Department: U. S. Department Of Health And Human Services

Agency: Food and Drug Administration

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Duties

Additional Duty Location Info:

The incumbent serves as an alternative dispute resolution expert, responsible for directing and promoting preventative strategies such as
consultations, conflict coaching, mediations, facilitations, team
building, training and presentations.  Specific duties include:

·         Maintaining the integrity of conflict resolution processes through neutrality and impartiality.

·         Identifying the root causes of workplace conflict.

·         Recommending techniques and solutions to organizational conflict.

·         Serving as a neutral third party in situations of conflict or disagreement.

·         Mediating workplace disputes.

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Qualifications and Evaluations

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Qualifying experience may be obtained in the private or
public sectors. Qualifying education must have been obtained from an
accredited college or university recognized by the Department of
Education. Additional information on the qualification requirements is
outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General
Schedule Positions. It is available for your review in our office, in
other Federal agency personnel offices, and on OPM's web site at http://www.opm.gov/qualifications.

TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENTS:  Applicants must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements to be considered eligible under Merit Promotion procedures.  One year of full-time work experience as the GS-12 grade level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-13 grade level. 

Qualifications:  To be considered for this position at the GS-13 level, you must meet the following requirement by the closing date of this announcement.

Specialized Experience:  One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal service that was in or related to the duties of a
Conflict Prevention and Resolution Specialist.  Specialized experience includes the following duties:

• Conducting mediation sessions to resolve formal complaints regarding administrative actions, Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) issues,
  union grievances, or related conflicts;

• Interpreting and applying official policies and procedures in regards to organizational disagreements and/or complaints;

• Serving as an EEO subject matter expert to organization stakeholders, including management and non-management;

• Interviewing individuals to identify root causes of dissatisfaction and documenting information to better understand the situational factors at play;

• Providing stakeholders with knowledge and access to preventative strategies such as consultations, conflict coaching, mediations, facilitations and team
  building.  

This position is open to all US Citizens and Merit Promotion eligibles. You may apply under both merit promotion and open-competitive procedures, however; you must meet the requirements
for one of the following categories to apply as a Merit Promotion
eligible.

1. A current permanent competitive service employee; former Federal employee who achieved career status in the competitive service; or former Federal employee who served on a career
conditional appointment without achieving career status in the
competitive service who was separated less than three years ago. You must submit your most recent performance evaluation and SF-50 to be considered.

2. A Veteran applying under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA), you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing that you were honorably discharged to be considered. To be eligible for a VEOA appointment, a veteran must be honorably separated and either a preference eligible or have substantially
completed 3 or more years of active service. ("Active Service" under
this law means active duty in a uniformed service and includes
full-time training duty, annual training duty, full-time National Guard
duty, and attendance, while in the active service, at a school
designated as a service school by law or by the Secretary concerned.) A
veteran who is released under honorable conditions shortly before
completing a 3-year tour is also eligible.

3. A 30% or more Disabled Veteran. You must submit your DD214, a completed SF-15, and letter from the VA dated 1991 or later as proof to be considered.

4. A Severely Physically Handicapped Schedule ‘A' Appointment. Please submit documentation from a State Vocational Rehabilitation Service as proof to be considered.

5. A Former Peace Corps or VISTA Volunteers Appointment. Please submit documentation as proof to be considered.

6. Surplus or Displaced Federal Employees: If you are an eligible Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) applicant you
may apply for special selection over other candidates for this
position. To be well-qualified and exercise selection priority for this
vacancy, displaced Federal employees must be rated at 85 or above on
the rating criteria for this position. CTAP and ICTAP eligibles must submit the following as proof of eligibility for the special selection priority:

