Supervisory Copyright Specialist (Licensing)

About the role

The Library of Congress shares its vast collections of books, manuscripts, photographs, maps, audiovisual materials, and priceless artifacts to cultivate curiosity and spark imagination. We engage, inspire, and inform Congress and the American people with a universal and enduring source of knowledge and creativity.

We seek highly talented professionals to join a vibrant and collaborative community. Your work here will have lasting impact on the Library and its users well into the future.

What you will do

• This position is located in the Licensing Section, Financial Management Division, Office of the Assistant Register and Director of Operations, Copyright Office.
• The incumbent serves as the Head of the Information Unit for the Copyright Licensing Section, carrying direct supervisory oversight of the Licensing Information Unit.
• Key responsibilities include developing the Section's public affairs program and creating diverse informational materials of a legal and non-legal nature to educate the public and specialized interest groups on the policies, programs, and activities of the Licensing Section as well as the statutory licensing provisions of the Copyright Act.
• As the Head, Licensing Information Unit, you will: Coordinate, plan, and direct the work programs and staffing operations of the Information Unit, supervising a group of employees performing work at the GS-11 level and below who are engaged in accepting, processing, and examining statutory license statements of account.
• Monitor production reports, analyzes workflows, and resolves operational problems to ensure the continuous effectiveness of the Unit, taking or recommending decisive corrective actions as necessary.
• Provide administrative and technical supervision to ensure the successful accomplishment of all unit work.
• Explain complex work requirements, methods, and procedures to staff, providing targeted instructions on unique or highly technical assignments.
• Plan, develop, and lead strategic outreach and stakeholder engagement initiatives that advance the broader organizational objectives of the Licensing Section.
• Establish and maintain strong partnerships with external organizations and key stakeholders, allowing the incumbent to expand public awareness of licensing programs and frameworks.
• Serve as the principal advisor to the Licensing Section Chief on external outreach initiatives, stakeholder engagement opportunities, and emerging industry trends impacting licensing programs.
• Prepare presentations, and talking points for the Licensing Chief and senior leadership related to outreach activities and stakeholder engagement efforts.
• Serve as a program manager for assigned organizational initiatives, providing rigorous leadership throughout the life cycle of projects, including planning, development, deployment, and evaluation, with a specific focus on Licensing ECS as it relates to Information Unit activities.
• Serve as a backup product owner regarding the strategic planning, design, and deployment of Licensing ECS, specifically driving the development of workflows and user stories, participating in grooming sessions, and actively engaging in user acceptance testing to ensure public-facing user interfaces and internal features accurately align with Information Unit workflows and business requirements.
• Direct the statutory license public relations and informational activities of the Licensing Section, maintaining primary accountability for the development and modernization of the Licensing Section website to maximize public access via the internet.
• Conduct regular surveys of Licensing Section stakeholders and develops special programs such as web-based training for industry stakeholders.
• Direct the design, technical revision, and modernization of all licensing information services, official circulars, forms, and instructional documents, ensuring high-quality online availability.
• Develop, test, and refine comprehensive system frameworks and technical requirements to transition all manual licensing forms to automated electronic filing mechanisms.
• Conduct systematic and periodic evaluations of Licensing Information Unit program goals and objectives to ensure optimal alignment on organizational mission targets.
• Oversee core unit workflows, which encompasses handling public and stakeholder inquiries, processing statutory licensing documentation, managing official public records, and distributing informational resources regarding statutory licenses.
• Revise and develop unit standard operating procedures, and enhances overall program efficiency, while clearly defining authority to preclude any overlap of supervisory roles with other Licensing units.
• Compile production statistics for various reports.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• The position description number for this position is 471367.
• The salary range indicated reflects the locality pay adjustments for the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan area.
• The incumbent of this position will work a flexitime work schedule.
• This is a supervisory, non-bargaining unit position.
• Relocation expenses will not be authorized for the person(s) selected under this vacancy announcement.

Requirements

• Conditions of Employment The Supervisor leads his/her staff toward meeting the Library's vision, mission, and goals by acting decisively, leveraging diversity and inclusiveness, demonstrating flexibility and resilience, fostering continuous improvement and innovation, and fostering integrity and honesty.
• To view the Library's Supervisory Core Competencies click the following link: Supervisor Core Competencies Library of Congress employees are prohibited from using illegal drugs, including marijuana.
• The Library is part of the Federal Government and abides by federal law, so regardless of individual state or District of Columbia laws, marijuana use is illegal, considered criminal activity, and can affect your employment at the Library.
• In addition, past or current drug use and activities (e.g., selling or distributing) may deem you ineligible for employment.

