You are encouraged to read the entire announcement before you submit your application package. Your application may not receive full consideration if you do not follow the instructions as outlined.
These positions are located in the Washington, DC Commuting Area within one of our bureaus or independent offices within the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
Summary
You are encouraged to read the entire announcement before you submit your application package. Your application may not receive full consideration if you do not follow the instructions as outlined.
These positions are located in the Washington, DC Commuting Area within one of our bureaus or independent offices within the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
USAID is using this vacancy announcement to recruit under the following areas of consideration: a) All U.S. Citizens (no prior Federal experience required); and b) Status Candidates (on career or career-conditional appointments), including former Federal employees with reinstatement eligibility, those eligible for CTAP; ICTAP, VEOA; special hiring programs under a non-competitive appointment authority; Executive Order 12721, and individuals on interchange agreement with Other Merit Systems.
As Democracy Specialist, your duties will include:
Serving as an expert advisor and technical authority on complex and precedent-setting issues in democracy, rights and/or governance (DRG);
Providing technical advice and assistance to USAID Bureaus and missions, relevant US Government agencies, host-country personnel and other stakeholders by conducting program analysis, formulating strategy, making project recommendations, designing evidence-based new programs or redesigning ongoing ones;
Preparing or reviewing concept papers and other documents and facilitating internal Bureau and Agency-level review and approval;
Reviewing and providing input into Country Development Cooperation Strategies (CDCS), governance-related Development Objectives (DOs), Project Appraisal Documents (PADs) and program descriptions/statements of work;
Serving as a project manager or alternate for DRG projects, including highly political and sensitive projects within Bureaus and performing the full range of project management functions; and
Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships and information networks with other donors, implementing partners, inter-agency colleagues, and other international institutions to maintain currency in innovations, approaches and trends and to facilitate their participation, partnership, and understanding of USAID programs.
Must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance.
Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with the Selective Service.
Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer is required.
If you have no prior Federal experience or are selected under Delegated Examining procedures, you will be required to serve a one-year probationary period.
If you choose to apply under Merit Promotion procedures and are a current Federal employee, you must meet Time-in-Grade requirements. Time-in-grade requirements must be met by the closing date.
The Agency may ask you to complete a written assessment if your application is found to be among the best-qualified for this announcement.
Qualifications
GS-12 - You must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. Examples of qualifying specialized experience at the next lower level for this position includes: a) contributing to the development of plans and programs for activities within the democracy, rights, and governance sector; b) analyzing constraints to development, both sector-wide and country-specific, and recommending courses of action; and c) coordinating with US Government agencies, bilateral, and multilateral donors involved with sectoral activities.
GS-13 - You must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. Examples of qualifying specialized experience at the next lower level for this position includes: a) developing plans and programs in the technical areas within democracy, rights, and governance; b) designing centralized and mission-specific projects under established or proposed program objectives; and c) representing an office on task forces, at conferences and in meetings with government agencies, international aid donors, host governments, and the public on the issues of development, democracy, governance, labor, and human rights.
GS-14 - You must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-13 level in the Federal service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. Examples of qualifying specialized experience at the next lower level for this position includes: a) advising senior organizational leadership on strategic planning, programming and implementation issues related to democracy and governance; b) preparing and oversees the preparation of project papers, project agreements, project authorizations, Congressional notifications, and implementation letters; and c) creating processes by which the organization pursues collaborative arrangements and relationships with stakeholders, including those organizations that have a role or expertise in the areas of democracy and governance.
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, relevant to the duties of the position to be filled, including volunteer experience.
CTAP/ICTAPcandidates will be referred to the selecting official if they are found well qualified. Well-qualified means an eligible employee who possesses the knowledge, skills, and abilities which clearly exceed the minimum requirements of the position. A well-qualified employee must meet the qualification and eligibility requirements of the position, including any medical qualifications, suitability, and minimum education and experience requirements, meet all selective factors (where applicable); meet quality ranking factors and are assigned to the Silver Category or higher Category; be physically qualified with reasonable accommodation to perform the essential duties of the position; meet any special qualifying U.S. OPM-approved conditions; AND be able to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry without additional training.
A well-qualified candidate will not necessarily meet the definition of highly or best qualified when evaluated against other candidates who apply for a particular position. In the absence of selective and quality ranking factors, selecting officials will document the job-related reason(s) for qualification determinations.
Education
This position does not have a positive education requirement. Therefore, no Transcripts are required.
