Director, Gulf Coast Ecosystems
Duties
- The Director reports to the Associate Chief and directs a variety of technical and scientific disciplines needed to conduct a regional program of soil, water, and resource conservation to improve the health of the Gulf coast ecosystem.
- Ensures conservation planning, technical assistance and natural resource implementation activities are conducted and funds are allocated and expended consistently and effectively.
- Directs and coordinates work, anticipates emerging natural resource policy issues in the context of NRCS ecosystem restoration activities and provides direction for assessments and for economic, environmental and policy analysis.
- Oversees the development and implementation of complex, interdisciplinary restoration plans designed to restore and enhance the Gulf coast ecosystem that involves multiple federal, state, and private organizations.
- Provides leadership for development of Department and legislative reports, proposals, legislation, and testimony by senior leadership related to natural resources management program activities under the purview of this position.
- Assesses the potential positive and negative effects of agency policies, as well as policies of other agencies, on water quality, wildlife habitat and aquatic ecosystems.
- Represents NRCS and USDA on assigned national-level inter- and intra-agency committees, task forces, and other technical or strategic planning groups involving assigned natural resources management program functions.
- Provides leadership in the identification of research needs, transfers research findings to field applications, keeps abreast of research findings and disseminates pertinent information to NRCS State Offices and Regional Conservationists.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- Veterans Preference is not applicable in the Senior Executive Service.
- Initial appointments are required to serve a 1-year probationary period
- Narrative Statements for the ECQs must not exceed 10 pages
- Background Investigation required.
Qualifications
As a basic requirement for entry into the SES, applicants must provide evidence of progressively responsible executive leadership and supervisory experience that is indicative of senior executive level management capability and directly related to the skills and abilities outlined under Executive Core Qualifications and Technical Qualifications listed below. Typically, experience of this nature will have been gained at or above the GS-14/15 grade level in the federal service or its equivalent in the private sector. As such, your resume should demonstrate that you have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully fulfill responsibilities inherent in most SES positions such as:
- Directing the work of an organizational unit;
- Ensuring the success of one or more specific major programs or projects;
- Monitoring progress toward strategic organizational goals, evaluating organizational performance and taking action to improve performance; and
- Supervising the work of employees; and exercising important policy-making, policy determining, or other executive functions.
Failure to meet the basic qualification requirement and address all Mandatory Technical and Executive Core Qualification factors will result in your application being disqualified. EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): The ECQs were designed to assess executive experience and potential not technical expertise. They measure whether an individual has the broad executive skills needed to succeed in a variety of SES positions. All applicants must submit a written narrative to address the ECQs. Your narrative must address each ECQ separately and should contain at least two examples per ECQ describing your experiences and accomplishments/results. The narrative should be clear, concise, and emphasize your level of responsibilities, scope and complexity of programs managed, program accomplishments, policy Initiatives undertaken and the results of your actions. Applicants should not enter "Refer to Resume" to explain your answer.
The narrative must not exceed 10 pages. NOTE: Current career SES members, former career SES members with reinstatement eligibility, and SES Candidate Development Program graduates who have been certified by OPM do NOT need to address the ECQs.
1. Leading Change: This core qualification involves the ability to bring about strategic change, both within and outside the organization, to meet organizational goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to establish an organizational vision and to implement it in a continuously changing environment. (Competencies: creativity and innovation, external awareness, flexibility, resilience, strategic thinking, vision)
2. Leading People: This core qualification involves the ability to lead people toward meeting the organizations vision, mission, and goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to provide an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others, facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports constructive resolution of conflicts. (Competencies: conflict management, leveraging diversity, developing others, team building)
3. Results Driven: This core qualification involves the ability to meet organizational goals and customer expectations. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to make decisions that produce high quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks. (Competencies: accountability, customer service, decisiveness, entrepreneurship, problem solving, technical credibility)
4. Business Acumen: This core qualification involves the ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically. (Competencies: financial management, human capital management, technology management)
5. Building Coalitions: This core qualification involves the ability to build coalitions internally and with other Federal agencies, State and local governments, nonprofit and private sector organizations, foreign governments, or international organizations to achieve common goals. (Competencies: partnering, political savvy, influencing/negotiating) Fundamental Competencies: These competencies are the foundation for success in each of the Executive Core Qualifications: Interpersonal Skills, Oral Communication, Continual Learning, Written Communication, Integrity/Honesty, Public Service Motivation. The Fundamental Competencies are crosscutting; and should be addressed over the course of each ECQ narratives. It is not necessary for you to address the Fundamental Competencies directly as long as the narrative, in its totality, shows mastery of these competencies on the whole.
