Duties

Summary

This position is located in the Management Support Unit, Directorate of Overseas Citizens Services, Bureau of Consular Affairs, U.S. Department of State (CA/OCS/MSU).

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Responsibilities

• Formulates policy, ensures compliance with and researches federal law and regulations; communicates complex information to leadership, staff and stakeholders; safeguards information while supporting accountability and transparency initiatives.
• Meets all aspects of the PA/FOIA Program including strategic and risk analysis, planning and program outreach; interprets and applies laws, regulations, policies, and guidance for access and disclosure of DoS agency records and information.
• Analyze and determine whether or not requested material is releasable, respond to requestors, from acknowledgment through final disposition of the request, providing periodic status reports and final action letters;
• Conduct a technical review, and analyze requested material, making independent decisions as to what information should be properly withheld under FOIA and PA exemptions;
• Reviews, analyzes, and evaluates the effectiveness of these program in meeting their established goals, objectives, and applicable requirements.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
13

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Incumbent will be subject to random drug testing.
• One year probationary period, unless excepted by regulation.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.
• U.S. Citizenship is required.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all the required qualification requirements, including education, and any selective placement factors described below by the closing date of this announcement. If you are qualifying based on education OR if there are mandatory education requirements listed below, you MUST submit a copy of your college transcript with your application.

NOTE: Applicants must meet time-in-grade and time after competitive appointment requirements, by the closing date of this announcement.

Time-In-Grade Requirements: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions, per 5CFR 300, Subpart F.

GS-12:

Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal service that provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position. Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following:

• Experience in reviewing records pursuant to laws and regulations. Examples of this could include but is not limited to timely redacting and annotating records, preparing timely responses, and ensuring confidentiality; and
• Experience in supporting general office operations. Examples of this could include but is not limited to managing a database, compiling reports, drafting correspondence, directly communications, and serving as a public liaison; and
• Experience applying redaction to records. Examples of this would include using Adobe, FOIA Express or similar redaction tool to excise information from records and annotate the appropriate exemptions code near the redacted material.

There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the GS-12 position.

GS-13:

Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal service that provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position. Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following:

• Experience in reviewing records pursuant to FOIA/PA and implementing instructions. Examples of this could include but are not limited to interpreting and applying laws, regulations, legal decisions, policies, procedures and directives pertaining to the protection and release of FOIA and PA Information;
• Experience in coordinating and tracking FOIA/PA requests to ensure that the responses are accurate, legally sufficient and timely; and
• Experience in explaining the redaction of sensitive issues. Examples of this could include but is not limited to evaluating records to determine the application of FOIA and PA, communicating orally and in writing with employees, leadership, other organizations and/or the public regarding FOIA/PA issues;
• Experience in applying redactions to records. Examples of this would include using Adobe, FOIA Express or a similar redaction tool to excise information from records and annotate the appropriate exemptions code near the redacted material.

There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the GS-13 position.

Education

See the qualifications section of this vacancy announcement for education requirements, if applicable.

Additional information

For reasonable accommodation at the U.S. Department of State, please contact the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations at (202) 663-3474 or ReasonableAccommodations@state.gov .

If eligible, applicants to this announcement may be referred to other positions in other Bureaus/Offices in the Department.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs) and other characteristics that are relevant to the duties of this position and must be fully supported by information in your resume:

• Ability to analyze and evaluate information derived from a variety of sources
• Ability to provide advice, guidance, and consultation based on results of analyses
• Ability to establish and maintain effective collaboration and partnering
• Ability to work on multiple, concurrent projects
• Ability to interact effectively with others
• Oral and Written Communication

Your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations and must highlight your most relevant and significant work experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to this job opportunity. 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). Your resume should include the dates of all qualifying experience (from month/year to month/year) and the number of hours worked/volunteered per week. For assistance with creating a resume, please click here .

Qualified candidates are assigned a score between 70 and 100. Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) candidates must be rated "Well Qualified" for the position and earn a score of at least 85 (when applicants are rated in a range of 70 to 100) to receive consideration for selection priority. If, after reviewing your resume and self-assessment questionnaire responses and a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, a score will be manually determined that reflects your documented experience. This may result in a lower score, which may also eliminate you from consideration for this position.

Applicants must meet all the qualification requirements and submit any required supporting documentation by the closing date of this job opportunity. Your application package must contain sufficient information to make a valid determination that you fully meet the basic/specialized experience requirements as stated in this job opportunity announcement for each grade level(s) for which you are applying. Applicants found to be among the top qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring official for further consideration and possible interview.

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Top Secret

Drug test required
Yes

Required Documents

All required documents listed below, that are applicable to you, must be submitted to our automated system "Gateway to State" by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.

1. Resume - your resume or any other written format you choose should contain the required information as specified in the "How You Will Be Evaluated" section. Insufficient information will result in an ineligible rating.

2. A completed online job specific self-assessment questionnaire through the Department's automated system "Gateway to State".

3. Transcripts - if applicable, see the Qualifications section of the announcement. If selected, an official/sealed college transcript(s) will be required to verify education prior to employment.

4. If you are qualifying based on other criteria listed under the Qualification Section of this announcement, you must submit the required supporting documentation (certificates, certifications, etc.) with your application by the closing date.

5. Current eligible DOS employees (per 3 FAM 2315) including non-competitive applicants must submit a SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) that shows the effective date, position title, series, grade, salary, tenure, position occupied, full promotion potential, AND submit a copy of your most recent completed annual performance appraisal that includes the final rating. If a performance appraisal does not exist, is incomplete or unavailable, a Form DS-1812 (Applicant Appraisal) or equivalent form from another agency signed by the current supervisor is acceptable. Mid-year progress reviews will not be accepted.

6. CTAP eligibles must submit a copy of the appropriate documentation with their application. See link below:

CTAP Considerations

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.