Equal Employment Specialist

This Position is located in Office of Equal Opportunity Programs, in the Office of Equal Opportunity Programs Division. Open to the first 100 applicants or until 12/26/2024 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration.

Duties

The major duties of the Equal Employment Specialist position include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Serves as advisor to the Director/Manager in developing, directing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating the National Park Service (NPS) Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Program in compliance with equal employment opportunity, and regulations and directives of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and the Department of the Interior (DOI). Serve as a technical expert in providing guidance and direction to EEO Counselors and Investigators to ensure the proper, timely and effective administration of the complaints processing program.
• Provide advice, counsel, and/or instruction regarding complaints processing to all levels of management, serviced activities, and organizations to resolve problems connected with pre-complaints and formal complaints of discrimination. Keep management apprised of patterns of discrimination and sensitive or potentially volatile situations that could evolve into a formal complaint. Draft responses to correspondence from complainants, managers, supervisors, field EEO staff, employees, congressional officials, special interest groups, and the general public on matters pertaining to complaint cases, general inquiries, affirmative employment, and technical assistance. Participate and advise others in program audits and evaluations.
• Prepare briefing papers, plans, and position papers on the complaints processing program and related issues. Prepare and submit Annual Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Statistical Report of Discrimination Complaints (Form 462) to the EEOC and NoFEAR Act reports to all required entities. Conduct inquiry into informal and formal EEO complaints and allegations. Review and analyze the merits of informal and formal complaints of discrimination at various stages. Respond to written correspondence or oral inquiries regarding complaints from aggrieved persons, legal representatives, and management officials.
• Coordinate/participate in routine meetings with staff offices (Solicitor's Office, Human Resources and the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Civil Rights [ODICR]) to discuss status of complaints and options for resolution. Recommend appropriate disposition of informal and formal complaints. Recommend resolution when it is necessary, desirable, and/or practical. Negotiate the resolution of complaints and language of settlement agreements. Reduce negotiated settlement terms to writing, and develop, review, and/or edit settlement agreements complainant and agency representative(s). Coordinate implementation of finalized settlement agreements and ensure compliance. Brief the Director, Office of Equal Opportunity Programs (OEOP), organizational Directors, and other higher-level authorities on the status of formal complaints. Ensure timeliness and accuracy of all reports and complaint publications prepared for use within the NPS and DOI.
• Conduct educational EEO training sessions and develop training materials, brochures, and other technical assistance materials. Provide technical advice and training to lower graded specialists. Mentor, lead, and provide on-the-job training to others. Monitor the progress of all formal complaint processing including investigations, attempted resolutions, and hearings. Prepare, review and audit acceptances and dismissals, and record transmittal letters/Memorandums to EEOC, DOI, Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Civil Rights (ODICR). Conduct sufficiency reviews and/or audits of EEO Counselor reports and Reports of Investigation (ROI). Ensure agency's database and records are up to date and consistent with Record retentions policies.

Salary

• $99,200 - $128,956/year

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males
• Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
• Any individual who is currently holding, or has held within the previous 52 weeks, a General Schedule position under non-temporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service, must meet time-in-grade requirements (must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade or equivalent in the Federal service); with few exceptions as outlined in 5 CFR 300.603(b). Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal civilian employees applying for reinstatement who have had a break in service of less than one year, as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointments. Time-in-grade does not apply to new excepted service appointments and must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
• If you are a new employee or supervisor in the Federal government, you will be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
• You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 2 nights per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.
• You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.
• The position to which you will be appointed is subject to a financial disclosure reporting requirement and you will be required to complete a new entrant Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days of your appointment.
• Applicants must be at least (1)18 years old or (2) at least 16 years old and: (a) Have graduated from high school or been awarded a certificate equivalent to graduating from high school; or (b) Have completed a formal vocational training program; or (c) Have received a statement from school authorities agreeing with their preference for employment rather than continuing their education; or (d) Be currently enrolled in a secondary school and either work only during school vacation periods or work part-time during the school year under a formal student employment program.

Qualifications All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-12/26/2024-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. For current Federal employees, if hours worked per week are not included on your resume, you must submit a non-award SF-50 for each federal position listed as part of your application to be used to validate your work schedule and determine the amount of qualifying experience that you will be granted. An award SF-50 will not be acceptable documentation for which to consider your amount of qualifying experience. For all other applicants who are not current federal employees, your resume must state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience.

For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected.

To qualify for this position at the GS-12 grade level, you must possess all of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:

EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Experience at this level must include all of the following: Applying Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) laws, regulations, policies and procedures in the Federal service; advising management and employees on the discrimination complaint process, rights, and responsibilities; reviewing preliminary EEO complaints and formal reports of investigation; and providing EEO program guidance to stakeholders. You must include hours per week worked.

You must include months, years and hours per week worked to receive credit for your work and/or volunteer experience. One year of specialized experience is equivalent to 12 months at 40 hours per week. Part-time hours are prorated. You will not receive any credit for experience that does not indicate exact hours per week or is listed as "varies". Experience listed as full-time will be credited at 40 hours per week.

Volunteer Experience: 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. Education There is no substitution of education for experience at the grade level(s) of this announcement. Other Information

A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay.

A Relocation Incentive May Be Authorized for a Federal employee when the employee must move, as directed by the National Park Service (NPS) either through a management directed reassignment or selection for employment, to a different location at least 50 miles away from the one where his/her position of record held at time of selection is currently located, due to a need of the NPS. A relocation incentive is not the same as a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move and, as such, may be granted in conjunction with one another.

