Passport Specialist (Fraud Prevention )

Summary

This position is located in a Passport agency or center where the incumbent serves as a Passport Fraud Prevention Specialist responsible for coordinating a comprehensive anti-fraud program.

Duties

• Plans and implements programs to detect and prevent passport fraud, identify fraud vulnerabilities and trends.
• Analyzes and evaluates suspected fraudulent passport applications and prepares comprehensive analyses of case files with recommendations to Diplomatic Security (DS) for further investigation.
• Participates in coordinating and implementing comprehensive region-wide passport fraud prevention programs to protect the integrity of the U.S. passport.
• At the GS-12 level, the incumbent performs essentially the same duties as outlined above; however, the scope and complexity of assignments are of less responsibility and independence and receive closer supervision than at the GS-13 level

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all the required qualification requirements described below by the closing date of this announcement. If you are qualifying based on education OR if there are mandatory education requirements listed below, you MUST submit a copy of your college transcript with your application. 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. Applicants to the GS-12 Level 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 may have been gained in work such as developing, examining, investigating, adjudicating, or authorizing claims arising under the immigration and/or nationality laws of the United States. Specialized experience must demonstrate the following: Experience developing, examining, investigating, adjudicating, or authorizing claims arising under the immigration and/or nationality laws of the United States; Experience applying laws, regulations, precedents, court decisions and polices of the Department and the Directorate of Passport Services pertaining to passport adjudication and issuance; and Experience conducting interviews and preparing comprehensive analyses of case files to make determinations on referrals for prosecution. Applicants to the GS-13 Level 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 may have been gained in work such as developing, examining, investigating, adjudicating, or authorizing claims arising under the immigration and/or nationality laws of the United States. Specialized experience must demonstrate the following: Experience developing, examining, investigating, adjudicating, or authorizing claims arising under the immigration and/or nationality laws of the United States; Experience participating in program planning, coordination, and implementation related to U.S. Passport fraud prevention and control. Experience conducting interviews and examining legal documentation to evaluate eligibility for U.S. passports and identify suspicious claims that warrant further scrutiny. Experience developing operational policy, procedures, reports and a variety correspondence related to anti-fraud activities. In addition, applicant's experience must also demonstrate that the candidate possesses the following qualities: Ability to assign, review, and supervise the work of others; Objectivity and fairness in judging people on their ability, and situations on the facts and circumstances; Ability to adjust to change, work pressures, or difficult situations without undue stress; Willingness to consider new ideas or divergent points of view; and Capacity to "see the job through."

Education

Education requirements do not apply to this vacancy announcement. How You Will Be Evaluated

The evaluation process consists of the ApplyGov Competency Based Assessments and a crediting plan for which applicants will be assigned a score between 70 and 100. A resume review will be conducted for minimum qualification requirements, as described in the “Qualifications” section of this announcement, of the top qualified candidates based on combined total score. Resumes longer than two pages will be deemed ineligible and will not be considered further. Responses to questions that are not fully supported by your resume may result in a rating adjustment. You will be assessed on the following job-related competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Supervisory: Oral Communication, Interpersonal Skills, Problem Solving, Decision Making, Customer Service, Leadership, Planning & Evaluating, Influencing/Negotiating, Strategic Thinking, Human Capital Management.] Set aside at least 2 hours to take the external assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. There are timed sections that must be completed within the allotted timeframe. Your score from the external assessment Supervisory will remain on file for 180 days, allowing you to apply for multiple DOS-announced positions without needing to retake the assessments. Top applicants may be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration. The assessment is used to measure the degree in which your background matches the competencies and KSAs required for this position. Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies: Ability to make decisions based on information from a wide variety of sources. Ability to independently apply rules and regulations Knowledge of policies and procedures that relate to the examination and adjudication of citizenship Ability to provide advice, guidance, and consultation based on results of analyses Applicants found to be among the top qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring official for further consideration and possible interview. Qualified non-competitive candidates must be deemed best qualified based on the applicant assessment in order to be referred to the hiring official for further consideration and possible interview. In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. We do not make assumptions regarding your experience. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application may result in your removal from consideration. You may preview questions for this vacancy. Other 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 a different type of RA is needed, please contact OAA directly at [email protected]. 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 and may require a higher or lower security clearance. Telework eligibility and security clearance requirements may vary for such similar positions. Agency & Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP & ICTAP): View OPM's CTAP & ICTAP eligibility website for more information. 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. Applicants may choose up to three locations for which they may be considered. Applicants who select San Juan, Puerto Rico as one of their preferred duty location must meet the Spanish-language requirement for the position. Applicants must be able to communicate effectively in Spanish, as required by the position.