Duties

Summary

This position is located in the Office of Trade and Labor Affairs (OTLA) in the Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB). OTLA is composed of three divisions: Division of Monitoring and Enforcement of Trade Agreements (META), Division of Trade Policy and Negotiation (TPN), and the Division of Technical Assistance and Cooperation (TAC). This position Supervises the Division of Technical Assistance and Cooperation (TAC).

- This position is outside the Bargaining Unit.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

Major duties for this position include but are not limited to, the following:

• Assists the Director or Deputy Director in formulating technical assistance, engagement, and/or remediation strategies and plans designed to advance workers' rights, working conditions, and/or livelihoods for workers. Provides leadership in:
  • Identifying specific problems that are to be addressed.
  • Making recommendations on potential interventions that can address identified problems.
  • Designing a strategy, project, engagement plan, or other appropriate means of implementing recommended intervention(s).

• Assists the Director or Deputy Director in executing technical assistance, engagement, and/or remediation strategies and plans designed to advance workers' rights, working conditions, and/or livelihoods for workers. Plays a leadership role in:
  • Maintaining an up-to-date understanding of relevant operational policies and processes to implement technical assistance, engagement, and/or remediation strategies and plans (e.g., grants management procedures, policies for getting approval for action plans).
  • Reviewing and approving grant solicitations and other procurement documents, engagement plans, remediation plans, action plans, project documents, workplans, and other documents that lay out such strategies and plans.
  • Ensuring that all designated funds are obligated in a timely manner. Reviews and approves procurement documents and financial reports to ensure compliance with appropriate rules and regulations and good stewardship of financial resources.
  • Monitoring achievement of milestones, performance indicators, and workplans to ensure successful completion of deliverables and achievement of intended objectives.
  • Providing constructive, timely feedback and working with stakeholders and implementers to ensure completion of intended objectives.
  • Systematically evaluating the performance of DOL/ILAB/OTLA technical assistance, engagement, remediation, negotiating, and other strategies and plans and using evaluation findings and recommendations to make appropriate adjustments to plans to ensure achievement of the office's intended objectives.

• Assists the Director or Deputy Director in determining the organization, structure, and work groups within the division and determining when organizational changes are needed. Coordinates work within the division and with other entities outside the division, coordinates work between subordinate work groups, resolves differences, makes decisions on divisional issues. Institutes improved control and cooperative measures as appropriate. Assigns tasks and assignments to staff and assesses quality of work products.
• Directly supervises a staff of several International Relations Officers who are primarily at the GS-12 through GS-14 levels. Has primarily responsibility for division personnel matters such as the selection of staff, development of position descriptions, development of vacancy announcements, and performance and conduct issues. Is directly responsible for ensuring that direct reports maintain and even increase job performance and value as members of the division.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - Travel required 3-4 Times Per Year.

Supervisory status
Yes

Promotion Potential
15 - This position is at the Full-Performance Level (FPL).

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Appointment to this position may require a background investigation.
• Requires a Supervisory probationary period if requirement has not been met.
• U.S. Citizenship.and Must be at least 16 years of age.
• Subject to financial disclosure requirements.
• Must be able to obtain/maintain a Secret security clearance.
• Subject to pre-employment and random drug tests.

Applicants must meet time-in-grade, time-after-competitive-appointment and qualifications requirements within 30 calendar days after the closing date of the vacancy to be eligible for consideration for selection.

Federal Employees Please Note: Your SF-50 must include enough information to be able to determine that time-in-grade requirements have been met and reflects your position title, pay plan/series/grade, tenure and the type of appointment (i.e. competitive/excepted). In some cases you may need to submit more than one SF-50.

Reference the "Required Documents" section for additional requirements.

You may not be aware, but in the regulations for agency ethics programs, there are requirements for supervisors. Section 2638.103 of Title 5 of the CFR states:

Every supervisor in the executive branch has a heightened personal responsibility for advancing government ethics. It is imperative that supervisors serve as models of ethical behavior for subordinates. Supervisors have a responsibility to help ensure that subordinates are aware of their ethical obligations under the Standards of Conduct and that subordinates know how to contact agency ethics officials. Supervisors are also responsible for working with agency ethics officials to help resolve conflicts of interests and enforce government ethics laws and regulations, including those requiring certain employees to file financial disclosure reports. In addition, supervisors are responsible, when requested, for assisting agency ethics officials in evaluating potential conflicts of interest and identifying positions subject to financial disclosure requirements.

Qualifications

To qualify for the GS-15 Grade Level you must meet the Basic Requirements AND the Specialized Experience.

Basic Requirements

1. Degree: major or equivalent, or a combination of courses totaling at least 24 semester hours in international law and international relations, political science, economics, history, sociology, geography, social or cultural anthropology, law, statistics, or in the humanities; OR 12 semester hours in one of the above disciplines AND 12 semester hours in statistics/quantitative methods.

OR

2. Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major, or a combination of related courses totaling at least 24 semester hours, in one or more of the social sciences, or in the humanities, as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

OR

3. Experience: four years of appropriate experience in one or more of the fields listed above in work associated with international organizations, problems, or other aspects of foreign affairs.

In additional to the basic requirements, all qualified applicants must also meet the specialized experience for this position.

Specialized Experience

To qualify for the GS-15 grade level, applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience at the next lower grade level, GS-14 in the Federal Service.

Specialized experience is defined as experience leading a team managing international or domestic projects designed to improve labor rights (i.e., rights related to forced labor, freedom of association, collective bargaining, employment discrimination, child labor, occupational safety and health, minimum wage, and hours of work), socio-economic development through employment (e.g., skills building, employment services), human rights, civil rights, rule of law, or international development.

