Trade Specialist (Open to both U.S. Citizens and Federal Employees)

Position description

This position is located in the Office of Cargo and Commercial Sealift, Office of the Deputy Associate Administrator for Commercial Sealift, Office of the Associate Administrator for Strategic Sealift, Maritime Administration (MARAD).
 

As a Trade Specialist, you will:

• Liaise with division or office level personnel of government agencies and other shippers generating preference cargo, to assure that the laws and regulations as prescribed by the Act and that they are being met.
• Explain and interpret regulations as they pertain to government agencies’ current programs as well as new and changed programs; address questions surfaced by shippers for both operational and logistical challenges and reporting requirements under cargo preference regulations.
• Maintain a monitoring and surveillance system to ensure that each shipper provides hard or electronic copies of bills of lading for each ocean shipment under its jurisdiction, and, when required, provide periodic reports detailing its ocean shipment plan and non-US flag offers.
• Develop a personal liaison with division or office level managers to assure effective interface in programs involving utilization of US-flag ships and to promote their use over and above the legal minimum.
• Determine the specific information needed to maintain adequate surveillance of shipments; availability of source data; type and frequency of reports to be received; and a system for identifying shipments.

The ideal candidate is an individual with experienced in international maritime trade, international programs, or the promotion or administration of international transportation services. Candidates with experience with or within the maritime industry, or ocean transportation shipments, are ideally suited.

Qualifications

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S.Citizen and eligible for consideration.
• You must meet specialized experience to qualify.
• Required documents must be submitted by the closing date.
• Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service.
• GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD: This position involves travel.  A government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only.
• DRUG TESTING: Tentatively selected candidates are required to undergo urinalysis in accordance with DOT 3910.1D entitled “Drug and Alcohol-Free Departmental Workplace”, which includes testing for marijuana. Marijuana is legal in some states, however it’s still illegal at the federal level. Therefore, if selected for the position you will be required to submit to a pre-employment/pre-appointment drug test, you will also be subject to Random Drug Testing.”
• TELEWORK ELIGIBILITY:  This position may be eligible for occasional and/or regularly scheduled telework. The number of telework days approved will be determined by your immediate supervisor or manager following the agency’s telework policy and guidance. If participating in the telework program, you will be required to sign a telework agreement detailing agency telework policy requirements, working conditions, and expectations for the position.
• PROBATIONARY PERIOD: You must complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).
• TIME-IN-GRADE: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade in the competitive or excepted service in the executive branch to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions contained in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.
• BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: You may be required to complete a background/security investigation and meet preliminary requirements prior to onboarding.
• DEU REQUIREMENTS: Applicants selected under delegated examining procedures may be required to successfully complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).

Qualifications

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must (1) meet the Education Requirement for the series, (2) provide a copy of transcripts for verification, AND (3) meet either the education or experience qualifications for the grade at which you are requesting consideration.

To qualify for the GS-09 on Experience, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-07 it must include:

• Experience in tracking projects, communicating guidance, and/or performing data analysis on shipping records (i.e., import and export) for an
  organization.

To qualify for the GS-09 on Education alone, you must have 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master’s degree or have been awarded a master’s or equivalent graduate degree. You can also qualify based on a combination of graduate education and experience. This must be fully supported by your resume and transcripts, provided with your application.

To qualify for the GS-11 on Experience, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-09 it must include:

• Experience in collecting and reporting on cargo shipping data, working with external organizations to access import and export shipping records, and/or providing guidance on regulatory shipping requirements. Examples may include but are not limited to work experience in shipping, supply chain, logistics, freight forwarding, steamship company or port operations.

To qualify for the GS-11 on Education alone, you must have 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.  You can also qualify based on a combination of higher level graduate education and experience. This must be fully supported by your resume and transcripts, provided with your application.

To qualify for the GS-12 on Experience, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-11 it must include:

• Experience working with external government agencies, organizations, or contractors/sub-contractors to access their import and export shipping records, ensuring regulatory compliance, and serving as a point-of-contact, or liaison, to internal and external stakeholders. (Examples may include but are not limited to senior journeyman level work experience in shipping, supply-chain, logistics, or experience gained in several years of freight forwarding, steamship company or port operations.

You cannot qualify on education at the GS-12 level; you must have experience.
 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:

• Technical competence – Uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or extensive on-the-job experience to perform one’s job; works with, understands, and evaluates technical information related to the job; advises others on technical issues.
• Manages and Organizes Information – Identifies a need; gathers, organizes, and maintains information; determines its importance and accuracy, and communicates it by a variety of methods.

For all types of consideration, 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

For additional information about applying to Federal positions, please click on the following link: https://www.opm.gov/frequently-asked-questions/employment-faq/federal-hiring/how-do-i-apply-for-federal-jobs/

Students enrolled in a qualifying degree program can apply if the anticipated graduation date is within six months of closing date of the announcement. Graduation transcript must be received before start date.

Other applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

Individual Occupational Requirements:

Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study — marketing, business administration, political science, public administration, history, business or commercial law, economics, finance, international trade, or international relations.

Application instructions

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