Clarification from the agency

All qualified individuals

The Assistant Director- International Affairs serves as a member of the FWS Directorate, the principal international affairs advisor to the FWS Director, and the FWS representative in all areas of international relations, including policies and programs, treaties, and foreign travel of FWS employees. The incumbent is responsible for overseeing coordination, formulation and implementation of all FWS international policy and programs, permitting, and international conservation grantmaking responsibilities under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), Lacey Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), Wild Exotic Bird Conservation Act (WBCA), Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Acts, Multinational Species Conservation Funds, Foreign Assistance Act, and various treaties, conventions, and agreements, including the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), Convention on Nature Protection and Wildlife Preservation in the Western Hemisphere, Polar Bear Treaty, Protocol on Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife in the Wider Caribbean Region, and Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitats (Ramsar Convention).

The AD-IA also serves as a secretariat for treaties, conventions, and agreements under which FWS has delegated authorities and implementation responsibilities, the FWS representative to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and the FWS POC for foreign governments, the State Department, and international conservation organizations.

Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National
• A background investigation is required
• Appointment MAY include a requirement for 1 year probationary period
• Registration with Selective Service
• Notice of Financial Disclosure Report Requirement: This position is subject to a financial disclosure requirement and you will be required to complete either OGE Form 278e or OGE Form 450 as applicable within 30 days of your appointment

Qualifications

You must meet all qualification requirements outlined within this vacancy by 11:59 PM (EST) on 03/28/2023 of this announcement.

Educational Requirement

As a basic requirement, applicants MUST have:

A. Degree: Biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, or related disciplines appropriate to the position; OR
B. Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, or at least 30 semester hours in courses, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education; OR
C. Experience: Four years of experience that demonstrated that the applicant acquired knowledge and understanding of one or more of the biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, or related disciplines equivalent to that which would have been acquired through completion of a 4-year course of study as described in A above.

Additionally, applicants MUST demonstrate progressively responsible leadership that is indicative of senior executive level managerial capability as outlined under Executive Core Qualifications and Technical Qualifications. Typically, experience of this nature will have been gained at or above the GS-15 grade level in the federal service or its equivalent with state or local governments, the private sector, or non-governmental organizations.

Unless you are currently serving under a career Senior Executive appointment, are eligible for reinstatement into the Senior Executive Service, or have successfully completed a Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program approved by the OPM and been certified by the OPM, you must submit a narrative statement covering each of the Executive Core Qualifications and Technical Qualifications listed below. Your examples should be clear and concise, and emphasize your level of responsibilities, scope of complexity of programs managed, program accomplishments with results of your actions, policy initiatives and level of contacts.

The narrative addressing ECQ's must follow the format provided at http://www.opm.gov/ses/recruitment/ecq.asp Narrative statements may not exceed 10 pages for ECQ's; TQ's may not exceed three pages.

Technical Qualifications:

1. In-depth knowledge of, and professional experience in, applying principles and techniques of natural resources administration and management.
2. Knowledge of the roles, responsibilities, and goals of a large natural resources organization with programs of national scope.
3. Knowledge of current issues in environmental science, habitat maintenance, and the interactions among various environmental and biological sciences.

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.

How you will be evaluated

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

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 above.

All applicants must submit the following in order to receive consideration for this position:

1. A resume. You must include the following information:

- Vacancy announcement number
- Full name, mailing address, and day and evening telephone numbers
- Social Security Number
- Educational information, including the name, city and state of colleges or universities you attended, as well as the type and year of any degrees received
- Information about your paid and nonpaid work experience related to this position including:
- Job title (include series and grade if Federal job)
- Duties and accomplishments
- Employer's name and address
- Supervisor's name and phone number
- Starting and ending dates of employment (month and year)
- Salary
- Indicate if we may contact your current supervisor
- Information about honors, awards, and special accomplishments

2. A narrative statement addressing each of the Executive and Technical Qualifications - experience (paid and unpaid), education, training, awards, and/or self-development activities as related to each. Each technical qualification and each ECQ must be addressed separately. Narrative statements for the executive core qualifications may NOT exceed ten (10) pages total and narrative statements for the technical qualifications may not exceed four (3) pages total. IF YOU EXCEED THESE LIMITS YOU WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. PLEASE SUBMIT THESE AS A SEPARATE DOCUMENT IN YOUR APPLICATION, DO NOT ATTACH IT TO YOUR RESUME.

3. Graduates of approved SES Candidate Development Programs must include a copy of the OPM certification of eligibility and a narrative statement addressing only the technical qualifications.

4. Current or former Career SES members must submit documentation of their SES status and a narrative statement addressing only the technical qualifications. NOTE: Non-Career SES members must address the narratives for BOTH the Executive Core Qualifications and the Technical Qualifications.

5. If a current federal employee, a copy of a recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, that indicates Federal status, grade, tenure, and type of service.

6. A copy of your most recent annual performance appraisal (from either the government or private sector).