Duties

Summary

This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security, United States Coast Guard, Atlantic Area (LANTAREA), Preparedness Division in Portsmouth, VA.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

As the Chief of International Port Security, this position manages, is the principle staff advisor, and serves as the recognized expert for IPS issues whose decisions will ultimately affect global maritime security. Overall, this position is responsible for supervising and managing performance of each foreign country's port security assessment and IPS staff members traveling overseas.

Being a Coast Guard civilian makes you a valuable member of the Coast Guard team. Typical work assignments include:

• Serving as an expert consultant and manager on the execution of the international outreach program, providing advice and guidance on undefined issues and elements for programs essential to USCG's mission, such as the international Port Security Program.
• Analyzing and evaluating the impact, feasibility, practically, and effectiveness of existing and proposed international outreach initiatives programs, and policies.
• Providing expert policy advice and guidance on the most challenging problems facing an agency having responsibility for a program of national or international scope and impact.
• Recommending country assessment priorities by determining which ports should be audited within a country based on relevant geo-political, intelligence and risk factors such as terror threat, crime and/or corruption present in the countries visited.
• Providing overall leadership to plan for major international and domestic committees, conferences, and/or symposia, directing proceedings of high-level conferences where work and decisions have a major impact on USCG or important programs and determining the use of results of proceedings.
• Planning work to be accomplished by subordinates, setting and adjusting priorities with consideration of the difficulty and requirements of assignments.

Travel Required

25% or less - This position requires travel .

Supervisory status
Yes

Promotion Potential
14

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• This position requires travel.
• The position requires a valid state driver's license.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
• This position requires a Top Secret/SCI clearance.
• Applicants will be required to submit to a drug test.

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement. This includes Time-In-Grade requirements for current status employees applying through merit promotion procedures. Status applicants applying for a promotion must have 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade.

Qualifications

To Qualify at the GS-14 Grade Level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular ability, skill, and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of this position and is typically in or related to this line of work.

Examples of specialized experience include:

• Applying a wide range of techniques and methods for conducting audits or assessments using complex regulations or standards.
• Conducting sites visits to collect information on activities such as the conditions of foreign ports.
• Conducting and coordinating the day-to-day planning activities for assessments (or similar type of work) working with other U.S. agencies and foreign governments.
• Evaluating programmatic milestones, schedules, personnel management and budgetary resource planning and execution required for effective management, operations, and decision making in support of a program or organization.
• Making a determination as to whether a particular country, organization or entity is in compliance with regulatory requirements or similar standards.
• Delegated authority to advise high-level officials on all aspects of port, vessel and transportation security activities, assessing security readiness policy and capabilities throughout the a region (or similar type work).

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.

Education

This position does not have a positive education requirement. If you are including education on your resume, report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. See Required Documents section for detail.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications click here

Additional information

Applicants will be required to complete questions contained on the Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) at the time a tentative job offer is made. Certain responses on the form could pose a problem with suitability for employment determinations. If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete/make updates to the OF-306 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, or imprisonment.

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 at click here

This is a supervisory position, under provisions of the Civil Service Reform Act, first time supervisors and/or managers will be required to serve a one-year probationary period.

All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit.

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.

More than 1 selection may be made from this announcement if additional identical vacancies in the same title, series, grade, and unit occur within 45 days from the date the certificate was issued.

If you need a reasonable accommodation for the application and hiring process, please contact 202-795-6287. Decisions on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Visit Reasonable Accommodation

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 résumé and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. If you meet the minimum qualifications, your experience, education and training will be rated using the on-line self assessment questions that are based on the following competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform this job:

Knowledge of historic global geo-political situations and various maritime laws, policies, and regulations (including the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code) concerning port and vessel security, or similar field.

Ability to apply new theories and developments to problems and make decisions or recommendations that significantly change, interpret, or develop major international policies or programs. This includes Knowledge of a wide range of methods utilized to assess and improve complex programs, processes and systems.

Ability to plan, organize, and implement programs, plans, and proposals involving substantial agency and inter agency resources, or that require extensive changes in established procedures.

Skill in advising or influencing a worldwide staff to manage and oversee the day to day activities of a complex international program or small-to-medium organization.