Education

Any applicant falsely claiming an academic degree from an accredited school will be subject to actions ranging from disqualification from federal employment to removal from federal service.

If your education was completed at a foreign college or university, you must show comparability to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States and comparability to applicable minimum course work requirements for this position. Click Evaluation of Foreign Education for more information.

Additional information

DOL seeks to attract and retain a high performing and diverse workforce in which employees' differences are respected and valued to better meet the varying needs of the diverse customers we serve. DOL fosters a diverse and inclusive work environment that promotes collaboration, flexibility and fairness so that all individuals are able to participate and contribute to their full potential.

Federal Employees Please Note: Your SF-50 must include enough information to be able to determine that time-in-grade requirements have been met and reflects your position title, pay plan/series/grade, tenure and the type of appointment (i.e. competitive/excepted). In some cases you may need to submit more than one SF-50.

Refer to these links for more information: GENERAL INFORMATION , ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION , FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES

Additional vacancies may be filled using this announcement, if authorized.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

Click here for Evaluation details. For Displaced Employees ONLY: if you meet the eligibility requirements for special priority selection under ICTAP / CTAP , you must be well-qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection. ICTAP/CTAP eligibles will be considered "well-qualified" if they attain at least a rating score of 85 in a numerical rating scheme. Be sure to review DOL Account Eligibility Questions #24 and 27 to reflect that you are applying as an ICTAP/CTAP eligible and submit supporting documentation.

Evaluation Factors (Competencies) - All qualified applicants will be evaluated on the following key competencies:

Technical Competence - Uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or extensive on-the-job experience to perform one's job; works with, understands, and evaluates technical information related to the job; advises others on technical issues.

Accountability - Holds self and others accountable for measurable high-quality, timely, and cost-effective results. Determines objectives, sets priorities, and delegates work. Accepts responsibility for mistakes. Complies with established control systems and rules.

Decision Making - Makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change.

Administration and Management - Knowledge of planning, coordination, and execution of business functions, resource allocation, and production.

Managing Human Resources - Plans, distributes, coordinates, and monitors work assignments of others; evaluates work performance and provides feedback to others on their performance; ensures that staff are appropriately selected, utilized, and developed, and that they are treated in a fair and equitable manner.

The information you provide may be verified by a review of your work experience and/or education, by checking references and through other means (ex. interview). Your evaluation may also include a review by an HR Specialist or panel and may include other assessment tools (ex. interview, structured interview, written test, work sample, etc). The examining Human Resources Office (HRO) makes the final determination concerning applicant ratings. Your resume MUST provide sufficient information to substantiate your vacancy question responses. If not, the HRO may amend your responses to more accurately reflect the level of competency indicated by the content of your resume.

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Secret

Drug test required
Yes

Required Documents

The following documents must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on the vacancy closing date. Warning: If you submit a document using the same document title, the 2nd submission will OVERWRITE the 1st submission. Also, do not upload password protected documents.

The following documents are required from all applicants (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY):

ARE YOU A CURRENT OR FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEE? If applying as a status candidate with current or former Federal Service, please provide a copy of your last or most recent SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action" which shows your appointment eligibility for the position for which you are applying. Your SF-50 must identify the highest grade you held on a permanent basis, Pay Plan/Pay Schedule, Series, and Grade/Pay Band, and career status. Multiple SF-50 may be submitted to demonstrate your highest previous rate and eligibility.

*WARNING: An award SF-50 (ex. cash or time off award) may not indicate grade, step and competitive status. For current DOL employees, an award SF-50 DOES NOT indicate grade and step.

- Most recent performance appraisal/evaluation signed and dated within 18 months is requested by the agency, but will not disqualify candidates if not submitted. If not submitted during the application process, one may/will be requested at the time of the interview if the opportunity is extended. Applies to current and former Federal employees.

- Land Management Eligibles: a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50 or equivalent) proving your eligibility for appointment under the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act. This service must have been performed in the competitive service, under a time limited appointment in a Land Management Agency, as defined by P.L. 114-328. For more information, click here .

- Unofficial Transcript(s) (in English) - submit if using education as a basis for qualifying for this position. If so, you must submit all applicable academic transcripts demonstrating that you meet the qualifying educational requirements (ex. BA/BS, MA, JD, PHD, etc). If specific course work is required to qualify, you must supply transcripts from each academic institution in which the required courses were taken in order to receive credit.

You may upload your transcript(s) as one document (3 MB size limit). If over 3 MB, please submit via fax feature.

OFFICIAL Transcripts MUST BE RECEIVED prior to selection and report date. Reference the "Education Section" for College Transcript and Evaluation of Foreign Education.

The following documents are required if applicable:

- Displaced Employee Placement Documents - Only required if requesting priority consideration under ICTAP / CTAP Eligibility.

- DD-214 - verifying military service, eligibility for consideration under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) and showing character of discharge (ex. Member Copy 4 and 2 are acceptable vs. Copy 1 which is not acceptable to adjudicate veteran's preference)

- Special/Non-Competitive Appointing Authority Documents - Applicants who are eligible for consideration, and wish to be considered, under one of the following non-competitive hiring authorities must submit appropriate documentation (click on the links below to see the documentation requirements):

Military Spouses (MISP)

- Cover Letters are not mandatory and will not be used to verify experience, but may be submitted

Applicants selected for employment who are not current DOL employees will be required to provide proof of citizenship , and the E-Verify system will be used to confirm the employment eligibility of all new hires.

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.