Are you ready to play a pivotal role in the mission critical intersection of patent processing and publications with contract management? We have an exciting opportunity where your expertise can make a real difference. As the Director of the Office of Application & Processing Systems Administration (OAPSA), you will lead contract management matters related to critical patent application processing activities. If you're ready to take the next step in your career, come join us.
Summary
Are you ready to play a pivotal role in the mission critical intersection of patent processing and publications with contract management? We have an exciting opportunity where your expertise can make a real difference. As the Director of the Office of Application & Processing Systems Administration (OAPSA), you will lead contract management matters related to critical patent application processing activities. If you're ready to take the next step in your career, come join us.
As the Director of the Office of Application & Processing Systems Administration (OAPSA), you will serve in a key role to the Assistant Commissioner for Patents on matters related to contract management activities, specifically for the Patent Data and Data Management (PDDM) contract. The work performed under the PDDM contracts are used to process patent applications, particularly the mission critical publication of Pre-grant publications (PGPubs) and Patent Grants.
The ideal candidate is a collaborative consensus builder and expert at building coalitions with and between the Office of Application Processing for Patents, OCIO, the Office of Procurement, and the Office of Patent Financial Management to ensure positive contract outcomes and to avoid disruption in critical patent application processing activities. The Director of OAPSA must be able to develop technical analyses and well-documented tactical implementation approaches and initiatives that will ensure the accomplishment of the Office's priorities, goals, and objectives.
In this exciting role you will lead the efforts in:
Providing expertise and advice to Patents senior management and participate in high-level decision making regarding the Patents Data and Data Management (PDDM) contract, as well as other contracts housed within the purview of the Deputy Commissioner of Patents.
Providing oversight and leadership in recommending improvements to increase contract execution efficiencies, existing contract management activities, and enhance overall contract quality efforts.
Developing recommendations for substantive cost savings changes, that allow for efficiency to the agency's contract dependencies.
Providing oversight and guidance on security posture recommendations consistent with agency cybersecurity mandates and compliance requirements for non-IT information systems.
Promoting quality assurance standards for contracts and contracted materials.
Providing direction for efficient collaboration, to ensure quality standards are met for all deliverables.
Promoting change management responsibilities related to PDDM processes, improvements, and effective communications.
Directing a diverse matrix team of USPTO business experts, communication experts, IT experts, quality and data analysis experts, and contract experts to achieve optimal results.
Collaborating and building effective relationships with experts and leaders within USPTO and external stakeholders and customers.
Also, in this pivotal role as the Director of OAPSA you will make a meaningful impact on the organization, while ensuring to meet the administrative and technical objectives and implement essential programs directed by the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioners for Patents.
Background and/or Security investigation, if selected for position.
Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www. sss.gov)
Financial Disclosure Report (OGE-278) will be required upon appointment.
You must serve a one-year probationary period unless you previously completed one year in the Senior Executive Service.
Qualifications
Experience must have been at a sufficiently high level of difficulty to clearly show that the candidate possesses the required professional/technical qualifications and executive core qualifications set forth below.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Please provide your narrative responses to the Professional Technical Qualification (PTQs) and the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) questions in the text boxes as prompted by USAJobs. Do not write "see resume". When responding, you must clearly show that you possess the experience and competencies to perform the duties of this position. Each PTQ and ECQ has a 10,000-character limit (to include spaces) that must be adhered to. Uploaded documents addressing the PTQs and ECQs will not be accepted.
Professional Technical Qualifications:
Expert knowledge of organizational budget processes, contract management, and planning and resource management.
Thorough knowledge of patents practice and procedures (including applications and publication processes), as well as appreciable breadth of knowledge in scientific and technical fields, business acumen.
Excellent oral and written communication skills to effectively present a variety of persuasive briefings to senior and executive level management on complex processing issues and direct subordinate staff. Ability to effectively communicate complex positions and policies related to government contract management.
Experience in directing, supervising, and evaluating the activities of a professional organization. Ability to develop and achieve organizational goals; delegate assignments; motivate subordinates, teams, and individuals; and establish and maintain a positive working environment.
EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQ): You must submit a narrative statement covering each of the ECQs listed below unless you: 1) are a current or former SES career appointee or 2) have successfully completed an SES Candidate Development Program approved by OPM and been certified by OPM.
When responding be sure to provide specific examples of what you have done that demonstrates your possession of each ECQ and the appropriate competencies. For more information please visit this site: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive- service/reference-materials/guidetosesquals_2012.pdf
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Competencies: Partnering, Political Savvy, and Influencing/Negotiation.
Applicants are encouraged to follow the Challenge, Context, Action and Result (C-C-A-R) model outlined in the Guide To SES Qualifications.
Challenge - Describe a specific problem or goal.
Context - Describe the individuals and groups you worked with, and/or the environment in which you worked, to address a particular challenge (e.g., clients, co-workers, members of Congress, shrinking budget, low morale).
Action - Discuss the specific actions you took to address a challenge.
