The incumbent serves as the Director, Western Regional Research Center (WRRC), with responsibility for 2 major aspects of line management: (a) participation with the Director, Pacific West Area, and staffs at Area and national headquarters in planning, coordinating, and evaluating overall research programs; and (b) leadership and operational accountability within the WRRC for implementing research programs and related research support activities. This includes planning, directing, and evaluating research designed to fulfill the goals of a complex national strategic plan for agricultural research in the Agency and executed with a view to ensure coordination, cooperation, and integration of this research with associated interests of land-grant organizations, other Federal agencies, other public entities, and institutions in the private sector.

Serves in a leadership role for planning and developing overall policies, and procedures for broad, goal-oriented research and management programs.

Provides the executive direction essential to implementing program objectives assigned to WRRC. These activities involve interpretations of general policy and difficult and important decisions regarding the conduct, coordination, and integration of fundamental and applied interdisciplinary research programs in relation to available resources and in support of Agency priorities.

Participates with the Director, Pacific West Area, and other Agency officials, including the Administrator in developing and supporting broad missions, goals, and policies of the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) designed to enhance the capability of agriculture.

Participates with the Director, Pacific West Area, and other Agency officials responsible for research National Programs in a matrix management environment (program and line management) to develop research priorities and projections, budgets, and use of facilities based on the needs of agriculture nationwide.

Provides technically accurate information in support of Agency proposals, including assessment of the perceptions and intentions of other Federal and State and private interests.

Provides leadership and direction to an organized and systematic approach to identify research needs of stakeholders and clientele and plan research approaches ( e.g., in­ house, contracts, cooperative agreements, or inter-location) and in accurately forecasting the resources required (funds, number and skill of employees, facilities, equipment, land) as well as projections of time required to make advances that have substantial impact. 

Conditions of employment

• US Citizenship is required.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Public Financial Disclosure Required (SF-278)
• US Citizenship is required.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Public Financial Disclosure Required (SF-278)
• 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

Requires incumbent to obtain/maintain a  top secret security clearance.

CONFIDENTIAL FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REPORT: If selected, you will be required to submit Form SF-278 within 30 days of your initial appointment date, and annually thereafter. Selectee is subject to financial Disclosure Requirements in accordance with 5 CFR, Part 2635, Sub part E regarding business or personal transactions with applicants, borrowers, or business contacts who have or who are seeking business with this Agency. Selectee must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance. If selected you will be subject to a National Agency Check and Inquiry (NACI) and a credit report.

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 narratives 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. 

1. Demonstrated experience leading complex, multidisciplinary research and development efforts and/or research portfolios with a high impact publication history and particular emphasis on leadership experiences that span in the following areas: applied research and technology development, and technology demonstration/maturation, as well as experience in all phases of research and development (including solution creation and execution) in government, industry and/or academic institutions. Demonstrated effectiveness assigning responsibilities, delegating authority, determining operating policies, providing oversight of general direction over research, and responsibility for the review of scientific operations to assure the attainment of program objectives.

2. Demonstrated effectiveness in communicating with a wide variety of audiences and stakeholders, including senior and subordinate managers, scientific and technical communities, other governmental agencies, and/or official from the executive and/or legislative branches of the government.  Demonstrated experience facilitating discussions between research and development managers and customer leaders to define future opportunities, strategies, and plans to develop programs.

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 & TQs 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.

• Your application, including the online Assessment Questionnaire, will be reviewed to determine if you meet (a) minimum qualification requirements and (b) the resume supports the answers provided to the job-specific questions. Your resume must clearly support your responses to all the questions addressing experience and education relevant to this position. Applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements and are determined to be among the best qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration. Noncompetitive candidates and applicants under some special hiring authorities need to meet minimum qualifications to be referred.

Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your rating may be lowered to more accurately reflect the submitted documentation. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection disciplinary action up to including removal from the Federal service.

Clicking the link below will present a preview of the application form; i.e. the online questionnaire. The application form link below will only provide a preview and does not initiate the application process. To initiate the online application process, click the "Apply Online" button to the right.