Passport Personalization Specialist

Summary The position is assigned to Bureau of Consular Affairs, Passport Issuance, Passport Services Directorate (CA/PPT/I) and is located at the Arkansas Passport Center (PPT/APC) in Hot Springs, AR. The incumbent is physically located on-site at a contractor Book Personalization Facility (BPF). These facilities provide personalization of Passport Books, Passport Cards, Consular Reports of Birth Abroad, and Border Crossing Card personalization. Responsibilities Provides comprehensive knowledge of management principles and processes. Recommends new or modified work methods, management processes and training to accomodate production and quality improvements. Serves as the Government Technical Monitor (GTM) for the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) by monitoring the contractor's performance in centralized personalization of passports for applicants. Recommends and monitors specific strategies, goals and objectives to increase production and to produce relatively reject-free passports. Plans and carries out a full range of analyses and assessments to increase and streamline productivity, maximize efficiency, decrease rejects, enhance internal controls, and reduce vulnerabilities. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications Applicants must meet all the required qualification requirements described below by the closing date of this announcement. NOTE: Applicants must meet time-in-grade and time after competitive appointment requirements, by the closing date of this announcement. Time-In-Grade Requirements: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions, per 5CFR 300, Subpart F. GS-12: Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal service which provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position. Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following: Experience clarifying and communicating complex information clearly, concisely, and in a manner that is targeted to and meets the needs of diverse audiences with different perspectives and objectives. Experience analyzing the effectiveness and efficiency of programs to ensure compliance with policies to identify areas for improvement and make effective recommendations. Experience in quality control of production systems. There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the GS-12 position. GS-13: Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal service which provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position. Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following: Experience clarifying and communicating complex information clearly, concisely, and in a manner that is targeted to and meets the needs of diverse audiences with different perspectives and objectives. Experience independently analyzing the effectiveness and efficiency of programs to ensure compliance with policies; to communicate areas for improvement; and make effective recommendations. Experience tracking the production systems to include quality control. There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the GS-13 position. Education Education requirements do not apply to this vacancy announcement. Additional Information To request a reasonable accommodation for additional time on the timed sections of the assessment, please submit your request using the “Request a Reasonable Accommodation” button within the Assessment Application. For all other reasonable accommodations at the U.S. Department of State, please contact the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations (OAA) at [email protected]. OAA is responsible for reviewing and adjudicating reasonable accommodation (RA) requests for the Assessment Battery being used for this announcement. The following applies to all RA requests: RA requests cover additional time on timed sections only. Applicants submitting a RA request MUST attach supporting medical documentation signed by a licensed, treating medical provider. The documentation should describe the nature, severity, and expected duration of the condition, identify the relevant medical condition or diagnosis, and explain the basis for the requested extension. RA requests that do not contain supporting medical documentation attachments at the time of initial request may be subject to further review. Note: the following documents do not, on their own, qualify for automatic approval of the RA request: Schedule A letters, VA benefits letters, or SSA letters. Applicants MUST submit their application before the vacancy closes, even if pending an accommodation decision. Applicants are encouraged to carefully follow instructions related to medical documentation provided in the vacancy announcement prior to beginning the RA process. Applicants will have 48 hours after their RA request is adjudicated to complete the assessment battery. Scores generated after the allotted timeframe will not be admissible and the applicant will not be considered further for the vacancy. If eligible, situational telework agreements may be permitted with supervisory approval. Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. If eligible, applicants to this announcement may be referred to other similar positions in other Bureaus/Offices in the Department for up to 240 days. Telework eligibility and security clearance requirements may vary for such similar positions. Veterans' preference points are added to the passing score of candidates eligible for either 10-point or 5-point preference. Qualified veterans who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10% or more are listed at the top of a certificate regardless of score. Other 10-point and 5-point preference eligible veterans who meet the eligibility and qualification requirements are placed in score order. View information on veterans' preference on OPM's Fed Hire Vets website. Agency & Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP & ICTAP): You must be rated in the Well-Qualified category and submit supporting documents under the required documents section of this announcement to receive selection priority consideration. To be considered Well-Qualified applicants must: score an 85 or above, meet Minimum Qualifications, and demonstrate proficiency in some, but not all major aspects of the position.