Investigation and Inquiries Specialist

Duties

The primary purpose of the Investigation and Inquiries Specialist, GS-1801-9/11, is to provide a variety of specialized technical and investigative work associated with Complaints, Review, and Oversight functions within a state level IG office. Further, this position will serve as a specialist on both Army and Air issues at the State level and provide support to the State IG in investigating and resolving both Army and Air IG issues.

Qualifications

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies:

• Information Analysis
• Information Gathering
• Interpersonal Skills
• Material Management

General Experience: Must have an understanding of the basic principles and concepts of the occupational series and grade.

Investigation and Inquiries Specialist, GS-1801-09 (Trainee): Must have 24 months experience within the definitions of laws, regulations, and policies; Experience with military inspection programs and basic understanding of military missions, service structures, capabilities, and organizational functions; Experience in applying analytical/evaluative techniques to analyze the self-assessment program plans; Experience in developing training materials and instructing others in the basic IG program elements, activities and procedures; Experience in conducting interviews, reading reviews, and evaluating situations or conditions; Knowledge of various office automation software programs, to include specific IG forms, tools, and techniques to support office operations to produce a variety of documents such as, letters, reports, spreadsheets, databases, and graphs; Knowledge of IG investigations, understands how to conduct interviews, fact finding projects, and/or complete data analysis; Experience with activities such as, approaching individuals who may be fearful, skeptical, or uncooperative during the questioning process of the investigation; Establishing rapport with different personality types in order to glean appropriate information pertaining to complaints/allegations, and resolving complex problems; Experience in applying conventional methods to gather, analyze, and evaluate information and data, draw conclusions, and recommend appropriate action; Skill in comprehending procedures outlined in IG regulations and directives; Experience in applying them to complete conventional inquiries, complaints, Congressionals, etc.; Experience in communication skills, both written/oral, to prepare comprehensive reports of investigation, responses to congressional staffers, and make presentations to high level management officials; Experience completing assignments and handling problems/deviations in accordance with instructions, policies, previous training or established practices; Experience in interpreting/executing policies using general guidelines and precedents; Experience using learned judgments, initiatives, and resourcefulness in order to modify, adapt, and/or refine broader guidelines to resolve specific complex or intricate issues and problems, research trends and patterns, develop new methods and criteria, or recommended changes to complete the required planning and programming requirements; Experience in comprehending compliance or noncompliance activities; Experience in compiling, reconciling, correlating, or analyzing data from various sources; Experience developing recommendations for overall detailed plans, goals, and objectives for implementation and continued evaluation; Experience in deciding a course of action based on an analysis of the subject and issues involved; Experience in exercising versatility, judgment, and perceptions to understand interrelationships among different strategies, activities, and laws or requirements; Experience in making recommendations for work refinement methods and techniques for resolution of deficiencies or issues; Experience in the assessment of productivity, effectiveness, and efficiency of program operations and efforts to analyze a variety of conventional problems; Knowledge of service operations to affect the adequacy of complex systems, programs, and strategic planning efforts and in identifying criteria to measure and/or predict the execution of organizational goals or program objectives; Experience in identifying and developing ways to resolve problems, implementing corrective actions and providing realistic data for leadership to improve operational mission plans; Experience in meeting with senior military/civilian leadership, high-ranking managers.

Investigation and Inquiries Specialist, GS-1801-11: Must have 36 months experience in technical inspection methods, principles and practices in order to recognize and resolve discrepancies; Experience in modifying established approaches, methods, or procedures to improve data gathering and analysis techniques; Experience in working with pertinent laws, regulations, policies, and precedents which affect the use of the IG Programs; Experience related to IG programs that supported missions, identified capabilities, organizational structures, operational applications and operational techniques; Knowledge and skills to apply analytical and evaluative methods and techniques to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of operations; Experience in determining or designing actions to improve operational, technical, or administrative plans and programs; Experience in military command structures, missions, programs, and organizational relationships; Experience in developing inspector general program goals and objectives; Experience in establishing the sequence and timing of key operational events and milestones, and methods of evaluating the effectiveness of planning actions, as related to actual events; Knowledge and skill in working various command entities involved in overall planning and execution of operations, inspections, and evaluations; Skill in designing and planning difficult or comprehensive programs, advanced report writing; Experience in developing solutions to portions of broad, important, and critical NG concerns, issues, or congressional matters; Skill in the ability to plan, organize, and develop projects; make recommendations on substantive operating programs; and negotiate effectively with others to accept and implement recommendations where the proposals involve substantial resources; Experience in adapting precedents or existing strategies to meet unusual needs, special demands, and determine feasible solutions to meet mission requirements; Experience providing general administrative direction and establishing broad objectives for inspection planning; Skill in executing inspections, new programs, and, skilled in developing, interpreting, and implementing IG program policies; Experience in planning and organizing assigned programs, estimating unit resources, capabilities, and objectives; and, coordinating with staff and line management personnel to resolve conflicts; Experience conducting and completing phases of assigned projects including informing supervisors of potentially controversial findings, issues, or problems with widespread impact; Experience in completing projects, evaluations, or reports; Knowledgeable of organizational goals, guidelines, and effectiveness required to achieve intended objectives; Experience in the use of judgment, initiatives, and resourcefulness in deviating from established methods to modify, adapt, and/or refine broader guidelines to resolve specific complex or intricate issues and problems; Experience in identifying research trends and patterns, developing new methods and criteria, or recommending changes to complete the required planning and programming requirements; Experience consisting of plans and programs that require analysis of interrelated issues of effectiveness, efficiency, productivity, and developing recommendations to resolve issues and problems; Competencies in developing recommendations for overall detailed plans, goals, and objectives for implementation and evaluation of the program; Experience in addressing issues, problems or concepts and skilled in observations and analysis projections; Experiences including addressing difficult and sensitive issues based on variations in the nature of the processes evaluated, the diverse missions of the units assigned, and resource limitations; Experience in compiling, reconciling, and correlating data from a various sources, separate service programs, and integral record systems;

Education

Experience in researching, cross-checking information, analyzing, and interpreting data to obtain accurate and relevant information; Skill in presenting recommendations/proposals for refining work methods/techniques for resolution of deficiencies/issues; Skill in productivity, effectiveness, and efficiency of program operations; Skill in analyzing uncommon/conventional problems in service activities; Knowledge of organizational operations to affect the adequacy of complex systems, programs, and strategic planning efforts and identifying criteria to measure and/or predict the execution of program or organizational goals and objectives; Experience identifying/developing ways to resolve problems, implement corrective actions and to provide realistic data for leadership; Experience/skill in collecting information, documenting data to substantiate and validate findings, facts, or violations of government policies, procedures, and instructions; Skill in negotiating with those who resist responding or cooperating, due to issues as organizational conflict, competing objectives, or limited resources; Skill in influencing managers or other staff officials to accept and implement findings or recommendations; Competent to meet with senior military/civilian leadership, high-ranking managers/commanders, staff judge advocate, higher headquarters IG representatives, other military service IG representatives, other statutory IG representatives, or other external: reps of the local community and private support organizations, state/local government authorities, or attorneys on an ad-hoc basis.

TRAINEE POSITION: Applicants not meeting full qualifications for the GS-11 position indicated above may be considered for GS-09 trainee, if qualified. Statement-of-Difference of qualification requirements for each are indicated. If appointed as trainee, the selectee may be non-competitively promoted to
GS-11 upon meeting full qualifications and recommendations of supervisor.