Confidential Assistant

Full Job Description

The U.S.

International Trade Commission provides the President and Congress with high-quality analysis and technical support on international trade, tariff and competitiveness issues; hears and decides unfair import and import injury cases and publishes the U.S.

harmonized tariff schedule. This position is located in the Office of Commissioner Johanson.

The incumbent will provide administrative support to the Commissioner as well as working on special projects on international trade matters.

Minimum Qualifications at each grade level: GS-11: Experience: In order to qualify at the GS-11 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the GS-9 or equivalent level in the Federal service.

Specialized experience is typically demonstrated with experience in administrative office work such as: responding on behalf of a senior staff member or managerial official to inquiries regarding the work of their office which involved detailed knowledge of operations and missions; preparing a variety of correspondence which included the development of standardized responses or editing such to fit a particular task; advanced knowledge of computer software which includes selecting the best application for the task and combining programs to prepare advanced documents and reports; meeting and greeting of executive level or international visitors; serving as a personal assistant to executive level individuals that required maintaining confidences and handling of sensitive information; knowledge of detailed administrative requirements, such as required for the complexity and attention to detail for actions described in the job duties, and experience in dealing with a variety of individuals, including some who may be demanding in their requirements.

OR Education: Three years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or equivalent doctoral degree.

GS-12: In order to qualify at the GS-12 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the GS-11 or equivalent level in the Federal service.

Specialized experience is typically demonstrated through progressively responsible administrative office work such as: independently responding on behalf of a senior staff member or managerial official to inquiries requiring in-depth knowledge of the organization's operations, priorities, and mission; drafting, editing, and tailoring a wide range of correspondence to address specific issues or audiences; utilizing advanced computer software and integrating multiple applications to develop complex documents, reports, and presentations; coordinating and facilitating interactions with executive-level or international visitors; serving as a principal personal assistant to executive-level officials, exercising discretion and maintaining confidentiality of highly sensitive information; and applying comprehensive knowledge of administrative processes to manage competing priorities and resolve issues.

At this level, work is performed with a high degree of independence, including anticipating the needs of leadership, prioritizing tasks, and proactively arranging work to meet organizational objectives.

GS-13: In order to qualify at the GS-13 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the GS-12 or equivalent level in the Federal service.

Specialized experience is typically demonstrated through highly responsible administrative and executive support work such as: serving as a senior advisor or primary point of contact on behalf of executive leadership, responding to complex or sensitive inquiries requiring expert knowledge of organizational operations, policies, and strategic priorities; developing, reviewing, and finalizing high-level correspondence, reports, and briefing materials for executive audiences; applying expert-level proficiency in computer software to integrate systems and produce complex, high-visibility documents and analyses; coordinating high-level engagements with executive, interagency, or international stakeholders; serving as a confidential assistant to senior executive-level officials, exercising exceptional discretion and judgment in handling sensitive and high-impact information; and providing guidance on administrative policies, processes, and workflow improvements.

At this level, work is performed with considerable independence and authority, requiring the anticipation of executive needs, resolution of complex issues, and the ability to influence outcomes and ensure alignment with organizational goals.

Your resume must clearly document this experience. This is a Schedule C position, which does not afford permanent civil service status.

If selected, you will be required to sign a statement that you have been informed of the employment status of this position. Major Duties:

The ideal candidate will be detail-oriented and thorough and able to engage with Commission staff at all levels.

Although not required, an ideal candidate would have an interest in learning about the substantive areas of the Commission's work under Title VII of the Tariff Act of 1930 (e.g.

antidumping and countervailing duty investigations) and under section 332 of the Tariff Act of 1930 for fact finding investigations on international trade and U.S. competitiveness matters.

Due to the level of the organization that this position operates in, you will be required to keep confidences, and you must be able to adjust to changes in direction and perform effectively under pressure.

As Confidential Assistant to the Commissioner, you will manage the Office of the Commissioner.

Responsibilities include managing the calendar and files of the Commissioner, scheduling and organizing meetings and events, booking travel, records management, coordinating office workflow, and assisting the other aides to the Commissioner on administrative matters.

The Confidential Assistant may also be assigned special projects involving research or data collection or be asked to assist the Commissioner's other aides on their work under Title VII or section 332.

There is a high degree of interaction and collaboration with the other Commissioner offices, so the incumbent must have excellent interpersonal skills, diplomacy, and judgment.

The Office of the Commissioner interfaces with all other offices in the agency as well, so the incumbent must be able to work well with all levels of staff, as well as outside stakeholders.

The incumbent maintains National Security Information, handles confidential business information, and may assist the Commissioner in sensitive matters; therefore, the incumbent must keep confidences and exercise discretion.

The incumbent must be detail-oriented, thorough, well-organized, a self-starter, and responsive to the needs of the office.

The incumbent must be able to adjust to changes in direction and perform effectively under pressure.

The incumbent may be assigned special projects involving research, data collection or assisting the Commissioner's other aides with mission work under Title VII and section 332, the ideal candidate will have an interest in and aptitude to perform or learn these tasks based on instruction and guidance provided by the Commissioner's other aides.

Candidates that possess an interest in or relevant experience in economics or international trade matters are a plus.

The incumbent will utilize information technology such as Microsoft Office applications and therefore must have experience using these applications.

The incumbent will also use systems and databases to process travel, timekeeping and other administrative matters for the office and must be knowledgeable about or have a demonstrated ability to learn these systems and applications.