As a Congressional Affairs Specialist, you will perform the following duties:

• Monitors, drafts, and edits correspondence in response to Members of Congress, their staff, and their constituents for information or assistance by the organization.
• Assigns work to the appropriate divisions or routes congressional requests to appropriate National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration office and coordinates responses - based on understanding of request advises on more appropriate response or need for additional information.
• Gathers information, identifies and analyzes issues, and develops recommendations to resolve complex organizational problems or develops and implements organizational policies and procedures across the organization.
• Analyzes and resolves complex organizational or program-related problems/issues in developing and maintaining interrelationships with internal and external stakeholders, focusing on the United States Senate and House, their Members, staff, and relevant committees and other organizations.

NOTE: The duties described are at the full performance level of the ZA-4 grade and the duties at the ZA-3 are developmental leading to the ZA-4 level.

Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National to apply.
• Required to pass a background investigation and fingerprint check.
• Must be suitable for Federal employment.
• Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov).
• Qualifications requirements must be met by closing date of announcement.

This position will be filled under the DOC Alternative Personnel System (CAPS). This system replaced the Federal GS pay plan and
structure. Under CAPS, positions are classified by career, pay plan, and pay band.

The ZA-3/4 is equivalent to the GS-11/12 - 13/14.

*A one year probationary/trial period may be required.
*A one year supervisory probationary period may be required. 
*Payment of relocation expenses is not authorized.
*This position is not in the bargaining unit.
NOTES:
This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other Congressional Affairs Specialist, 0301, ZA-3/4 positions throughout NOAA. The position must be alike (e.g.: within the same geographic locations, same grade/band and requires the same qualifications and specialized experience as indicated in this vacancy announcement).

Qualifications

Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards.  This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy.

EDUCATION:   There is no positive education requirement for this position. 

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level in the Federal Service.  Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.  This experience need not have been in the federal government.

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.

To qualify at the ZA-3 or GS-11/12:

Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree

or

3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree

or

LL.M., if related

OR

One full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZA-2 or GS-09 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:

• Assist with analyzing legislation for impacts on NOAA programs and Administration goals and developing reports; and
• Gather information to assist leadership in developing correspondence or response to congressional inquiries.

To qualify at the ZA-4 or GS-13/14:

One full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZA-3 or GS-12 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:

• Assessing legislative initiatives on matters concerning Federal programs and activities affecting fisheries, oceanic and atmospheric programs; and
• Analyzing and evaluating the relevance of particular programmatic or political information for building arguments to support or oppose legislation.  

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 resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the position.  If you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the vacancy announcement, we will compare your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to your responses on the scored occupational questionnaire (True/False, Yes/No, Multiple Choice questions) and place you in one of the three pre-defined categories.  The categories are “gold”, “silver” and “bronze”.  However, your resume or optional cover letter must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered.  Candidates placed in the “gold” category will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.

How you will be evaluated for preference eligibility:  Within each category, those entitled to veterans’ preference will be listed at the top of the pre-defined category for which they are placed.  Preference eligible with a service-connected disability of 10% or more will be listed at the top of the highest quality category (gold) depending on the position and grade level of the job. For more information on Category Rating, please go to Category Rating.

The scored occupational questionnaire will evaluate you on the following competencies; please do not provide a separate written response:

• Ability to recognize or use correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling; communicate information (for example, facts, ideas, or messages) in a succinct and organized manner; produce written information, which may include technical material that is appropriate for the intended audience.
• Ability to work with, understand, and evaluate technical information related to the job; advise others on technical issues.
• Ability to identify and analyze problems; weigh relevance and accuracy of information; generate and evaluate alternative solutions; make recommendations.
• Knowledge of the concepts, practices, and techniques used to identify, engage, influence, and monitor relationships with individuals and groups connected to a work effort; including those actively involved, those who exert influence over the process and its results, and those who have a vested interest in the outcome (positive or negative).