The Department of the Interior:

• **Manages one in every five acres of land in the United States.
• **Operates more than 800 dams and irrigation facilities.
• **Oversees water projects that irrigate lands generating 60 percent of our Nation's vegetables.
• **Manages lands and waters that generate one-third of the Nation's domestic energy supply.
• **Undertakes research and provides scientific information to advance our knowledge of our surroundings.
• **Serves American Indians, Alaska Natives, and affiliated island communities.
• **Works with States to restore abandoned mine land sites and protects communities.
• **Manages 388 national park units and 542 wildlife refuges.
• **Employs over 75,000 individuals at approximately 2,400 locations across the United States, Puerto Rico, U.S. territories, and freely associated states who work with thousands of state, local, and public interest groups to help cities and towns address their natural resource needs. 

The security clearance requirement is not a prerequisite to apply for this position. The incumbent of this position, must possess the ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret. 

This position is eligible for situation telework only.

Veterans preference does not apply to the Senior Executive Service (SES).

The incumbent serves as Deputy Director, Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance. The office is responsible for reviewing and analyzing certain public works, land applications, and related projects that affect natural and environmental resources, and which are proposed by the Department and other Federal agencies. Objectives of the review are to determine whether projects are in conformance with adopted comprehensive plans, whether they are formulated in accordance with applicable evaluation procedures, and whether they represent the full and balanced interests of the Department.

The position requires a broad knowledge of Federal and non—Federal programs concerned with natural resources and environmental impact issues, an understanding of the Department’s aims and goals for ensuring the widest range of beneficial uses of the environment without undesirable or unintended consequences, and a comprehensive knowledge of the policies, aims, and objectives of the Department’s program of conservation, development, and utilization of natural resources, and the conduct of basic and applied research relating thereto.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

Serves as full deputy to the Director, Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance and, as such, participates in all aspects of Office activity, including the management and direction of the Office’s professional staff. Serves as Acting Director in the absence of the Director.

The incumbent is on 24-hour call for providing support to DOI responsibilities to the National Response Framework, National Disaster Recovery Framework, and Regional Response systems under the National Oil and Hazardous Substance Pollution Response Plan (NCP).

As directed by leadership, the incumbent conducts or leads interdisciplinary studies of Departmental programs or policies to provide factual or predictive information upon which broad policies or programs will be instituted, expanded, or terminated.

Provides technical leadership necessary to direct and coordinate substantive review of a wide variety of complex proposals, projects, and programs affecting natural, environmental, and cultural resources related to the mission of the Department.

Reviews and recommends to leadership program areas, management processes, and issues for which in-depth analysis or special studies should be made. Such analysis includes the evaluations of national, regional, or other needs; program objectives and goals; alternative approaches to meeting objectives and goals which would produce the same or greater benefit at the same or lesser environmental and economic cost; and Departmental and Office priorities. Coordinates and directs broad cross-bureau and interagency evaluation and in-depth studies.

Keeps abreast of natural resource policies and objectives of the Administration and other Federal, State and tribal agencies. Represents the Office and the Department to external entities including Federal, State, tribal agencies, private sector firms, and non-Governmental organizations. Consults and negotiates with senior officials concerning differing views, accuracy and adequacy of agreement with policies, and proposed revisions to programs area.

Provides professional leadership, advice, and assistance on the identification, development, and evaluation of program policies to bureau and office heads, the Assistant Secretaries, the Deputy Secretary, and the Secretary.

This is a Category 4 position.

Conditions of employment

• U.S. citizenship is required
• Occasional travel may be required
• Participation in direct deposit is required
• Ability to obtain and maintain the clearance level required by the position
• Ability to successfully pass random drug screenings
• Ability to be on call 24 hours a day for the DOI National Framework

As a basic requirement, applicants MUST demonstrate progressively responsible leadership experience that is indicative of senior executive level managerial capability and directly related to the skills and abilities outlined under Executive Core Qualifications and Technical Qualifications. 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 with state or local government, the private sector, or non-governmental organizations.  Failure to meet this basic qualification requirement and all executive and technical qualification factors automatically disqualifies an applicant.

Applicants who meet all the mandatory executive and technical qualifications will be evaluated by a panel of SES members to determine the degree to which they possess each of the listed qualifications.  This evaluation will determine which applicants are best qualified.  Total background, including experience, education, awards, self-development, and training will be reviewed.  This information will be obtained from the application package, including the required narrative statements for the technical and Executive Core Qualifications described below.

Qualifications

Executive Core Qualifications:

ECQ 1 - LEADING CHANGE:   You must have demonstrated an 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. 

Leadership Competencies: Creativity & Innovation, External Awareness, Flexibility, Resilience, Strategic Thinking, Vision

ECQ 2 - LEADING PEOPLE:  You must demonstrate 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.

Leadership Competencies:   Conflict Management, Leveraging Diversity, Developing Others, Team Building

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.

Leadership Competencies: Accountability, Customer Service, Decisiveness, Entrepreneurship, Problem Solving, Technical Credibility

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

Leadership Competencies: Financial Management, Human Capital Management, Technology Management

ECQ 5 - BUILDING COALITIONS:  This ECQ 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.

Leadership Competencies: Partnering, Political Savvy, Influencing/Negotiating

FUNDAMENTAL COMPETENCIES: The following competencies are the foundation for success in each of the Executive Core Qualifications:   Interpersonal Skills, Oral Communication, Integrity/Honesty, Written Communication, Continual Learning, Public Service Motivation.

Mandatory Technical Qualifications: 

1. Extensive and current knowledge of environmental and natural resources issues.
2. Describe your knowledge of Federal government programs and the legislative process as they relate to natural resources programs.
3. Describe your knowledge of NEPA.
4. Describe your knowledge of the NCP and/or emergency planning processes.
5. Describe your knowledge of Superfund and environmental compliance issues.

You must clearly show that you possess the experience, knowledge, skills and ability to perform the duties of an executive.  To be considered for this position, all applicants must address each of the technical qualifications listed below.  Unless you are currently serving under a career Senior Executive Service appointment, are eligible for reinstatement into the Senior Executive Service, or have successfully completed a Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program approved by OPM and been certified by OPM, you must submit a narrative statement covering each of the Executive Core Qualifications listed below.  Your examples should be clear and concise, and emphasize your level of responsibilities, scope and complexity of programs managed, program accomplishments with results of your actions, policy initiatives and level of contacts.  EACH TECHNICAL QUALIFICATION AND EACH ECQ MUST BE ADDRESSED SEPARATELY. The narrative addressing ECQ’s must follow the format provided at http://www.opm.gov/ses/references/GuidetoSESQuals_2010.pdf (Adobe Acrobat required) OR YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE CONSIDERATION. Narrative statements may not exceed 2 pages for each individual technical qualification. However, the submission of your entire ECQ package (i.e., all five ECQ's narrative statements) may not exceed 10 pages in its totality.  IF YOU EXCEED THESE LIMITS, YOU WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

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 based on the information you provide. Verification of performance, suitability, and security information from reference checks will be taken into consideration when making an offer of employment.

You will be evaluated on the quality and extent of your total accomplishments, experience, and education. Your application will be evaluated by a rating and ranking panel, and highly qualified candidates may undergo an interview and reference checks. The Department of the Interior's Executive Resources Board (ERB) will review results and make recommendations on final selection to the appointing authority. 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.