This is a Conciliation Specialist position in the Department of Justice, Community Relations Service (CRS). CRS' mission is to provide tension reduction and conflict resolution services to diverse stakeholders to both resolve and prevent community-level disputes. CRS provides facilitated dialogue, mediation, training, and consultation to assist these communities to come together, develop solutions to the conflict, and enhance their capacity to independently prevent and resolve future conflict.

Duties

This job allows telework in accordance with agency policy. The selected applicant will report to their assigned CRS worksite when not teleworking, attending local meetings/events, or on travel. As the federal agency whose mission is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, the Department of Justice is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. To build and retain a workforce that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of the American people, we welcome applicants from the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, religions, and cultures of the United States who share our commitment to public service. As a Conciliation Specialist, you will provide facilitation, mediation, and conciliation services for communities facing conflicts and tensions arising from jurisdictional categories included in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Hate Crimes Prevention Act (HCPA) of 2009, you will mitigate conflicts, and support communities working to prevent or respond to bias incidents and hate crimes committed on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or religion. More specifically: You will provide complex facilitation, mediation, and conciliation services for communities facing conflicts and tensions related to race, color, or nationality, pursuant to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and related to race, color, nationality, LGBTQ status, gender, disability status, or religion, pursuant to the HCPA of 2009. You will complete conflict assessments and develop action plans in order to determine CRS jurisdiction, identify key stakeholders and issues, and to determine appropriateness of CRS services. You will provide training and consultation services to public officials and community representatives and provide them with the skills and mechanisms necessary to prevent and resolve future tensions. You will lead regional projects or initiatives, as assigned by leadership, to improve CRS's ability to deliver services, and ability to anticipate and prevent conflict in jurisdictional communities. You will develop and implement comprehensive outreach plans for each state/location assigned to you that target all jurisdictional communities. You will serve as a mentor to staff by modeling professional behavior. Provides advice regarding mediation, facilitation, conflict resolution practices and procedures, and identifies areas needed for improvement. You will speak at various formal and informal briefings, workshops, and events to provide information on conflict resolution activities and hate crime prevention. You will perform other duties as assigned in accordance and within scope of the position description. The duties listed above are generally written for one grade level. If the position is advertised at multiple grades, the duties will be adjusted in difficulty, complexity, and level of supervision, for higher or lower grades, as appropriate. Organizations may also add other duties as assigned' once you are hired, based on what is included and allowed by the position description.

Requirements

• You must be a United States Citizen or National.
• You will be required to complete a pre-employment security investigation and background check which includes a drug screening.
• You may be required to complete a one-year probationary.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31st 1959. Those not registered should have an approved exemption on file.
• You must meet all eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement and continue to meet these requirements throughout the hiring process. Offers can be rescinded if requirements are not met.
• Additional selections may be made from this announcement, for up to 90 days, if openings occur within the duty location's stated on this announcement.
• COVID vaccination status may be requested for the purposes of implementing workplace safety protocols.
• Physical Demand - You will be required to be active and mobile for long periods during activities, such as demonstrations and responses to civil disturbances.
• Work Condition - You may be subjected to moderate risk, such as dealing with persons who are stressed, hostile, or mentally unstable, and may work in public venues, such as parks, stadiums, or streets.
• A USA Hire assessment is required. An email will be sent with additional information after you submit your application. You will have 48 hours from the closing date of this announcement to complete the assessment.
• Position requires availability for significant and frequent travel, sometimes on short notice for response to high level community tension and/or civil disorder. Generally requires up to 25% travel but may exceed if tensions or conflicts occur.
• The incumbent must possess a valid driver's license and operate government motor vehicles in accordance with all applicable government regulations.

