Special Assistant

Summary This position is located in the Office of the Ombuds (S/O). S/O facilitates and supports a fair, equitable workplace that ensures the essential well-being of the Department workforce and is responsible for coordination of the work of the Department internally, serving as the liaison between the offices of the Secretary, Deputy Secretary, and Under Secretaries and other Department’s bureaus. Responsibilities Recognized as a technical authority on S/O programs and policies, and coordinates with the responsible offices to solicit input and review and revise management policies. Under the general direction of the Ombuds, conducts surveys and studies of individual organizations and across the enterprise. Analyzes and advises on a broad range of highly complex and high visibility policy and program issues. Develops, coordinates, and prepares correspondence, cables, briefing, and planning documents, policy papers, and reports that reflect statuses of major issues and initiatives and keeps key audiences informed. Serves as the primary manager of program operations in the S/O immediate office. Based on a thorough knowledge of the Department, reviews important matters, analyzes reports and recommendations, and independently makes judgments and initiates action. Routinely joins the Ombuds in meeting with senior officials and represents the Ombuds in meetings elsewhere in the Department as required. Collects, crafts, reviews information and the methods of sharing that information throughout the organization. Requirements Conditions of Employment 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. Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level in the Federal service which 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 ensuring that policies, processes, and programs are aligned with overall mission objectives and representing interests on program and policy matters to a wide range of audiences. Experience advising senior officials and providing strategic policy recommendations. Experience drafting documents that reflect detailed presentation, analysis, and well justified/substantiated recommendations. There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the GS-14 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.