Summary This position is located in the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), Office of Legislative and Public Affairs (LPA). The selectee will perform House legislative liaison activities between the AOC, the Congress and external stakeholders on a broad range of AOC program activities. Responsibilities The Legislative Affairs Specialist, in support of the legislative program for the AOC, is responsible for legislative initiatives, active legislation, congressional correspondence, hearings, congressional visits, briefings and internal and external communication while staying abreast of legislative initiatives and congressional activity impacting or relating to the AOC. The selectee has primary responsibility for enhancing the AOC's legislative and other interactions with congressional oversight committees and the congressional community. Identifies and maintains liaison with members of congress, their staff and other key stakeholders in the legislative process to enable the AOC to effectively interact on legislative issues of primary importance to the Architect. MAJOR DUTIES (quoted at GS-13 level) include: - Provides support in preparing, reviewing, editing, analyzing and coordinating congressional correspondence. Ensures that all congressional inquiries, written and verbal, are addressed within an adequate timeframe and the response is appropriate and in accordance with AOC policy. - Tracks deadlines and execution of congressional reports transmitted to Congress. Ensures adequate record-keeping of all official agency communications with Congress through online file management system. - Creates and coordinates monthly presentations to House oversight committees. Attends/participates in monthly oversight committee meetings. Ensures all related congressional inquiries, written and verbal, are promptly forwarded to supervisors. As needed and with approval from supervisors, responds to inquiries from congressional offices, e.g., individual members of the House and/or their staff and representatives of congressional committees. - Researches and analyzes high visibility queries/challenges posed to the AOC. Responds to inquiries from congressional offices, e.g., individual members of the House and/or their staff and representatives of congressional committees. - Supports the legislative program of the AOC, providing technical expert analysis and advice on all legislative matters affecting the AOC. Develops strategy and programs for improving the AOC’s process for proposing and strengthening legislative proposals. Integrates information that assists Congress in understanding the AOC’s policies, actions, operations, projects and requirements. - Provides oversight and analysis of congressional activities, including analysis and status of significant legislation, rules and daily operations impacting the AOC’s missions and programs. Conducts in-depth research and detailed analysis of congressional marks, bills and reports of interest to the AOC. Determines the potential effect of significant legislation initiatives on the AOC. Tracks initiatives from early developmental stages through the entire legislative process. Analyzes trends and evaluates legislation in order to formulate the AOC legislative plan of action. - Reviews and monitors a variety of periodicals, papers and journals in order to obtain information related to the AOC’s missions and activities. Verifies information through the Congressional Record for accuracy of verbatim remarks and debates; reviews the congressional schedule to determine and provide coverage for congressional hearings. Provides daily analysis and regular updates on significant activities for the Architect. - Monitors congressional proceedings and reviews the Congressional Record in order to obtain information on member positions and statements as well as senior level testimony and official statements. Researches and prepares reports, fact sheets, information packets and position papers to disseminate throughout the AOC. - Researches, analyzes and creates presentations, briefings and speeches. Prepares detailed analytical briefings and reports. Interprets the AOC’s vision to ensure the consistency of the message delivered to all audiences. - Supports preparation of AOC testimony, budget book, newsletter articles, point papers and drafts briefings, memoranda and web content describing AOC policies, issues and programs. Collects information to help develop statements and build prep books. Schedules and arranges interactions with key external stakeholders such as briefings and tours. - Directly prepares an agency principle to testify for a hearing. - Is responsible for utilizing a thorough knowledge of and compliance with applicable AOC and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safety rules and regulations. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must pass a drug test You must meet the definition of specialized experience. Your resume and question responses must demonstrate the job-related KSAs. You must meet the Selective Placement Factor To be employed by the Architect of the Capitol in a paid position, an individual must meet one of the categories below: A citizen of the United States; A person who is lawfully admitted for permanent residence and is seeking citizenship as outlined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)(B); A person who is admitted as a refugee under 8 U.S.C. 1157 or is granted asylum under 8 U.S.C. 1158 and has filed a declaration of intention to become a lawful permanent resident and then a citizen when eligible; A person who owes allegiance to the United States (nationals of American Samoa, Swains Island, and the Northern Mariana Islands, and nationals who meet other requirements described in 8 U.S.C. 1408); or A person who is currently an officer or employee of the Government of the United States. Qualifications You must meet the United States Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements (including specialized experience and/or educational requirements) for the advertised position. You must meet all eligibility and qualifications requirements by the closing date of the job announcement. