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Program Analyst

Employer
USAJobs
Location
Washington, D.C
Closing date
Oct 19, 2021
Duties

Summary

This position is located in the Chief Evaluation Office (CEO) in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy. CEO is responsible for designing, implementing, coordinating and managing the Department of Labor's (DOL) evaluation research activities. The incumbent serves as an Evaluation Specialist (GS-13)/Senior Evaluation Specialist (GS-14) in CEO, reporting to CEO's Deputy Director and providing advice on evaluation-related issues to the Chief Evaluation Officer and senior DOL officials.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

- Additional selections may be made from this announcement.

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

Duties include the formulation of policies and decisions on measuring the effectiveness and impact of programs and actions of the Department of Labor, including workforce development, employment security, and job training areas, and worker protection areas such as safety and health, civil rights, wages and hours, and pension and health care. The incumbent should have sufficient standing to appear to the public, others in the Department, and experts in the field to be an independent voice and honest reviewer in measuring the programs of the Department so that both negative and positive evaluations can lead to continuous improvement in programs and priorities for the Department.

The incumbent must be aware of the Department and its mission, and the various constituents and stakeholders the Department serves, but must also be unbiased in evaluating programs of the Department and help ensure adherence to the Department's Evaluation Policy when conducting research, including in assessing the effectiveness of a program or policy. The incumbent should understand the need and have the ability to design rigorous and cost-effective evaluations.

Under the direction of the Deputy Director, at the GS-14 level, the incumbent's duties will include but are not limited to:
  • Working collaboratively with the Chief Evaluation Officer and Deputy Director to develop and implement a Department-wide program of evaluation to identify needs for and effectiveness of policies, programs, and regulations to achieve the Secretary of Labor's vision.
  • Independently advising and assisting agencies in planning, designing, directing, and coordinating evaluation initiatives.
  • Independently developing Statements of Work (SOWs) and budget proposals for long-term and short-term evaluations that reflect the design and philosophy of the Department wide program of conducting rigorous, independent evaluations.
  • Expert knowledge of and familiarity with the Paperwork Reduction Act Clearance process for data collection efforts for Departmental Evaluations.
  • Creating and maintain a comprehensive, accessible inventory of past, ongoing, and planned evaluation activities within the Department and ensuring the the Department's evaluation program and findings are transparent, credible and accessible to the public.
  • Leading an active program of communication and networking with labor research organizations and professionals in government, the academic/non-profit sectors, labor and business organizations, and other to ensure that the Department is aware of the universe of relevant evaluation findings and activities and to elicit the advice of these groups in developing approaches to evaluation and a department-wide program of labor evaluation.
  • Reviewing complex evaluation proposals, plans, and projects initiated by the Chief Evaluation Office and DOL agencies to ensure that projects are consistent with departmental goals and appropriate standards of empirical rigor.
  • Drafting and editing detailed written reports, research summaries and syntheses on policy and resource issues for oral and written reports, research summaries and syntheses on policy and resource issues for oral and written presentation to senior level officials.
  • Independently preparing materials responding to inquiries from stakeholders or the public concerning the policy and programs of the Department of Labor.
  • Representing the Chief Evaluation Officer or Deputy Director at technical and policy meetings in both the private and public sector on Departmental program areas, including inter-Departmental evaluation working groups, research conferences, and policy forums.
  • Independently preparing executive correspondence, presentations and other briefing materials with minimal subsequent editing for the Assistant Secretary, Deputy Assistant Secretaries, Chief Evaluation Officer, Deputy Director, and other senior-level officials.
  • Work independently with other Departmental agencies to develop comprehensive analyses and interdisciplinary projects, and plans and executes short and long-term studies that relate primarily to proposed or current regulations, initiatives, and policies.
  • Serving as a Contract Officer's Representative (COR) for CEO program evaluations and coordinating with other CORs overseeing program evaluations.

At the GS-13 grade level, expectations of performance will require less independence, especially on difficult and complex assignments.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - Travel may be required for training, conferences, meetings or other mandatory interactions, as scheduled.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
14 - There is no obligation to provide future promotions if you are selected. Promotions are dependent on your ability to perform the duties at a higher level, meet all the performance requirements, and supervisor's recommendation to the next grade.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Candidate required to obtain the necessary security/investigation level.
  • Appointment to this position may require a background investigation.
  • Requires a probationary period if the requirement has not been met.
  • Must be at least 16 years old and a U.S. Citizen.


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.

