These positions are in the Programs and Policies Division, Litigation and Appeals Branch in the Office of Information Programs and Services, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Global Information Services, Bureau of Administration, in the U.S. Department of State. The incumbent is responsible for carrying out duties and responsibilities associate with acting on requests for Department of State records that are either the subject of litigation or administrative appeal of denial of information.
Summary
These positions are in the Programs and Policies Division, Litigation and Appeals Branch in the Office of Information Programs and Services, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Global Information Services, Bureau of Administration, in the U.S. Department of State. The incumbent is responsible for carrying out duties and responsibilities associate with acting on requests for Department of State records that are either the subject of litigation or administrative appeal of denial of information.
Status Candidates, Noncompetitive, Former Federal Employees with Reinstatement Eligibility, Land & base management, VEOA, Individuals with Disabilities, Military Spouses, Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, Vista, Eligible Family Member, Special authorities, ICTAP, and CTAP
Coordinates complex and difficult cases that are the subject of litigation against the Department or administrative appeal for denial of information.
Analyzes and evaluates requests, performs searches for responsive documents in eRecords, analyzes Department searches and reviews responses for compliance with Freedom of Information (FOIA), and prepares responses to requesters.
Advises senior management on the interpretation of court decisions and administrative rulings issued by the Department of Justice, Office of Management and Budget and by the Legal Adviser Office.
Conducts trainings and briefings on litigation and appeal request processes, as well as agency information access regulations, policies, and procedures as they relate to litigation and appeals activities.
Plans, develops, and implements comprehensive studies and program evaluation activities related to work of the Branch.
Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.
Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit: www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/
Qualifications
Applicants must meet all the required qualification requirements described below by the closing date of this announcement.
NOTE: Applicants must meet time-in-grade and time after competitive appointment requirements, by the closing date of this announcement.
Time-In-Grade Requirements: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions, per 5CFR 300, Subpart F.
GS-12: Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal service that provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position.
Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following:
Experience coordinating official requests for information regarding litigation resulting from legal or regulatory obligations.
Experience drafting, reviewing, and editing litigation reports.
Experience conducting studies and surveys of business processes, presenting findings, and providing technical analysis and advising for correcting deficiencies in Freedom of Information (FOIA) and Privacy Act (PA) processing.
There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the GS-12 position.
Education
Education requirements do not apply to this vacancy announcement.
Additional information
For reasonable accommodation at the U.S. Department of State, please contact the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations at (202) 663-3474 or OAA@state.gov.
If eligible, telework agreements may be permitted with supervisory approval.
Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. If eligible, applicants to this announcement may be referred to other similar positions in other Bureaus/Offices in the Department for up to 240 days. Telework eligibility and security clearance requirements may vary for such similar positions.
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.
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.
Once the application process is complete, a review of your resume will be conducted and compared against your responses to the assessment questions to determine if you are qualified for this job. Note: Responses to questions that are not fully supported by the information in your resume may result in adjustments to your rating.
Applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements, as described in the “Qualifications” section of this announcement, will be assigned a score between 70 and 100. The assessment is used to measure the degree in which your background matches the competencies (knowledge, skills, and abilities) required for this position. Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies:
Knowledge of the principles, concepts, and methodology of litigation.
Ability to implement and administer a Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act program.
Knowledge of program management techniques.
Skill in applying analytical and evaluation techniques.
Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.
Applicants found to be among the top qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring official for further consideration and possible interview. Qualified non-competitive candidates must be deemed best qualified based on the applicant assessment in order to be referred to the hiring official for further consideration and possible interview.
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.
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.
All required documents listed below, that are applicable to you, must be submitted to our automated system by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.
1. Resume showing relevant work/volunteer experience, education and training. Include the start and end dates (from month/year to month/year) and the number of hours per week worked/volunteered. Your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations and must support your answers to the completed online assessment questions.
2. Performance appraisal, if applicable. Most recent (i.e., usually within the last 18 months) final (not a mid-year review) official (i.e., signed by the rating official and in original format) annual performance appraisal mustbe submitted by reinstatement eligible applicants applying to a position with a higher grade or more promotion potential than previously held and current or former Land Management employees.
