Duties

Summary

This position is located in the Department of Labor, Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances (OSRV), in Arlington, VA.

This position is outside the bargaining unit.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

Serves as Deputy and alter ego to the Director of the office by sharing in the overall program management, leadership, and decision-making activities; by collaborating with key MSHA managers and senior technical specialists to review, evaluate, and formulate recommendations and/or solutions to programmatic issues, to exchange information, and to participate in joint program planning. Keeps the Director informed on major issues and problems, particularly those involving policy considerations requiring the attention of the Assistant Secretary. Coordinates development of MSHA's position with appropriate managers and technical specialists, negotiates resolution of technical and programmatic issues and makes recommendations to the Assistant Secretary concerning whether to proceed with a regulatory project. Develops the MSHA regulatory plan and agenda for inclusion in the departmental plan and agenda. Monitors plan and agenda items; develops documentation for any revisions, additions, or deletions consistent with current and future plans, and secures necessary approvals to effect the changes. Reviews preliminary economic assessments concerning significant new and revised mine safety and health standards and regulations, particularly the adequacy and propriety of conclusions as to a major economic impact under Executive Order criteria. Directs and manages the development and writing of draft and final version of new and revised mine safety and health standards. Conducts meetings to identify and discuss issues and leads negotiations to resolve differences. Chairs public hearings on proposed regulations and standards. Questions those who testify to clarify issues and viewpoints to facilitate development of the agency's position. Analyzes proposed legislation, draft regulations and executive orders and testimony from other Federal agencies in order to assess their impact on MSHA and MSHA standards and regulations. Coordinates the review of these proposals by appropriate MSHA program offices and prepares responses for the Agency. Analyzes proposals and prepares position papers and makes recommendations, when appropriate. Prepares and/or reviews a wide variety of correspondence and documents, including specialized policy papers, analytical reports and issues papers, on issues affecting all aspects of the mining industry for the Director's and/or other high-level signature. Supervisor for Division Chiefs, FOIA officer and other employees in the immediate OSRV office. In the supervisor's absence and unavailability, exercises full supervisory and managerial responsibility for the work and personnel of the Office.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - 5%

Supervisory status
Yes

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

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Must be at least 16 years old and a U.S. Citizen.
• Candidate required to obtain the necessary security/investigation level.
• Subject to financial disclosure requirements.
• Requires supervisory probationary period if requirement has not been met.

Applicants must meet all legal and regulatory requirements. 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

Specialized Experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Qualifying specialized experience for this position is work that demonstrates experience equivalent to at least a GS-14, in the Federal Service, in:

· Demonstrated skill in the development and technical writing of regulations and policies.
· Experience in developing and advising on regulatory projects.
· Skill in preparing, reviewing and analyzing correspondence and documents such as: proposed legislation, draft regulations, specialized policy papers or analytical reports and issues papers.
· Experience providing advice and procedural direction to senior management officials.
· Knowledge of management and leadership principles with experience planning, assigning, and evaluating the work of subordinates.

Education

There is no substitution of education for specialized experience at this grade level.

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.

All MSHA employees and their spouses, and minor children are prohibited by regulation from having any interest, direct or indirect, in any mine or mining company which may be directly affected by the work of MSHA through its investigations, technical research, or other activities. These interests are prohibited under the Department of Labor's Supplemental Standards of Ethical Conduct Regulations at 5 CFR 5201.105. Certain MSHA employees are required to file a financial disclosure report. For questions, please contact the vacancy contact on this announcement.

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

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

If you meet the minimum qualifications, you will be evaluated against the evaluation factors below and will be placed into a category based on your vacancy question responses.

Categories

Category A - Meets the basic qualification requirements for the vacancy and has successful experience in the same or similar job that has demonstrated superior proficiency in applying critical competencies required by this position to work of increased levels of difficulty and complexity.

Category B - Meets the basic qualification requirements for the vacancy and demonstrates satisfactory proficiency in the critical competencies required by this position.

Category C - Meets the specialized experience described in the minimum qualifications requirements section of this announcement and demonstrates proficiency in the basic competencies.

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

Legislation/Regulatory Analysis/Development: Knowledge of laws and regulatory requirements.

Supervisory Skills: Supervise, plans, distributes, and monitor work of others.

Regulatory and Economic Analyses: Understand and oversee regulatory policy making, including the development, issuance and/or economic analysis of regulations.

Written Communication: Reviewing, editing, regulatory documents, drafts memorandums, federal registers, expresses facts and ideas in writing in a succinct and organized manner.

Problem Solving: Manage and resolve conflicts and disagreements, ensure employees are treated in a fair and equitable manner.

The information you provide on your resume may be verified by a review of your work experience, employment start/end dates/hours worked and/or education, by checking references and through other means (ex. interview). The examining Office of Human Resources (OHR) makes the final determination concerning applicant ratings. Your resume MUST provide sufficient information to substantiate your responses to the vacancy questions. If not, the OHR may amend your responses to more accurately reflect the level of competency indicated by the content of your resume. Your evaluation may also include a review by a Human Resources Specialist or panel and may include other assessments (ex. interview, panel review, written test, writing sample, etc.)

INFORMATION FOR ICTAP/CTAP ELIGIBLE(S) ONLY: If you are eligible for special priority selection under ICTAP/CTAP, you must be well-qualified for the position to receive consideration. ICTAP/CTAP eligible(s) who are placed into Category B or higher will be considered "well-qualified." Be sure to review DOL Account Eligibility Questions #24 to reflect that you are applying as an ICTAP or CTAP eligible and submit supporting documentation. Click Application of Veterans Preference for Category Rating Jobs for more information.

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Not Required

Drug test required
No

Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Trust determination process
Suitability/Fitness

Required Documents

The following documents must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on the vacancy closing date. You are not required to submit a document if it does not apply to you. 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.

- Resumes are required - provide a resume either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one from your profile. To receive full consideration for relevant and specialized experience, please list the month, year, and the number of work hours worked for the experience listed on your resume. We also suggest that you preview the vacancy questions, and confirm that your resume supports your question responses.

- Veterans Documents (if applicable): To be considered as a 5-point preference eligible, you must submit a copy of your Certificate of Release or Discharge From Active Duty, DD214. Your DD-214 must show the type of discharge and dates of active duty. To claim 10-point preference, you must submit a copy of your DD214; an Application for 10-point Veteran's Preference, SF15; and the proof of entitlement of this preference which is normally an official statement, dated 1991 or later, from the Department of Veterans Affairs certifying to the present existence of the service-connected disability and indicating the percentage of your disability. (For active duty service members expecting honorable or general discharge or release within 120 days, click Active Duty ). Without this documentation, you will not receive veteran's preference. For more information, go to http://www.fedshirevets.gov/hire/hrp/vetguide/index.aspx

- Displaced Employee Placement Documents - Only required if requesting priority consideration under CTAP or ICTAP eligibility.

- 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.