Result - Give specific examples of measures/outcomes that had some impact on the organization. These accomplishments demonstrate the quality and effectiveness of your leadership skills.
Note: Uploaded documents addressing the PTQ's and ECQs will not be accepted
Note: Current career SES members, former career SES members with reinstatement eligibility, and SES Candidate Development Program graduates who have been certified by OPM, only need to submit a resume and narrative statement covering each of the PTQs and do NOT need to address the ECQs.
Education
The minimum educational requirement for this position is a technical degree or the equivalent.
Additional information
Mobility: Organizational and geographical mobility is essential in developing and managing SES leaders and generally is a key to advancement. Therefore, applicants are expected to be mobile and once appointed SES members may be reassigned at the discretion of the appointing authority.
If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System. If you are exempt from registration under Selective Service Law, you must provide appropriate proof of exemption. Please visit the Selective Service System website for more information.
This is a Non-Bargaining Unit position. This is a Public Trust position and has a risk level designation of "High Risk"
Background Investigation: If selected for this position, you may be required to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306), which includes a fingerprint and credit check, to determine your suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation.
The USPTO participates in E-Verify. For more information on E-Verify, please visit http://www.dhs.gov/files/programs/gc_1185221678150.shtm
All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choice.
Relocation Expenses are not authorized and will not be paid.
Veteran preference does not apply to the Senior Executive Service.
More than one selection may be made from this announcement if additional identical vacancies in the same title, series, grade, and unit occur within 90 days from the date the certificate was issued.
All application materials become the property of the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
The Ethics in Government Act of 1978, as amended, requires senior officials in the executive, legislative and judicial branches to file public reports of their finances as well as other interests outside the Government. If selected for this position you will be required to file a Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 278). The OGE 278 is available to the public. The primary purpose of disclosure is to assist agencies in identifying potential conflicts of interest between a filer's official duties and the filer's private financial interests and affiliations.
The United States Patent and Trademark Office is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors. If you believe that you have been discriminated against and would like to file an EEO complaint, you must do so within 45 days of the date of the alleged discriminatory act. Claims of employment discrimination must be submitted to the attention of the USPTO's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity & Diversity via email (oeeod@uspto.gov) or phone (571-272-8292).
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
To be considered for this position, you must demonstrate in your application package that you meet the minimum specialized experience as defined under the "Qualifications" section, answer the Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQs), Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs), and submit a detailed resume that supports your answers to the PTQs, ECQs, and specialized experience.
Your responses to the PTQs, ECQs, and resume will be evaluated by a Human Resources Specialist and/or a subject matter expert. Falsifying your background, education, and/or experience is cause for not hiring you or for changing your scored responses to questions you've answered, which may affect your overall final score. Please note that a complete application is required for consideration. (Please review the "Required Documents" section of this job announcement to see what must be included in a complete application).
Candidates who are evaluated by an executive rating panel based on the degree to which they meet the PTQs, ECQs, and considering the applicant's education, work-related experience, training, awards, and professional recognition, as set forth in the materials submitted by the candidates and placed in one of the pre-defined quality categories. These categories are "Highly Qualified", "Well Qualified" and "Qualified." Candidates placed in the "highest quality category" will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
A resume or any other written format you choose to describe your job-related qualifications: Your resume should indicate your citizenship and should list your educational and work experience including job titles, salary, employment dates, duties and accomplishments, experience and how it relates to the PTQs and ECQs in the job announcement. Please Note: Responses to job questions that are not fully supported by the information in your resume may result in adjustments to your rating.
Narrative responses to the PTQs and ECQs: Do not write "see resume". Applicants are required to input narrative responses to the Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQs) in the text boxes as prompted by USAJobs. Each PTQ and ECQ has a 10,000-character limit (to include spaces) that must be adhered to. Uploading documents addressing the PTQs or ECQs will not be accepted.
Transcripts: You MUST submit copies of your college transcripts for verification of the education requirements. Unofficial copies are accepted, however, if selected you will be required to furnish official transcripts. It is your responsibility to provide adequate proof that you meet the above educational requirement. Inadequate or illegible information could result in non-qualification and loss of consideration.
Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50): Please submit a current SF-50 if you are a Federal Employee. If you are a current or previous Senior Executive Service career member you must submit a copy of your Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) to show proof.
NOTE: Submit only the documents requested. Additional documents will not be reviewed by the rating panel.
Your application and all required documentation must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on the closing date of this job announcement. Review your resume and responses carefully. Responses to job questions that are not fully supported by the information in your application package may result in adjustments to your rating. A Human Resources Representative will validate the qualifications of those candidates eligible to be referred to the hiring official.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
******If you are currently, or have been within the last five years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information in your application.
You MUST apply online. If you experience difficulties with the application process or do not have access to a computer, please contact the HR Specialist listed as the point of contact before the closing date of this job announcement.
If you are a new user to the USAJobs Site and have never registered for an account, you will first need to create an account profile with your basic contact information and a resume to begin applying. You must be a registered USAJobs user, and you must be signed-in to your account in order to apply for this position. For help setting up an account or for general help using USAJobs, go to USAJobs Help Page.
