EDUCATION PROGRAM SPECIALIST (EMSS)

Summary

National Defense University (NDU) supports the joint warfighter by providing rigorous Joint Professional Military Education to members of the U.S. Armed Forces and select others in order to develop leaders who have the ability to operate and creatively think in an unpredictable and complex world. This job announcement uses the USA Hire Assessment to evaluate applicants. For more information, visit USA Hire Assessment

Duties

• Leads admissions planning, coordinates government agency student nominations, conducts recruiting, and works with service chairs, faculty, and deans on admissions processes and timelines.
• Supports, analyzes, and improves onboarding for incoming students. Manages admissions in the Student Information System (SIS) and curates SharePoint and public web content for diverse audiences.
• Effectively and efficiently works in SIS, understanding relational databases, system triggers and complex, detailed processes. Documents, reviews and identifies efficiencies in work processes. Manages course registrations.
• Experience with proven data integrity, PII discretion, and high attention to detail. Skilled with student records, transcripts, learning management systems (LMS), and SIS.
• Provides strong written/verbal communication and support to students, NDU faculty, leadership, and colleagues. Applies and interprets academic policies across varying circumstances; drafts and recommends policy updates.

Qualifications

You may qualify for consideration if meeting time-in grade, specialized experience, education requirement, 90 days after competitive appointment requirement, and all other qualification requirements within 30 calendar days after the closing date of the announcement, unless otherwise indicated on the announcement. You must meet the minimum qualification requirements as stated in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Operating Manual, Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions, http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/Standards/group-stds/gs-prof.asp. Basic Requirement: Degree: that included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester hours in a field related to the work of the position to be filled, of which at least 9 semester hours must have been in education courses. OR Combination of education and experience - possess at least 24 semester hours in a field related to the work of the position to be filled, of which at least 9 semester hours must have been in education courses, plus appropriate experience or additional education. The experience must reflect the level and kind described in C below. OR Four years of experience that demonstrated a thorough understanding of the principles and practices underlying the work of this series. This experience must have been of such character and diversity to demonstrate that the applicant possesses an understanding of the field comparable to that normally acquired through successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university. OR At least 1 full academic year of professional teaching experience. This experience is defined as full and primary responsibility, under general supervision, for instruction of assigned students in an accredited school or institution. This includes responsibility for preparing and presenting lessons and for evaluating students' progress, including a determination of the students' success or failure according to established criteria. Serving in an assistant capacity to a professor without the authority to determine the students' success or failure to meet course requirements does not meet this criterion. In addition to meeting the Basic Requirement, you must also meet the Minimum Qualifications requirements below. Specialized experience is defined as: You must have one year of specialized experience at the GS-09 or equivalent level. Specialized experience must be documented in your resume. Specialized experience includes: Experience with academic records management, student information systems and relational databases, admissions and enrollment processes, and student services; applying academic policies and procedures and maintaining the accuracy, integrity, privacy, and confidentiality of student records; analyzing academic or student data and preparing reports to support organizational decision-making; and coordinating with academic leaders, faculty, staff, students, or external organizations to improve academic programs, processes, or student services. Volunteer Experience: 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 to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

Substitution of education for the GS-11: Three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree may be substituted to meet the specialized experience requirement. If you are using education to substitute for the specialized experience, you must submit transcripts at the time you apply. Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education and experience may be used to meet total experience requirements. To be creditable, education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (http://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html). Official Transcripts: If the position you are applying for has a positive degree requirement or education forms the basis for qualifications (i.e. you would not qualify without the education obtained), you MUST submit transcripts with your application. Official transcripts are not required at the time of application outside of what is outlined above; however, official transcripts must be verified PRIOR to appointment. An accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education must accredit education. Click here to check accreditation. FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying or prior to appointment as outlined above. Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation upon request. Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration. For more information regarding evaluation of foreign education for federal employment, please visit the U.S. Department of Education How You Will Be Evaluated

IMPORTANT NOTE - YOU MUST FOLLOW ALL APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY. ERRORS OR OMISSIONS MAY AFFECT YOUR RATING. Your application will be evaluated and rated under the Category Rating and Selection Procedures. We will review your resume and supporting documentation and compare this information to your responses on the occupational questionnaire to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for this job. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Eligible candidates will then be placed for selection consideration into 3 categories as described below: Best Qualified Category - Exceeds the minimum qualification requirements and demonstrates a high level of proficiency in the job-related competencies based on the answers to the occupational questionnaire. Highly Qualified Category - Exceeds the minimum qualification requirements and demonstrates proficiency in some of the job-related competencies based on the answers to the occupational questionnaire. Qualified Category - Meets the minimum qualifications as described in the Qualifications section of this announcement. The Assessment Questionnaire takes approximately 15 minutes to complete and collects information on your education, training and experience related to the following critical competencies: Data Quality and Analysis Customer Service Process Review and Analysis Academic Records and Registration Admissions Best Practices You can preview the Assessment Questionnaire here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13104301 The USA Hire Assessment includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment. Criminal History Inquiries- If you apply to this position and are selected, we will not ask about your criminal history before you receive a conditional job offer. If you believe you were asked about your criminal history improperly, contact the agency @ [email protected]. Other Information

Selections are subject to restrictions resulting from DoD Program for Stability of Civilian Employment. Background or Security Investigation: This is a Non-Critical Sensitive position which requires a background investigation. The individual selected for this position is required to obtain and maintain a Secret security determination to occupy a Non-Critical Sensitive position within the agency as a condition of employment. We may use this announcement to fill additional vacancies within 90 days of the closing date. Accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. This position is not covered by a bargaining unit. This position is Non-Exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act. Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Priority Consideration: You must be well qualified for the position to receive special selection priority under the ICTAP. A qualified ICTAP eligible achieving a score of 90 or above will be considered well qualified. You must submit a Separation-Reduction in Force (RIF) SF-50; a RIF Notice showing separation within the past year (or declining a management directed reassignment outside the commuting area, or a Termination of Disability Notice from OPM) and most recent performance appraisal. For more information, go to: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp#ictap. NOTE: If you have never worked for the Federal Government, you are NOT ICTAP eligible. Retired Civil Service Employee: Employment of retired Federal employees receiving an annuity is subject to the requirements of the Department of Defense (DoD) policy guidance. See DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 300, at https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/140025/1400.25-V300.pdf Our complete benefits package is one of the most comprehensive found in either government or private sector. These extraordinary benefits encompass health, pay, work/life balance, growth & learning. NDU has a comprehensive benefits package that includes retirement, social security, and thrift savings plan (TSP); health, life, and long-term care insurance; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays. NDU employees enjoy flexible work schedules, transit subsidy and enhanced telework opportunities.