Clarification from the agency

You must complete the application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement. This Senior Executive Service job is open to: U.S. Citizens (all qualified U.S. Citizens).

When disaster strikes, America looks to FEMA. Now FEMA looks to you. Join our team and use your talent to support Americans in their times of greatest need. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) prepares the nation for all hazards and manages Federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. We foster innovation, reward performance and creativity, and provide challenges on a routine basis with a well-skilled, knowledgeable, high performance workforce. Please visit www.fema.gov for additional information.

EMERGENCY ASSIGNMENT: Every FEMA employee has regular and recurring emergency management responsibilities, though not every position requires routine deployment to disaster sites. All positions are subject to recall around the clock for emergency management operations, which may require irregular work hours, work at locations other than the official duty station, and may include duties other than those specified in the employee's official position description. Travel requirements in support of emergency operations may be extensive in nature (weeks to months), with little advance notice, and may require employees to relocate to emergency sites with physically austere and operationally challenging conditions.

The incumbent serves as the focal point through which policy formulation, strategic plans, out-year resource plans, enterprise data analysis and analytical capability-building, audit liaison, defense production act responsibilities, performance management and international affairs activities receive effective central coordination and decision.  Decisions may include resources to be expended, the timing of major events, priority of projects and plans, and projects that should be initiated, dropped, or postponed. The incumbent ensures that appropriate long-range planning is coordinated and accomplished, and that there is maximum and efficient utilization of available resources. The incumbent is also the principal advisor to the Associate Administrator on the appropriate methods of best accomplishing Presidential policy objectives, Departmental and FEMA priorities. 

Typical assignments include:

• Directing the development of policies, guidance, and implementation strategies for Office and subordinate entity programs.
• Planning and coordinating the development of national policy and strategy for FEMA that is consistent with the Administration's and Department's policy views and strategic objectives.
• Continuously analyzing and recommending changes to policy and strategy in order to achieve FEMA and Departmental strategic goals and objectives and enhance program effectiveness and efficiency.
• Carrying out the full range of management responsibilities and acting with full authority leading agency-wide strategy, policy, resource planning, analytics, international affairs, Defense Production Act implementation, and audit coordination, as well as guiding a system modernization program.
• Recommending courses of action to the Associate Administrator and exercising authority to determine goals, plans, budgets, and organization.
• Managing and directing major program components to ensure consistency of operations and excellent stewardship of resources.  Responsible for Office budget and acquisitions.
• Assisting the Associate Administrator in assessing the impact of organizational guidance and/or new or pending legislation on Agency priorities.
• Ensuring alignment of Office resources to manage Agency risk and promote effective, efficient achievement of FEMA and DHS mission and priorities.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
• File a Public Financial Disclosure (SF-278) within 30 days of appointment.
• If selected, a one-year SES Probationary period may be required.
• This position is subject to random drug testing.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance with access to sensitive compartmentalized information.

Qualifications

Each applicant is required to submit a comprehensive narrative statement, which addresses BOTH the Mandatory Technical Qualifications and the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) outlined below. Applicants who do not submit a supplemental narrative statement that addresses these factors will be ineligible for further consideration. The narrative portion for the Technical Qualifications MUST NOT EXCEED 6 PAGES TOTAL. The supplemental narrative statement for the Executive Core Qualifications should address the necessary level of management skills, characteristics, qualities, specialized knowledge, and technical competence that would indicate successful performance in the SES. This evidence must include clear and concise examples that emphasize the applicant’s level of responsibilities, scope, and complexity of programs managed, program accomplishments, policy initiatives, and level of contacts. The narrative portion for the Executive Core Qualifications MUST NOT EXCEED 10 PAGES. For guidance in preparing a narrative statement addressing the ECQs, applicants can access OPM’s website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/executive-core-qualifications/

The following categories of applicants may omit the mandatory Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs), but MUST address the Technical Qualification factors:

• Applicants who are currently serving under a SES career appointment (must provide a copy of Standard Form 50--Notification of Personnel Action that documents career appointment to the SES).
• Applicants who are eligible for reinstatement to the SES (must provide a copy of Standard Form 50--Notification of Personnel Action that documents career appointment to the SES).
• Applicants who are graduates of OPM-approved SES Candidate Development Programs (must provide proof of OPM Qualifications Review Board certification).

All required application materials will be reviewed to determine if applicants meet the mandatory qualification requirements. Qualification and experience determinations will be based only on the information supplied by the applicant. The best-qualified candidates for this position will be distinguished from other applicants by an evaluation committee to determine the degree to which qualification requirements are met. Applicants should provide specific evidence of possession of the mandatory Technical and Executive Core Qualifications, as outlined under Qualifications Criteria, to assist the evaluation committee in determining the best-qualified candidates that will be considered for final selection. The Executive Core Qualifications of the selectee are subject to approval by the Office of Personnel Management Qualifications Review Board (QRB). Unless you have already been certified by an OPM QRB in the past, your ECQs must be certified by an OPM QRB before appointment can occur. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees.

If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office. 

Technical Qualifications - Mandatory
1. Demonstrated ability to lead and conduct policy and program evaluations, to assess performance against defined measures, to formulate policy, and to analyze and synthesize problems, develop and present viable options to solve those problems, and implement solutions that improve outcomes.

2. Demonstrated ability to guide performance audits and to enhance management practices and effectiveness of high-impact, complex programs. Mastery of analytical problem-solving techniques used to evaluate and solve complex problems and issues and demonstrated ability to apply those techniques to inform high-level policy and programmatic recommendations with organization-wide impact.

3. Expert knowledge of the Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) process and demonstrated ability to evaluate resource allocations within large, multi-billion dollar organizations to determine how to maximize mission effectiveness and efficiency. Demonstrated ability to make resource allocation recommendations accepted by the most senior leadership of the organization on large and small scales, both single and multi-year, based on complex tradeoffs and offsets.

4. Demonstrated skill in dealing routinely with the highest level of officials – with diverse backgrounds, interests, and points of view – both within and outside the U.S. government to advance policies and initiatives based on senior leadership interests and priorities. Regularly evaluate trends in executive-level stakeholder engagements and their effects on the organization’s mission and strategic vision to make recommendations for adjustments to organization positions and strategic communications.

Applicants currently serving under a career Senior Executive Service (SES) appointment, eligible for reinstatement into SES, or have successfully completed a SES Candidate Development Program (CDP) approved by OPM are not required to address the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs); but a narrative statement for each of the Technical Qualifications (TQs) is recommended.

EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs):

ECQ 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.

ECQ 2: LEADING PEOPLE: This core qualification involves the ability to lead people toward meeting the organization's 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.

ECQ 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.

ECQ 4: BUSINESS ACUMEN: This core qualification involves the ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically.

ECQ 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.

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 and experience. Your application will be evaluated by an internal rating and ranking panel. Highly qualified candidates may undergo an interview and a reference check. Unless you have already been previously certified by a Qualifications Review Board (QRB), your Executive Core Qualifications must be certified by an OPM-sponsored QRB prior to appointment.