Clarification from the agency

You must complete the application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement. This Senior Executive Service job is open to: U.S. Citizens (all qualified U.S. Citizens).

The incumbent serves as the Deputy Director, Public Assistance Division, responsible for: the development, management, direction, and evaluation of all Division programs and activities; oversees the development and administration of policies and procedures for all assigned programs; and manages, directs, and is accountable for all work of the Division.

The incumbent manages the Public Assistance Program to provide supplemental Federal disaster grant assistance for debris removal, emergency protective measures, and the repair, replacement, or restoration of disaster-damaged, publicly owned facilities, and facilities of certain private non-profit organizations while also encouraging the protection of these damaged facilities from future events by providing assistance for hazard mitigation measures during the recovery process. The Deputy Director also oversees the implementation of Public Assistance programs including but not limited to the Community Disaster Loan Program and the Special Community Disaster Loan Program and the Fire Management Assistance Grant Program.

The incumbent develops and maintains relationships with State, tribal, and local governments as well as certain private, non-profit organizations to ensure the success of the Public Assistance Programs so that communities can quickly respond to and recover from disasters declared by the President.

The incumbent also provides support to FEMA’s Regional Offices and disaster field offices to support the delivery of Public Assistance programs and services and enable them to succeed in carrying out the Public Assistance mission. In addition, the Deputy Director provides leadership to Public Assistance program and Consolidated Resource Center staff that are geographically dispersed across the country.

The incumbent is responsible for the oversight, policy, procedural development, and coordination of the many provisions of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 44 Code of Federal Regulations Emergency Management and Assistance, the Post Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act, and related authorities.

The incumbent continuously analyzes and recommends changes to policies to increase program efficiency and responsiveness and regularly evaluates the effectiveness of Public Assistance programs and systems based on feedback from customers and develops enhancements to improve service delivery and reduce operating costs.

The incumbent directs and manages the staff of the Public Assistance Division, including the Consolidated Resource Centers. Determines staffing and disaster workforce needs, develops plans for organizational change, determines resource, facility, training, contracting and staffing requirements, and the proper allocation of resources.

EMERGENCY ASSIGNMENT: Every FEMA employee has regular and recurring emergency management responsibilities, though not every position requires routine deployment to disaster sites. All positions are subject to recall around the clock for emergency management operations, which may require irregular work hours, work at locations other than the official duty station, and may include duties other than those specified in the employee's official position description. Travel requirements in support of emergency operations may be extensive in nature (weeks to months), with little advance notice, and may require employees to relocate to emergency sites with physically austere and operationally challenging conditions.

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship Required.
• If selected, a one-year SES Probationary period may be required.
• Filing of (OGE-278) - Public Financial Disclosure.
• You must be able to obtain/maintain a Top Secret (SCI) clearance.
• This position is subject to random drug testing.

Failure to meet the basic qualification requirement and all Technical and Executive Core Qualification factors automatically disqualifies an applicant.

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 Technical Qualifications 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 Qualifications (TQs) listed below.

We recommend that your resume emphasize your level of responsibilities, the scope and complexity of the programs managed, and your program accomplishments, including the results of your actions.

The application process used to recruit for this position is RESUME-ONLY. Although you should not address the ECQs or TQs separately, evidence of each must be clearly reflected in your resume. 

Any information 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.

TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS – MANDATORY

1. Demonstrated knowledge and ability to establish, adapt, and continually examine program regulations, policies, structure, resources, and performance to implement an organization’s mission, strategic goals, and vision.
2. Demonstrated knowledge and leadership of emergency management and disaster recovery programs, including relationships between local, state, tribal, and federal government entities.
3. Demonstrated management-level experience leading teams in the development, communication, and execution of a strategic vision or plan that changes business processes, service standards, or program delivery models.

Applicants currently serving under a career Senior Executive Service (SES) appointment, eligible for reinstatement into SES, or have successfully completed a SES Candidate Development Program (CDP) approved by OPM are not required to address the Executive Core  Qualifications (ECQs); but a narrative statement for each of the Technical  Qualifications (TQs) is recommended.

EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs):

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

The following categories of applicants may omit the mandatory Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs), but the Technical Qualifications must be addressed within your Resume:

• Applicants who are currently serving under a SES career appointment (must provide a copy of Standard Form 50--Notification of Personnel Action that documents career appointment to the SES).
• Applicants who are eligible for reinstatement to the SES (must provide a copy of Standard Form 50--Notification of Personnel Action that documents career appointment to the SES).
• Applicants who are graduates of OPM-approved SES Candidate Development Programs (must provide proof of OPM Qualifications Review Board certification). 

All required application materials will be reviewed to determine if applicants meet the mandatory qualification requirements. Qualification and experience determinations will be based only on the information supplied by the applicant. The best-qualified candidates for this position will be distinguished from other applicants by an evaluation committee to determine the degree to which qualification requirements are met.  Applicants should provide specific evidence of possession of the mandatory Technical and Executive Core Qualifications, as outlined under Qualifications Criteria, to assist the evaluation committee in determining the best-qualified candidates that will be considered for final selection.

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, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office. 

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 and experience. Your application will be evaluated by an internal rating and ranking panel. Highly qualified candidates may undergo an interview and a reference check. Unless you have already been previously certified by a Qualifications Review Board (QRB), your Executive Core Qualifications must be certified by an OPM-sponsored QRB prior to appointment.