Summary

This position serves as an Education Program Specialist in the U.S. Department of Education (ED), Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, performing professional work for educationally related program (or group of programs) directed towards improving American education.

Duties

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APPLICATION LIMIT: This vacancy announcement is limited to the first 200 applications received and will close at 11:59PM Eastern Time on the day that we receive the 200th application, or at 11:59PM Eastern Time on the listed closing date, whichever occurs first.

We encourage you to read this entire vacancy announcement prior to submitting your application.

As an Education Program Specialist, GS-1720-12, you will be responsible for:

• Providing input on education objectives, policies, and long-range work priorities for the assigned program unit.
• Providing routine advice and assistance to managers in program related activities.
• Providing guidance and support on special projects related to the direction and operation of the organizational unit.
• Participating in a variety of meetings and conferences and maintaining working relationships with education officials, lay and professional organizations at the federal, state and local levels.
• Assisting with operational aspects of the program and coordination with staff members and/or representatives from other organizations.
• Participating in planning, and supporting national, state and local meetings, seminars, and conferences to provide training to professional specialists on program activities.

As an Education Program Specialist, GS-1720-13, you will be responsible for:

• Providing substantial input into the development of education objectives, policies, and long-range work priorities for the program unit to which assigned.
• Providing broad levels of advice to managers in virtually all aspects of the program and activities related to it.
• Providing authoritative leadership and guidance for important special projects that have a significant bearing on the direction and operation of the organizational unit.
• Representing the Office in a variety of meetings and conferences and maintains effective relations with lay and professional organizations and education officials at the federal, state and local levels.
• Handling the most complex features of the operational aspects of the program, providing coordination and leadership where necessary to other members of the staff and/or representatives from other organizations.
• Initiating, planning, and providing leadership for national, state and local meetings, seminars, and conferences for the purpose of providing training to professional specialists on major program activities.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• Must be a US Citizen.
• Males 18 and over must be registered with the Selective Service.
• Must complete a background investigation and fingerprint check.
• Relocation will not be paid.
• You may be subject to serve a one-year probationary period.

Condition of Employment:

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a probationary period or trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period OR trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this vacancy announcement.

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. We will consider all qualifying experience, including any volunteer experience.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualification Requirements:

You may meet the minimum qualifications for the GS-12, if you possess the specialize experience.

Specialized Experience for the GS-12:

One year of experience in either federal or non-federal service that is equivalent to at least a GS-11 performing two (2) out of three (3) of the following duties or work assignments:

1. Experience providing guidance and assistance on program-related matters, resolving routine problems, supporting updates to procedures, assisting with special projects, and communicating program requirements and process changes.

2. Experience interpreting program requirements and regulations to support reviewing proposed policies, providing feedback and assisting with grant-related activities for an assigned portfolio.

3. Experience supporting projects involving the review of policy-related issues by gathering and compiling input from program offices, reviewing relevant literature, regulations, program records, and other offices to support analysis and conclusions for management decisions.

You may meet the minimum qualifications for the GS-13, if you possess the specialize experience.

Specialized Experience for the GS-13:

One year of experience in either federal or non-federal service that is equivalent to at least a GS-12 performing two (2) out of three (3) of the following duties or work assignments:

1. Experience providing technical guidance and assistance, developing solutions to complex problems, creating new procedures, managing special projects, and gaining acceptance of new or revised program requirements and approaches.

2. Experience interpreting program requirements and regulations, reviewing and providing feedback on proposed policies, and serving as a project lead for a portfolio of grants.

3. Experience conducting projects involving the analysis of policy-related issues by gathering and compiling input from program offices, reviewing relevant literature, regulations, program records, and other offices to develop analysis and support conclusions for management decisions.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) GS-12

The quality of your experience will be measured by the extent to which you possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs). You do not need to provide separate narrative responses to these KSAs, as they will be measured by your responses to the occupational questionnaire (you may preview the occupational questionnaire by clicking the link at the end of the Evaluations section of this vacancy announcement).

