As Chief Information Officer, you will be responsible for planning, directing, organizing, controlling, and coordinating the agency-wide IT systems and applications. The incumbent reports directly to the Railroad Retirement Board's three-member Board. The position is a career reserved position in the Senior Executive Service (SES).
Summary
As Chief Information Officer, you will be responsible for planning, directing, organizing, controlling, and coordinating the agency-wide IT systems and applications. The incumbent reports directly to the Railroad Retirement Board's three-member Board. The position is a career reserved position in the Senior Executive Service (SES).
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy. This only applies if relocating to the Chicagoland area.
Serve as Chief Information Officer and Director for the Bureau of Information Services. Serve as an Executive Committee member and principal advisor to head of agency on all matters pertaining to Information Technology (IT) and Information Security.
Oversee the secure management of all IT services and activities for the RRB.
Provide executive leadership, direction, coordination, and facilitation for the design, development, procurement requirements, implementation and sustainment of the agency's IT systems and applications.
Be responsible for enabling efficient and effective communications and information sharing.
Collaborate with Executive Committee members and other senior managers to ensure the effective and efficient allocation of agency resources to accomplish agency priorities as they relate to the secure provision of IT applications and systems.
Support and enable efficient coordination of IT services with other executive directors, Board Office staff members, and vendor partners to ensure effectiveness of technical solutions.
Conduct reviews for internal IT business process improvements and compliance based on existing federal guidance, regulations, and best practices.
Manage IT procurement and federal contracting processes and procedures, including evaluation, selection, acquisition, and installation of IT hardware and software.
Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered for Selective Service
Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation
If you are selected, you must complete a 1-year SES probationary period, if not previously completed.
Qualifications
The Board shall appoint as the Chief Information Officer, an individual with demonstrated ability and experience at a senior management level, in directing Information Technology (IT) activities in a large organization and who meets the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs), Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) and 5-years' experience in Systems Environment listed below. Your application must demonstrate that you possess these qualifications.
Systems Environment:
Leadership of the secure rationalization of enterprise cloud environments that include mainframe, multiple DB2 databases, and 200+ COBOL applications as well as 90+ open-source (Microsoft) applications in separate cloud environments, including Microsoft's Azure Cloud as well as M365 Cloud for Government and other enterprise commercial off the shelf productivity applications. This environment includes public-facing web hosting services of several benefits administration services as well as agency-wide intranet services.
Leadership and management of enterprise-level telecommunications, including wide and local area, virtual private, and wireless networks provided by Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions Program administered by GSA, as well as agency-wide customer support services for a headquarters office located in Chicago, IL, and 53 field offices geographically dispersed across the United States.
Leadership and management of bureau staff of 80+ staff with varying technical expertise in cybersecurity, infrastructure and customer support operations, software development, telecommunications, data administration and management, privacy, records management, policy and program management, and finally budget planning and execution, as well as procurement of IT contracts and vendor management.
You must meet the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) identified below and your application must demonstrate that you possess these qualifications.
Applicants MUST have demonstrated progressively responsible leadership experience that is indicative of senior executive level managerial capability and directly related to the skills and abilities outlined under Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs). 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 government, the private sector, or non-governmental organizations. Failure to meet this basic qualification requirement and all executive and technical qualification factors defined below, automatically disqualifies an applicant.
Applicants for an initial SES career appointment must clearly demonstrate that they possess the broad executive core qualifications needed to succeed in the SES. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is required by law to review the executive qualifications of each new career appointee to the SES prior to appointment. Therefore, failure by non-SES members to address each of the required ECQs and MTQs will result in disqualification of your application. Please provide examples that are clear, concise, and emphasize your level of responsibility, the scope and complexity of programs managed, program accomplishments, policy initiatives undertaken, the results of your actions, and level of your contacts. All qualified candidates will be evaluated on the relevance of their experience, education, training, self-development, honors, awards, and outside activities.
Career Senior Executive Service Members who apply are expected to address only the MTQs.
Your ECQ statement must not exceed ten pages in length.
EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS:
ECQ 1 - LEADING CHANGE: 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.
ECQ2 - LEADING PEOPLE: 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: 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: The ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically.
ECQ 5 - BUILDING COALITIONS: 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.
MTQs required of all applicants even if already SES certified.
MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS:
MTQ 1. Demonstrated experience leading large application modernization initiatives in accordance with current federal guidance, regulation, standards, and laws. Experience should include leading agile-based methodologies for software development, testing, and deployment. Experience should include user research program and human-centered design program establishments to improve customer experience with agency's online services as modernization of services progresses.
MTQ 2. Experience managing technical and administrative matters in a federal agency or organizational entity. Please include experience managing technical staff, including developing and maintaining skills of the workforce, addressing performance shortfalls, resolving conflicts and poor morale, or other organizational climate issues. Experience in recruiting and retention of technical human resources, such as in the information technology sector. Experience in dealing with labor-management relations issues. Experience in the development and issuance of IT policy and procedures. Experience developing and justifying a budget for IT resources.
MTQ 3. Experience with providing continuous IT services to system users. Please include demonstrated experience assembling and directing an IT organization that provides quality continuous services to its users, both on-site and through remote access. Experience providing enhanced access to government information and services in a manner that is consistent with laws regarding protection of personal privacy, security of IT systems, applications, and data, national security records retention, and access for persons with disabilities, E-Government Act, and other relevant laws. Experience with the development of agency corporate websites. Experience in the development and/or modification of IT systems during periods of building and modernization.
