• Incumbent serves as a key NCD (National Council on Disability) liaison with Members of Congress and their staffs, providing or arranging for authoritative and informative testimony and responses to Congressional inquiries about NCD policy publications and position statements on issues surfacing within the disability community which have been raised to the Congressional level. Incumbent regularly conducts congressional policy briefings.
• Similarly, serves as liaison with federal, state, tribal, and local government organizations and other NCD stakeholders to provide briefings or to arrange for other contacts for the NCD staff and/or Council for purposes of promoting, evaluating, or developing feedback about federal policies affecting the disability community.
• Assists members of the Council and NCD staff by providing training and advice on best available techniques, protocols or methodologies for interacting and engaging Members of Congress (both in the House and the Senate), Committee Chairs and Committee members and their staff representatives; representatives of state and local governments; and, representatives of other federal agencies and stakeholders.
• Incumbent works with the NCD policy staff and/or Council members to prepare them to provide either written or oral testimony before Congress.  Responds to information requests from state and local governments and advocacy groups on NCD legislative and/or other related regulatory and program activities and accomplishments.
• Develops various legislative affairs materials, such as legislative analyses, leave-behind sheets, website report landing page text, speeches, moderation prompts for panel presentations, key talking points for reports and/or speeches, legislative and regulatory updates, budget analyses, original writing and academic research for agency policy publications, and other materials and products for use by Presidential and Congressional appointees and professional staff of NCD.
• Drafts NCD position letters on legislation, regulation, and other related activity based upon NCD’s lengthy history of policy research.
• Reviews, tracks and analyzes proposed and introduced legislation and regulatory or program implementation actions or issues of consequence to people with disabilities.
• Provide time sensitive reports and real-time notification to NCD staff and Council members as major initiatives/actions develop.
• Performs in-depth analyses of laws, programs, and policies relevant to the disability community and recommends areas in which NCD should consider legislative or regulatory positions or initiatives.
• Carefully reviews and provides written analysis and summaries of proposed budgets of the President and the U.S. Congress, regarding their effect on existing programs and agencies on which people with disabilities rely.
• Tracks and alerts Council and staff of Congressional hearings of importance to the disability community prior to their occurrence, and identifies strategic opportunities for NCD involvement, including submissions to the written record. Incumbent works with members of the policy staff to implement NCD proposals.
• Carefully source- and fact-checks material used in conjunction with NCD policy publications drafted by incumbent or by a contractor on behalf of the agency. Tracks legislative amendments to bills of interest to the agency and considers importance and implications of the changes, raising opportunities to weigh in to the attention of agency leadership for consideration."
• Respond to Congressional inquiries and constituent concerns. Incumbent collaborates with the NCD Public Affairs Specialist to provide regular updates on legislative and regulatory action to stakeholders.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 level in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization to qualify at the GS-14 level.  Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: 1. Experience working with disability laws and regulations; including policies, goals and priorities. 2. Ability to independently communicate orally and in writing to present briefings or provide oral or written testimony on issues relating to the disability community, to Members of Congress, their staffs, and agency officials at all levels (Federal and State).  3. Ability to  respond appropriately to the media, Congress, other federal agencies, state and local governments, private sector and non-profit organizations on NCD’s work.  4. Ability and experience using Excel and power-point slides to prepare formal presentations.

OTHER EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS: TIME-IN-GRADE (TIG) Restrictions for GS Positions:  Applicants must have served at least 52 weeks at the GS-13 or higher grade within the Federal Civil Service or equivalent in an alternate pay system) to be considered for (referral) to the GS-14 level. 

• Ability to apply fact-finding and work measurement techniques for planning, evaluating and executing an objective.
• Ability to analyze and interpret disability policy, programs, laws and regulations and provide authoritative information and analyses to Presidentially and Congressionally appointed council members.
• Ability to communicate orally and in writing; to prepare formal reports, correspondence, memorandums, present briefings as well as justify, defend or negotiate matters that may be complex or controversial.
• Knowledge and skills required to actively participate in Congressional briefings, hearings, conferences and other forums with stakeholders.