Senior Compliance Specialist.

About the role

Provides technical expertise on critical and complex enforcement cases ensuring thorough review and sound analysis. Maintains effective communication and strong working relationships with internal partners and external agencies to support coordinated enforcement efforts. Recommends and prepares case referrals to the USDA Office of the General Counsel (OGC) to initiate appropriate legal action. Provides policy guidance and litigation support to OGC ensuring defensible enforcement outcomes. Prepares written complaints, consent decisions, and provides expert testimony to support legally sound enforcement actions. Communicates laws, regulations and policies governing meat, poultry and egg products inspection and enforcement to ensure consistent understanding and application. Independently manages the evaluation and disposition of criminal, civil, and administrative enforcement cases ensuring timely, legally supportable outcomes. Communicates effectively orally and in writing with Agency personnel, the public, and other internal and external stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Determines if enforcement actions are appropriate, supportable and legally defensible.
• Recommends and prepares case referrals to the USDA Office of the General Counsel (OGC) to initiate appropriate legal action.
• Provides policy guidance and litigation support to OGC ensuring defensible enforcement outcomes.
• Prepares written complaints, consent decisions, and provides expert testimony to support legally sound enforcement actions.
• Communicates laws, regulations and policies governing meat, poultry and egg products inspection and enforcement to ensure consistent understanding and application.
• Independently manages the evaluation and disposition of criminal, civil, and administrative enforcement cases ensuring timely, legally supportable outcomes.
• Communicates effectively orally and in writing with Agency personnel, the public, and other internal and external stakeholders.
• Possesses expert knowledge of FMIA, PPIA, EPIA and regulations, policies and directives that govern enforcement and inspection activities.
• Possesses expert, comprehensive knowledge of the food processing, manufacturing, and distribution industry including operational practices and regulatory impacts.

Requirements

• You must be a US Citizen or US National.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• May be required to successfully complete a probationary or trial period, unless previously served.
• Direct Deposit: Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
• If you are newly hired, the documentation you present for purposes of completing the Department Homeland Security (DHS) Form I-9 on your entry-on-duty date will be verified through the DHS "E-VERIFY" system.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check.
• False statements or responses on a resume or application can jeopardize employment and may be grounds for disciplinary action, including removal from Federal service.
• If you are selected, you may need to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) prior to being appointed to determine suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions, specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.

Time in Grade

Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet the time in grade requirement of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled.

Specialized Experience

You must have at least one year of specialized work experience equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service performing duties which include:

• Utilizing meat, poultry, egg, and humane slaughter statutes, regulations, and policies to identify and assess violations warranting enforcement or legal action;
• Leading teams, providing technical guidance, working with due process and procedural requirements to initiate and execute enforcement or legal action;
• Experience with regulated and allied food manufacturing, processing, and distribution industries and food safety, animal and food science, hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP), sanitation standard operating procedure (SSOP), sanitation performance standards (SPS), and pathogen reduction regulations to assess violations and implement actions to improve food safety;
• Conducting investigations, administrative enforcement activities, recall activities, preparing case investigation/administrative enforcement files, assessing and verifying regulatory compliance, and/or documenting statutory and regulatory violations;
• Gathering facts; analyzing factors, relevant issues, and data; identifying noncompliance, violations, or trends; developing corresponding findings and conclusions; and drafting written decision documents, analytical reports, and/or supporting recommended actions through written analysis;
• Communicating with industry officials and their representatives; communicating regulatory/food safety information and/or investigative findings orally to industry and government officials; and drafting written correspondence, reports, and other documents on regulatory, compliance, and enforcement matters.

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 and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Additional information

Selectee must submit to a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment and random testing thereafter. Final appointment and continued employment is conditional on negative results for illegal drug use.