MTQ 4. Knowledge and experience with federal acquisition regulations and contract management Please include experience in preparing statements of work and developing criteria for evaluating bids. Experience in preparing cost-benefit analysis for justification in the use of contract personnel. Experience in directing and monitoring contractor performance. Experience with effective vendor communication and establishing system accountability standards.
Unless you have already been certified by a Qualifications Review Board (QRB) in the past, your ECQs must be certified by a QRB before appointment can occur.
Education
There is no education substitution for this position.
Additional information
Salary for Senior Executive Service positions varies depending on qualifications.
Selected candidate will be subject to a one-year probationary period in the Senior Executive Service unless the required probationary period has been served.
Selected candidate is required to file a Financial Disclosure Report, OGE-278 within 30 days after his/her appointment, in accordance with the Ethics in Government Act of 1978.
Veteran's Preference does not apply to the Senior Executive Service.
The incumbent is subject to successful completion of a background investigation and favorable reference check.
If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding anAlternate Application.
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.
Agency advertises the position through the Government wide automated employment information system for a minimum of 14 days.
Candidates submit their applications to the agency.
Agency Executive Resources Board recommends the best qualified candidates to the selecting official.
Selecting official makes a choice and certifies that the candidate meets both the mandatory technical (MTQs) and executive qualifications (ECQs) for the position.
Agency submits candidate's application package to an OPM-administered Qualifications Review Board (QRB) for certification of executive qualifications.
Following QRB certification, agency appoints the candidate to the SES position.
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.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
Resume
Written narrative response to address each Executive Core Qualification (ECQs) not to exceed 2 pages each for a total of 10 pages. Your narrative must address each ECQ separately. Additional information on ECQs is available here. Applicants are encouraged to follow the Challenge, Context, Action and Result model outlined in the guide. It is recommended that you draft your ECQs in a Word document and then upload into the system. Current SES does not need to submit ECQ narratives.
Written narrative response to address each Mandatory Technical Qualification (MTQ) not to exceed 2 pages each. Please give examples and explain how often you used your skills, the complexity of the knowledge possessed, the level of people with whom you interacted, the sensitivity of the issues you handled, etc. It is recommended that you draft your MTQs in a Word document and then upload into the system.
Additional documents you may submit:
For current Senior Executive or individuals with SES reinstatement eligibility - You are encouraged to submit your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) that documents your career appointment status in the SES.
For OPM QRB certified SES Candidate Development Program graduates - You are encouraged to submit your OPM certificate of QRB ECQ approval.
For current Federal employees - You are encouraged to submit your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) that documents your current tenure, position title, series, and pay.
Current or former Political Appointees (if applicable) - please note on your resume and attach an SF-50 (i.e. your appointment SF-50). 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.
Failure to provide all the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:
To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button.
Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account (https://usajobs.gov). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account at https://www.usajobs.gov. On the Home page, scroll down and locate your job application. Once the job has been located, click the "Track this application" link on the right under the application date. The page will refresh to display the Agency's Application Information page where you can scroll down and review any notifications the agency has sent you. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
Railroad Retirement Board
844 N Rush St
Chicago, IL 60611
US
Next steps
The Bureau of Human Resources will review all applications to determine if applicants meet the mandatory technical qualifications of this position and the SES ECQs. Those who meet the qualifications will be referred to a panel of SES members to determine the "best qualified" candidates. The panel will make a recommendation to the selecting official about the top candidates that s/he should interview. Once a selection is made, the selectee's application will be forwarded to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for approval by an OPM independent Qualifications Review Board (QRB), unless the selectee is a current/ former SES executive or has successfully participated in an OPM approved SES Candidate Development Program.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
Resume
Written narrative response to address each Executive Core Qualification (ECQs) not to exceed 2 pages each for a total of 10 pages. Your narrative must address each ECQ separately. Additional information on ECQs is available here. Applicants are encouraged to follow the Challenge, Context, Action and Result model outlined in the guide. It is recommended that you draft your ECQs in a Word document and then upload into the system. Current SES does not need to submit ECQ narratives.
Written narrative response to address each Mandatory Technical Qualification (MTQ) not to exceed 2 pages each. Please give examples and explain how often you used your skills, the complexity of the knowledge possessed, the level of people with whom you interacted, the sensitivity of the issues you handled, etc. It is recommended that you draft your MTQs in a Word document and then upload into the system.
Additional documents you may submit:
For current Senior Executive or individuals with SES reinstatement eligibility - You are encouraged to submit your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) that documents your career appointment status in the SES.
For OPM QRB certified SES Candidate Development Program graduates - You are encouraged to submit your OPM certificate of QRB ECQ approval.
For current Federal employees - You are encouraged to submit your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) that documents your current tenure, position title, series, and pay.
Current or former Political Appointees (if applicable) - please note on your resume and attach an SF-50 (i.e. your appointment SF-50). 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.
Failure to provide all the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:
To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button.
Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account (https://usajobs.gov). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account at https://www.usajobs.gov. On the Home page, scroll down and locate your job application. Once the job has been located, click the "Track this application" link on the right under the application date. The page will refresh to display the Agency's Application Information page where you can scroll down and review any notifications the agency has sent you. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
Railroad Retirement Board
844 N Rush St
Chicago, IL 60611
US
Next steps
The Bureau of Human Resources will review all applications to determine if applicants meet the mandatory technical qualifications of this position and the SES ECQs. Those who meet the qualifications will be referred to a panel of SES members to determine the "best qualified" candidates. The panel will make a recommendation to the selecting official about the top candidates that s/he should interview. Once a selection is made, the selectee's application will be forwarded to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for approval by an OPM independent Qualifications Review Board (QRB), unless the selectee is a current/ former SES executive or has successfully participated in an OPM approved SES Candidate Development Program.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
