Summary

This position is located in the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Policy (OUSW(P)). The OUSW(P) serves as the principal advisor and assistant to the Secretary of War for all matters concerned with the formulation of national security and Department policy with particular emphasis on the integration and oversight of Department of War (DoW) policy and plans to achieve national security objectives.

Duties

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Incumbent typical work assignments may include the following:

• Plays a major role in the study, review, and adjustment of the strategies, concepts, programs, and budgets required to support OSW policy and program guidance; focuses senior policy attention on issues with major defense policy, national security, or international security implications.
• Takes a lead role in managing team projects, including actively encouraging communication, coordination, innovation, and high quality team products; analyses highly complex policy, strategy, and force posture alternatives and implications.
• Provides expert advice at the ASW or higher level on key strategy and various other matters; reviews and develops Policy positions and responses to action originating in other DoW and non-DoW offices or agencies that have implications for foreign policy and national security policy, strategy, program, planning, and budgets.
• Represents DoW in delegations to international meetings and conferences; represents DoW positions during contact with Congressional staff; monitors Congressional action on DoW defense strategies, programs, and budget; and develops or contributes testimony or other presentations to the Congress.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship is required
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/Home/Registration)
• May be required to successfully complete a probationary/trial period
• Must be determined suitable for federal employment
• Required to participate in the direct deposit program
• This position is subject to pre-employment and random drug testing
• This position is subject to the DoW Priority Placement Program
• The incumbent must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance with SCI and SAP components. A Special Background Investigation (SBI) is required with favorable adjudication by a determining authority.
• This position may require up to 20% occasional travel away from your normal duty station for official business on military or commercial aircraft.
• The incumbent may be required to work other than normal duty hours, which may include evenings, weekends, and/or holidays and/or overtime.

Qualifications

In order to qualify for this position, you must meet the requirements described below.

Basic Requirement: Degree: major or equivalent, or a combination of courses totaling at least 24 semester hours, in international law and international relations, political science, economics, history, sociology, geography, social or cultural anthropology, law, statistics, or in the humanities; or 12 semester hours in one of the above disciplines and 12 semester hours in statistics/quantitative methods.

OR

Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major, or a combination of related courses totaling at least 24 semester hours, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

OR

Experience: four years of appropriate experience in one or more of the fields listed above in work associated with international organizations, problems, or other aspects of foreign affairs.

You may qualify at the GS-13 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement:

One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service (experience may have been gained in the private sector) that demonstrates your ability to:

• Advise senior DoW civilian leadership (e.g. Director, Principal Director, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Under Secretary, Secretary) on political-military matters affecting U.S. national security interests;
• Conduct analyses regarding the development, interpretation, and/or implementation of DoW, national security, and U.S. foreign policies;
• Support the preparation of papers, memoranda, briefings, and/or messaging for senior DoW civilian leadership (e.g. Deputy Assistant Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Under Secretary, Secretary).

You may qualify at the GS-14 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement:

One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service (experience may have been gained in the private sector) that demonstrates your ability to:

• Develop policy options and recommendations for senior DoW civilian leadership (e.g. Deputy Assistant Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Under Secretary, Secretary) to support the U.S. National Security Council-led interagency decision-making process;
• Prepare senior U.S. Government civilian leadership (e.g., Deputy Assistant Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Under Secretary and Secretary) for engagements with their counterparts;
• Craft and coordinate policy positions with other DoW, U.S. Government, and/or non-USG entities to advance DoW's national security objectives.

You may qualify at the GS-15 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement:

One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 grade level in the Federal service (experience may have been gained in the private sector) that demonstrates your ability to:

• Review and prepare senior-level papers, memoranda, and strategic documents for foreign partner or U.S. government engagements to negotiate consensus policy positions that impact national security;
• Participate in the review and adjustment of the programs and budgets needed to support DoW national security objectives;
• Take a lead role in managing team projects and serve as a mentor for junior team members.

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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

All qualifications and education requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement and clearly documented in your resume. Your resume may not exceed two (2) pages. For qualifications determinations, it is recommended that applicants include their months and hours worked per week for each employment listed on their resume. If a determination is not able to be made about the duration of your creditable experience for qualification requirements, you will be removed from consideration.

Read more about what should I include in my federal resume at https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include

ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS: Federal agencies treat active duty service member as veterans, disabled veterans, and preference eligible, when they submit, as part of their application package, a "certification" of active service in lieu of a DD-214, indicating the service member is otherwise eligible and will be discharged or released within 120 days from the date of submission.. A "certification" letter should be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the character of service. This "certification" must include your rank, dates of active duty service, type of discharge and character of service (i.e. honorable), and date any terminal leave will begin. It must be signed by, or by direction of, the adjutant, personnel officer, or commander of your unit or higher headquarters. Active duty members that fail to provide a valid "certification" of service with their initial application will be found "not eligible". Members may be appointed before the effective date of their military retirement/separation if they are on terminal leave.

Current or Former Political Appointees: Agencies must seek prior approval from OPM before they can appoint a current or recent political appointee to a competitive or non-political excepted service position at any level. If you are currently or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you MUST disclose that to the Human Resources Office.

Time-in-grade requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement and clearly documented in your resume.

For entry at the GS-13 level, status applicants must have served 52 weeks as a GS-12 or higher grade in the Federal Service.

For entry at the GS-14 level, status applicants must have served 52 weeks as a GS-13 or higher grade in the Federal Service.

For entry at the GS-15 level, status applicants must have served 52 weeks as a GS-14 or higher grade in the Federal Service.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be serving in a position in Schedule Policy/Career of the excepted service once at the GS-15 level. At that point, your employment in this position will be at-will. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) appeals of adverse actions concerning performance, discipline, and other matters arising under chapters 23, 43, and 75 of title 5, United States Code will not be available to an individual serving in this position at the GS-15 level. Prohibitions on prohibited personnel practices will be enforced by the Office of General Counsel [or agency equivalent position] and not the Office of Special Counsel.

Education

There is no substitution of education for the qualifying experience at these grade levels.

ARE YOU QUALIFYING BASED ON EDUCATION or A COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE?

You must provide sufficient documentation of your education in your resume. You MUST provide a copy of official or unofficial transcripts or degrees in your application package. It may also be acceptable to document your applicable course listing in your resume (course number, credits earned, etc.). 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. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html. All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency. If selected, an official/sealed transcript will be required prior to appointment.

PASS/FAIL COURSES: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.

GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

Probationary Periods: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary 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 your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): This program applies to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: (1) meet ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified for the position; and, (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility. For more information visit: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be receiv