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This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Current Federal employees serving under a career/career-conditional appointment in the competitive service; Former Federal employees with reinstatement eligibility; CTAP/ICTAP eligibles; Applicants eligible under special hiring authorities; Veterans who are preference eligible, or separated from the U.S. Armed Forces under honorable conditions after 3 years or more of continuous active service may apply under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act.

Duties

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Serves as a Program Specialist responsible for processing and managing the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), and Privacy Act (PA) Program for the U.S. Census Bureau.
Manages and updates FOIA and PA information on public facing Internet as well as internal Intranet, as well as maintains staff documentation.
Processes FOIA and PA requests in accordance with federal law and Census procedures; manages caseload, communicates with requesters, reviews and redacts documents.
Provides technical support to staff on automation tools used to process FOIA requests, provide instruction, expertise and/or documentation.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
U.S. Citizen.
Suitable for Federal employment.
Registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov).
Time-in-grade/band requirements must be met by closing date.
A one-year probationary period may be required.
This is a NON-BARGAINING unit position.

Qualifications

This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other Government Information Specialist, 0306-13, FPL GS-13, positions within the Census Bureau in the same geographical location with the same qualifications and specialized experience.

Specialized experience: For GS-13, you must have one year of experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service.

Experience is defined as:
Applying Freedom of Information Act, Privacy Act, and other policies to ensure compliance and proper implementation within the office; use of various tools such as FOIA case management and E-discovery/redaction tools that assist in managing case files and processing; and drafting and reviewing documentation, creating presentations and graphics, and any other forms of written communication.

Education: Education cannot be substituted for experience at this grade level.

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.

Additional information

If hired for this position with the Census Bureau, at its headquarters office located in Suitland, Maryland, you will be expected to temporarily telework to maximum extent while the headquarters building is being renovated. Once renovations are completed for your area, you will be notified when to return to the office. At that time, you will be expected to work from your duty station, and you may be eligible to telework, up to 8 days a pay period depending on your respective work schedule, with approval from your supervisor.

Additionally, the following links provide information on various hiring authorities that may enable you to apply through merit assignment procedures, or be eligible for a non-competitive appointment.

The Department of Commerce provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the Human Resources Office. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis. TTY users can contact the Human Resources Office via the Federal Relay Service, 1-800-877-8339.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the position. If you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the job opportunity 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). Your resume and/or optional cover letter must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. The best qualified candidates will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.

If you are invited for an interview, you will be asked to bring a copy of your most recent performance appraisal.
Due weight shall be given to performance appraisals and awards in accordance with 5 CFR § 335.103(b)(3).

CTAP and ICTAP candidates:
CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible for selection priority if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a rating of 85 out of 100. Information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Career Transition Resources website at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/ctap_guideline.pdf.

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

Communications
Leadership
Problem Solving
Technical Competence

We recommend that you preview the online questions for this announcement before you start the application process.

Do NOT include the following types of information in your application:

Social Security Number (SSN)
Date of Birth (DOB)
Photos of yourself (if included on your resume you will not be considered for this position)
Personal information: such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.

You may view the https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12612616 for this vacancy.

Required Documents

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A complete application consists of the following:

Resume showing relevant experience; cover letter optional: Your resume must list your educational and work experience including dates (mm/yy) of each employment along with the number of hours worked per week. For work in the Federal service, please include the grade level for the position(s). Your resume may be used to validate your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire. Your resume should also indicate your citizenship and if you are registered with the Selective Service System if you are a male born after 12/31/59.
SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action," supporting your eligibility, with the exception of current Census Bureau employees. You must provide the most current Notification of Personnel Action (Form SF-50) that verifies career/career-conditional status, title, series and grade, such as within-grade increase/within-range increase, promotion, initial appointment, reassignment, realignment (Performance Award and General Adjustment SF-50s do not satisfy this requirement). Also provide the SF-50 that reflects the highest grade level held on a permanent basis or the full performance level of your current position, whichever is higher. Failure to do so will result in an ineligible rating.
Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) documentation, if applicable. For more information, please go to the Veteran's Resource Page.
Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) documentation:
- CTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:
  1. A copy of your RIF separation notice; notice of proposed removal for declining a directed geographic relocation outside of the local commuting area; a Certificate of Expected Separation (CES); or certification that you are in a surplus organization or occupation (this could be a position abolishment letter, a notice of eligibility for discontinued service retirement, or similar notice).
  2. A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" noting current position, grade/band level, and duty location;
  3. A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
  4. Any documentation from your bureau/operating unit that shows your current promotion potential.
- ICTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:
  1. A copy of your RIF separation notice; notice of proposed removal for declining a directed geographic relocation outside of the local commuting area; notice of disability annuity termination; certification from your former agency that it cannot place you after your recovery from a work-related compensable injury; or certification from the National Guard Bureau or Military Department that you are eligible for disability retirement.
  2. A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action", documenting your RIF separation, noting your position, grade/band level, and duty location, and/or Agency certification of inability to place you through RPL, etc.;
  3. A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
  4. Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.
Documentation supporting eligibility for non-competitive appointment (Schedule A disability, 30 percent disabled veteran, certain military spouses, etc).
Education Documentation: If this position requires proof of higher education, or you are substituting education for experience, you must submit an unofficial transcript or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. This also includes Census Bureau employees. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. Please refer to OPM's Qualification Policy for more information.

You are not required to submit official documents at this time; copies are sufficient.

Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration. For further information on the evaluation of foreign education, refer to the U.S. Department of Education's web site at Academic and Professional Mobility | International Affairs Office (ed.gov).

NOTE: You will not be considered if you fail to provide all required documents.

Resume

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

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.

Help

Your complete application, including required documents, must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on 12/30/2024.
To apply on-line, you must complete and submit an application by accessing the USAJOBS website at https://www.usajobs.gov.

To begin, click Apply Online to create a USA JOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.

USAJOBS Help Center | How to see your application and job status

To return to your saved application, log in to your USAJOBS account at https://www.usajobs.gov/ and click on "Applications." Click on the position title, and then select "Update Application."

Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply online; however, if you are unable to apply online, please contact:

catherine.butler@census.gov

Agency contact information

Catherine Butler

Phone: 301-763-3824
Email: catherine.butler@census.gov

Address: Policy Coordination Office
4600 Silver Hill Road
Washington, DC 20233
US

Next steps

You will be notified of your application status through USAJOBS at four points during the hiring process, as applicable. You can check the status of your application by accessing the USAJOBS website at https://usajobs.gov and clicking on "Applications." The status will be visible next to the corresponding positions. The four points of notification are:

Application Received or Application Incomplete;
Minimum Qualification Requirement Met or Minimum Qualification Requirement Not Met;
Referred or Not Referred; and
Selected or Not Selected.

By submitting your application, you are certifying the accuracy of the information contained in your application. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be terminated after you begin work; or you may be fined or jailed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation.

You will be required to submit official documentation prior to appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., degree, veterans' preference, disability, etc.).

Required Documents

Help

A complete application consists of the following:

Resume showing relevant experience; cover letter optional: Your resume must list your educational and work experience including dates (mm/yy) of each employment along with the number of hours worked per week. For work in the Federal service, please include the grade level for the position(s). Your resume may be used to validate your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire. Your resume should also indicate your citizenship and if you are registered with the Selective Service System if you are a male born after 12/31/59.
SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action," supporting your eligibility, with the exception of current Census Bureau employees. You must provide the most current Notification of Personnel Action (Form SF-50) that verifies career/career-conditional status, title, series and grade, such as within-grade increase/within-range increase, promotion, initial appointment, reassignment, realignment (Performance Award and General Adjustment SF-50s do not satisfy this requirement). Also provide the SF-50 that reflects the highest grade level held on a permanent basis or the full performance level of your current position, whichever is higher. Failure to do so will result in an ineligible rating.
Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) documentation, if applicable. For more information, please go to the Veteran's Resource Page.
Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) documentation:
- CTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:
  1. A copy of your RIF separation notice; notice of proposed removal for declining a directed geographic relocation outside of the local commuting area; a Certificate of Expected Separation (CES); or certification that you are in a surplus organization or occupation (this could be a position abolishment letter, a notice of eligibility for discontinued service retirement, or similar notice).
  2. A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" noting current position, grade/band level, and duty location;
  3. A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
  4. Any documentation from your bureau/operating unit that shows your current promotion potential.
- ICTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:
  1. A copy of your RIF separation notice; notice of proposed removal for declining a directed geographic relocation outside of the local commuting area; notice of disability annuity termination; certification from your former agency that it cannot place you after your recovery from a work-related compensable injury; or certification from the National Guard Bureau or Military Department that you are eligible for disability retirement.
  2. A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action", documenting your RIF separation, noting your position, grade/band level, and duty location, and/or Agency certification of inability to place you through RPL, etc.;
  3. A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
  4. Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.
Documentation supporting eligibility for non-competitive appointment (Schedule A disability, 30 percent disabled veteran, certain military spouses, etc).
Education Documentation: If this position requires proof of higher education, or you are substituting education for experience, you must submit an unofficial transcript or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. This also includes Census Bureau employees. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. Please refer to OPM's Qualification Policy for more information.

You are not required to submit official documents at this time; copies are sufficient.

Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration. For further information on the evaluation of foreign education, refer to the U.S. Department of Education's web site at Academic and Professional Mobility | International Affairs Office (ed.gov).

NOTE: You will not be considered if you fail to provide all required documents.

Resume

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

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.

How to Apply

Help

Your complete application, including required documents, must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on 12/30/2024.
To apply on-line, you must complete and submit an application by accessing the USAJOBS website at https://www.usajobs.gov.

To begin, click Apply Online to create a USA JOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.

USAJOBS Help Center | How to see your application and job status

To return to your saved application, log in to your USAJOBS account at https://www.usajobs.gov/ and click on "Applications." Click on the position title, and then select "Update Application."

Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply online; however, if you are unable to apply online, please contact:

catherine.butler@census.gov

Agency contact information

Catherine Butler

Phone: 301-763-3824
Email: catherine.butler@census.gov

Address: Policy Coordination Office
4600 Silver Hill Road
Washington, DC 20233
US

Next steps

You will be notified of your application status through USAJOBS at four points during the hiring process, as applicable. You can check the status of your application by accessing the USAJOBS website at https://usajobs.gov and clicking on "Applications." The status will be visible next to the corresponding positions. The four points of notification are:

Application Received or Application Incomplete;
Minimum Qualification Requirement Met or Minimum Qualification Requirement Not Met;
Referred or Not Referred; and
Selected or Not Selected.

By submitting your application, you are certifying the accuracy of the information contained in your application. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be terminated after you begin work; or you may be fined or jailed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation.

You will be required to submit official documentation prior to appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., degree, veterans' preference, disability, etc.).