Applicants are encouraged to follow the Challenge, Context, Action and Result (C-C-A-R) model outlined in the guide.
Challenge - Describe a specific problem or goal.
Context - Describe the individuals and groups you worked with, and/or the environment in which you worked, to address a particular challenge (e.g., clients, co-workers, members of Congress, shrinking budget, low morale).
Action - Discuss the specific actions you took to address a challenge.
Result - Give specific examples of measures/outcomes that had some impact on the organization. These accomplishments demonstrate the quality and effectiveness of your leadership skills.
Additional information about the SES and Executive Core Qualifications can be found on the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) SES Website. You are strongly encouraged to review OPMs Guide to SES Qualifications for specific examples and guidance on writing effective ECQ narrative statements.
MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs): All applicants must submit a written narrative response to the following TQs. You must address each TQ separately. Each TQ narrative must not exceed two (2) pages. Please give examples and explain the complexity of the knowledge possessed and the sensitivity of the issued you handled.
Mandatory Technical Qualification 1: Describe your demonstrated executive level experience in agriculture and related sciences and issues to effectively lead and implement national planning, formulation, and accountability measures for program and technical policies, procedures, and activities.
Mandatory Technical Qualification 2: Describe your demonstrated executive level experience in 1) building and maintaining regional and national-scale partnerships, and 2) leading and supervising technical and administrative functional areas related to Farm Bill Programs, Ecological Sciences, Engineering, and Soil Science to effectively integrate all phases of a comprehensive natural resources conservation and development program in a multistate region.
Education
This job does not have an education qualification requirement.
Additional information
Consideration for competitive selection for this position is open to all persons within the area of consideration who meet the basic qualifications. Race, color, age, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, political beliefs, religion, marital or family status, disability, and other non-merit factors will not be considered.
1. This position is covered under the post-employment restriction of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (P.L. 95-521). This law also requires the selectee to file an Executive Personnel Financial Disclosure Report (Standard Form 278), within 30 days of appointment.
2. Applications sent in U.S. Government postage-paid envelope and submitted through Federal Agency courier services will not be considered.
3. The 1993 Hatch Act Reform Amendments prohibit oral and written political recommendations for Federal jobs.
4. Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must be registered with the Selective Service System before they can be employed by an executive agency of the Federal government. This requirement does not apply to Agency employees appointed before November 8, 1985.
5. All application forms are subject to the provisions of the Privacy Act and become the property of USDA. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. USDA prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication or program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).
Reasonable Accommodation: This agency provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency at 202-260-8128. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis.
Effective January 1, 2010, OPM must authorize any employment offers we make to current or former (within the last 5 years) political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employees in the executive branch. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you must disclose that to the Human Resources Office.
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
You will be evaluated on the quality and extent of your total accomplishments, experience, and education (if applicable). Your application will be rated and ranked by an Executive Resources Board (ERB) Panel, using only the information submitted within the application package. Applicants who do not demonstrate in their application sufficient possession of the ECQs & MTQs will be determined ineligible for further consideration. Unless you have already been certified by a Qualifications Review Board (QRB) in the past, your ECQs must be certified by a QRB after selection and before appointment can occur.
To view the application form, visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12023329
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Required Documents
As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
Current career SES Members and former SES Members who have reinstatement eligibility to the career SES should submit a SF-50 showing career SES status; OPM-Certified SES Candidate Development Program graduates should submit a copy of their Qualifications Review Board (QRB) certificate. Education (if applicable): A copy of your transcript(s) or a separate course listing showing the course title, department, hours earned (quarter or semester), and grade (if applicable). If you have completed any part of your education outside of the U.S., you must submit the evaluation of your foreign education that has been prepared by an accredited organization. The National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) can provide a list of who can evaluate your foreign education. For additional information, visit DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
Your resume should contain information sufficient to make a valid determination that you fully meet the specialized experience requirements as stated in this vacancy announcement. It is recommended that you include the following information:- Full name, mailing address, and day and evening telephone numbers
- Educational information, including the name, city and state of colleges or universities you attended, as well as the type and year of any degrees received
- Information about your paid and nonpaid work experience related to this position including:
- Job title (include series and grade if Federal job)
- Duties and accomplishments
- Employers name and address
- Supervisors name and phone number
- Starting and ending dates of employment (month and year)
- Salary
- Indicate if we may contact your current supervisor
- Information about honors, awards, and special accomplishments
How to Apply
YOU MUST UPLOAD YOUR RESPONSES TO THE EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs) AND TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs).