Once you have gathered all of the required information and are ready to begin the application process, click the "APPLY" button at the right side of the page. You will then be directed away from USAJobs to the Department of Commerce application site for USPTO. You must click "Submit" at the end of the application process to send your application for consideration.
To return to your saved application, log in to your USAJOBS account at http://www.usajobs.gov/ and click on "Applications." Click on the position title, then select "Update Application. "If you experience any difficulties with the application site, help is available! OPM has a Help feature on each page. Use this option when you need assistance. All required supporting documents will be collected electronically via the USAJobs "Saved Documents" feature.
Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is defined as information that can be traced back to a specific individual and potentially compromise their security or privacy. Examples of PII include: date of birth, Social Security Number, and place of birth. Please ensure that you have removed all PII from all documents prior to submitting or uploading your application material. https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12234470
EXRD - Patents Branch
Office of Human Resources
Mail Stop 171
P.O. Box 1450
Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
US
Next steps
You will receive notification through USAJobs at each of the following points during the application process: (1) application received, (2) applicant assessed for qualifications, (3) applicant referred or not referred, and (4) applicant selected or not selected.
You can check the status of your application by accessing the USAJobs website at www.usajobs.gov/ and clicking on "Track Your Online Application." You may also sign up to receive automatic emails anytime the status of your application has changed by logging in to your USAJobs account, editing your profile, and changing the "Notification Settings" to indicate that you want to be notified by email when the status changes. Information regarding the status of your application should be updated in the system within two weeks after the closing date of this job announcement.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
A resume or any other written format you choose to describe your job-related qualifications: Your resume should indicate your citizenship and should list your educational and work experience including job titles, salary, employment dates, duties and accomplishments, experience and how it relates to the PTQs and ECQs in the job announcement. Please Note: Responses to job questions that are not fully supported by the information in your resume may result in adjustments to your rating.
Narrative responses to the PTQs and ECQs: Do not write "see resume". Applicants are required to input narrative responses to the Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQs) in the text boxes as prompted by USAJobs. Each PTQ and ECQ has a 10,000-character limit (to include spaces) that must be adhered to. Uploading documents addressing the PTQs or ECQs will not be accepted.
Transcripts: You MUST submit copies of your college transcripts for verification of the education requirements. Unofficial copies are accepted, however, if selected you will be required to furnish official transcripts. It is your responsibility to provide adequate proof that you meet the above educational requirement. Inadequate or illegible information could result in non-qualification and loss of consideration.
Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50): Please submit a current SF-50 if you are a Federal Employee. If you are a current or previous Senior Executive Service career member you must submit a copy of your Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) to show proof.
NOTE: Submit only the documents requested. Additional documents will not be reviewed by the rating panel.
Your application and all required documentation must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on the closing date of this job announcement. Review your resume and responses carefully. Responses to job questions that are not fully supported by the information in your application package may result in adjustments to your rating. A Human Resources Representative will validate the qualifications of those candidates eligible to be referred to the hiring official.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
******If you are currently, or have been within the last five years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information in your application.
You MUST apply online. If you experience difficulties with the application process or do not have access to a computer, please contact the HR Specialist listed as the point of contact before the closing date of this job announcement.
If you are a new user to the USAJobs Site and have never registered for an account, you will first need to create an account profile with your basic contact information and a resume to begin applying. You must be a registered USAJobs user, and you must be signed-in to your account in order to apply for this position. For help setting up an account or for general help using USAJobs, go to USAJobs Help Page.
Once you have gathered all of the required information and are ready to begin the application process, click the "APPLY" button at the right side of the page. You will then be directed away from USAJobs to the Department of Commerce application site for USPTO. You must click "Submit" at the end of the application process to send your application for consideration.
To return to your saved application, log in to your USAJOBS account at http://www.usajobs.gov/ and click on "Applications." Click on the position title, then select "Update Application. "If you experience any difficulties with the application site, help is available! OPM has a Help feature on each page. Use this option when you need assistance. All required supporting documents will be collected electronically via the USAJobs "Saved Documents" feature.
Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is defined as information that can be traced back to a specific individual and potentially compromise their security or privacy. Examples of PII include: date of birth, Social Security Number, and place of birth. Please ensure that you have removed all PII from all documents prior to submitting or uploading your application material. https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12234470
EXRD - Patents Branch
Office of Human Resources
Mail Stop 171
P.O. Box 1450
Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
US
Next steps
You will receive notification through USAJobs at each of the following points during the application process: (1) application received, (2) applicant assessed for qualifications, (3) applicant referred or not referred, and (4) applicant selected or not selected.
You can check the status of your application by accessing the USAJobs website at www.usajobs.gov/ and clicking on "Track Your Online Application." You may also sign up to receive automatic emails anytime the status of your application has changed by logging in to your USAJobs account, editing your profile, and changing the "Notification Settings" to indicate that you want to be notified by email when the status changes. Information regarding the status of your application should be updated in the system within two weeks after the closing date of this job announcement.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