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

Physical Demands: The work is sedentary except for occasional periods of standing or walking while visiting work sites and field activities, and attending conferences or training. Additionally, work may involve prolonged negotiations sessions dealing with emotionally charged issues to settle complaints. Participating in these sessions requires above average stamina and resistance to fatigue.

Working Conditions: The work is generally performed in offices, conferences rooms, in safe and comfortable work areas. Occasional visits are made to off-site field offices that may involve risks and discomforts and require normal safety precautions. Travel may be required to meet the needs of a work force dispersed nationwide.

Documentation for the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) eligibility, You must submit ALL SF-50s and performance information for each period of temporary/term employment that qualifies for LMWFA. Performance documentation can be obtained by contacting the supervisors for the positions you served in during your 24 months. If they did not complete performance appraisals ask them to provide a statement of performance for each period of service. The statement must specify the dates for each employment period and your level of performance consistent with your SF_50s.

Required Documents

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 12/26/2024.

1. Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, with dates specified in month and year format, and indicate hours worked per week. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade.
2. Complete All Required Assessments.
3. Merit Promotion Eligibility Documentation such as:
   • Current and former federal employees must submit a copy of their latest SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" reflecting career or career-conditional status in the competitive service (Tenure 1 or 2), position title, series, grade and an additional SF-50 showing highest permanent grade ever held, if not reflected on your latest SF-50. Examples of acceptable SF-50s include: Promotion, Within Rate Increases (WRI/WGI), or Appointment SF-50s. Do not submit an Award SF-50 as it does not provide the needed information.
   • Veterans Preference Documentation (e.g. DD-214, SF-15, VA Letter as appropriate)
   • Documentation for the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act eligibility, which includes ALL Appointment AND Termination SF-50s for EACH appointment as well as ALL performance evaluations, for each qualifying period of temporary employment claimed.
4. Performance Appraisals and Awards:
   • All applicants must submit their most recent performance appraisal showing the official rating of record and signed by a supervisor. If submitting a performance appraisal not dated within the last18 months, a statement as to why it is the most recent must be submitted. If no performance appraisal is available, applicants must submit a statement as to why it is not available (including if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level).
5. Other Supporting Documents, if applicable, such as:
   • Veterans Preference Documentation:
     • If you are a Discharged, Non-Disabled Veteran, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing character of discharge (Member 4 copy), or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions, as listed on the SF15. If you don't have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the National Archives.
     • If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, & 6) dated within 120 days of your separation.
     • If you are a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or Mother or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran, you must submit all additional proof required by the SF15, and if applicable, a completed SF15. You may request a copy of your Department of Veterans Affairs letter from www.ebenefits.va.gov or call 1-800-827-1000 to establish proof of disability.
6. Documentation for Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Plan consideration if you are a displaced Federal employee within the local commuting area. You must include: 1) Proof you are a displaced Federal employee, e.g., RIF Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc; 2) SF-50s (Notifications of Personnel Action) showing career/conditional tenure competitive status, promotion potential and duty location; and 3) your most recent performance appraisal. To exercise selection priority, displaced or surplus Federal employees must be rated well-qualified or above 85 on the rating criteria for this position.
7. Noncompetitive or Special Hiring Authority. Applicants who are eligible to be considered based on a Noncompetitive or Special Hiring Authority (i.e. Schedule A, VRA, Peace Corps, AmeriCorp Vista, former PLC member, certain Military Spouses, 30% or More Disabled Veterans, Pathways Interns who have met the eligibility requirements for noncompetitive conversion, etc.) must submit appropriate documentation to verify your eligibility.
8. Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.
9. Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - you must remove your image from any badges, licenses, etc.
10. Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices.

How to Apply

To apply for this position: You must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. To receive consideration, the complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 12/26/2024. You must provide documentation to support your claim for each eligibility selected. Please review the required documentation listed in the eligibilities language to ensure you submit the appropriate information. Note: You will only be marked eligible for those eligibilities that you selected and provided the appropriate supporting documentation.

WE DO NOT ACCEPT HARD-COPY OR E-MAIL APPLICATION PACKAGES.

1. Select Apply. If you are not logged in, you will be prompted to login or create an account.
2. Prompted to Start the Application Process by selecting "Start Application."
   • Click here for USAJobs Help with "How to create an application"
   • To PREVIEW the application questionnaire, select the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12605098
3. Select or add the resume you want to use for this application. Click here on how to build a resume in USAJOBS.
4. Select documents you want included in this application.
5. Review package to acknowledge your documents were reviewed.
6. Select if you want to include your demographic information.
7. After reading and certifying the application is true and submitted in good faith, select "Continue to Agency Site."
8. Follow onscreen prompts and instructions to complete your application.
9. Add the supporting documents by indexing your documents with the dropdown.
   • Upload any missing required documents or optional documents.
10. Review and Submit Application.
11. While logged in, you can check the status of your application by selecting "+" next to the job title for this position.
12. You can review or revise your application at any point during the open period of the announcement.
    • To update an application, you should log into your USAJOBS account and select "+" next to the job title for this position. Select "Update Application" for this job.
    • Note: When you click Update Application, you will be prompted to re-select your documents from USAJOBS. Documents submitted with the first application will no longer be associated with the applicant record. So it is important that you select all documents you want to use in the re-application.

Please note: The eligibility section of the application process is designed to allow you to choose how you wish to be considered for this vacancy announcement. You will ONLY be considered for the appointment eligibilities that you select. You must provide the supporting documentation to support your claim. Please review the list of documentation provided in the eligibilities language to ensure you provide the appropriate information. You may choose more than one eligibility.

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. Learn more about federal benefits.

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