Program Analyst (Performance)

Job Description

Duties

The Program Analyst (Performance) serves as the lead analyst for performance on a team charged with devising and developing detailed plans, goals, and objectives for the long-range implementation and administration of major Peace Corps activities as required by the GPRA Modernization Act of 2010. The work entails leading the effort to establishing, writing, and managing the agency’s strategic plan and annual required performance reporting/planning, including collaborating with teams across the agency on developing strategic objectives and performance goals, monitoring the performance of existing objectives and goals, and meeting requirements related to the Annual Performance Review and Annual Performance Plans as required by A-11. The Program Analyst will be responsible for developing, analyzing, and maintaining complex datasets; reporting performance results and operational data to internal and external audiences through various technologies; and collaborating with organizational units to identify agency goals and performance indicators and develop strategies for improving the operations of the agency. The Program Analyst (Performance) is also responsible for leading the agency’s strategic foresight work.

Help Requirements Conditions of Employment

Please read this announcement in its entirety prior to submitting your application.

• You must be a U.S. Citizen.
• You must be at least 18 years of age.
• All Federal employees are required to have federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
• If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so. For additional information, see www.sss.gov.
• You must complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.
• You must go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form I-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S. These documents must be unexpired originalor certified copies.
• You must successfully complete a background security investigation with favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet this requirement will be grounds for employment termination.
• Prior to employment, and in compliance with statutes 5 USC 3322 and 22 USC 2507b, Peace Corps will conduct a check of Peace Corps records for both Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and former Peace Corps employees.
• All new employees are required to certify and submit a state of understanding acknowledging adherence to the Peace Corps condition of employment prior to day 1 of employment with the Peace Corps.
• This position requires a public trust background investigation.
• This is not a bargaining unit position.
• A one-year probationary period is required.

Qualifications

All qualification requirements must be met by 08/06/2024 (the closing date of the announcement). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. To ensure full credit for your experience, please indicate the start and end dates (month, day, and year) of employment, the number of hours worked per week, and the location of employment in your resume. Qualification claims will be subject to verification.

Specialized Experience:

This vacancy is being announced at two grade level(s):

Specialized Experience at the FP-4 (GS-11): To be minimally qualified for this position at the FP-4 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower level in the normal line of progression, FP-5 or GS-9 level which is in or directly related to the line of work of the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience includes: Knowledge and skill in applying analytical and evaluative methods and techniques to issues or studies concerning federal agency strategic planning and Performance Improvement Program; (2) Knowledge of pertinent laws, regulations, policies and precedents which affect federal agency long range goals and objectives; (3) Knowledge and skill in adapting analytical techniques and evaluation criteria to the measurement and improvement of program effectiveness and/or organizational productivity; (4) Skill in conducting analyses of complex functions and work processes; and (5) Interpersonal skills in presenting recommendations and negotiating solutions to disputed recommendations.

~OR~

FP-04 (GS-11): PhD or equivalent doctoral degree OR 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree OR LL.M. in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the work of the position.

Specialized Experience at the FP-3 (GS-13): To be minimally qualified for this position at the FP-3 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower level in the normal line of progression, FP-4 or GS-11 level which is in or directly related to the line of work of the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience includes: (1) Mastery of a wide range of qualitative and/or quantitative methods for the agency’s performance improvement and measurement processes; (2) Comprehensive knowledge of the range of policies, regulations, and precedents applicable to the administration of federal agency long range goals and objectives; (3) Knowledge of agency program goals and objectives to conduct agency-level program evaluations and provide stewardship and governance of data; and (4) Skill in conducting detailed analyses of complex functions and work processes.

~OR~
FP-04 (GS-11): PhD or equivalent doctoral degree OR 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree OR LL.M. in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the work of the position.

~OR~

A combination of education and experience

~AND~

Time-in-Grade (TIG) Requirements:

Current or Formal Federal employees, including current Peace Corps employees, must meet applicable TIG requirements to be considered eligible. To meet TIG for positions above the FP-09 (GS-05) grade level, you must have served at least one year (52 weeks) at the next lower grade (or equivalent) in the normal line of progression for the position to which you are applying.