How you will be evaluated

The Library of Congress evaluates applicants through an applicant questionnaire and a structured interview. Applicants may also be screened for some jobs through licensing, certification, and/or education requirements, a narrative/application review, and/or a preliminary telephone interview.

The knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) that are marked with a double asterisk (**) in the vacancy announcement and the applicant questionnaire are considered the most critical for a position.

To be considered for final selection, applicants must demonstrate fully acceptable experience in these designated KSAs in the narrative/application review, preliminary telephone and/or full structured interview.

The various assessment tools listed above are designed to verify or explore applicants' experience, knowledge, and training directly related to the job in order to identify the best qualified applicants for selection. Are you a veteran?

Please indicate the type of veterans' preference you are claiming in your application materials and/or applicant profile and provide the appropriate supporting documentation to validate your claim. Those applying for 5-point preference must submit Member Copy 4 of your DD 214.

Those applying for 10-point preference must fill out an SF-15 (click here for the form) and provide the required documentation listed on the back of the form. If required supporting documentation is not attached, Veterans' Preference will not be considered in the application process. You may preview questions for this vacancy.

Documents you must provide

• Current or former federal employees must submit their most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50 or equivalent).
• Applicants with disabilities may be considered under special hiring procedures and must submit an appropriate certificate of eligibility when applying for this position.
• The proof or disability/certification may be issued by the State Vocational Rehabilitation Office, Disability Services or Career Services office of the applicant's college or university, or the Department of Veterans Affairs.
• The letter must verify that the applicant has a severe disability and must be dated within three years of the date of the application.
• The program does not accept certification from health care providers.
• For more information contact the Library's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity at *** or email ***.
• FAILURE TO SUBMIT YOUR CERTIFICATION WILL CAUSE YOUR APPLICATION TO NOT BE CONSIDERED UNDER THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT PROGRAM.

What to expect next

Please review our evaluation process under Evaluation. You may check the status of your application for this position at any time by logging onto the USAJOBS "My USAJOBS" tab and clicking on "My Applications." You will receive final notification via e-mail when the vacancy has been filled.

Additional information

Although it is the Library's policy to afford the maximum pay benefit to employees when setting rates of pay, a new appointee who has had no previous Federal service will generally be paid at step one of the grade. The Library of Congress is an equal opportunity employer. All who meet the eligibility requirements are encouraged to apply.

Applicants must submit a complete application package that is received by the closing date of this announcement.

This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please email ***. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Applicants with disabilities may be considered under special hiring procedures and must submit an appropriate certificate of eligibility when applying for this position.

The proof or disability/certification may be issued by the State Vocational Rehabilitation Office, Disability Services or Career Services office of the applicant's college or university, or the Department of Veterans Affairs. The letter must verify that the applicant has a severe disability and must be dated within three years of the date of the application.

Certification from health care providers are not accepted. For more information contact the Library's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity at *** or email ***.

FAILURE TO SUBMIT YOUR CERTIFICATION WILL CAUSE YOUR APPLICATION TO NOT BE CONSIDERED UNDER THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT PROGRAM.

The Library of Congress is the national library of the United States and is part of the Legislative Branch of the Federal government. As such, all positions are in the excepted service. Appointment/retention is subject to a favorable evaluation of an appropriate personnel security/suitability investigation.

For more information, please see: *** The Library reserves the right to fill a lesser or greater number of vacancies indicated during the life of this vacancy announcement.

Initial permanent appointments to the Library of Congress require completion of a one-year probationary period. In addition, per Library of Congress Regulation 9-532, an appointee or internal selectee is subject to a one-year supervisory probationary period if this is their first supervisory/managerial position at the Library of Congress.

Probationary periods served at other Federal agencies do not count toward this requirement. The Library of Congress may offer repayment for all or part of federally insured student loans. However, not all service units within the Library of Congress participates in the repayment of federally insured student loans.

Therefore, determination to repay a federally insured student loan is subject to approval by the appropriate service unit. The selected applicant may be required to file a financial disclosure statement with the House of Representatives, U.S. Congress, in accordance with the provisions of Public Law 95-521, Ethics in Government Act of 1978.