All other current and former Federal employees are strongly encouraged to submit their performance appraisal for the hiring manager’s consideration. If an appraisal is not available, you may provide a statement from you and/or your supervisor with an explanation along with your servicing HR Office contact information.
Note: You may be requested to provide an appraisal to the hiring official if one was not provided with your application. To receive a promotion, the current Federal employee’s most recent performance rating must be “fully successful” or an equivalent level or higher. Employees who are tentatively selected to receive a promotion will be required to provide performance documentation within two business days of request. Servicing HR Offices may be contacted to verify performance ratings.
3. Most recentSF-50s (Notification of Personnel Actions), if you are a current or former Federal employee (including those applying under a non-competitive or special hiring authority). The SF-50s must show: effective date, position title, series, grade, salary, tenure, position occupied, full promotion potential, and name of agency. Multiple SF-50s may be needed to show all required information (e.g., promotion, within-grade increase, and separation SF-50s). Award SF-50s often do not show the required information.
4. Veteran Documentation, if applicable.
Veterans who are preference eligible OR who have been separated from the Armed Forces under honorable conditions (honorable or general discharge) after 3 or more years of continuous active service may apply under the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA). You must submit a DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (Member Copy 4 preferred) showing the dates you served as well as your type of discharge and qualifying service campaign medals OR if you are still on active duty, you MUST submit a certification on letterhead from your military branch which contains your military service dates, expected date of discharge or release, and the character of service to show that your military service was performed under honorable conditions. The expected date of discharge or release must be no later than 120 days after the certification is submitted for consideration for this job announcement. Current Federal employees applying under the VEOA must submit a qualifying SF-50 to show time-in-grade requirements.
If you are applying as a preference eligible with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more, you must submit the documentation required by the SF-15 (Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference) to support your claim (e.g., DD-214, official statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs). For applicants claiming 10-point derived veterans’ preference (i.e., spouses, widows/widowers or mothers of veterans), a completed SF-15mustbe submitted with the application with all required supporting documents listed on the form.
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.
To start your application, click Apply and we’ll walk you through the process to attach a resume and any required documents.
During the application process you can review, edit, delete, and update your information. We’ll automatically save your progress as you go, so you won’t lose any changes. You have until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement to complete the application process.
STEP 1: Select the "Apply" button and follow the instructions to register or sign into USAJOBS.
STEP 2: Submit your resume. Please see the Required Documents section for specific information that should be outlined in your resume.
STEP 3: Complete the online assessment questions.
STEP 4: Submit all required documentation applicable to you, as listed in the Required Documents section.
Technical assistance with your on-line application is available through the Help Desk at mgshelp@monster.com or by calling (866) 656-6830 between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. ET
Alternate Application Procedures
If applying online poses an extreme hardship, you may request alternate application procedures to submit your application package. Contact the Human Resources office listed on the announcement between the business hours of 8:15 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. ET at least 2 working days prior to the closing date of this announcement. The application package for alternate application procedures must be submitted and received in the Human Resources office no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on the closing date of this announcement. Paper applications and information sent by mail will not be accepted.
U.S. Department of State
600 19th Street, NW
SA-17, 5th Floor
Attn: A/EX/HRD
Washington, District of Columbia 20522-1705
United States
Next steps
After all application packages are received, we will review applications and evaluate applicants’ qualifications. Then, in approximately two weeks after this announcement closes, we will refer candidates, as described in the “How You Will Be Evaluated” section, to the hiring manager for selection consideration. Your application status will be updated up to four times during the following hiring phases:
After applications are received.
After applications are assessed to determine qualifications.
After candidates are referred to the hiring manager.
After a selection is made.
For the selected candidates who receive a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability review and/or security background investigation that generally takes an average of at least two to six months.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
All required documents listed below, that are applicable to you, must be submitted to our automated system by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.
1. Resume showing relevant work/volunteer experience, education and training. Include the start and end dates (from month/year to month/year) and the number of hours per week worked/volunteered. Your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations and must support your answers to the completed online assessment questions.
