Senior Advisor to the Department of Defense.

Duties

As a Senior Advisor to the Department of Defense, GS-0301-15, your typical work assignments may include:

• Serves as the primary DHS representative at OSD-JCS, providing authoritative counsel on DHS policies, plans, and operations, as well as facilitating daily, on-site communication.
• Assists DoD senior leaders in keeping the Secretary of Defense informed on all DHS related initiatives and will further aid the synchronization of DHS and DoD activities of mutual concern that support homeland security, homeland defense and defense support to civil authorities.
• Advises OSD-JCS senior leaders and staff by providing the DHS perspective on all policy and procedural issues between DHS and DoD. Enhances DoD and DHS awareness of portfolios of mutual concern and/or vital national interest and other support between the departments and their components.
• Represents the DHS perspective on policy and operational matters, assists DHS and DoD in developing policies, formulating strategy and strategic approaches, conducting risk based and other analysis, providing advice, making recommendations in the achievement of complementary missions and outcomes, e.g., national security threat and hazard response and oversight of defense support to civil authorities' activities.
• Identifies and acts upon opportunities for beneficial collaboration between DHS and DoD. Based on critical analysis of complex operational initiatives and knowledge of DHS chain of authority/command structure, mission, programs and organizational relationships, the incumbent prepares correspondence, reports, and other written materials to provide authoritative advice and guidance commensurate with DHS strategic goals.
  
  

All DHS-HQ announcements have a 5 business day open period due to the number of applications received. This announcement will be open for 5 business days OR until the first 100 applications have been received, whichever happens first.

Requirements

View common definitions of terms found in this announcement:

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
• You must successfully pass a background investigation.
• You must submit to a pre-employment drug test. This is a Testing Designated Position (TDP) and is subject to random testing.
• Current federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements.
• You may be required to serve a one-year probationary period.
• Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.
• Non-BU: This is a non-bargaining unit position.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top-Secret Security Clearance.
• The employee may be required to work other than normal duty hours, which may include evenings, weekends, and/or holidays and/or overtime.
• Work may require travel away from the normal duty station on military or commercial aircraft.
  
  

Qualifications

Specialized Experience

To Qualify At The GS-15 Level, You Must Possess Least One (1) Year Of Specialized Experience Equivalent To The GS-14 Level In Federal Service Or Equivalent Private/public Sector Experience. The Experience Must Demonstrate Expert-level Leadership And Authoritative Expertise In Homeland Security And Defense Interagency Coordination. For This Position, Specialized Experience Is Defined As

• Representing the agency's perspective in high-level engagements with other defense agencies, providing authoritative counsel on policy, operational strategies, and risk-based analysis to synchronize and integrate homeland security and homeland defense missions.
• Assisting senior leaders in both agencies by developing policies, formulating strategic approaches, conducting complex assessments, and making recommendations to enhance complementary mission outcomes, including defense support to civil authorities.
• Advising Defense leadership and subordinate components on Homeland Security strategic plans, program implementation, and operational procedures across steady state, crisis action, and contingency planning.
• Enhancing interagency awareness and collaboration by identifying opportunities for beneficial partnerships, preparing authoritative correspondence, and resolving major issues of mutual concern through critical analysis of complex operational relationships.
• Serving as an on-site liaison at high-level meetings, conferences, and national/international symposia to provide expert guidance, facilitate daily communication, and keep Defense high level leadership informed on initiatives of vital national interest.
• Demonstrating independent decision making, advanced analytical skills, and a proven ability to influence policy and foster trust among senior military and civilian stakeholders in politically sensitive, time-critical environments.
  
  

NOTE: Your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet this requirement, otherwise you will be found ineligible.

Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience may not be used for this grade level.

All qualifications and eligibility requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

Time-in-grade: Current General Schedule (GS) federal employees, and those that have served in GS positions within the last 52 weeks, must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade, or a combination of the next lower grade level and an equivalent band in the federal service by the closing of this announcement.

Note: Current or former Federal employees MUST submit a copy of their SF-50 Form which shows competitive service appointment ("position occupied" block 34 on the SF-50 should show a "1"), tenure group (block 24 should show a 1 or 2), grade, and salary. If you are applying for a higher grade, please provide the SF-50 Form which shows the length of time you have been in your current/highest grade (examples of appropriate SF-50s include promotions, With-in Grade/Range Increases, and SF-50s dated a year apart within the same grade/job). If you have promotion potential in your current position, please provide proof. Employees applying with an interchange agreement must provide proof of their permanent appointment. IF YOU DO NOT SUBMIT ALL OF THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION, YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE CONSIDERATION AS A STATUS CANDIDATE.

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.

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.

Essential Personnel Position - This position may be designated as essential personnel. Essential personnel must be able to serve during continuity of operation events without regard to declarations of liberal leave or government closures due to weather, protests, and acts of terrorism or lack of funding. Failure to report for or remain in this position may result in disciplinary or adverse action in accordance with applicable laws, rules, and regulations. (5 U.S.C. 7501-7533 and 5 CFR, Part 752, as applicable).

Education

Not Applicable

Additional information

The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR 213.3102(u), and or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR 315.707.

Pursuant to Executive Order 12564 and DHS policy, DHS is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace and, therefore, conducts random and other drug testing of its employees in order to ensure a safe and healthy work environment. Headquarters personnel in safety- or security-sensitive positions are subject to random drug testing and all applicants tentatively selected for employment at DHS Headquarters are subject to drug testing resulting in a negative test result.

If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an

Background Investigation: 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 for Top Secret as a condition of placement in this Special-Sensitive (SS)/High Risk position. This review may include financial issues such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs.

• 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.
  
  

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.