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on the OPM web site at OPM qualification standards Specialized experience: is experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level. For the GS-12: Candidates for the GS-12 grade level must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower (GS-11) grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as the following: (1) Maintaining professional working relationships with members of Congress and congressional staff and/or congressional liaisons by utilizing congressional and legislative affairs principles and methods; (2) Managing congressional requests for information (promoting coordination and integration of agency requirements and program plans with congressional requests and responding to information requests on the organization's programs in written and oral form); (3) Preparing a variety of clear, cogent, accurate, and well-organized written products. Reviewing these products to ensure they achieved their objective, complied with an agency's or organization's communications policies, are logically constructed, and are written in concise, unambiguous language. Examples include: (a) briefing papers; (b) planning documents; (c) policies and procedures; (d) memoranda; (e) congressional testimony or other analogous high-level materials); (f) talking points; and (g) official correspondence; (4) Monitoring proposed legislative actions; and (5) Directly preparing a Member of Congress for a hearing or agency principle to testify before a hearing. For the GS-13: Candidates for the GS-13 grade level must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower (GS-12) grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as the following: (1) Maintaining professional working relationships with members of Congress and congressional staff and/or congressional liaisons by utilizing congressional and legislative affairs, principles and methods; (2) Managing congressional requests for information (promoting coordination and integration of agency requirements and program plans with congressional requests and responding to information requests on the organization's programs in written and oral form, often requiring detailed explanations made on the organization's activities or performance in a particular situation); (3) Preparing a variety of clear, cogent, accurate, and well-organized written products. Reviewing these products to ensure they achieved their objective, complied with an agency's or organization's communications policies, are logically constructed, and are written in concise, unambiguous language. Examples include: (a) briefing papers; (b) planning documents; (c) policies and procedures; (d) memoranda; (e) contract proposals; (f) congressional testimony or other analogous high-level materials); (g) talking points; and (h) official correspondence; and (4) Monitoring proposed legislative actions and providing advice on intent and scope. Selective Placement Factor (All Grades): You must have broad knowledge and experience with legislative affairs that was attained through work performed while working for a Member of Congress in a legislative role or serving in a legislative affairs role in the private sector or serving as a member of a federal agency’s legislative team. Education No education substitution. Additional Information Welcome Veterans. The Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) gives veterans' preference rights in the legislative branch to certain veterans as applied by the Congressional Accountability Act. Veterans' preference is applied on this vacancy announcement. If you are a veteran and have been separated under honorable conditions, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility; SF-15, if applicable; and Department of Veterans Affairs documentation of disability, if applicable. For more information, please visit OPM vet guide If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System. If you are exempt from registration under Selective Service Law, you must provide appropriate proof of exemption. Please visit the Selective Service System website for more information. DRUG TESTING: The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is a Drug Free Workplace. As part of the AOC’s suitability assessment, a candidate tentatively selected for a position who is not a current AOC employee is required to submit to screening for illegal drug use. Satisfactory completion of a drug test is a condition of employment with the Agency. A candidate must test negative prior to being eligible for appointment into a position. We will schedule, provide, and cover the cost for the drug test. The selectee(s) under the vacancy announcement for this position is subject to a criminal record check by the U.S. Capitol Police and satisfactory adjudication to be eligible for employment at the Architect of the Capitol. The Architect of the Capitol is an E-VERIFY Participant. E-VERIFY is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee's Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment authorization in the United States. If you are selected for this position, the documentation that you present for purposes of completing the DHS Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-VERIFY" electronic system. For more information on E-Verify, please visit http://www.dhs.gov/files/programs/gc_1185221678150.shtm The Architect of the Capitol is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, genetic information, sexual orientation and/or disability. This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis. Moving expenses are not authorized. Relocation expenses are not authorized. Probationary Period - A newly appointed selectee(s) is subject to the completion of a one-year trial/probationary period, regardless of whether or not a trial/probationary period has been completed previously with the Architect of the Capitol or another Federal agency. This vacancy announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies in any of the jurisdictions of the Architect of the Capitol. All application materials become the property of the Architect of the Capitol. Note: Please be advised that federal retired annuitant candidates may only be considered as a temporary employee if the role can be filled in that capacity.