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Executive Director Acquisition Policy & Legislation Branch

Department of Homeland Security
DHS Headquarters
Office of the Chief Procurment Officer
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Serves as the Director, Acquisition Policy and Legislation (APL) branch within the Office of the Chief Procurement Officer (OCPO).The OCPO is responsible for planning, coordinating, directing and evaluating all procurement and contracting operations and activities within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) including initiating, formulating and implementing policies and procedures necessary to achieve and maintain an effective and efficient procurement and contracting program.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
12/18/2019 to 01/01/2020
Salary
$127,914 to - $192,300 per year
Pay scale & grade
ES 00
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
District of Columbia, DC
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Senior Executive
Promotion potential
00
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Sensitive Compartmented Information
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Special-Sensitive (SS)/High Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
DE-10681788-20-MSB
Control number
554801500

Duties

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As the Director, APL, you will determine the need for new or elimination of existing acquisition regulations. Manages the rulemaking process, accountable for timely, accurate and effective regulations that promote an efficient innovative and responsive contracting process. This includes managing implementation of congressionally mandated regulations, partnering across civilian agencies to leverage existing regulations where available. It requires application of expert knowledge of the regulatory process, work products and the acquisition process to successfully negotiate with senior leadership as well as supporting the DHS regulation within the Office of Management and Budget's Office (OMB) of Information and Regulatory Affairs and through interagency review.

Works with the Contracting Activities reviewing oversight reports, and through coordination with the OCPO procurement management review function, identifies the need for new policy and ensures policy is coordinated prior to issuance. Ensures all policy adheres to applicable statutes and regulation. Periodically directs the testing of policies to ensure effectiveness and usability. Provides expert analysis of other agencies' policies and is a trusted advisor when called upon by the OMB or the Civilian Agency Acquisition Council on government-wide acquisition policies.

Oversees DHS delegations related to procurement, such as the delegations for the Chief Acquisition Officer (CAO) and (CPO)/Senior Procurement Executive to ensure they keep pace with new legislation or promote efficient operations. Manages all delegations and designations from the CPO. .

Coordinates the review and comment on legislative proposals. Identifies and develops legislative proposals and shepherds them through the internal DHS and OMB review processes to ensure they are delivered to the Hill for consideration.

Represents OCPO, as necessary, at high level meetings within DHS and government-wide. Coordinates with other lines of business to ensure the equities of the procurement community are represented on issues such as the DATA Act, FITARA, and other initiatives.

DHS Program Management Governance and Oversight policies: Guides and provides expert consultation services to the Department regarding the state of the art policies and procedures for managing all types of acquisition programs especially regarding those policies and procurements that have a bearing on the contracting process.

Requirements

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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-BASED METHOD, 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:Demonstrated experience in foreseeing complex acquisition related regulations or policies and implementing effective measures to ensure in the management and oversight of a large scale, complex, multifaceted acquisition operation, providing mission critical supplies and services. This includes experience in leading an operation to implement acquisition initiatives across large, geographically diverse organizations and with multiple lines of business.

TQ-2: Demonstrate extensive experience and expert knowledge of laws, regulations, and policies governing the federal acquisition of supplies and services. Prior experience must reflect responsibility for both pre-and post-award management and administration of major acquisitions.

TQ-3: Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and persuasively across multiple lines of business, Components, and across agencies to build consensus that delivers outcomes to meet mission needs of the organization.

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.

Education


Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications; applicant's resumes and supporting documentation should only reflect education received from schools accredited by such institutions.
Applicants can verify accreditation at the following Website:
http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html.

If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency (a U.S. private organization's interpretation that such education has been deemed at least equivalent to conventional U.S. education programs) with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For more information regarding evaluation of foreign education for federal employment, please visit the U.S. Department of Education webpage.

Additional information

DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including: health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays. Other benefits may include: flexible work schedules; telework; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers. DHS is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and developmental opportunities. For more information, go to the DHS Careers website and select "Employee Benefits." Disabled veteran leave will be available to any Federal employee hired on or after November 5, 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30 percent or more. (https://www.opm.gov/news/releases/2016/08/newly-established-leave-policy-gives-disabled-veterans-more-time-to-address-medical-issues-1/)

Background Investigation: To ensure the accomplishment of its mission, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requires each and every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully complete a background investigation for Top Secret/SCI clearance as a condition of placement in this Special Sensitive position. This review includes financial issues such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs.

Veteran's Preference - Veteran's Preference does NOT apply to the SES positions.

Relocation expenses will not be paid.

Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U. S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U. S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance, and Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.

Pursuant to Executive Order 12654 and DHS policy, DHS is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace and, therefore, conducts random and other drug testing of its employees in order to ensure a safe and healthy work environment. Headquarters personnel in safety- or security-sensitive positions are subject to random drug testing and all applicants tentatively selected for employment at DHS Headquarters are subject to drug testing resulting in a negative test result.

If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.

DHS uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

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.

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