Mediator (Team Lead)

The Mediator (Team Lead) works collaboratively with mediators to accomplish the respective mission; working with mediators to determine assignments; ensuring that necessary team and subject matter trainings are provided; monitoring task and report on progress; advising and guiding mediators in program matters and resolution of broad or difficult problems; and, providing constructive and timely feedback to stimulate and reinforce the team's best efforts.

Duties

• Mediate collective bargaining and labor-management disputes, utilizing dispute resolution techniques such as facilitation, collaborative bargaining models, and advocacy to achieve mutually acceptable outcomes.
• Assist parties in resolving grievances and complaints during the term of collective bargaining agreements, preventing escalation to work stoppages or third-party intervention.
• Provide technical guidance and support to managers, employees, and union representatives on conflict resolution strategies, including collaborative processes, mediation, arbitration, and negotiated settlements.
• Conduct assessments of workplace conflict, identifying root causes and recommending appropriate interventions to address interpersonal, performance, or conduct-related issues.
• Facilitate the resolution of discrimination claims, regulatory compliance cases, and other complex workplace disputes, ensuring adherence to applicable laws and agency policies.
• Document and report outcomes of conflict resolution activities, maintaining accurate records for agency metrics, stakeholder updates, and compliance with federal reporting requirements.
• Identify opportunities to mediate significant grievances and potential disputes before they escalate, proactively engaging with stakeholders to foster collaborative relationships.
• Conduct assessments of labor-management relationships, developing and delivering customized training programs to enhance communication, efficiency, and job security.

Salary

• $125,776 - $197,200/year

Conditions of Employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Selectee must meet/maintain suitability and security requirements, as determined by a background investigation.
• This position is ineligible for inclusion in a bargaining unit.
• The Ethics in Government Act of 1978 requires the applicant selected for this position to submit a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days of appointment and annually thereafter.
• Selected candidates will be expected to live within 35 miles of locations for which they are applying to ensure geographical coverage for in-person services requested by customers. Maximum telework will be available.

Qualifications

Basic Requirement: You must be a current FMCS employee at the GS-13 grade level or above.

Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/qualifications to successfully perform the duties of the position and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled.

Specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 level includes:

• Preventing, minimizing, and resolving work stoppages and labor disputes.
• Providing mediation, training, and facilitation services to employers and unions nationwide.
• Fostering collaborative labor-management relationships

Time in grade: Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirement of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled.

This position requires submission of a 2-page resume, completion of a USA HIRE assessment, and an Accomplishment Record based on selected competencies.

Candidates scoring above 90 on the USA HIRE assessment will be considered. Your resume will then be reviewed by an HR Specialist and a Subject Matter Expert to determine if you meet the specialized experience and qualification requirements as outlined in the announcement.

If you are found minimally qualified, a rating panel will review your resume and Accomplishment Record narratives. Candidates passing the accomplishment record phase may be contacted for an interview.

Accomplishment Record narratives should clearly demonstrate your proficiency in the following competencies:

Accountability - Holds self and others accountable for measurable high-quality, timely, and cost-effective results. Determines objectives, sets priorities, and delegates work. Accepts responsibility for mistakes. Complies with established control systems and rules.
Developing Others - Develops the ability of others to perform and contribute to the organization by providing ongoing feedback and by providing opportunities to learn through formal and informal methods.
Employee Relations - Knowledge of laws, rules, regulations, case law, principles, and practices related to employee conduct, performance, and dispute resolution.
Influencing/Negotiating - Persuades others to accept recommendations, cooperate, or change their behavior; works with others towards an agreement; negotiates to find mutually acceptable solutions.
Labor Relations - Knowledge of laws, rules, regulations, case law, principles, and practices related to negotiating and administering labor agreements.

Your resume must provide evidence that supports the claims made in your Accomplishment Record narratives; both documents must effectively showcase your qualifications. Each competency narrative should detail one specific, relevant example from your training or experience. Please limit each response to a maximum of 300 words, as any text beyond this limit will not be considered during the evaluation.

Your responses must be in the below format:

Competency Title
Position title and dates from your resume that this experience was obtained

• Describe the situation (i.e., the challenged faced, the problem solved)
• Describe the specific actions you took
• State the outcome, results, or long-term impact of your accomplishment
• Name and email address of someone who can verify this information

Basis for Rating: The rating panel will evaluate applicants' accomplishment records and resume, then place them into one of the following categories: Highly Qualified, Well Qualified and Qualified.

Highly Qualified - Meets the minimum qualification requirements and has extensive skills and experience in most of the job related competencies above.