All current or former Federal employees (including internal employees) must provide a copy of their SF-50 (you may need to submit more than one), “Notice of Personnel Action” that indicates proof of status and time-in-grade eligibility. The SF-50 must include your position, title, series, grade, step, tenure, and type of service (Competitive or Excepted).

Please note:

• If qualifying based on education or a combination of education and experience, please review the “Education” section of this announcement.
• Past experience that satisfies the Specialized Experience MUST be well documented within your resume. Failure to provide this information in your resume with corresponding start and end dates (month, day, and year) of employment, the number of hours worked per week, and location of employment may result in disqualification from further consideration.
• Specialized Experience may have been gained in the public sector, private sector, or through volunteer work done with National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) or other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social).
• One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis.
• Additional information on 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.
• Peace Corps employees are employed using the Foreign Personnel (FP) pay scale. The FP pay plan does not follow the same structure as the GS pay plan. In the FP pay plan, as the grade-level numbers decrease the level/pay for the position increases. The FP-09 is the lowest entry-level grade and the FP-01 is the highest senior-level grade.

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Transcripts can be official or unofficial.

A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages.

Education must be accredited by an institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be used towards qualifications. Therefore, applicants must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by recognized institutions. Applicants can verify accreditation at this website.

Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

About the Organization

The Peace Corps shares a unique relationship with the countries and people our community has worked alongside in pursuit of world peace and friendship for more than 60 years bringing together skilled, committed volunteers with welcoming host communities for service opportunities in more than 60 countries. Volunteers live and work side by side with community members on locally prioritized projects, building relationships, exchanging cultures and knowledge, and helping transform lives.

Come work alongside motivated and engaged employees who are passionate about the Peace Corps' mission of promoting peace and friendship. The Peace Corps provides professional development opportunities, fosters a diverse and inclusive workplace, and supports work-life balance. Be part of a team that supports volunteers and host communities across the globe.

Top Three Reasons to Work for the Peace Corps:

1. The Peace Corps has a unique global mission, perhaps the best of any federal agency-to promote peace and friendship.
2. Benefits include competitive salaries with annual step increases as opposed to the General Schedule, which has longer waiting periods between step increases.
3. Peace Corps employees earn non-competitive eligibility after three years of service. The Cornell Law School's site offers more information about NCE.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Applications will be reviewed once the vacancy announcement closes. We use a multi-step process to review and evaluate applicants:

1. Eligibility and Minimum Qualifications

We will review your submitted resume and documents to determine if you meet the eligibility and minimum qualification requirements, including any required education, experience, and/or selective placement factors. You will be rated as ineligible if you are outside of the area of consideration (i.e., who may apply) or your application is missing any required documents. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated or falsified your qualifications, education, eligibility claims, and/or experience, this is cause for disqualification. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility. You will be rated as not qualified if you do not possess the minimum qualification requirements.

2. Rating and Ranking

If you are found to meet both the eligibility and minimum qualification requirements, we will assess the quality of your experience and the extent to which you possess the required experience by comparing your submitted resume and documents against your responses to the occupational questionnaire and the specialized experience at the grade level(s) for which you are applying. The occupational questionnaire is the list of questions in the automated system that you will have an opportunity to answer once you apply for the position. Based on the outcome of this evaluation, you will be assigned a numerical score (out of 100 possible). If your responses to the occupational questionnaire are not substantiated by your submitted resume, you may be disqualified from receiving further consideration.

3. Referral and Selection

If you are found to be amongst the most highly qualified applicants, you will be referred to the selecting official. As part of the assessment and selection process, the selecting official may invite you to participate in a structured interview, check your references, and/or request that you submit a writing sample or complete a written assessment or exercise to further evaluate your qualifications for this position.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

• Information Technology Research and Development
• Performance Measurement
• Project Management

You may preview the questionnaire for this vacancy here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12428608 Help Required Documents

Your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which establish your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide any of these documents, your application will be marked as incomplete and disqualified from further consideration.

All required documents listed below, that are applicable to you, must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on 08/05/2024 (the closing date of this announcement).

