Summary

This vacancy is for a Supervisory Librarian in the Office of the Secretary within the Department of Commerce.

Duties

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The U.S. Department of Commerce's Office of the General Counsel (OGC) provides comprehensive legal services and strategic counsel to support the Department's mission to promote economic growth, innovation, and opportunity across the nation. OGC attorneys work on complex, high-impact legal matters that shape national policy, support cutting-edge programs, and ensure sound governance across a diverse portfolio of bureaus and offices.

Please read this listing in its entirety prior to submitting your application for consideration.

This position is located within the Office of the General Counsel's Commerce Research Library. The mission of the Commerce Research Library is to meet the evolving business and legal research needs of the Department of Commerce.

As a Supervisory Librarian, you will carry out the full spectrum of professional librarian responsibilities while independently overseeing a medium-sized library with collections ranging from routine to highly specialized materials. The incumbent performs duties associated with library acquisitions,

cataloging, shelving, physical processing and automation, and participates in management functions and the formulation of library-wide policy and procedures. This position requires a full professional knowledge of the theories, objectives, principles, and techniques of library science, and a specialized knowledge of literature sources of many subject fields. The individual selected for this position will:

• Serve as the secondary Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) for major digital information acquisitions, developing negotiation strategies, managing licensing models for thousands of users, and evaluating vender performance.
• Direct and coordinate budget planning for library personnel, publications procurement, binding services, and equipment.
• Approve and manage long-range work and allocation of resources to support major library functions, digital platforms, and collections.
• Supervise a team of 4-7 staff members to ensure smooth operations of the library.
• Provide guidance and assistance to patrons and respond to a wide range of selective and comprehensive research questions and situations for which the librarian must utilize in-depth knowledge of subject matter and display innovative and creative approaches to produce needed information.
• Provide comprehensive reference, research, advisory services and instructional services to Departmental staff both located in the headquarters building and in domestic and international regional offices.
• Develop strategies for library automation efforts to maximize computing resources.
• Serve as systems administrator for specialized databases including LexisNexis, Westlaw, and LibGuides.

This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other Supervisory Librarian GS-1410-14, FPL GS-14 positions within the Department of Commerce in the same geographical location or local commuting area with the same qualifications and specialized experience.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
• You must successfully pass a background investigation. This may include a credit check, a review of financial issues, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs.
• A probationary or trial period may be required.
• A supervisory probationary period may be required.
• Selective Service: Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/).
• If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application.
• All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
• Bargaining Unit Position: No
• Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE form 450): No
• Permanent Change of Duty Station (PCS) Expense: Will Not be paid
• License required: No
• Drug Test Required: No
• Time-in-grade/band requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement unless eligible for special hiring authority, reinstatement eligible, non-current Federal employee applying as a VEOA eligible which do not require time-in-grade/band.

Qualifications

Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=Occupational-Series

Applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. This experience need not have been in the federal government.

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

To qualify at the GS-14 level you must meet the Basic Requirements and Specialized Experience as stated below.

Basic Requirements: Applicants must meet the requirements specified in paragraphs A or B below.

A. Completion of 1 full academic year of graduate study in library science in an accredited college or university, in addition to completion of all work required for a bachelor's degree;

or

B. A total of at least 5 years of a combination of college-level education, training, and experience. To qualify on this basis, the applicant must establish conclusively that the education, training, and experience provided a knowledge and understanding of the theories, principles, and techniques of professional librarianship; a knowledge of literature resources; and the knowledge and abilities essential for providing effective library and information services.

AND

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: You must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as:

• Experience supervising a team of 4-7 staff members.
• Experience ensuring strategic use of financial resources to support major library functions, digital platforms, and collections.
• Experience providing comprehensive reference, research, advisory services and instructional services to Departmental staff both located in the headquarters building and in domestic and international regional offices. AND
• Experience serving as systems administrator for specialized databases including LexisNexis, Westlaw, and LibGuides.

Education

See Qualifications Above.

NOTE:

Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. You MUST provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration.

Additional information

The following links provide information on various hiring authorities that do not fall under competitive examining procedures; however, they may enable you to apply through merit assignment procedures, or be eligible for a non-competitive appointment.

1. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)
2. Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)
3. Veterans Recruitment Act (VRA)
4. Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA)
5. 30% or more disabled veterans
6. Persons with disabilities

ICTAP and CTAP Eligibles: CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a rating of 85 out of 100. Information about ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Career Transition Resources website at: Employee Guide to Career Transition

Military Spouse The spouse of a member of the armed forces seeking eligibility under the non-competitive hiring authority of certain military spouse MUST submit various required documentation by the closing date of the announcement in accordance with one of the three below eligibilities:

• Spouse of a member of the armed forces serving on active duty,
• Spouse of service member who incurred a 100% disability, or
• Un-remarried widow or widower of a service member killed while performing active duty.

Please review the "Required Documents" Section for specific documents pertaining to each of the above eligibilities that MUST be included with your application, if you are applying as a Military Spouse.

Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

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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.

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.

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.

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.