Well Qualified - Meets the minimum qualification requirements and has a moderate amount of skills and experience in most of the job related competencies above.

Qualified - Meets the minimum qualification requirements, but may have a limited amount of experience in several of the job related competencies.

Your resume must have complete information. Please ensure your resume accurately reflects the duties and responsibilities under each position you have held with each employer. In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. It is your responsibility to make sure your resume states complete information for each job entry (beginning and ending dates of employment stated as MM/YYYY; and total hours worked per week). If your resume does not provide enough information regarding your work history for us to make a creditable qualification determination, your application package may be rendered disqualified and you will no longer be considered for this position.

Part-time or unpaid experience: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid work on the same basis as for paid experience. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. To receive credit for such experience you must indicate clearly the nature of the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the number of hours per week spent in such employment.

Qualifications must be met by the Closing Date: You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements by 11:59pm EDT on the closing date of this announcement.

After you submit this application, you will receive an e-mail informing you that a USA Hire assessment is required. You will have 48 hours from the closing date of this announcement, 06/12/2026, to complete the assessment as this assessment is part of your application.

Other Information Salary: The salary range indicated in this announcement reflects the minimum locality pay up to maximum locality pay. The range will be adjusted for selected duty location. Direct Deposit - Selectee is required to participate in the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service direct deposit of pay program. Security Background - A Public Trust background is a requirement for this position. Failure to obtain and maintain the required level of clearance may result in the withdrawal of a job offer or removal. If you possess a security clearance, please indicate the level and termination date in your resume. The successful candidate will undergo personnel vetting, which includes a background investigation and enrollment upon onboarding into "Continuous Vetting." Enrollment in Continuous Vetting will result in automated record checks being conducted throughout one's employment with FMCS. The successful candidate will also be enrolled in FBI's Rap Back program, which will allow FMCS to receive notification from the FBI of criminal activities (e.g., arrests, charges, convictions) involving enrolled individuals in near real-time. 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 received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. Reasonable Accommodation Information Required Documents

Required documents to be submitted online:

1. Resume clearly stating your experience related to this position as described in the Duties and Qualifications sections--include specific dates (MM/DD/YY - MM/DD/YY) so we can determine that you have the required amount of experience (if applicable). Your experience description needs to be clear/specific (we may not make assumptions regarding your experience). Resume must not exceed 2 pages. If you do not submit a resume that is 2 pages or less, you will be ineligible for further consideration.
2. Notification(s) of Personnel Action (SF-50) that includes Position Title, Grade or Level, and Duty Station. NOTE: Eligibility is based on your current position of record (if you are on a temporary promotion, the temporary promotion position is your position of record).
3. Most recent completed annual performance appraisal dated within the last 18 months (if it is not dated within the last 18 months or you have not received a performance appraisal, you must upload a signed/dated explanation why). Your submitted performance appraisal must show the overall rating and manager/supervisor's signature that certifies the rating at the time it was given. If your performance appraisal was conducted virtually, a supervisory email certifying your end-of-year review/rating was completed and date it occurred is acceptable documentation in lieu of the supervisor's signature on the performance appraisal document; the overall rating must also be provided on either the email or performance appraisal document.
4. Accomplishment Record - For each competency, applicants must provide a 300 word or less written narrative describing one example of competency-related experience. Each example should document the position title and dates when the experience was obtained, detailed information about the problem or situation, the specific actions taken by the applicant, and the results or outcomes achieved by those actions. The applicant will also provide the name and contact information of an individual who can verify the provided information. This document must be uploaded to the application under Accomplishment Record. An accomplishment record submitted outside the USA Staffing system will not be accepted.

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. It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is entered, uploaded (i.e. resume) and submitted prior to the closing date. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59PM (EDT) pm on 06/12/2026 to receive consideration.

1. To begin, Click the Apply Online button.
2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all required supporting documentation.
3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (EDT) on the announcement closing date.
4. After you submit your application, you will be notified that you are required to complete a USA Hire Assessment. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
5. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
6. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
7. Set aside about two (2) hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
8. Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.
9. Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources.

Note: To update a previously Saved or Incomplete application follow these instructions:

1. Log into your USAJobs account
2. Click on "Application Status" button on the left-hand side of the page
3. Click on the "Title" of the job you have applied to; it will take you back to the original page of that job announcement
4. Click on the "Update Application" button in the box on the right-hand side of the announcement; this will take you back to the last page of your application where you uploaded your previous documents
5. Refer to the "Please Note" statement at the top of the page and follow the instructions to update your application