• A copy of your certificate of expected separation, reduction-in-force notice, or other documentation which establishes you are being or have been displaced
  from a Federal position AND
• A copy of your most recent performance appraisal demonstrating a rating of at least fully successful or equivalent (Note: this is required unless you are
  an CTAP/ICTAP eligible due to compensable injury, illness, or
  disability) AND
• A copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) or other official documentation which shows the position you may be or are being
  separated from has the same or higher promotion potential as that of
  the vacancy, your duty location, and that you are serving as a career
  or career conditional competitive service employee in tenure group 1 or
  2, OR are a current or former Executive Branch agency employee in the
  excepted service serving on an appointment without time limit, at grade
  levels GS-15 or equivalent and below, and who has been conferred
  non-competitive appointment eligibility and special selection priority
  by statute for positions in the competitive service

OR

• A Military Department or National Guard Bureau notification that shows you are receiving a special disability retirement from the US Office of
  Personnel Management under 5 U.S.C. 8337(h) or 8456 AND
• Official documentation which shows your duty location and the position you may be or are being separated from has the same or higher promotion
  potential as that of the vacancy

More information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility may be found at 5 CFR 330

Once the application process is complete, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine if
you are qualified for this job. The numeric rating you receive is based
on your responses to the questionnaire. The score is a measure of the
degree to which your background matches the knowledge, skills, and
abilities required for this position.  If, after reviewing your resume
and or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have
inflated your qualifications and or experience, you may lose
consideration for this position.  Please follow all instructions
carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Your
qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies
(knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

• Conflict Resolution
• Oral Communication
• Written Communication
• Policies and Procedures

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Benefits and Other Info

The Federal government offers a number of exceptional benefits to its employees. This link provides an overview of the benefits currently offered to Federal employees. http://www.usajobs.gov/EI/benefits.asp

If you are a veteran with preference eligibility and you are claiming 5-points veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, you must also submit an SF-15, "Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference" plus the proof required by that form. For more information on veterans’ preference see http://www.usajobs.gov/veteranscenter

Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see http://www.sss.gov/ ).

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): For information on how to apply as an ICTAP eligible see http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp#ictap. To be well-qualified and exercise selection priority for this vacancy, displaced Federal employees must be rated at 85 or above on the rating
criteria for this position.

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How To Apply

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

1. Your Résumé
2. A complete Assessment Questionnaire
3. Other supporting documents:
         - Veterans Preference Documentation, if applicable 
         - College transcript(s), if qualifying based on education
         - SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applying as a status candidate with current or 

           former Federal service)

The complete Application Package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on Sunday, May 23, 2010.

To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the assessment questionnaire. Please
ensure you click the Submit My Answers button at the end of the process.

Note: To return to a previously Saved or Incomplete application you may use the following link: https://applicationmanager.gov/.

To fax supporting documents you are unable to upload, complete this cover page http://staffing.opm.gov/pdf/usascover.pdf using the following Vacancy ID: PH321774.   Fax your documents to 1-478-757-3144 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1-478-757-3144      end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

If you cannot apply online:
1. Click the following link to view and print the assessment questionnaire View Occupational Questionnaire, and
2. Print this 1203FX form to provide your response to the assessment questionnaire http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdfimage/opm1203fx.pdf and
3. Fax the completed 1203FX form along with any supporting documents to 1-478-757-3144 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1-478-757-3144      end_of_the_skype_highlighting. Your 1203FX will serve as a cover page for your fax transmission.

The following documents are required and must be received by the closing date of this announcement:

1. Your Résumé
2. A complete Assessment Questionnaire
3. Other supporting documents:
         - Veterans Preference Documentation, if applicable 
         - College transcript(s), if qualifying based on education
         - SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applying as a status candidate with current or former Federal service)

MIDWEST SERVICES BRANCH Phone: (816)426-5706 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (816)426-5706      end_of_the_skype_highlighting Email: kansascity@opm.gov

Agency Information: Philadelphia Services Branch Call or e-mail us with your questions Thank You, MO 00000 USA

Once the online questionnaire is received you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. Based upon your score, you may be referred to the hiring official. If
your name is referred to the hiring official, you may be contacted
directly by that office for a possible interview. You will receive
notice via email or by mail, if no email address was provided by you
during the application process, once this process is completed
(generally 4-6 weeks).