Equal Opportunity Assistant

Summary
This position is located in the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Office of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO). OJP's mission is to increase public safety and improve the fair administration of justice across America through innovative leadership and programs and its Office of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) serves as the focal point for OJP's civil rights, Equal Opportunity, affirmative employment and workforce diversity functions.
This job is open to

• Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
  Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.
• Federal employees - Competitive service
  Current or former competitive service federal employees.
• Individuals with disabilities
• Internal to an agency
  Current federal employees of this agency.
• Land & base management
  Certain current or former term or temporary federal employees of a land or base management agency.
• Military spouses
• Peace Corps & AmeriCorps Vista
• Special authorities
  Individuals eligible under a special authority not listed above, but defined in the federal hiring regulations.
• The public
  U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
• Veterans

Clarification from the agency
Applicants must be U.S. Citizens. Applicants will be considered under Delegated Examining and/or Merit Promotion procedures based upon eligibility.
Duties

• Serves as a technical liaison to communicate with program and business offices to ensure data and reporting requirements are clearly defined, mutually understood and feasible for deployment.
• Performs technical assistance support work in support of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) program functions, projects and activities.
• Interviews aggrieved individuals to obtain factual information and advises them of their EEO rights, responsibilities and conflict resolution options. Adjudicates complaints in accordance with federal laws, regulations and practices. Communicates allegations of discrimination to managers, supervisors and employees and offers alternatives for resolving complaints. Collects, analyzes and prepares accurate records using complaint data related to allegations of discrimination.
• Assignments involve person-to-person communications as well as hybrid communications/interviews with job applicants, other employees, program officials, contractors and the public, and require the analysis of varied data for formulating recommended action within prescribed guidelines.
• Maintains files and records of EEO cases and background information and ensures that all current materials received are promptly filed. Assembles and organizes information and materials in the files for EEO investigators by compiling reports into appropriate format and preparing the required number of copies of them.
• Develops and implements a variety of applications for office automation and EEO program-related software. Evaluates office needs, considers interrelationships of various reports and elements and applies knowledge of the functional capabilities of different databases or software types to select the best type for each application. Determines data categories, report formats, field types, sorting and calculating functions to be performed, and sets up detailed functional procedures needed to enter and to retrieve needed data in the proper format.
• Researches, analyzes and/or interprets U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and appropriate Federal directives, policies and procedures. Advises agency management on the integration of MD-715 program objectives in daily operations. Prepares the annual MD-715 plan/update, communicating the agency's priorities for achieving a model EEO program.
• Serves as a point of contact for general inquires, requests and questions for the EEO office.
• Performs special projects for EEO staff in one or more program areas.

Requirements
Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Subject to background/suitability investigation/determination.
• Federal payments are required to be made by Direct Deposit.
• Requires registration for the Selective Service. Visit www.sss.gov.
• Pre-employment drug testing required.
• 1-year probationary period may be required.
• Confidential Financial Disclosure may be required
• Security Requirements: Non-Sensitive/Moderate Risk

Qualifications
Specialized Experience:
Applicants must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-7 level. Specialized experience is experience which is in or related to the line of work of the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.
Examples of specialized experience include:

• Utilizing Equal Opportunity regulations, procedures and precedent decisions in order to advise individuals of their EEO rights, procedural requirements for filing complaints, and referrals to other applicable contacts.
• Collecting, managing, and/or reviewing sensitive legal documents/reports, to include third-party documents.
• Identifying an alternative approach to a problem resolution, e.g., conflict resolution, use of the administrative grievance process.
• Managing situational crises or conflict utilizing counseling techniques and offering alternatives for resolving complaints.

Technical Qualifications:
Applicants who meet the basic entry and minimum qualification requirements, as described above, will be further evaluated on the following technical qualifications:

• Manages and Organizes Information
• Written Communication
• Organizational Awareness
• Conflict Management

Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualification Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions and is available at OPM's website: https://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/indexes/num-ndx.asp
All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
Education
There is no education requirement for this position.
Additional information

• Applicants with a current EEO Counselor Certification and a Special Emphasis Program Manager Certification are preferred, but not required.
• This position has a duty station of Washington, D.C. The selectee will be required to physically report to the OJP office building a minimum of four (4) days per bi-weekly pay period, per agency policy, and may incorporate leave and official travel plans into this reporting requirement. The office director or supervisor may request the selectee's presence in the office more frequently, as determined by the needs of the office. The selectee will be responsible for covering all commuting-related travel expenses. OJP employees are eligible for one transportation benefit - parking or the Department of Justice (DOJ) transit subsidy.
• This position may be eligible for telework per agency policy.
• OJP offers opportunities for flexible work schedules.
• Recruitment incentives may be authorized.
• This position is excluded from the bargaining unit.
• This vacancy announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
• Please do not indicate current or former position salary in your application or resume.
• As the federal agency whose mission is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, the Department of Justice is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. To build and retain a workforce that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of the American people, we welcome applicants from the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, religions, and cultures of the United States who share our commitment to public service.

• 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.
  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.

How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
For All U.S. Citizens: Your application will be evaluated and rated under DOJ's Category Rating and Selection Procedures. Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed on this announcement. If you are basically qualified for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the online assessment questionnaire. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job. Your application will then be placed in one of three categories: Best Qualified, Highly Qualified, or Qualified. Names of all candidates in the best qualified category will be sent to the hiring official for employment consideration. Candidates within the best qualified category who are eligible for veterans preference will receive selection priority over non-veteran preference eligibles.
For Status/Merit Promotion/VEOA candidates: Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed on the announcement. If you are basically qualified for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the online assessment questionnaire. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your resume and application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job. If you are found to be among the top candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.
For Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)/Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) applicants: The ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. The CTAP provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in the Department of Justice with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, or if your Department of Justice component has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP/CTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. Under merit promotion procedures, to be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and score 85 or better on established ranking criteria. Under category rating procedures, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and rate equivalent to the Highly Qualified or better category using established category rating criteria.

• 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.
  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.
• Required Documents
  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.
  REMINDER: ALL DOCUMENTS MUST BE RECEIVED BY 11:59 Eastern Time (Washington, D.C. time) ON 12/20/2023 .
  Required Documents
  
  1. Resume,
  2. Responses to the online questions,
  3. Veterans' Preference Documentation (if applicable; see below),
  4. SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (current and former federal employees; see below for more information), and
  5. Performance Appraisal (for current federal employees) Note: if not provided, may be required at time of interview.
  
  Note: Incomplete applications will not be considered.
  Veterans Preference
  In order to verify your veteran preference entitlement, submit a copy of the Member Copy 4 of your DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty); official statement of service from your command if you are currently on active duty that certifies you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty service within 120 days after the certification is submitted; or other official documentation (e.g., documentation of receipt of a campaign badge or expeditionary medal) that shows your military service was performed under honorable conditions.
  If you are a disabled veteran, a Purple Heart recipient, or widow/widower of a veteran, spouse of a disabled veteran or the natural parent of a disabled or deceased veteran, you must submit a Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Pt Veteran Preference, and the other required documentation listed on the reverse of the SF-15 to support your preference claim.
  Although veteran preference points are not assigned under the category rating procedures described under How You Will Be Evaluated, veterans' preference eligibles are listed ahead of non-veterans within each category for which qualified. In addition, qualified veterans with a com...