Additional information
USAID is an independent Federal Government agency that receives overall foreign policy guidance from the Secretary of State. With headquarters in the District of Columbia, we operate in more than 100 countries around the world, playing an active and critical role in the promotion of U.S. foreign policy interests. When crisis strikes; when rights are repressed; when hunger, disease and poverty rob people of opportunity; USAID acts on behalf of the American people to help expand the reach of prosperity and dignity to the world's most vulnerable people. USAID employees and contractors must commit to maintaining a workplace free of sexual misconduct, including harassment, exploitation, and abuse and adhere to USAID's Counter-Trafficking in Persons Code of Conduct. For information on the effort to counter all forms of human trafficking, including the procurement of commercial sex acts and the use of forced labor, visit http://www.state.gov/g/tip. For more information about USAID, visit http://www.usaid.gov.
If an HR Specialist determines that you are among the best-qualified applicants for these positions, your application will be shared with multiple hiring managers for consideration. By submitting your application to this advertisement, you agree to have your application shared for similar positions within USAID.
These are Testing Designated Positions (TDP’s) under the Agency’s approved Drug Free Work Place Program. All applicants selected for this position will be subject to random drug testing once they begin working for the Agency.
Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer is required.
Moving and relocation expenses are not authorized.
It is the policy of the Government not to deny employment simply because an individual has been unemployed or has had financial difficulties that have arisen through no fault of the individual. Information about an individual’s employment experience will be used only to determine the person’s qualifications and to assess his or her relative level of knowledge, skills, and abilities. Although an individual’s personal conduct may be relevant in any employment decision, including conduct during periods of unemployment or evidence of dishonesty in handling financial matters, financial difficulty that has arisen through no fault of the individual will generally not itself be the basis of an unfavorable suitability or fitness determination.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Working for USAID offers comprehensive benefits including paid vacation, sick leave, holidays, life and health insurance, and the Federal Employees Retirement System. You can explore the benefits offered to most Federal employees at http://www.opm.gov/insure/health/. USAID's headquarters is in downtown Washington, D.C., at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center on 14th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., on the Federal Triangle Metro Blue, Silver, and Orange Lines. The office is within walking distance of restaurants, shops, museums, and Washington Monument. A physical fitness facility and food court are on site. You will be eligible for telework in accordance with Agency policy.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
After the advertisement closes, a subject matter expert will review your application package to ensure you meet the job and eligibility requirements, including the education and/or experience required for this 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 three pre-defined categories. If your resume does not reinforce your responses to the online assessment questionnaire, it will affect your eligibility for further consideration. You may be found "not qualified" if you do not possess the minimum competencies required for the position. If your application is incomplete, we will rate you as ineligible.
Under Delegated Examining (All U.S. Citizens) procedures, these categories are Gold (90 points or more), Silver (80-89 points), and Bronze (70-79 points). However, your resume and/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 eligibles 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. (You must provide proof of disability rating with a letter from the Veteran's Administration showing disability percentage rating).
Under Merit Promotion (Status Candidates) procedures, we will refer all candidates that we rank as Highly Qualified to the hiring manager, and they may invite the referred applicants for an interview.
The scored occupational questionnaire will evaluate you on the following competencies:
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Working for USAID offers comprehensive benefits including paid vacation, sick leave, holidays, life and health insurance, and the Federal Employees Retirement System. You can explore the benefits offered to most Federal employees at http://www.opm.gov/insure/health/. USAID's headquarters is in downtown Washington, D.C., at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center on 14th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., on the Federal Triangle Metro Blue, Silver, and Orange Lines. The office is within walking distance of restaurants, shops, museums, and Washington Monument. A physical fitness facility and food court are on site. You will be eligible for telework in accordance with Agency policy.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
If you are a current Federal employee and choose to have your application considered under Merit Promotion procedures, you must submit the most recent copy of your SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action); your document must reflect grade, step, tenure code “1” (Career) or “2” (Career-Conditional), and type of position occupied
If seeking eligibility based on any other special hiring authority (e.g. disabled veteran, Schedule A, special hiring programs).
CTAP/ICTAP Eligibles: Must submit a copy of the appropriate documentation such as a reduction-in-force (RIF) separation notice, an SF-50 reflecting your RIF separation, or a notice of proposed removal for declining a direct reassign or transfer of function to another commuting area. You MUST also submit documentation to reflect your current (or last) performance rating of record of at least "fully successful" (Level III) or equivalent, along with your application/resume package.
If this position requires proof of higher education, you must submit a copy of your transcript(unofficial transcript) or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and the quarter and semester hours earned. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. Please refer to http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp for more information. Please be advised that an official transcript will be required if you are selected for the position.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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.