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin. Failure to submit the required documentation by 11:59 pm EST of the closing date will result in loss of consideration. The following instructions outline our application process.
You must complete this application process and submit all required documents electronically by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.
We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Monday - Friday). Applying online is highly encouraged. If applying online poses a hardship, please contact our office during business hours well before the closing date for an alternate method. All hardship application packages with supporting documents must be submitted no later than noon on the closing date of the announcement in order to be entered into the system prior to its closing. This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis; contact us if you are requesting this.
Step 1: Create a USAJOBS account (if you do not have one) at www.usajobs.gov. It is recommended that as part of your profile you set up automatic email notification to be informed when the status of your application changes. If you choose not to set up this automatic notification, then you will have to log into your USAJOBS account to check on the status of your application.
Step 2: Create a resume with USAJOBS or upload a resume into your USAJOBS account. Customize your resume to ensure it documents duties and accomplishments you have gained that are directly related to this position in order to verify that qualifications are met. Your resume must support your responses to the online questionnaire (you may preview the online questionnaire by clicking on the link at the end of the How You Will Be Evaluated section of the job announcement).
Step 3: Click "Apply Online" and follow the prompts to complete the Occupational Questionnaire and attach any additional documents that may be required. You can update your application or documents anytime while the announcement is open. Log into your USAJOBS account and click on "Application Status." Click on the position title, and then select "Update Application" to continue.
NOTE: Please verify that documents you are uploading from USAJOBs transfer into the Agency's staffing system as there is a limitation to the number of documents that can be transferred. However, once in the Agency's staffing system, you will have the opportunity to upload additional documents. Uploaded documents must be less than 5MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, TXT or Word (DOC or DOCX). Do not upload Adobe Portfolio documents because they are not viewable.
Candidates who do not submit complete application packages as indicated in this announcement will not be considered. Please be sure to remove all PII (e.g. SSN, DOB, etc.) from all documentation. Spell out Acronyms the first time used.
Applicants who cannot apply on-line may mail their applications (must be postmarked prior to the close date) or fax your application before the close date to the Agency Contact listed in the vacancy announcement.Agency contact information
Cindy Romani
Email
cindy.romani@usda.gov
Address
Natural Resources Conservation Service
1400 Independence Ave SW
Washington, DC 20250
USNext steps
Applicants who meet the mandatory requirements Executive Core Qualifications, and Mandatory Technical Qualifications will be considered qualified for this position. Rating and ranking to determine the best qualified will be conducted by a panel of senior executives and will be based upon consideration of the degree to which applicants meet the mandatory requirements as described in the announcement.
The Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) of the selectee are subject to prior approval by the Office of Personnel Management Qualifications Review Board (OPM QRB). Unless you have already been certified by an OPM QRB in the past, your ECQs must be certified by an OPM QRB before your appointment can occur. When reviewing the ECQ Statements, the QRB is looking for experience as well as specific challenges, actions, and results.
Fair and Transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
- Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
- Reasonable accommodation policy
- Financial suitability
- Selective Service
- New employee probationary period
- Signature and false statements
- Privacy Act
- Social security number request
Required Documents
Current career SES Members and former SES Members who have reinstatement eligibility to the career SES should submit a SF-50 showing career SES status; OPM-Certified SES Candidate Development Program graduates should submit a copy of their Qualifications Review Board (QRB) certificate. Education (if applicable): A copy of your transcript(s) or a separate course listing showing the course title, department, hours earned (quarter or semester), and grade (if applicable). If you have completed any part of your education outside of the U.S., you must submit the evaluation of your foreign education that has been prepared by an accredited organization. The National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) can provide a list of who can evaluate your foreign education. For additional information, visit DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
Your resume should contain information sufficient to make a valid determination that you fully meet the specialized experience requirements as stated in this vacancy announcement. It is recommended that you include the following information:
- Full name, mailing address, and day and evening telephone numbers
- Educational information, including the name, city and state of colleges or universities you attended, as well as the type and year of any degrees received
- Information about your paid and nonpaid work experience related to this position including:
- Job title (include series and grade if Federal job)
- Duties and accomplishments
- Employers name and address
- Supervisors name and phone number
- Starting and ending dates of employment (month and year)
- Salary
- Indicate if we may contact your current supervisor
- Information about honors, awards, and special accomplishments
This job is open to
Senior executives
Those who meet the five Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs).
The public
U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
Clarification from the agency
Applications will be accepted from all qualified candidates.
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) helps private land owners in the US conserve soil, water, and other natural resources. Established in 1935 as the Soil Conservation Service, the NRCS provides financial and technical assistance for...
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