The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's role is to oversee various aspects of the energy industry, including transmission of electricity, natural gas and oil. We also analyze proposals to build liquefied natural gas terminals and interstate natural gas pipelines and license hydropower projects. To help support the modernization of the electric system here in the U.S., we are focusing on issues associated with a smarter grid. Join us and help make a difference! 

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is looking for an experienced senior level executive to provide leadership as the Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the Office of the Executive Director. The CIO reports directly to the Executive Director/Chief Operating Officer and manages and leads a diverse team of professional and support staff to ensure the Commission meets the requirements and intent of the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996, the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, and other legislative mandates.  Consistent with the Act, the CIO plays a critical role in improving the acquisition and management of the Commission's information technology resources, by: focusing information resource planning to support their strategic missions; implementing a capital planning and investment control process that links to budget formulation and execution; and rethinking and restructuring the way they do their work before investing in information systems.  Additionally, they help control system development risks; better manage technology spending; and succeed in achieving real, measurable improvements in agency performance.

Major Duties

As the Chief Information Officer (CIO), Office of the Executive Director (OED) you will establish and utilize IT as a resource multiplying strategy to provide better quality information and faster service for Commission internal and external customers.  The CIO develops, coordinates, and maintains Commission-wide strategic and business IT plans.  The CIO develops the IT enterprise architecture and ensures that all IT initiatives support all aspects of the Commission business plan and are compliant with OMB directives.  And the CIO oversees and facilitates information design and architecture for effective and efficient use of data.

Additionally, you will be responsible for:

  -- Planning, supervising, and directing IT activities and staff, ensuring the Commission meets the requirements and intent of various Acts and legislative mandates;

  -- Maintaining a sound IT enterprise architecture;

  -- Managing the Commission’s IT cyber security and systems assurance programs, IT projects, programs, and the allocation of project resources;                                                                                    

  -- Overseeing and making highly significant decisions and contributions to the integrity and security of the Commission’s shared data services;

  -- Maintaining measurement systems that provide insight into the IT service delivery and business processes;

  -- Continuously developing, evaluating, and revising IT policies, principles, guidelines, and operations, and communicating with the appropriate officials of the status, plans, and changes in IT and records management objectives, activities, and ongoing operations;

  -- Assisting the Executive Director/Chief Operating Officer in maintaining the IT program’s visibility both within and outside the Commission;

  -- Directing IT contractor operations in support of the Commission’s effort including the areas of programming, telecommunications, IT security, and customer support.

FERC has a certified SES Performance Appraisal System. The salary range for each SES position is determined by the level of responsibility and duties of the incumbent.

Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Must meet specialized experience.
• One year probationary period may be required.
• A background investigation is required.
• Must meet mandatory technical and executive core qualifications.

Your resume must clearly document how you meet the specialized experience in order to meet the minimum qualification requirements for this vacancy.  Transcripts must be submitted at time of application.  All required documents must be received by the closing date of this announcement.  If you do not submit a required document (e.g. transcripts, etc.) your application will be considered incomplete and you will not receive further consideration.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: If selected for this position, you will be required to: - Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment. - Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Fund Transfer. - Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form I-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission participates in the USCIS Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify). E-Verify helps employers determine employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security numbers. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, you must address the following Mandatory Technical Qualifications questions.

Mandatory Technical Qualifications:

1) Expert knowledge of the principles, trends, and the most efficient methods of information technology systems, including system analysis to improve software quality; system administration to evaluate the current and planned IT enterprise architecture; project management to establish priorities for IT investments and data management tools; and security to formulate agency-level IT security programs.

2) Demonstrated experience in successfully planning, managing, directing, and evaluating contractors in a results-oriented environment.

3) Demonstrated experience in applying customer support principles and practices to manage special projects that have a significant impact on the delivery of customer support services.

4) Ability to communicate effectively with all levels of management within and outside of the Commission both orally and in writing.

For this position, specialized experience is defined as: You must have specialized experience at a level close to the work of this job that has given you the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities required to successfully perform.  This level of experience must demonstrate progressively responsible experience in the leadership/executive and technical areas. 

Applicants for an initial SES career appointment must also clearly demonstrate that they possess the broad executive core qualifications needed to succeed in the SES. A summary of the key characteristics for the Executive Core Qualifications can be found at this link: http://opm.gov/ses/recruitment/ecq.asp

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Applicants will be evaluated on their resume, Mandatory Technical Qualifications and Executive Core Qualifications to determine the best qualified candidates. Applicants are required to submit a narrative statement for each Mandatory Technical Qualification (MTQ) and each Executive Core Qualification (ECQ) listed. You will be evaluated on the ECQs in addition to the MTQs. When describing your technical qualifications, please give examples and explain how often you used your skills, the complexity of the knowledge you possessed, the level of people you interacted with, the sensitivity of the issues you handled, etc.

Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs): In order to be considered for the position, applicants must submit a narrative statement separately addressing each of the five ECQs. Each statement should contain at least two examples describing experiences and accomplishments/results specific to that ECQ. As a guideline, 1-2 pages per ECQ is sufficient. Applicants for an initial SES career appointment must clearly demonstrate that they possess the broad executive core qualifications needed to succeed in the SES. A guide to assist with writing the ECQ narratives can be found at this link: http://opm.gov/ses/recruitment/ecq.asp

In order to properly review your qualifications, please ensure that your resume clearly indicates evidence that you qualify for the Senior Executive Service position and that you possess the Mandatory Technical Qualifications and Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs). Please give a complete and detailed answer for each qualification. Please keep in mind each ECQ and MTQ are unique qualifications. Therefore, duplicate responses are not sufficient in determining if you meet that specific qualification. Do not enter "Refer to Resume" to explain your answer. Applications directing the reader to search within the application or to "See Resume" are considered incomplete and WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. Failure to submit a narrative statement or address any of the ECQs and/or MTQs is also considered incomplete and WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. As a result, you will be rated as "INCOMPLETE".

If you are currently serving under a career Senior Executive Service (SES) appointment, are eligible for reinstatement into SES, or have successfully completed a SES Candidate Development Program (CDP) approved by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and had your ECQs certified by OPM, then you only need to address each MTQ, and you do not need to submit an ECQ narrative. All other applicants are required to respond to all ECQs and MTQs, addressing each ECQ and MTQ separately.