2. Performance appraisal, if applicable. Most recent (i.e., usually within the last 18 months) final (not a mid-year review) official (i.e., signed by the rating official and in original format) annual performance appraisal mustbe submitted by reinstatement eligible applicants applying to a position with a higher grade or more promotion potential than previously held and current or former Land Management employees.
All other current and former Federal employees are strongly encouraged to submit their performance appraisal for the hiring manager’s consideration. If an appraisal is not available, you may provide a statement from you and/or your supervisor with an explanation along with your servicing HR Office contact information.
Note: You may be requested to provide an appraisal to the hiring official if one was not provided with your application. To receive a promotion, the current Federal employee’s most recent performance rating must be “fully successful” or an equivalent level or higher. Employees who are tentatively selected to receive a promotion will be required to provide performance documentation within two business days of request. Servicing HR Offices may be contacted to verify performance ratings.
3. Most recentSF-50s (Notification of Personnel Actions), if you are a current or former Federal employee (including those applying under a non-competitive or special hiring authority). The SF-50s must show: effective date, position title, series, grade, salary, tenure, position occupied, full promotion potential, and name of agency. Multiple SF-50s may be needed to show all required information (e.g., promotion, within-grade increase, and separation SF-50s). Award SF-50s often do not show the required information.
4. Veteran Documentation, if applicable.
Veterans who are preference eligible OR who have been separated from the Armed Forces under honorable conditions (honorable or general discharge) after 3 or more years of continuous active service may apply under the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA). You must submit a DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (Member Copy 4 preferred) showing the dates you served as well as your type of discharge and qualifying service campaign medals OR if you are still on active duty, you MUST submit a certification on letterhead from your military branch which contains your military service dates, expected date of discharge or release, and the character of service to show that your military service was performed under honorable conditions. The expected date of discharge or release must be no later than 120 days after the certification is submitted for consideration for this job announcement. Current Federal employees applying under the VEOA must submit a qualifying SF-50 to show time-in-grade requirements.
If you are applying as a preference eligible with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more, you must submit the documentation required by the SF-15 (Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference) to support your claim (e.g., DD-214, official statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs). For applicants claiming 10-point derived veterans’ preference (i.e., spouses, widows/widowers or mothers of veterans), a completed SF-15mustbe submitted with the application with all required supporting documents listed on the form.
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.
To start your application, click Apply and we’ll walk you through the process to attach a resume and any required documents.
During the application process you can review, edit, delete, and update your information. We’ll automatically save your progress as you go, so you won’t lose any changes. You have until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement to complete the application process.
STEP 1: Select the "Apply" button and follow the instructions to register or sign into USAJOBS.
STEP 2: Submit your resume. Please see the Required Documents section for specific information that should be outlined in your resume.
STEP 3: Complete the online assessment questions.
STEP 4: Submit all required documentation applicable to you, as listed in the Required Documents section.
Technical assistance with your on-line application is available through the Help Desk at mgshelp@monster.com or by calling (866) 656-6830 between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. ET
Alternate Application Procedures
If applying online poses an extreme hardship, you may request alternate application procedures to submit your application package. Contact the Human Resources office listed on the announcement between the business hours of 8:15 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. ET at least 2 working days prior to the closing date of this announcement. The application package for alternate application procedures must be submitted and received in the Human Resources office no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on the closing date of this announcement. Paper applications and information sent by mail will not be accepted.
U.S. Department of State
600 19th Street, NW
SA-17, 5th Floor
Attn: A/EX/HRD
Washington, District of Columbia 20522-1705
United States
Next steps
After all application packages are received, we will review applications and evaluate applicants’ qualifications. Then, in approximately two weeks after this announcement closes, we will refer candidates, as described in the “How You Will Be Evaluated” section, to the hiring manager for selection consideration. Your application status will be updated up to four times during the following hiring phases:
After applications are received.
After applications are assessed to determine qualifications.
After candidates are referred to the hiring manager.
After a selection is made.
For the selected candidates who receive a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability review and/or security background investigation that generally takes an average of at least two to six months.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
