This position serves as the Deputy Director for Legislative Liaison, for the Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC) Mission Area, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The USDA provides leadership on food, agriculture, natural resources, and related issues based on sound public policy, the best available science, and efficient management. The FPAC Mission Area is USDA’s focal point for the nation’s farmers, ranchers and forest landowners for crop insurance, conservation programs and technical assistance, and commodity lending and disaster programs with over 22,000 employees, nearly $22 billion in budget authority, and 5,000 offices located in all 50 States, American Samoa, Mariana Islands, Palau, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

• Coordinates a comprehensive review of new legislation, amendments to pending legislation, amendments to existing laws, and approaches to oversight issues. Develops and maintains congressional contacts needed to further the overall mission and responsibilities of FPAC. Actively participates in FPAC and Departmental policy level discussions of major issues that are addressed in pending legislation or oversight activities of Congress, and makes appropriate delegation of assignments to legislative liaison staff.

• Directs, supervises, reviews, delegates, implements and evaluates staff preparation of (1) Departmental legislative proposals related to the FPAC Mission Area, (2) Department reports and testimony setting forth the official administrative position on pending legislation related to the FPAC Mission Area, (3) Departmental reports to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) setting forth the official Departmental position on legislation, reports, and testimony proposed by other Departments and agencies, (4) Draft legislation and related documents prepared at the request of Members of Congress, and (5) Departmental and FPAC responses to congressional questions and correspondence involving proposed or pending legislation or agency activities. In carrying out these responsibilities, assures that all information is accurate, complete, clearly presented, and consistent with Departmental and Agency policies and procedures. Provides final staff clearance of legislative reports, testimony, controlled correspondence, and oversight hearings pertaining to the activities of the FPAC Mission Area prior to review and/or signature of the Deputy COO, COO or Under Secretary.

• Provides guidance to FSA, NRCS, and RMA officials who testify before Congress, or have other significant congressional interactions by providing a clear overview of the relationship between the issues at hand and other aspects of the Administration's program.

• Oversees the preparation, review, and collection of material for, and briefing of, witnesses, including Departmental and FSA, NRCS, and RMA officials who present congressional testimony, to ensure that they are well informed on the technical, administrative, political, and budgetary aspects of the legislation which they address.

• Reviews important policy-level Departmental and Agency memoranda, reports, and correspondence and recommends changes needed to assure consistency with current law or official Departmental and administration positions on pending legislation. Provides guidance and direction related to the timing and distribution of briefing papers, reports, and other information to Congress.

• Develops and maintains close working relationships with key staff representing Members of Congress, Congressional committees, conservation organizations, interest groups, and other Federal agencies concerning issues related to legislation and congressional oversight activities affecting the mission and responsibilities of the FPAC Mission Area as appropriate. Keeps the COO, Deputy COO, Director, External Affairs, the heads of FSA, NRCS, and RMA, and other senior level management informed of results of contacts. Recommends and helps to arrange needed follow-up contacts with key staff representing Members of Congress, Congressional committees, conservation organizations, interest groups, and Federal agencies related to legislative and oversight issues. Participates in meetings with Members of Congress, Departmental, and other administrative officials. Develops contact plans to explain and modify FPAC legislative initiatives/activities to gain support for administration programs.

Conditions of employment

•  CONFIDENTIAL FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REPORT: If selected, you will be required to submit Form OGE-450 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.
•  Selectee must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance. If selected you may be subject to a National Agency Check and Inquiry (NACI) and a credit report inquiry.

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.
 
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 accomplishment s, 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.    

EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): 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 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. (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. 

For additional guidance, applicants may visit the OPM Guide to Senior Executive Qualifications.  Applicants are encouraged to follow the Challenge, Context, Action and Result (C-C-A-R) model outlined in the guide.  The definitions of the SES ECQs and their underlying competencies can be found at: http://www.opm.gov/ses/recruitment/ecq.asp. 

B. 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.  The incumbent will have demonstrated in-depth knowledge and experience of farm-related programs in order to lead a multi-mission, highly complex, and sensitive legislative affairs program including review of proposed legislation and coordinating mission area response consistent with Department and Administration policy, both orally and in writing, to various audiences, such as senior government officials, Congressional members and their staff, and external stakeholders.

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.
To view the application form, visit: https://ses.usda.ntis.gov/cp/?event=jobs.previewApplication&jobid=3A93B180-9B32-4BDF-A32F-A93700AAE9B8