GS-12:

1. Knowledge of educational improvement and adult learning theories, principles and practices and understanding of federal, state or local educational systems to support work related to planning, evaluating, and advising on funded technical assistance programs.

2. Ability to apply analytical and evaluative methods and techniques to support the development of procedures and approaches to address issues and problems.

3. Skill in collaborating with education partners and coordinating across organizations or offices to support common goals.

4. Ability to support the development and delivery of training on education program policies, processes, or guidelines.

5. Skill in supporting the development and delivery of training and professional learning meetings for senior education officials.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) GS-13The quality of your experience will be measured by the extent to which you possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs). You do not need to provide separate narrative responses to these KSAs, as they will be measured by your responses to the occupational questionnaire (you may preview the occupational questionnaire by clicking the link at the end of the Evaluations section of this vacancy announcement).

GS-13:

1. Knowledge of educational improvement and adult learning theories, principles and practices and the roles of federal, state or local educational systems sufficient to plan, evaluate and advise on funded educational technical assistance programs, their requirements and problems.
2. Ability to apply analytical and evaluative methods and techniques in developing of new procedures and approaches to identify and resolve significant issues and problems.
3. Skill in engaging relevant education partners and working across multiple organizations or offices to achieve common goals.
4. Ability to develop and lead others to implement education program policies, processes, or guidelines.
5. Skill in developing and leading training or professional learning meetings for senior education officials.

Education

Education cannot be substituted for experience for this position and grade level.

Basic requirements:

Degree: that included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester hours in a field related to the work of the position to be filled, of which at least 9 semester hours must have been in education courses.

OR

Combination of education and experience at least 24 semester hours in a field related to the work of the position to be filled, of which at least 9 semester hours must have been in education courses, plus appropriate experience or additional education. The experience must reflect the level and kind described in C below.

OR

Four years of experience that demonstrated a thorough understanding of the principles and practices underlying the work of this series. This experience must have been of such character and diversity to demonstrate that the applicant possesses an understanding of the field comparable to that normally acquired through successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university.

OR

At least 1 full academic year of professional teaching experience. This experience is defined as full and primary responsibility, under general supervision, for instruction of assigned students in an accredited school or institution. This includes responsibility for preparing and presenting lessons and for evaluating students' progress, including a determination of the students' success or failure according to established criteria. Serving in an assistant capacity to a professor without the authority to determine the students' success or failure to meet course requirements does not meet this criterion.

Foreign Education:

Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must submit a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, please click Foreign Education.

Additional information

Veterans' Career Counseling: If you are a veteran interested in receiving tips on preparing a Federal resume and/or how to prepare for an interview, you may email [redacted] to schedule a session with a career counselor ("Veterans Counseling Session" should be placed in the subject line of the email).

Student Loan Default: If selected for this position, we will verify that you have not defaulted on any loan funded or guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Education. If you are found to be in default, we will contact you to make arrangements for repayment prior to making an official offer of employment.

Suitability and Investigation: If selected for this position, you will be required to complete the Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) to determine your suitability for federal employment and successfully complete a pre-appointment investigation/background check.

Essential/Non-Essential: This position is considered non-essential for purposes of reporting to work during federal government closures.

Financial Disclosure: This position does not require financial disclosure.

Bargaining Unit: This position is included in the bargaining unit (American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 252).

Selections: Agencies have broad authority under law to hire from any appropriate source of eligibles and may fill a vacancy in the competitive service by any method authorized. We may make additional selections from this vacancy announcement within 90 days from the date the selection certificates are issued, should vacancies occur. We may also share selection certificates amongst program offices across the agency.

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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

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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.

As an ED employee, you will also benefit from our family-friendly work environment. As part of our commitment to maintain a work life balance, we offer excused leave for Parent/Teacher Conferences (3 hours); excused leave for annual health screenings (4 hours); and matching leave for community volunteer service. Other flexibilities that may be available to you include alternative w