Supervisory Trade Specialist - SME

Full Job Description

This position is in the Office of Cargo and Commercial Sealift (OCCS), Office of the Deputy Associate Administrator for Commercial Sealift, Office of the Associate Administrator for Strategic Sealift, Maritime Administration (MARAD).The OCCS coordinates and implements programs and projects pursuant to laws and regulations to increase the overall U.

S. flag Merchant Marine participation in the carriage of U. S. waterborne foreign and domestic trade.

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet the specialized experience requirements.

To qualify for the Grade 14, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-13, it must include: Experience directing or facilitating military and civilian federal agency commercial ocean cargo transportation operations OR ensuring the compliance of such with U.S.

maritime shipping laws of such as an experienced Senior or Lead Trade Specialist, importer, exporter, Ocean Transportation Intermediary, attorney, or contracting officer.

Experience analyzing and evaluating ocean shipping and other data to determine compliance with cargo preference laws 46 U.S.C. §§ 55301-55305 and 10 U.S.C.

§ 2631 OR Experience with enforcing or otherwise ensuring compliance with certain Title 46 cabotage laws such as 46 U.S.C.

§§ 55102 and 55103 (also known as the “Jones Act” and “Passenger Vessel Services Act”).

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.

Compliance - Knowledge of procedures for assessing, evaluating, and monitoring programs or projects for compliance with Federal laws, regulations, and guidance Leadership - Influences, motivates, and challenges others; adapts leadership styles to a variety of situations.

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/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4 All applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Major Duties:

As a Supervisory Trade Specialist, you will: Administer the cargo preference laws and regulations, and their application to agencies' current programs as well as future and modified programs, including addressing federal agency and public inquiries regarding operational and logistical issues with international ocean transportation.

Establish and maintain monitoring systems that ensure each shipper reports bill of lading information for each ocean shipment subject to cargo preference laws and cargo preference cargo reports detailing these ocean shipments.

Determine compliance of cargo preference programs and promotes the use of U.S. flag vessels beyond the legal minimum.

Exercise delegated responsibility for position management; selection and assignment of team members; performance evaluation; employee training and development; management-employee communications; employee accountability; leave administration; and safety.

Establish continuous communication with government agencies and vendors generating preference cargo and shippers through training and outreach to ensure agency instructions and regulations.

The ideal candidate for this position has commercial maritime industry employment experience with a U.S.-flag carrier, vessel broker, freight forwarder or other Ocean Transportation Intermediaries (OTI), that involves complying with cargo preference laws and regulations.

The candidate will have knowledge of and experience with cargo preference laws, regulations, and other relevant policy determinations to include Comptroller General and judicial decisions.

Previous supervisory experience is preferred, but not required.