This job announcement has closed

Come aboard the Railroad Retirement Board and join us in using creativity, automation and innovation to carry out our mission to administer insurance benefit programs under the Railroad Retirement Act and the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act. You can be a part of the team that delivers best in class service to railroad workers and their families!

This position is located in the Office of Legislative Affairs, part of the Office of the General Counsel, Railroad Retirement Board. The incumbent will be responsible for performing a wide variety of administrative and technical support work for the Office of Legislative Affairs.

This job announcement may be used to fill one or more vacancies.

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Hiring complete

Open & closing dates

05/03/2018 to 05/16/2018
Salary

$45,972 - $59,762 per year
Pay scale & grade

GS 7
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Location

1 vacancy in the following location:
- Washington DC, DC
Travel Required

Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed

No
Appointment type

Permanent
Work schedule

Full-Time
Service
Promotion potential

9
Job family (Series)
- 0301 Miscellaneous Administration And Program
Supervisory status

No
Announcement number

18-DEU-04 10202343JMG
Control number

498603000

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As a Legislative Affairs Specialist, you will:

Be responsible for receiving and responding to inquiries from congressional staff, RRB officials, and others regarding Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) and Railroad Unemployment and Sickness Act (RUIA) programs and legislative matters.
Represent the Director when responding to telephonic and written inquiries of a highly sensitive and urgent nature.
Prepare and proofread correspondence for office staff.
Assist the Director and Legislative Affairs Officer (LAO), and Legislative Assistant in monitoring and tracking legislation of interest to the agency, pertaining to, or having a potential impact on, the RRA, RUIA, (Social Security Act) SSA, Civil Service, and other matters.
Establish and maintain the office's legislative files. Requisitions supplies and equipment.
Requisition supplies and equipment.
Maintain the Director's correspondence folders, and controls action items.
The work performed requires the ability to analyze complex situations wherein the incumbent exercises a high degree of judgment, discretion, and initiative in the accomplishment of assigned duties.

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Conditions of Employment

Must be a U.S. Citizen
Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered for Selective Service
Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation
May be required to successfully complete a probationary period
Complete the initial online assessment and USAHire Assessment, if required

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications for GS-07 level:

A. Superior Academic Achievement: A bachelor's degree in any field with either a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 based on a 4.0 scale; a 3.5 GPA based on a 4.0 scale for required courses completed in a major field of study during junior and senior year of 4 year college or university; class standing of upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or a major subdivision of the college; or membership in a National Scholastic Honor Society certified by the Association of College Honor Societies, excluding freshman honor societies; OR
B. One full year of graduate level education in an accredited or pre-accredited college or university in one of the
following related fields; Public Administration, Law or Political Science. The education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work; OR
C. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service, that demonstrates the
ability to perform a wide variety of administrative duties and technical support work in support of legislative affairs. Such work would typically involve coordinating inquiries/meetings with congressional offices; monitoring congressional initiatives and/or legislation; and creating, editing and finalizing documents such as: briefing materials, memorandums, power point presentations; congressional inquiries and requests for information. Or other work that equipped the candidate with the knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.; OR
D. A combination of education and experience as listed above.

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.

Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.

Additional information

Reasonable Accommodation Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended and Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a reasonable accommodation in your online application. Requests for Reasonable Accommodations for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for Reasonable Accommodation must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for Reasonable Accommodations 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. 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 Reasonable Accommodation, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire

INTERAGENCY CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (ICTAP):

ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority for competitive service vacancies. You must be determined to be well-qualified for the vacancy to be eligible for special selection priority. After submission of an acceptable application which meets ICTAP eligibility, you will be determined to be well-qualified for a vacancy if your rating places you in the best qualified category.
ICTAP eligibles must submit proof of eligibility for special selection priority, such as: a separation notice; an agency certification that you cannot be placed after injury compensation has been terminated; an OPM notification that your disability annuity has been terminated; or a Military Department or National Guard Bureau notification that you are retired under 5 U.S.C. 8337(h) or 8456. You must also submit a "Notice of Personnel Action" (SF-50) notating your current position, grade level, and duty location, and a copy of your most recent Performance Rating. Click here for more information on ICTAP.

If you are a male applicant who was born after 12/31/59 you are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act; the Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency.

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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.

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.

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Category rating procedures will be used to rank eligible candidates. The rating you receive is based on your responses to the questionnaire, and is a measure of the degree to which your background matches the competencies required for this position. Thus, your application should contain information about specific work performed that relates to this position. If, after reviewing your resume and or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating.