The following instructions outline our application process. You must complete this on-line application process and submit any applicable required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement. If applying on-line poses an extreme hardship, you must notify the agency contact name herein office no later than two business days prior to the closing date of this vacancy announcement. You will be provided an alternative application method. After this time, requests to apply via alternative methods may not be granted.
Please note that all required documents must be received by the closing date, via online or alternative methods, and that we will determine your eligibility and qualifications based solely on the materials received by the closing date.
Step 1 - Review the Job Announcement Before you apply, we suggest you review the entire job announcement. Pay close attention to the Major Duties section and the How You Will Be Evaluated section where you will see the areas upon which your application will be evaluated and a link for previewing online questions.
-Create or upload a resume in USAJOBS. You may wish to customize your resume to ensure it supports your responses to the online questions and addresses the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section of the job announcement. For resume tips, click here.
-Although you must enter your Social Security Number (SSN) for USAJOBS, we will only see the last four digits for identification purposes.
Step 3 - Apply Online Click the "Apply Online" button on this announcement and then select the resume you wish to submit with your application. You will be redirected to the Department of the Treasury's CareerConnector website to complete the application process.
Step 4 - Answer the Online Questions and Submit Your Online Application If this is your first time on Treasury's CareerConnector website, you will be prompted to register by answering questions related to your eligibility for Federal employment. The system will save these responses and take you back to the main screen so that you can answer the job-specific questions. Select "Take me to the assessment" and click on the "Next" button to answer the job-specific questions. You must answer all the questions and click the "Finish" button.
Step 5 - Review and Confirm Your Submission You will now have the option to upload a document or print fax cover-sheets for documents (see Step 6 for details). Once you click "Done," you will see a summary of your application for your review. You may also print a copy for your records. When you click "Finish" at the bottom of the page, you will then be directed back to USAJOBS where you can confirm that your application has been submitted and track your application status.
Step 6 - Submit Documents You can submit any applicable required or optional documents (see below) by document upload, fax, or e-mail. Whichever method you choose, please include the job announcement number with your documents. To protect your privacy, we encourage you to remove your SSN from any documents that you submit.
Document Upload: You may upload documents in one of two ways: 1. Once you finish answering the questions in the job announcement, you will be prompted to upload your document(s) to your application. You will be given the choice to either upload the document as part of the application process or you can select a document that you've already loaded on USAJOBS. Or
2. You can upload a document to an existing application by logging into your USAJOBS account profile. Click on "My Applications" and search for the vacancy. Once you've located the vacancy, click on the vacancy and select "Apply Online." Move through your existing application to the Documents page and select Upload in order to add a document to your application. Be certain to review your complete application for confirmation that the document uploaded. In the Application Review section, you may verify acceptance of your documents in Career Connector if you see them listed on the "Vacancy Documents" screen. Then, click on "Finished" to be returned to USAJOBS.
Fax: Print a fax cover-sheet in Career Connector by following the "Faxing Supporting Documentation" instructions. The fax number will be provided on the cover-sheet.
If you are having difficulty within the Career Connector system and need technical assistance please email the help desk at careerconnectorhelp@treasury.gov. The help desk is available to assist you during the hours of 8:00 am- 4:30 pm EST daily, excluding Federal holidays.
United States Agency for International Development
1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, District of Columbia 20523-0016
United States
Next steps
Applicants are evaluated using an automated applicant assessment system. After determining basic eligibility and qualifications, the supplemental questionnaire will be used to identify the best-qualified applicants to be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and possible interviews. We will notify you of the outcome after each of these steps. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. A final job offer is contingent upon a favorable suitability determination and obtaining a favorable security clearance investigation and determination. The security clearance level will vary depending on the position the Agency offers you.
You may check the status of your application for this position at any time by logging onto the USAJOBS "My Account" tab and clicking on "Application Status." You will receive final notification via email when this vacancy has been filled. Please notify us if your contact information changes after the closing date of the announcement. Also, note that if you provide an email address that is inaccurate or if your mailbox is full or blocked (e.g., spam-blocker), you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
If you are a current Federal employee and choose to have your application considered under Merit Promotion procedures, you must submit the most recent copy of your SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action); your document must reflect grade, step, tenure code “1” (Career) or “2” (Career-Conditional), and type of position occupied
If seeking eligibility based on any other special hiring authority (e.g. disabled veteran, Schedule A, special hiring programs).
