Summary Securing Travel, Protecting People - At the Transportation Security Administration, we serve in a high-stakes environment to safeguard the American way of life. In cities across the country, we secure airports, seaports, railroads, highways, and public transit systems, thus protecting our transportation infrastructure and ensuring freedom of movement for people and commerce. Responsibilities This position serves as a Transportation Security Administration Representative (TSAR) assigned to International Operations (IO), Security Operations (SO), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS). As a TSAR, you will serve as the on-site Transportation Security Representative for assignments located outside and/or inside the continental United States. You will serve under the administrative supervision of the Regional Director for an Area of Responsibility (AOR) and have overall responsibility for developing and maintaining effective and professional relationships with U.S. and foreign government officials to promote consistency with international security standards, foreign government requirements, and TSA regulatory programs. You will be considered a technical subject matter expert in a broad range of highly complex transportation security issues for host countries within the assigned AOR. Duties may include, but are not limited to: Liaison: Serving as the TSAR for foreign governments and embassy officials, ensuring attainment of international security standards, sharing best practices, serving as the on-site coordinator for the TSA/DHS response team to transportation-related terrorist incidents and threats, coordinating the dissemination of threats or security related information, representing TSA with U.S. and international stakeholders engaged in transportation security activities, developing TSA/DHS positions through coordination and communication on a wide range of highly complex transportation security issues, and facilitating Federal Air Marshal (FAM) operations in foreign airports. Analysis: Planning and carrying out complex analytical reviews involving international transportation security issues and coordinating with TSA Headquarters to identify and mitigate threats to the international security system, developing engagement strategies for countries within the AOR. Developing and presenting briefings, speeches, issue papers, country profiles and background/talking points on a wide range of issues of interest to high level officials. Networking: Developing stakeholder networks and cultivating effective relationships to manage crisis situations and resolve complex and potentially controversial transportation security issues involving the international community. Program Management: Planning and formulating proposed mitigation options for transportation security issues and presenting options for review by leadership. Conducting in-depth and timely analyses of National Civil Aviation Security, Quality Control, Training, and other transportation security programs for assigned countries; providing extensive assistance to host governments to improve the security of international transportation security systems. Resource Management: Serving as budget and resource manager for the AOR and preparing funding requests, justifications, and advance estimates on AOR program requirements. Providing technical and administrative guidance and direction to contract employees. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must possess U.S. Citizenship. You must complete a favorable Tier 5 Background Investigation (T5). You must pass Drug Screening, subject to random drug tests. You must be able to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI clearance. This is an Emergency Essential position. Must sign mobility agreement upon selection. This position requires Financial Disclosure Please see the Qualifications section for conditions of employment. If you fail to meet the conditions of employment or any other pre-employment requirements, such as missing any of the scheduled appointments, the hiring agency may rescind their tentative offer of employment. You must meet the qualification requirements of this position no later than the closing date of the job opportunity announcement. Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Management and Budget (0MB) and U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance, and Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change. Qualifications To qualify for the SV-K Pay Band (equivalent to GS-15), you must have one year of specialized experience at the SV-J Pay Band or GS-14 in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector. Specialized experience is defined as experience that has equipped you with the knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Such experience is defined as experience interpreting, developing, and applying transportation security policy or programs in an enforcement, investigation, inspection or compliance arena. Candidates will also be rated and ranked based on their possession of the Professional/Technical Qualifications listed below. Evidence of the Professional/Technical Qualifications should be CLEARLY REFLECTED in your resume. Professional/Technical Qualifications: 1. Demonstrated experience advising on aviation security policies, laws, and regulations. 2. Demonstrated experience evaluating and recommending improvements in transportation security, including issues with international impact. 3. Demonstrated experience developing influence and maintaining professional relationships with high-level international partners and other officials across organizational and functional boundaries. CURRENT OR FORMER POLITICAL APPOINTEES: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office. Please see the REQUIRED DOCUMENTS section of this Job Opportunity Announcement for specific instructions. Note: Credit for experience is given based on a 40-hour workweek. Part-time experience is credited on a part-time ratio, i.e., working 20 hours per week for two months equals one month of experience. No additional credit is given for overtime. 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. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office. This position is part of TSA's Leadership Succession Planning and Development Program. Conditions of employment: MOBILITY: The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was created in the wake of 9/11 to strengthen the security of the nation's transportation systems while ensuring freedom of movement for people and commerce. TSA employs a risk-based strategy to secure U.S. transportation systems, with nearly 50,000 Transportation Security Officers, each day at approximately 450 airports nationwide. The agency continuously sets the standard for excellence in transportation security through its people, processes, technologies and use of intelligence to drive operations. As a member of the TSA's Leadership Cadre, you may be subject to frequent changes in posts of duty and positions. Mobility is a condition of employment. Applicants and current TSA employees who are selected for a Senior Leadership position must sign and submit a mobility agreement upon acceptance of a job offer. Executing this agreement is required as a condition of employment for an individual selected for a vacant mobility position. Work may require driving or traveling by motor vehicle and occasionally involves regular and reoccurring exposure to moderate risk or discomforts that require special safety precautions. This duty assignment can result in dangerous and/or austere living conditions. In addition, work may require driving or traveling by motor vehicle to surrounding countries and therefore may be required to obtain vaccinations depending on guidance from State Department, DHS, and/or the host country. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office. Education Additional Information The Transportation Security Administration Representative position has a Tour of Duty. The length of a tour of duty assignment is generally up to 5 years. The initial tour is normally 36 months, and with agency approval a second tour of duty up to 24 months. Any subsequent tour of duty extension beyond the second tour will be based on the Agency's needs. During your assignment, an employee from Human Capital will work with you to complete a career assessment and to identify future position interests. It is TSA's policy to provide a consistent and timely way of placing employees upon expiration of their tour of duty. Placement is based on the employee meeting the priority placement eligibility requirements and qualification requirements for an appropriate vacant position, as well as any applicable career development assessment and agency needs. Certificates will be issued on an as needed basis, as vacancies occur. The applicant pool will be honored for a period of 4 months. If you applied to previous Transportation Security Administration Representative vacancies, you must reapply. Locality Pay will be set in accordance with OPM defined Locality Pay Areas. Eligibility to apply for other Federal positions: TSA is an Excepted Service agency exempt from most of Title 5 United States Code; therefore, employment with TSA does not confer the "Competitive Status" that generally results from selection and service in Competitive Service agencies. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has established an Interchange Agreement, which allows most permanent TSA employees to apply and be considered for vacancies in Competitive Service agencies. Information from OPM on this or other Interchange Agreements is available at: http://www.opm.gov. To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully pass a background investigation as a condition of placement into this position. DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify including your rights and responsibilities. TSA employees who are absent for the purpose of performing military duty may apply for any vacancies announced in their absence. When you enter on duty, you will be required to complete a Public Financial Disclosure Report, OGE Form 450. You will need to provide this information annually. TSA policy requires verification of Selective Service registration for male applicants born after 12/31/59. For more information click here.