• Responsible for establishing and maintaining professional relationships and effective interchange of information with congressional members, congressional staff and the various congressional committees that have Bureau oversight responsibilities. Liaises with senior staff within the agency and other governmental agencies.
• In collaboration with the Chief and Deputy Chief, LAD formulates and executes strategies for effective congressional communication. This includes assuring that members of Congress and Congressional committees are timely and accurately informed and assisted on matters of their concern as to the Bureau’s position with respect to pending or proposed legislation that impact the agency’s operations and appropriations. Provides members of Congress and their staff with clear and concise analyses and interpretations of new and revised programs administered by the Bureau.
• Uses a variety of information sources to conduct the necessary research to ensure information provided to the Chief and Deputy Chief, LAD and senior Bureau officials is complete, objective, timely and accurate. Identifies and tracks political and substantive changes in all relevant legislation and keeps the Chief and Deputy Chief, LAD and Bureau leadership apprised when Bureau-related matters will be appearing on the Congressional docket.
• Prepares senior leadership for congressional testimony as needed. Prepares and presents briefing papers on major program initiatives to members of Congress and their staffs and agency and bureau management officials. Serves as senior political and policy advisor on congressional legislative matters that have an impact on the Bureau, to include analysis of new and proposed legislation, committee procedures, congressional floor amendments, statements and mark up materials.
  
  

Conditions of employment

• Suitable for Federal employment determined by background investigation.
• Pass drug screening and subject to random drug test.
• May be required to serve a one year probationary period.
• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Must be registered or exempt from the Selective Service. See www.sss.gov.

To qualify, you must meet all qualification requirements described in this announcement by the closing date.

Qualifications

To qualify for the GS-14: You must have at least one year of specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-13 grade level. Specialized experience for the position is defined as demonstrated experience involving liaison activities with members of Congress and the respective appropriations committees; analyzing and evaluating legislative and appropriations issues impacting programs; and promoting knowledge and understanding of policies and program.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP). The ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and rate equivalent to the Silver (minimum score of 85) or better category using established category rating criteria. You must provide proof of eligibility with your application to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form. Additional information about ICTAP eligibility is at: http://www.opm.gov/ctap/index.asp.

The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in the Department of Justice with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your Department of Justice component has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your CTAP eligibility, 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement, and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and rate equivalent to the Silver (minimum score of 85) or better category using established category rating criteria. You must provide a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility with your application. Additional information about CTAP eligibility is at: http://www.opm.gov/ctap/index.asp.

Veteran Preference:If you are entitled to veteran preference, you should indicate the type of veteran preference you are claiming on your résumé.

In order to verify your veteran preference entitlement, please submit a copy of the Member Copy 4 of your DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty); official statement of service from your command if you are currently on active duty; or other official documentation (e.g., documentation of receipt of a campaign badge or expeditionary medal) that shows your military service was performed under honorable conditions.

In addition, if you are a disabled veteran, a Purple Heart recipient, or widow/widower of a veteran, the spouse of a disabled veteran or the natural mother of a disabled or deceased veteran, you must submit the October 2013 Revised Standard Form (SF) 15, “Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference,” and the other required documentation identified on the reverse side of the SF-15 to support your preference claim.

Although veteran preference points are not assigned under the category rating procedures described under “How You Will Be Evaluated,” veteran preference eligibles are listed ahead of non-veterans within each category for which they are qualified.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your application will be evaluated and rated under ATF's Category Rating and Selection Procedures. Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed on this announcement. If you are basically qualified for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the online assessment questionnaire. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job. Your application will then be placed in one of three categories: Gold - applicants possessing a background that demonstrates a superior level of possession of all evaluation criteria, Silver - applicants possessing a background that demonstrates a satisfactory level of possession of the evaluation criteria or Bronze - applicants possessing the specialized experience. Names of all candidates in the best qualified category will be sent to the hiring official for employment consideration. Candidates within the Gold category who are eligible for veterans preference will receive selection priority over non-veterans preference eligibles.

The assessment questionnaire is designed to measure your ability in the following competencies:

• Knowledge of Congressional legislative committees processes, procedures, and regulations in order to advise Executive staff and provide expert analyses and plan testimony in defense of the Bureau's mission and funding requests to support program operations before Congress; (e.g., serving as House or Senate Judiciary Staff, Committee Staff and or Legislative Director or senior advisor for a member of Congress).
• Knowledge of principles, methods, practices, techniques, analytical methods, and interpersonal relations to function as a technical authority and perform legislative liaison activities with Congress.
• Extensive knowledge of the legislative process, operational activities, and the structure and the relationships between various program offices.
• Ability to provide members of Congress and their staffs with clear and concise analyses, orally and in writing, regarding how to propose or enact legislative and appropriations measures that would affect the complex criminal and regulatory enforcement programs and functions.