Clarification from the agency

This position is open to all US Citizens.

This position is located within the Department of the Interior, Office of Collaborative Action and Dispute Resolution (CADR) in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management and Budget in Arlington, VA. The CADR Office is responsible for providing Departmental leadership on effective conflict management practices and establishes and coordinates Department-wide implementation of all policies and guidance on the appropriate and effective use of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) processes.

The incumbent serves as a Conflict Management Specialist, promoting and providing expert assistance and support for all bureaus and offices to increase and improve the use of collaborative decision-making and ADR processes.

At the full performance level (GS-13) the major duties of this position include, but are not limited to the following:

1. Participates in strategic planning and policy development that addresses improvements or enhancements to the current DOI Integrated Conflict Management System.
2. Develops reports and other communications on CADR activities and initiatives, including data collection and analysis, and customer satisfaction surveys.
3. Serves as a subject matter expert in the areas of conflict management and ADR, and provides advice and guidance to clients on the availability and appropriate use of different tools, resources, and processes in all program areas.
4. Educates DOI managers and employees about best practices in the use of CADR processes, and develops marketing strategies and conducts outreach to expand and improve the Department’s ability to manage conflict effectively.
5. Delivers training for all bureaus, offices, program areas and training centers on communication and conflict resolution skills to support increased awareness and use of the different CADR tools, resources, and process options available to DOI employees.
6. Assists with the implementation of the tracking and evaluation systems for CORE PLUS and the ECCR program, and instructs CORE PLUS collateral duty roster members on the use of the tracking system.
7. Represents the CADR office at a variety of meetings, conferences, forums, work groups, committees, and events.
8. Serves as a CORE PLUS in-house coach, facilitator, mediator, or ombuds, and provides services when requested.

The Office of the Secretary has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.

GS-9: $57,510-$74,759 per annum, GS-11: $69,581-$90,461 per annum, GS-12: $83,398-$108,422 per annum, GS-13: $99,172-$128,920 per annum.

First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the lower salary range of the grade level.

Security Clearance Required: You will be required to obtain and maintain a Public Trust Background Investigation if you are selected and hired for this position.

This vacancy is also announced as OS-6080-20-IB-026 (MP) for those applicants who wish to apply and be considered under Merit Promotion procedures.

Relocation expenses are not authorized.  Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid. Any travel, transportation, and relocation expenses associated with reporting for duty in this position will be the responsibility of the selected employee.                 

This is a permanent, full-time, career/career conditional appointment.

Conditions of employment

• You will be subject to a background/suitability investigation
• You will be required to have federal payments made by Direct Deposit.
• You must submit ALL required documents and a completed questionnaire.
• You must be a U.S. Citizen.

Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service system, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See http://www.sss.gov/.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position you must meet the Specialized Experience for the series to which you are applying:  
 
Specialized Experience:

GS-9
To qualify for the GS-09, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: 1) assisting in the development of new approaches to improve alternative dispute resolution; and 2) using established criteria to measure effectiveness of an alternative dispute resolution program, -OR-

Degree: master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related, (Transcript Required) -OR-

Combination of Experience and Education: Only directly related education in excess of the first year of progressively higher level graduate education toward a masters or the equivalent graduate degree may be used toward this combination. (example: 1.5 years in a master’s program (50%) plus 6 months of specialized experience (50%)=100%). (Transcript Required)

GS-11

To qualify for the GS-11, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: 1) assisting in the development of new approaches to improve alternative dispute resolution; 2) using established criteria to measure effectiveness of an alternative dispute resolution program; and 3) providing guidance and responding to inquiries from managers and other parties seeking to utilize conflict management services, -OR-

 Degree: 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, (Transcript Required) -OR-

 Combination of Experience and Education: Only education in excess of the first two years of progressively higher level graduate education toward a Ph.D. or the equivalent doctorate degree may be used toward this combination (example: 2.5 years in a Ph.D. program (50%) plus 6 months of specialized experience (50%)=100%). (Transcript Required)

GS-12

To qualify for the GS-12, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: 1) developing new approaches to improve alternative dispute resolution; 2) using established criteria to measure effectiveness of an alternative dispute resolution program; 3) providing guidance and responding to inquiries from managers and other parties seeking to utilize conflict management services; and 4) providing guidance on policies and procedures related to an Integrate Conflict Management System.

NOTE: At the GS-12 level you may not substitute education for specialized experience.

GS-13

To qualify for the GS-13, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: 1) developing new approaches to improve alternative dispute resolution; 2) using established criteria to measure effectiveness of an alternative dispute resolution program; 3) providing guidance and responding to inquiries from managers and other parties seeking to utilize conflict management services; 4) providing guidance on policies and procedures related to an Integrate Conflict Management System; and 5) assisting parties in identifying and acquiring an appropriate third party neutral acceptable to all parties in a variety of conflict or dispute situations.

NOTE: At the GS-13 level you may not substitute education for specialized experience.

Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualification Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions and is available at OPM's website: https://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/indexes/num-ndx.asp

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

How you will be evaluated

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

Once the application process is complete, we will review your application to ensure you meet the job requirements. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your resume, supporting documentation and responses to the online questionnaire will be made. Your responses to the online assessment will be used to measure the degree to which your background matches the requirements for this position. You are being evaluated under the Category Rating method, which means, if you are determined to be qualified you will be placed in one of three pre-defined categories. These categories are “Platinum”, “Gold”, and “Silver”.  However, your resume must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. Candidates placed in the “Platinum” category will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.  Veterans' preference rules for category rating will be applied.

Your answers to the on-line assessment will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas:

1. Conflict Management- knowledge of and skill in conflict resolution and mediation techniques and practices in order to facilitate collaborative problem solving and resolve contentious workplace situations.
2. Interpersonal Communication- ability to communicate with managers and employees at all levels of the organization and facilitate communication among individuals from diverse backgrounds, as well as provide training to others.
3. Program and Project Management- ability to administer an integrated conflict management/resolution program.

If you are a status applicant (current career or career-conditional Federal employee or former permanent Federal employee with reinstatement eligibility in the competitive service), or are eligible under a special appointing authority and you are selected under this vacancy, you may be subject to serving a new one-year probationary period.