CTAP/ICTAP Eligibles: Must submit a copy of the appropriate documentation such as a reduction-in-force (RIF) separation notice, an SF-50 reflecting your RIF separation, or a notice of proposed removal for declining a direct reassign or transfer of function to another commuting area. You MUST also submit documentation to reflect your current (or last) performance rating of record of at least "fully successful" (Level III) or equivalent, along with your application/resume package.
If this position requires proof of higher education, you must submit a copy of your transcript(unofficial transcript) or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and the quarter and semester hours earned. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. Please refer to http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp for more information. Please be advised that an official transcript will be required if you are selected for the position.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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.
The following instructions outline our application process. You must complete this on-line application process and submit any applicable required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement. If applying on-line poses an extreme hardship, you must notify the agency contact name herein office no later than two business days prior to the closing date of this vacancy announcement. You will be provided an alternative application method. After this time, requests to apply via alternative methods may not be granted.
Please note that all required documents must be received by the closing date, via online or alternative methods, and that we will determine your eligibility and qualifications based solely on the materials received by the closing date.
Step 1 - Review the Job Announcement Before you apply, we suggest you review the entire job announcement. Pay close attention to the Major Duties section and the How You Will Be Evaluated section where you will see the areas upon which your application will be evaluated and a link for previewing online questions.
-Create or upload a resume in USAJOBS. You may wish to customize your resume to ensure it supports your responses to the online questions and addresses the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section of the job announcement. For resume tips, click here.
-Although you must enter your Social Security Number (SSN) for USAJOBS, we will only see the last four digits for identification purposes.
Step 3 - Apply Online Click the "Apply Online" button on this announcement and then select the resume you wish to submit with your application. You will be redirected to the Department of the Treasury's CareerConnector website to complete the application process.
Step 4 - Answer the Online Questions and Submit Your Online Application If this is your first time on Treasury's CareerConnector website, you will be prompted to register by answering questions related to your eligibility for Federal employment. The system will save these responses and take you back to the main screen so that you can answer the job-specific questions. Select "Take me to the assessment" and click on the "Next" button to answer the job-specific questions. You must answer all the questions and click the "Finish" button.
Step 5 - Review and Confirm Your Submission You will now have the option to upload a document or print fax cover-sheets for documents (see Step 6 for details). Once you click "Done," you will see a summary of your application for your review. You may also print a copy for your records. When you click "Finish" at the bottom of the page, you will then be directed back to USAJOBS where you can confirm that your application has been submitted and track your application status.
Step 6 - Submit Documents You can submit any applicable required or optional documents (see below) by document upload, fax, or e-mail. Whichever method you choose, please include the job announcement number with your documents. To protect your privacy, we encourage you to remove your SSN from any documents that you submit.
Document Upload: You may upload documents in one of two ways: 1. Once you finish answering the questions in the job announcement, you will be prompted to upload your document(s) to your application. You will be given the choice to either upload the document as part of the application process or you can select a document that you've already loaded on USAJOBS. Or
2. You can upload a document to an existing application by logging into your USAJOBS account profile. Click on "My Applications" and search for the vacancy. Once you've located the vacancy, click on the vacancy and select "Apply Online." Move through your existing application to the Documents page and select Upload in order to add a document to your application. Be certain to review your complete application for confirmation that the document uploaded. In the Application Review section, you may verify acceptance of your documents in Career Connector if you see them listed on the "Vacancy Documents" screen. Then, click on "Finished" to be returned to USAJOBS.
Fax: Print a fax cover-sheet in Career Connector by following the "Faxing Supporting Documentation" instructions. The fax number will be provided on the cover-sheet.
If you are having difficulty within the Career Connector system and need technical assistance please email the help desk at careerconnectorhelp@treasury.gov. The help desk is available to assist you during the hours of 8:00 am- 4:30 pm EST daily, excluding Federal holidays.
United States Agency for International Development
1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, District of Columbia 20523-0016
United States
Next steps
Applicants are evaluated using an automated applicant assessment system. After determining basic eligibility and qualifications, the supplemental questionnaire will be used to identify the best-qualified applicants to be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and possible interviews. We will notify you of the outcome after each of these steps. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. A final job offer is contingent upon a favorable suitability determination and obtaining a favorable security clearance investigation and determination. The security clearance level will vary depending on the position the Agency offers you.
You may check the status of your application for this position at any time by logging onto the USAJOBS "My Account" tab and clicking on "Application Status." You will receive final notification via email when this vacancy has been filled. Please notify us if your contact information changes after the closing date of the announcement. Also, note that if you provide an email address that is inaccurate or if your mailbox is full or blocked (e.g., spam-blocker), you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
