Clarification from the agency

DHS Employees Only

The Deputy Chief FOIA Officer is the principal executive responsible for exercising executive-level leadership and accountable for a statutorily mandated program of importance to the DHS mission. The Deputy Chief FOIA Officer provides guidance to senior management, specifically regarding Federal disclosure laws and governmental procedures with respect to disclosure of agency records, as well developing the Departmental disclosure frameworks, training, disclosure policy, and program development. The incumbent is responsible for representing the United States government, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Privacy Office on disclosure, records, and information management issues relating to the homeland security mission, and must possess an acute ability to communicate effectively in public forums.


The Deputy Chief Freedom Information Act Officer is responsible for advising the Chief Privacy Officer/Chief FOIA Officer on department-wide policies and program objectives on matters that pertain to DHS record disclosure. Exercise executive-level responsibility for strategic planning and development of Department-level disclosure policy, FOIA/Privacy Act (PA) compliance and program oversight. The Deputy Chief FOIA Officer works closely with senior leadership throughout the Department and functions as an authority on information disclosure matters under local agencies and private organizations.
The Deputy Chief FOIA Officer oversees the development and implementation of Department-wide FOIA/PA policies and procedures including internal headquarters procedures and guidelines based upon new or revised legislation or recommendations.

Oversees the collection, organization, and analysis of quantitative data needed for annual reporting, the development of policies, procedures, and rules to ensure continuing compliance with exiting Department policies and directives. The Deputy Chief FOIA Officer has oversight responsibility for ensuring legal, accurate, and timely responses to public requests under the Acts to meet the goals and requirements for a citizen-centered and results-oriented Freedom of Information Act/Privacy Act program. The Deputy Chief FOIA Officer develops new methods and approaches in strategic planning, integrating, and evaluating the overall Freedom of Information Act/Privacy Act program for counseling DHS management on the formulation and articulation of an overall approach to FOIA/PA requests, appeals, and program oversight.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
• You may be required to undergo periodic drug testing.
• You must be able to obtain/maintain a Top Secret/SCI security clearance.
• Selectee will be required to complete form OGE-278, Executive Personnel Financial Disclosure Form.
• You will serve a one-year probationary period unless you previously completed the probationary period in the SES.
• You must submit to a pre-employment drug test.

Qualifications

As a basic requirement for entry into the SES, applicants must provide evidence of progressively responsible leadership experience that is indicative of senior executive level management capability and directly related to the skills and abilities outlined under the Technical Qualification(s) and Executive Core Qualifications listed below. Typically, experience of this nature will have been gained at or above the GS-15 grade level in the federal service or its equivalent in the private sector.

To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show in your resume that you possess the five Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and the Technical Qualification(s) listed below. We recommend that your résumé emphasize your level of responsibilities, the scope and complexity of programs managed, and your program accomplishments, including the results of your actions.

The application process used to recruit for this position is the RESUME-ONLY, Therefore, evidence of each ECQ and TQ must be CLEARLY REFLECTED in your resume.

Your application package should not exceed a total of 5 pages. Any information submitted in excess of 5 pages WILL NOT be considered.

A sample 5-page resume that incorporates ECQs and TQs can be viewed on this link (indexed at page 29 - 37) http://www.opm.gov/ses/references/GuidetoSESQuals_2012.pdf

**If you are a current or reinstatement eligible Career SES member or a graduate of an Office of Personnel Management (OPM) approved SES Candidate Development Program (CDP) and your ECQs have been previously certified by OPM's Qualifications Review Board, you are not required to address the ECQs. However, you MUST address all mandatory TQs in your resume. Current and reinstatement eligible SES members, please include with your application a copy of your SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) documenting your career appointment to the SES. SESCDP graduates, please include a copy of your OPM certificate.**

Executive Core Qualifications - Mandatory

You will be evaluated on the following Executive Core Qualifications:

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

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.
Leadership Competencies: Conflict Management, Leveraging Diversity, Developing Others, and 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, and Technical Credibility

ECQ 4 - BUSINESS ACUMEN: This core qualification involves the ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically.
Leadership Competencies: Financial Management, Human Capital Management, and Technology Management

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.
Leadership Competencies: Partnering, Political Savvy, and Influencing/Negotiating

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

Detailed information on the Executive Core Qualifications is available at http://www.opm.gov/ses/recruitment/qualify.asp

Technical Qualifications - Mandatory

You will be evaluated on the following Technical Qualifications:

TQ 1: Expert knowledge of the Freedom of Information Act and its implementation in an Executive Branch agency.

TQ 2: Demonstrated leadership in promoting transparency in order to produce tangible improvements in Freedom of Information Act processing and protecting information that must be held in confidence in order for a Department or agency to operate effectively.

FAILURE TO MEET OR FULLY ADDRESS EACH MANDATORY EXECUTIVE CORE AND TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS IN THE RESUME WILL ELIMINATE A CANDIDATE FROM FURTHER CONSIDERATION.

Current or Former Political Appointees: 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 or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the HR Office. Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service.

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, education and experience. Your resume will be evaluated by an SES rating and ranking panel, and afterwards, highly qualified candidates may undergo an interview and a reference check. The DHS Executive Resources Board (ERB) will review results and make recommendations on final selections to the appointing authority where final interviews and reference checks may occur. Only the selectee will be required to write Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) narratives. Unless you have already been certified by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualifications Review Board (QRB) in the past, your ECQs must be certified by the QRB before appointment can occur.