Notification Concerning COVID-19 Vaccinations. As required by Executive Order 14043 , Federal executive branch employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 regardless of the employee's duty location or work arrangement (e.g., telework, remote work, etc.), subject to such exceptions as required by law. If selected, you will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination by November 22, 2021, or before appointment or onboarding with the agency (if later than November 22, 2021). The agency will provide additional information regarding which forms of documentation can be accepted and how you can request a legally required exception from this requirement.

Qualifications

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

At the GS-14 grade level:

Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, GS-13, in the Federal Service or private sector. Specialized experience, at this level, consists of independently planning, managing, and directing complex and rigorous statistical research and program evaluation activities. For example, this could include independently developing requests for proposals or funding opportunity announcements that outline requirements for mixed-methods and randomized evaluation research to understand the causal link between a federally-funded grant program and worker employment and wage outcomes across multiple states. It could also include independently managing contractor-led or directly implementing federal, state or local program evaluations, using rigorous econometric and statistical methods For example, applicants must understand the need and have the ability to design rigorous and cost-effective evaluations, particularly experimental designs using random assignment and non-experimental designs using multivariate statistical analysis. Applicants must demonstrate expertise and training in a range of rigorous program evaluation methodologies and related capabilities, including, for example: experimental randomized control trials, quasi-experimental methods such as difference in difference or propensity score matching; survey methods such as instrument design and testing and statistical approaches to sampling; rigorous qualitative methods such as semi-structured interviewing techniques, participatory evaluation approaches and anthropological observational study; and/or other inferential statistical analysis techniques and experience using one or more of the major statistical software packages (e.g., SPSS, SAS, STATA, R). The application should also demonstrate experience related to evaluating, using rigorous methods, labor, health, social support or education-related programs, such as those funded or implemented by the Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration.

At the GS-13 grade level:
Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, GS-12, in the Federal Service or private sector. Specialized experience, at this level, consists of planning and managing, with some supervisory support, complex and rigorous statistical research and program evaluation activities. For example, this could include developing requests for proposals or funding opportunity announcements that outline requirements for mixed-methods and randomized evaluation research to understand the causal link between a federally-funded grant program and worker employment and wage outcomes across multiple states. It could also include managing contractor-led or directly implementing federal, state or local program evaluations, using rigorous econometric and statistical methods. For example, applicants must understand the need and have the ability to design rigorous and cost-effective evaluations, particularly experimental designs using random assignment and non-experimental designs using multivariate statistical analysis. Applicants must demonstrate expertise and training in a range of rigorous program evaluation methodologies and related capabilities, including, for example: experimental randomized control trials, quasi-experimental methods such as difference in difference or propensity score matching; survey methods such as instrument design and testing and statistical approaches to sampling; rigorous qualitative methods such as semi-structured interviewing techniques, participatory evaluation approaches and anthropological observational study; and/or other inferential statistical analysis techniques and experience using one or more of the major statistical software packages (e.g., SPSS, SAS, STATA, R). The application should also demonstrate experience related to evaluating, using rigorous methods, labor, health, social support or education-related programs, such as those funded or implemented by the Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration.

Education

The is no educational substitution at these grade levels.

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.

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.

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

Planning and Evaluating - Organizes work, sets priorities, and determines resource requirements; determines short- or long-term goals and strategies to achieve them; coordinates with other organizations or parts of the organization to accomplish goals; monitors progress and evaluates outcomes.

Problem Solving and Analysis - Identifies and analyzes problems; weighs relevance and accuracy of information; generates and evaluates alternative solutions; makes recommendations.

Written Communication - Writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience.

Oral Communication - Makes clear and convincing oral presentations. Listens effectively; clarifies information as needed.

Knowledge of government policies, practices, and procedures - Applying government practices and procedures to research and evaluation studies.

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 Office of Human Resources (OHR) makes the final determination concerning applicant ratings. Your resume MUST provide sufficient information to substantiate your vacancy question responses. If not, the OHR may amend your responses to more accurately reflect the level of competency indicated by the content of your resume.

Click here for Evaluation details.

INFORMATION FOR CTAP[/ICTAP] ELIGIBLE(S) ONLY: If you are eligible for special priority selection under CTAP [or ICTAP], you must be well-qualified for the position to receive consideration. ICTAP/CTAP eligible(s) 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 to reflect that you are applying as an ICTAP or CTAP eligible and submit supporting documentation.

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
Credentialing

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.

- Resumes are required - provide a resume either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one from your computer and USAJOBS 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.

- 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.

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 the 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)

- Land Management Eligible(s): 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 .

- 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.

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