicion drug test) may be conducted in order to ensure a safe and healthy work environment. All applicants tentatively selected for employment at ICE are subject to pre-employment drug testing and a final offer of employment is contingent upon a negative drug test result.

• 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.

  
  
  
  1. showing relevant experience, education and training. Work experience must include: job title, duties, employer’s name, employer’s telephone number, employer’s address, starting and ending dates (MM/YY), hours worked per week, and indicate whether or not we may contact your current supervisor. Please limit your resume to 5 pages. If more than 5 pages are submitted, only the first 5 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications (for more information, see the
  2. Are you a current ICE employee? Are you a current ICE employee? Submit a copy of your SF-50. Please ensure you are submitting the SF-50(s) that clearly demonstrate your eligibility for consideration, e.g., length of time you have been in your current/highest grade. The SF-50’s that you submit will be used to confirm that you have completed at least 1 year time in grade at the appropriate grade level (or equivalent) in a full-time, permanent, position. Submission of an SF-50 that does not demonstrate your eligibility for consideration will result in the loss of further consideration for this announcement. You may need to provide more than one (1) SF-50 in your application. If time in grade cannot be determined, you may not receive full consideration or may not be considered eligible.
  
  
  • An award SF-50 is not a sufficient SF-50 to meet this requirement.
  • A general adjustment SF-50 is not a sufficient SF-50 to meet this requirement.
  • You must submit SF-50s that show when promotions and/or within grade increases (step increases) were received.
  • The SF-50s should support the information and time periods listed in your resume.
  
  
  

  3. 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 and beginning and ending dates of appointment.
  4. You may be asked to provide a copy of your recent performance appraisal and/or incentive awards.

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