Skill in dealing with senior international and U.S. government officials, and convincing them to agree and/or comply with agency recommendations.

Given substantial autonomy, competently lead and manage an organization (with a large military and civilian staff) that continuously has employees traveling to multiple geographically separate and often dangerous locations.

Your resume and responses to the self-assessment questions are an integral part of the process for determining your qualifications for the position. Therefore, you must support your responses to the self-assessment questions by providing examples of past and present experience in your resume.

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

Consideration will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards as an indicator of quality of prior experience; no points will be assigned.

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Sensitive Compartmented Information

Drug test required
Yes

Position sensitivity and risk
Special-Sensitive (SS)/High Risk

Trust determination process
Credentialing , Suitability/Fitness , National security

Required Documents

1. Resume
2. Completed online questionnaire
3. Current or former federal employees, submit a copy of most recent SF-50, Notice of Personnel Action, which demonstrates your eligibility for consideration, e.g., length of time you have been in your current/highest grade. Examples of appropriate SF-50s include promotions, with-in grade increases, NOT performance awards.
4. If qualifying based on education, submit a legible copy of your unofficial college transcript from an accredited college/university. The transcript must reflect the college/university name and/or logo. Applicants are highly encouraged to proactively order a copy of their official transcripts to be delivered to their home address so transcripts will be readily available if selected. If selected, official transcripts are required prior to establishing your start date. Foreign education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet education requirements if you can show that it is comparable to education received in U.S. accredited institutions. Provide proof with your application. Please see click here.
5. If claiming special priority selection rights under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), submit a copy of your agency notice, most recent performance rating and most recent SF-50, noting your current position, grade level and duty location. If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not ICTAP eligible. To be considered eligible, you must be placed in the well-qualified category for this position. Please see ICTAP eligibility.
6. If you are claiming veterans' preference, submit the following documents. Please see Feds Hire Vets for detail.
a. Veterans claiming 5 point veterans' preference must submit legible Member 4 Copy DD214(s) indicating Character of Service. 5-point preference will not be granted if appropriate documentation is not submitted.
b. 30% Disabled Veterans must submit their Member Copy 4 DD-214(s), which includes Character of Service, and VA Disability Letter with percentage of disability OR documentation of disability determination from a branch of the Armed Forces which reflects a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more.
c. Other 10 point Preference Eligibles must submit applicable Member Copy 4 DD-214(s), which includes Character of Service, and provide documentation of 10 point preference described on the back of the SF-15 . 10-point preference will not be granted if appropriate documentation is not submitted with your application.
d. If you are a current active duty military member who does not have a DD214 and is claiming preference under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, submit certification from the Armed Forces indicating that you will be discharged or released under honorable conditions from active duty within 120 days from the date on the certification. Certifications must be on letterhead from the appropriate military branch and include: military dates of service and expected discharge or release date, character of service, military rank, type of discharge and date when terminal leave will begin. Certifications must be signed by, or by direction of military members' military personnel offices, unit commanders or higher headquarters.
7. If requesting consideration under Executive Order 13473 , you must submit proof. To confirm eligibility for appointment based on the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2019 (NDAA), submit a copy of the marriage certificate to the military member and a copy of your spouses' active duty military orders (e.g., most recent military orders, PCS orders, etc.). Spouses of military members who are on retirement or separation PCS orders from active duty are not eligible to be appointed unless the member was injured with a 100% rating; or was released/discharged from active duty due to the member's death while on active duty. Widows or widowers, who are not remarried, of military service members who were killed on active duty must submit a DD-1300.
8. OPM must authorize employment offers for former or current Political Appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information. Submit proof of your former or current status, such as your SF-50. Please see here.

All documentation as outlined above must be received by the closing date of the announcement. If you are unable to submit your documents electronically, you may fax or mail the documents. A fax cover sheet will be provided to you from the system with fax number and instructions. Required documents will also be accepted by mail and must be received by the closing date of the announcement. The mailing address is COMMANDANT (CG-123SE), ATTN OFFICE OF CIVILIAN HUMAN RESOURCES (JOBS), US COAST GUARD, 2703 MARTIN LUTHER KING JR AVE SE, STOP 7912, WASHINGTON, DC 20593-7912.

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.