Supervisory Passport Specialist

Summary

This position is located within the Bureau of Consular Affairs, Vermont Passport Agency (CA/PPT/VT). CA is responsible for the welfare and protection of U.S. citizens abroad, for the issuance of passports and other travel documentation to citizens and nationals, and for the protection of U.S. border security and the facilitation of legitimate travel to the United States.

This job is open to

• Federal employees - Competitive service
  
  Current federal employees whose agencies follow the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's hiring rules and pay scales.
• Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
  
  Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants.
• Land and base management
  
  Current or former employees of a base management agency.
• Veterans
  
  Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces or a spouse, widow, widower or parent of a veteran, who may be eligible for derived preference
• Military spouses
  
  Military spouses relocating under PCS orders or whose spouse is 100% disabled or died while on active duty.
• Individuals with disabilities
  
  Individuals who are eligible under Schedule A.
• Family of overseas employees
  
  Family members of a federal employee or uniformed service member who is or was, working overseas.
• Peace Corps & AmeriCorps Vista
  
  Individuals who have served at least 2 years with the Peace Corps or 1 year with AmeriCorps VISTA.
• Special authorities
  
  Individuals eligible under a special authority not listed in another hiring path.

Clarification from the agency

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

Duties

• Serves as a senior member of the Agency/Center management team, participates in the formulation of management plans, policies and procedures to assure the coordinated effectiveness of operations across all functional lines.
• Serves as an authority on resolution of highly complex citizenship cases and unique adjudication problems referred by subordinate supervisors.
• Monitors the overall quality and quantity of the work of Section personnel and devises and implements internal controls to assure the laws, regulations, policies and procedures are adhered to.
• Approves the submission of personnel action request for the filling of vacancies, reassignments and promotions, and request for changes in position classification.
• Review adjudicative decisions by subordinates in disputes cases, using tact and discretion in developing solutions to balance the needs of passport applicants with those of the Department.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Incumbent will be subject to random drug testing.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a 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.

Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 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 may have been gained in work such as developing, examining, investigating, adjudicating, or authorizing claims arising under the immigration and/or nationality laws of the United States.

Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following:

• Experience adjudicating, drafting and reviewing correspondence cases regarding the acquisition, denial and loss of U.S. nationality.
• Experience leading a team, including assigning tasks based on priorities, preparing schedules for completion of work.
• Experience providing advice to the team and customers.

In addition, applicant's experience must also demonstrate that the candidate possesses the following qualities:

• Ability to assign, review, and supervise the work of others;
• Objectivity and fairness in judging people on their ability, and situations on the facts and circumstances;
• Ability to adjust to change, work pressures, or difficult situations without undue stress;
• Willingness to consider new ideas or divergent points of view; and
• Capacity to "see the job through."

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, situational 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.

• Benefits
  
  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.
  
  Review our 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 statutes, rules and regulations that govern the examination and adjudication.
• Ability to identify inconsistencies in information/applications.
• Ability to synthesize information to make decisions.
• Ability to liaison with others.
• Ability to maintain composure when dealing with aggressive/discourteous applicants.
• Skill in interacting effectively with others at all levels within the organization.

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.

Agency Career and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP and ICTAP) candidates must be rated "Well Qualified" for the position and earn a score of at least 85 (when applicants are rated in a range of 70 to 100) to receive consideration for selection priority.

You may preview questions for this vacancy.

• Benefits
  
  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.
  
  Review our 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.
• Required Documents
  
  As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
  
  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 must be 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 recent SF-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-15 must be submitted with the application with all required supporting documents listed on the form.
  • For more veterans' preference information, visit the USAJOBS Help Center.
  
  
  5. Non-competitive or special hiring authority eligibility documentation, if applicable. Examples of such authorities include: Schedule A individuals with disabilities, returning Peace Corps or AmeriCorp VISTA volunteer, Fulbright/Gilman/CLS alumni, etc.
  
  6. ICTAP/CTAP documentation, if applicable. Visit our agency's ICTAP and CTAP sites for required documentation.
  
  7. Current or Former Land Management Employee documentation, if applicable. Visit the Forest Service's site for required documentation.
• How to Apply
  
  Prepare your application in USAJOBS
  
  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.
  
  To learn how to view the status of your submitted supporting documentation and application, visit the Application Instructions section of our agency's Civil Service selection process site.
  
  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.
  
  Agency contact information
  
  Mouda Iken
  
  Phone
  
  202-567-3293
  
  Fax
  000-000-0000
  Email
  
  ikenm@state.gov
  
  Address
  
  U.S. Department of State
  
  600 19th Street, N.W.
  
  Attn: CA/EX/HRD
  
  Washington, District of Columbia 20520
  
  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.
  
  
  • Criminal history inquiries
  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
  • Financial suitability
  • New employee probationary period
  • Privacy Act
  • Reasonable accommodation policy
  • Selective Service
  • Signature and false statements
  • Social security number request

Required Documents

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 must be 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 recent SF-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-15 must be submitted with the application with all required supporting documents listed on the form.
• For more veterans' preference information, visit the USAJOBS Help Center.

5. Non-competitive or special hiring authority eligibility documentation, if applicable. Examples of such authorities include: Schedule A individuals with disabilities, returning Peace Corps or AmeriCorp VISTA volunteer, Fulbright/Gilman/CLS alumni, etc.

6. ICTAP/CTAP documentation, if applicable. Visit our agency's ICTAP and CTAP sites for required documentation.

7. Current or Former Land Management Employee documentation, if applicable. Visit the Forest Service's site for required documentation.

How to Apply

Prepare your application in USAJOBS

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.

To learn how to view the status of your submitted supporting documentation and application, visit the Application Instructions section of our agency's Civil Service selection process site.

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.

Agency contact information

Mouda Iken

Phone

202-567-3293

Fax
000-000-0000
Email

ikenm@state.gov

Address

U.S. Department of State

600 19th Street, N.W.

Attn: CA/EX/HRD

Washington, District of Columbia 20520

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 & Transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

• Criminal history inquiries
• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
• Financial suitability
• New employee probationary period
• Privacy Act
• Reasonable accommodation policy
• Selective Service
• Signature and false statements
• Social security number request