Qualifications

To qualify for the position of Conciliation Specialist, (GS-0101-9/11/12/13), you must meet the basic qualification requirements listed below AND possess the required specialized experience specific to the series and grade you are applying to. Basic Requirement: Degree: Bachelor's degree or higher that included at least 24 semester hours of course work in a major field of study or specific course requirements in the behavioral or social sciences, or a degree in a related discipline appropriate to the position. ( You must have a degree from an accredited college or university that included a major field of study in behavioral or social science; or related disciplines appropriate to the position such as psychology, sociology, anthropology, and conflict/dispute resolution majors. You must submit transcripts to prove completion of four full-years of course study) OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience that included at least 24 semester hours of course work in the behavioral or social sciences that provided the applicant with knowledge of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field. (NOTE: You must provide a copy of your transcripts) OR Experience: Four years of appropriate experience that demonstrated that the applicant has acquired knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field. In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below: To Qualify for the Conciliation Specialist, GS-0101-09, you must have at least one of the following: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service. Your resume must show experience in at least two of the following: Specialized experience is defined as: Performing duties requiring community or cultural awareness; Developing and maintaining positive relationships and trust with community groups such as those relating to race, color, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or disability status; Assisting with the planning and/or implementation of activities that included a conflict resolution topic or goal. OR Education: Master's or equivalent graduate degree; or two full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree; or LL.B. or J.D., if related. OR Combination of Education and Experience: Some specialized experience as described in A, but less than one year; and have more than one year but less than two years of education as described in B. (To compute the percentage, divide your total months of qualifying experience by 12. Then divide your semester hours of graduate education beyond the first year by 18. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify). To Qualify for the Conciliation Specialist, GS-0101-11, you must have at least one of the following: Specialized Experience for GS-0101-11: You must have one year of specialized experience at the GS-09 grade level or equivalent pay band in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is defined as: Evaluating conflicts or the potential for conflicts within communities based on civil rights-related tensions; AND Assisting with facilitation and mediation services to groups with civil rights-related tension. (Examples include conflicts or disputes related to police-community relations; tensions or hate/bias incidents (real or perceived) related to race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, or disability status; or civil rights tensions in educational environments.) OR Education: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position. OR Combination of Education and Experience: 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. Specialized Experience for GS-0101-12: You must have one year of specialized experience at the GS-11 grade level or equivalent pay band in the Federal Service. To qualify at the GS-12 grade, your resume must show experience in at least two of the following: Evaluating conflicts or the potential for conflicts within communities based on civil rights-related tensions. Providing facilitated dialogue, trainings, mediation, or consultation services to community groups experiencing civil rights-related conflicts or tensions. (Examples include conflicts or disputes related to police-community relations; tensions or hate/bias incidents (real or perceived) related to race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, or disability status; or civil rights tensions in educational environments.). Developing positive working relationships with governmental and non-governmental officials, for example, law enforcement officials, community leaders, civil rights organizations, faith-based groups, educational institutions, and/or other community groups. Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For the GS-12 level, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone. No substitution of education for experience is permitted. Specialized Experience for GS-0101-13: You must have one year of specialized experience at the GS-12 grade level or equivalent pay band in the Federal Service. To qualify at the GS-13 grade, your resume must show experience in at least two of the following: Leading trainings, mediation, or consultation services to community groups experiencing civil rights-related conflicts or tensions. (Examples include conflicts or disputes related to police-community relations; tensions or hate/bias incidents (real or perceived) related to race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, or disability status; or civil rights tensions in educational environments.) Developing and maintaining positive working relationships with governmental and non-governmental officials, for example, law enforcement officials, community leaders, civil rights organizations, faith-based groups, educational institutions, and/or other community groups. Conducting and drafting conflict assessments of communities based on civil rights-related tensions and developing recommended agency actions and strategies. For the GS-13 level, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone. No substitution of education for experience is permitted. You MUST meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 04/03/2024Your resume must support your responses to the questionnaire and qualification requirements. Failure to do so may result in an ineligible rating. See the Required Documents section for important notes about what must be included in your resume.

Education

Positive Education Requirements: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0100/social-science-series-0101/

• Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelors or higher degree that included a major field of study in behavioral or social science; or related disciplines appropriate to the position such as psychology, sociology, anthropology and conflict/dispute resolution majors. (Must submit transcripts)
• OR
• Combination of Education and Experience that provided the applicant with knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field. (Must submit transcripts)
• OR
• Four years of appropriate experience that demonstrated that the applicant has acquired knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field. (This must be demonstrated in your resume)

Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that 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 more information about this requirement, please visit the U.S. Department of Education website for Foreign Education Evaluation.

All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.

Contacts

• Address Community Relations Service 2 Constitution Square 145 N Street NE Room 9W.300 Washington, DC 20530 US
• Name: Natalia Kenigsberg
• Email: [email protected]