Supervisory Education Program Specialist

This position serves as a Supervisory Education Program Specialist in the Monitoring and State Improvement Planning Division, Office of Special Education Programs, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services at the Department of Education. This position supervises staff and performs professional work supporting the administration of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act formula grant programs, including knowledge of Federal grants management and fiscal requirements.

APPLICATION LIMIT : This vacancy announcement is limited to the first 200 applications received and will close at 11:59PM Eastern Time on the day that we receive the 200 applications, or at 11:59PM Eastern Time on the listed closing date, whichever occurs first. We encourage you to read this entire vacancy announcement prior to submitting your application.

As a Supervisory Education Program Specialist, GS-1720-15, you will be responsible for: Serving as a nationally recognized expert and providing professional leadership and guidance to department and outside officials in planning, developing, evaluating and implementing educational programs. Providing analytical support and advice on short- and long-range priorities, strategies and policies, including the development and assessment of innovative approaches and the impact of major legislative and administrative actions.

Advising officials on program plans and priorities that are fundamentally significant in establishing, meeting and evaluating mission objectives, policies, and overall program goals. Developing a range of alternatives for the solution of policy problems. Maintaining ongoing communication and partnerships with offices across the federal government to support OSEP in effectively implementing its discretionary and formula grant programs and meeting program goals and outcomes.

Supervising professional staff to ensure that they are held accountable for high-quality results. Maintaining a work environment that fosters innovation and continuous improvement and has processes and procedures in place that support efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability.

Minimum Qualification Requirements You may meet the minimum qualifications for the GS-15, if you possess the specialize experience and education. Specialized Experience for the GS-15 One year of experience in either federal or non-federal service that is equivalent to at least a GS-14 performing two (2) out of three (3) of the following duties or work assignments:

1. Experience in the implementing programs funded under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) including recommending improvements to program implementation and grant monitoring.
2. Experience establishing priorities and implementing procedures for grant programs, including applying Federal fiscal requirements affecting early intervention or special education program at the national, state or local level.
3. Experience implementing major education program; providing technical guidance to Federal, State, or local education officials on the planning development, implementation or evaluation of education programs. OR EDUCATION (see EDUCATION SECTION of the vacancy announcement) Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): The quality of your experience will be measured by the extent to which you possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs). You do not need to provide separate narrative responses to these KSAs, as they will be measured by your responses to the occupational questionnaire (you may preview the occupational questionnaire by clicking the link at the end of the Evaluations section of this vacancy announcement).
4. Knowledge of the statutory and regulatory provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and its implementation.
5. Knowledge of early intervention and special education programs including grant administration and providing consultation to improve outcomes for children with disabilities and their families.
6. Skills in collaborating with others to implement grant programs and support systems that serve children with disabilities and their families.
7. Skills in setting clear expectations and standards for staff and addressing performance concerns in a timely manner.
8. Skills in analyzing program and policy issues evaluating alternatives and developing innovative solutions to program challenges.

This position has a positive education requirement. Basic Requirements: A. Degree: that included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester hours in a field related to the work of the position to be filled, of which at least 9 semester hours must have been in education courses. OR B. Combination of education and experience -- at least 24 semester hours in a field related to the work of the position to be filled, of which at least 9 semester hours must have been in education courses, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

The experience must reflect the level and kind described in C below. OR C. Four years of experience that demonstrated a thorough understanding of the principles and practices underlying the work of this series. This experience must have been of such character and diversity to demonstrate that the applicant possesses an understanding of the field comparable to that normally acquired through successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university.

OR D. At least 1 full academic year of professional teaching experience. This experience is defined as full and primary responsibility, under general supervision, for instruction of assigned students in an accredited school or institution. This includes responsibility for preparing and presenting lessons and for evaluating students' progress, including a determination of the students' success or failure according to established criteria.

Serving in an assistant capacity to a professor without the authority to determine the students' success or failure to meet course requirements does not meet this criterion. Foreign Education: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States.

It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must submit a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, please click Foreign Education .