1. Resume: All applicants must submit a detailed resume showing all relevant work experience (paid and unpaid) including job title and duties performed. Your resume must show complete information for each job entry to support your qualifications. The following information must be provided in your resume:

• Full name and address of the employer;
• Official position titles;
• Start and end dates of your prior employment (including month, day, and year);
• Work schedule (part-time, full-time, number of hours if intermittent);
• Number of hours worked per week;
• Salary;
• If you are a current Federal employee or former Federal employee, provide your pay plan, series, and grade level (e.g. GS-0201-09);
• A detailed list of duties & accomplishments; and
• Any completed education and training (program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion date).

TIP: A good way to ensure you include all essential information is to use the Resume Builder in USAJOBS to create your resume. If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete and disqualified from further consideration.

If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, you will not be considered for this vacancy.

2. Proof of Eligibility to Apply: Your application must include the documents which prove you are eligible to apply for the vacancy. You must meet the requirements of at least one of the authorities listed in the "Who May Apply" section of this announcement to receive further consideration.

• SF-50(s): If you are a current or former federal employee (including current Peace Corps employees), you are required to submit a legible copy/copies of a recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action.
  • Time-in-grade documentation: If you are applying for a higher grade and your SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you meet the one year time-in-grade requirement so you will need to provide an SF-50 which clearly demonstrates you meet the time-in-grade requirements. Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade. Examples of appropriate SF-50s include:
    • Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
    • Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
    • SF-50s at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.
• Individuals with Disabilities (IWD): If you are applying using IWD eligibility must provide a Proof of Disability Documentation Letter (commonly referred to as a Schedule A Letter). This letter must be on official stationery/letterhead with an official signature. The letter should clearly state your full name and that you are a person with a disability or targeted disability and are eligible for appointment under Schedule A hiring authority as outlined in 5 CFR Section 213.3102(u). The letter must have been provided by, one of the follow:
  • a licensed medical professional; or
  • a licensed rehabilitation professional; or
  • a federal, state, District of Columbia, or U.S. territory agency that issues or provides disability benefits.
• Peace Corps Eligibility (PCE) documentation of qualifying volunteer service: Applicants claiming PCE are required to submit documentation verifying that you are eligible.
  • In most cases, this will be your Description of Service (DOS). Please include this under the "Proof of Volunteer with PC, VISTA, ACTION etc." document place holder.
  • The following statement must be included in the final paragraph of the signed DOS: This is to certify in accordance with Section 6.0 of Peace Corps Manual Section 285 that (NAME) served satisfactorily as a Peace Corps (Response) volunteer for a full term of service under an appointment of (X) months.
  • PCRVs should also include their Verification of Service letter, which is important retirement and leave documentation.
• Transcripts: If you are using education as a substitute for some or all of the experience requirement or there a basic education requirement for this position, an official or unofficial transcript is required. While unofficial transcripts are acceptable for initial application, official transcript(s) will ultimately be required if you are selected for the position. Check the "Education" section of this announcement for more information.

Help How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 08/05/2024 to receive consideration.

• To begin, click "Apply Online" to create an account or log into your existing USAJOBS account.
• Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package.
• You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, the assessment questionnaire, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. Please ensure you click the "Submit My Answers" button to submit your application.
• It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. HR will not modify answers/documents submitted by an applicant. If more than one resume is received, only the last resume received and processed will be reviewed.
• Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process so please plan appropriately. You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.
• Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center.

To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

Your experience must be fully documented in your resume. See the "Required Documents" section of this announcement for more information on what you must include in your resume. Be clear and specific when describing your experience in your resume. We will not make assumptions regarding your experience.

The Peace Corps is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors.

We are committed to maintaining a diverse and inclusive culture. Our goal is to attract and develop the best and brightest from all lifestyles and backgrounds. The Peace Corps strives to create a culture of inclusion where individuals feel respected and are treated fairly in all aspects of differences. Our commitment is to make a difference in the lives of people around the world.

The Peace Corps provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the hiring process, please notify the Office of Human Resources by calling 202-692-1200 or the Office of Civil Rights and Diversity on 202-692-2139. Decisions on granting reasonable accommodation are made on a case-by-case basis.