Supervisory Copyright Specialist (Registration)

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

• The position serves as a Supervisory Copyright Specialist (Registration) within the Office of Registration Policy and Practice, Copyright Office at the Library of Congress.
• The Registration Program is responsible for the examination of copyright claims, the creation of public records, and the issuance of certificates of registration.
• Registration Program staff examine claims, communicate with applicants to resolve registration issues, create public records, refuse to register claims failing to meet the legal and formal requirements, route deposits to the appropriate location, including for the Library of Congress' collections, connect physical deposits with electronic applications, and enter data from paper applications for copyrighted works in accordance with the Copyright Act, 17 U.
• S.C., (sections 408, 409, 410, and 705), mask works (section 908), and vessel designs (sections 1310 and 1315).
• As the Supervisory Copyright Specialist (Registration), you will: Supervise a group of employees performing work up to the GS-12 level.
• Provide administrative and technical supervision relative to the staff supervised.
• Plan work to be accomplished by subordinates, set and adjust short-term priorities, and prepare schedules for completion of work.
• Assign work to subordinates based on priorities, selective consideration of the difficulty and requirements of assignments, and the capabilities of employees.
• Observe workers' performance; demonstrate and conduct work performance critiques.
• Establish guidelines and performance expectations for staff and clearly communicates these through the formal employee performance management system.
• Provide informal feedback and periodically evaluates employee performance.
• Resolve informal complaints and grievances.
• Recommend appointment, promotion, or reassignment and develop work improvement plans, recommend personnel actions as necessary.
• Provide advice and counsel to workers related to work and administrative matters.
• Effect minor disciplinary measures, such as warnings and reprimands, recommending other action in more serious cases.
• Review and approve or disapprove leave requests and certifies time and attendance records for staff.
• Assure that subordinates are trained and fully comply with safety regulations and safeguard sensitive and personally identifiable information (PII) of employees.
• Manage workload and set subordinate priorities in consultation with Division Chief in order to plan the daily and weekly distribution of work and assignments made to staff.
• Equitably assign work in accordance with subordinate members' position, grade, and abilities.
• Perform quality assurance, sampling employee's work to ensure claims were handled appropriately.
• Ensure that registration decisions are correct and that correspondence is accurate and efficient.
• Identify and solve problems dealing with workflow fluctuations in consultation with other supervisors, the Chief, and the Program Office.
• Identify the need for and recommend revisions and changes in workflow practices or procedures.
• Draft and review new practices when requested.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• The position description number for this position is 383926.
• 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.