Qualified candidates will be assigned to the following categories: Best Qualified, Qualified, and Minimally Qualified. Within each quality category, veterans' preference eligibles will receive selection priority over non-veterans.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your responses to the online assessments completed during the application process. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

Attention to Detail
Flexibility
Integrity/Honesty
Interpersonal Skills
Knowledge of the Congressional inquiry process
Self-Management
Stress Tolerance

Decision Making
Reasoning
Reading

Help
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.

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.
As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
- Resume showing work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment and duties performed.
- Transcripts: If you are eligible based upon education or consideration under the Superior Academic Achievement Provision, copies of all college transcripts must be submitted. Original transcripts will be required if selected.
- Veterans' Documentation: If you are a veteran, you must provide a copy of your Record of Military Service (DD-214), and proof of your veterans' preference, if applicable. Veterans with a service connected disability must submit a completed claim form SF-15 (click here for form) along with the required proofs. Go to FedsHireVets-Veterans Preference for more information.
- Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) documentation: If you are eligible under ICTAP, you must submit all required materials verifying your eligibility as listed in "Other Information."
- Reasonable Accommodation: If you are requesting a reasonable accommodation to the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, submit documentation to support your request, including the Reasonable Accommodation Request Form found here.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

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.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:
1. To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button.
2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
4. After submitting an online application, you will be notified whether or not you are required to take additional online assessments through the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment system. This message will be delivered to you both on screen and via email notification.
5. If you are asked to take the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be presented with a unique URL to access the USA Hire system. Access to USA Hire is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Be sure to review all instructions prior to beginning your USA Hire Assessments. Note, set aside at least 3 hours to take these assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue at a later time, you can re-use the URL sent to you via email and also found on the Additional Application Information page that can be located in the application record in your USAJOBS account.
To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period by returning to your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Update Application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. All of your applications will appear on the Welcome page. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides an Additional Application Information page that provides information regarding the documentation you submitted and any correspondence we have sent related to this application. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
Agency contact information

RRB Human Resources

Phone

(312) 751-4580

Email

recruit@rrb.gov

Address

Railroad Retirement Board
844 N Rush St
Chicago, IL 60611
US

Learn more about this agency

Next steps

If you meet the minimum qualifications of this position, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments system. These additional online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement unless you have requested Reasonable Accommodation for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Your results will be kept on record for one year when applying for future jobs that require the same USA Hire Competency Based Assessments.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

Help

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

Resume showing work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment and duties performed.
Transcripts: If you are eligible based upon education or consideration under the Superior Academic Achievement Provision, copies of all college transcripts must be submitted. Original transcripts will be required if selected.
Veterans' Documentation: If you are a veteran, you must provide a copy of your Record of Military Service (DD-214), and proof of your veterans' preference, if applicable. Veterans with a service connected disability must submit a completed claim form SF-15 (click here for form) along with the required proofs. Go to FedsHireVets-Veterans Preference for more information.
Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) documentation: If you are eligible under ICTAP, you must submit all required materials verifying your eligibility as listed in "Other Information."
Reasonable Accommodation: If you are requesting a reasonable accommodation to the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, submit documentation to support your request, including the Reasonable Accommodation Request Form found here.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

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.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

Help

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:

To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button.
Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
After submitting an online application, you will be notified whether or not you are required to take additional online assessments through the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment system. This message will be delivered to you both on screen and via email notification.
If you are asked to take the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be presented with a unique URL to access the USA Hire system. Access to USA Hire is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Be sure to review all instructions prior to beginning your USA Hire Assessments. Note, set aside at least 3 hours to take these assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue at a later time, you can re-use the URL sent to you via email and also found on the Additional Application Information page that can be located in the application record in your USAJOBS account.

To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period by returning to your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Update Application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. All of your applications will appear on the Welcome page. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides an Additional Application Information page that provides information regarding the documentation you submitted and any correspondence we have sent related to this application. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

Agency contact information

RRB Human Resources

Phone: (312) 751-4580
Email: recruit@rrb.gov
Address: Railroad Retirement Board
844 N Rush St
Chicago, IL 60611
US

Learn more about this agency

Next steps

If you meet the minimum qualifications of this position, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments system. These additional online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement unless you have requested Reasonable Accommodation for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Your results will be kept on record for one year when applying for future jobs that require the same USA Hire Competency Based Assessments.

Legislative Affairs Specialist

Summary

Overview

Open & closing dates

Salary

Pay scale & grade

Location

Travel Required

Relocation expenses reimbursed

Appointment type

Work schedule

Service

Promotion potential

Job family (Series)

Supervisory status

Announcement number

Control number

This job is open to

Duties

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Qualifications

Additional information

How You Will Be Evaluated

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Agency contact information

Next steps

Required Documents

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

How to Apply

Agency contact information

Next steps

Fair & Transparent