Serves as Congressional Affairs Lead for OASW(S), managing and supporting senior leaders on all legislative matters. The position fosters support for ASW(S) priorities among war authorizers and appropriators to ensure sustainment efforts are successfully reflected in the annual NDAA, war appropriations bills, policy, authorities, and guidance.

Duties

Incumbent typical work assignments may include the following:

NH-III Duties:

• Manage Legislative Cycles: Manage routine legislative cycle requirements for the Office of the Assistant Secretary of War for Sustainment (OASW(S)) and maintain daily interaction with senior leaders to complete assigned tasks.
• Draft and Coordinate Messaging: Independently develop messaging, preparatory materials, and legislative products for Congressional authorizers, appropriators, and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
• Act as Primary Liaison: Serve as the day-to-day liaison on legislative products, coordinating with OUSW(A&S), OASW(LA), OGC, and OUSW(C).
• Conduct Technical Review and Analysis: Perform detailed reviews of proposed, pending, and enrolled legislation (such as the NDAA and defense appropriations bills), developing informal views and drafting technical legislative assistance.

NH-IV Duties: Duties shift from "coordinating and tracking" to those with significant programmatic authority.

• Serve as Principal Strategic Advisor: Serve as the principal legislative advisor to the ASW(S), providing authoritative strategic counsel on high-visibility legislative initiatives to ensure long-term acquisition and life cycle sustainment efforts are aggressively supported by Congress and OMB.
• Lead Policy Formulation and Negotiation: Direct the formulation of overarching OASW(S) legislative strategies and independently negotiate complex OASW(S) positions on Statements of Administration Policy (SAP), legislative appeals, and DoW Heartburn letters with high-level OSW counterparts and OMB.
• Direct Oversight and Resolution: Exercise broad directive authority over the management of all legislative efforts for OASW(S), resolving complex, controversial policy disputes while acting as the senior representative to OUSW(A&S), OASW(LA), OGC, and OUSW(C).
• Execute Final Review Authority: Exercise final review and strategic alignment authority over OASW(S)'s perspective on hearing statements, transcripts, QFRs, and complex technical legislative assistance prior to presentation to senior executive, political appointee, or Congressional distribution.

Requirements

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
• This position requires a Special Sensitive (TS/SCI) clearance.
• Travel may be required < 10%.

Qualifications

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

You may qualify at the NH-III (GS-12/13) level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement:

One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service (experience may have been gained in the private sector) that demonstrates your ability to review proposed, pending, and passed legislation, budget bills, or policy documents; identifying official reporting mandates, deadlines, or action items from legislative committee reports; and tracking these requirements across internal departments or subordinate offices to ensure timely, compliant completion. Drafting and coordinating preparatory materials, legislative summaries, official policy statements, or formal responses to congressional inquiries; and serving as a liaison to coordinate policy products and briefings with legislative staff, oversight agencies, or legal counsel.

You may qualify at the NH-IV (GS-14/15) 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 direct the formulation of overarching legislative strategies, including negotiating complex organizational policy positions, legislative appeals, or official executive branch statements with high-level external partners, government oversight agencies, or budget offices. Exercising final approval and clearance authority over highly sensitive organizational products (such as formal legislative testimonies, official hearing transcripts, and responses to formal congressional/parliamentary inquiries) prior to public release; and orchestrating high-stakes legislative engagements, including preparing senior executives or political nominees for legislative hearings, panel testimonies, and high-level briefing sessions. Developing and defending complex legislative proposals to shape statutory support, regulatory frameworks, or secure funding within major annual legislative packages and appropriations bills; and exercising broad oversight and directional authority over the legislative strategies and policy outputs of multiple subordinate departments, program offices, or external business units.

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.

Education

Education cannot be substituted for experience.

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 an online application, you may request an alternative application. Please send an email to the following address for information on how to obtain an alternative application: [redacted]

Reemployed Annuitants: Applicants in receipt of an annuity based on civilian employment in the Federal Service are subject to the DoW Policy on The Employment of Annuitants (DODI 1400.25, volume 300). http://www.esd.whs.mil/DD/DoD-Issuances/140025/

Nepotism: Under the provisions of 5 USC 3110, an individual may not be appointed into a position if the position is under the supervisory chain of command of a relative.

Additional vacancies may be filled by this announcement.

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

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.

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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.