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Climate and Sustainability Officer

General Services Administration
Public Buildings Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

As a Climate Sustainability Officer, you will serves as a nationally recognized expert on high performance sustainable buildings, greenhouse gas emissions, and climate adaptation and risk within PBS.

Location of position: General Services Administration (GSA), Public Buildings Service (PBS), Office of Facilities Management

We are currently filling one vacancy, but additional vacancies may be filled as needed.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
11/08/2024 to 11/25/2024
Salary
$143,736 to - $191,900 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 15
Location
few vacancies in the following location:
Anywhere in the U.S. (remote job)
few vacancies
Remote job
Yes
Telework eligible
Not applicable, this is a remote position.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Occasional Travel
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
15
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
Yes
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
PM-2025-0006
Control number
818307300

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Duties

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  • Serves as nationally recognized expert on high performance sustainable buildings, energy/water/waste conservation, greenhouse gas emissions, and climate adaptation and risk. Provides high level technical expertise to PBS personnel regarding special, unique and/or other Federal mandates associated with energy/water/storm water/waste management, and sustainability performance in real estate operations and related design and construction project activities. Provides authoritative advice and guidance and consultant support to senior GSA officials on designs, construction requirements, projects and/or building system operations.
  • Establishes and implements high performance sustainable buildings, greenhouse gas emissions, and climate adaptation, risk, and resilience policies, directives and guidelines for use across all organizational lines within PBS. Develops standards, training, and facilitates work to establish sustainability practices for all types of GSA facilities and activities. Assures that program goals, objectives, policies, activities and initiatives are executed in coordination with other Federal agencies, requirements, laws, Executive Orders and regulations.
  • Provides independent analyses and evaluations of the effectiveness and efficiency of climate and sustainability operations in meeting the GSA’s objectives and goals. Creates policy and guidance an makes recommendations for changes, improvements, or modifications of program plans to meet changing situations and needs.
  • Supervises and manages a staff in the performance of sustainability, climate and related work. Assigns work to subordinates based on priorities, selective consideration of the difficulty and requirements of assignments and the capabilities of employees. Develops performance standards and evaluates work performance of subordinates.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • US Citizenship or National (Residents of American Samoa and Swains Island)
  • Meet all eligibility criteria within 30 days of the closing date
  • Meet time-in-grade within 30 days of the closing date, if applicable
  • Register with Selective Service if you are a male born after 12/31/1959

If selected, you must meet the following conditions:

  • 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 Non­Career 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.
  • Serve a one year probationary period, if required.
  • Undergo and pass a background investigation (Tier 2 investigation level).
  • Have your identity and work status eligibility verified if you are not a GSA employee.  We will use the Department of Homeland Security’s e-Verify system for this. Any discrepancies must be resolved as a condition of continued employment.
  • Complete a financial disclosure report to verify that no conflict, or an appearance of conflict, exists between your financial interest and this position
  • Serve a one year supervisory or managerial probationary period, if required
  • Participate in the Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP), which includes attending meetings and planning activities; and carrying out mission-critical work at a designated location other than your primary work site (which may be outside of your commuting area).

Qualifications

For each job on your resume, provide:

  • the exact dates you held  each job (from month/year to month/year)
  • number of hours per week you worked (if part time).    

If you have volunteered your service through a National Service program (e.g., Peace Corps, Americorps), we encourage you to apply and include this experience on your resume.

For a brief video on creating a Federal resume, click here

The GS-15 salary range starts at $143,736 per year. (Locality will be based on the duty location of the selectee)

If you are a new federal employee, your starting salary will likely be set at the Step 1 of the grade for which you are selected.  

To qualify, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 level or higher in the Federal service. 


SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE:  

Specialized experience is experience managing, advising or directing cross organizational, multi-discipline teams in the creation, implementation and management of programs in support of sustainability, climate adaptation and risk, energy/water/waste conservation and high-performance green buildings.

Education

Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone--no substitution of education for experience is permitted.

Additional information

Bargaining Unit Status: 
- This position is ineligible for the bargaining unit
If you apply to this position and are selected, we will not ask about your criminal history before you receive a conditional job offer. If you believe you were asked about your criminal history improperly, contact the agency or visit GSA's webpage.

Relocation-related expenses are not approved and will be your responsibility.  

Additional vacancies may be filled through this announcement in this or other GSA organizations within the same commuting area as needed; through other means; or not at all.

We are also accepting applications from all U.S. Citizens and Nationals under Vacancy Announcement #PM-2025-0005.  You must apply separately to each announcement to be considered for both.

GSA is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility that goes beyond our compliance with EEO regulations including: 
  • Valuing and embracing diversity, promoting equity, inclusion and accessibility, and expecting cultural competence; and
  • Fostering a work environment where all employees, customers and stakeholders feel respected and valued.
Our commitment is: 
  • Reflected in our policies, procedures and work environment;
  • Recognized by our employees, customers and stakeholders; and
  • Drives our efforts to recruit, attract, retain and engage the diverse workforce needed to achieve our mission.

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 questions you answer during the application process, which will measure your overall possession of the following competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities.  Your responses to these questions must be supported by your resume or your score may be lowered.

  1. Knowledge of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction, energy management, and federal high-performance sustainable buildings, and sustainability reporting programs; their governing laws, regulations, methodologies and/or policies to provide sound and authoritative technical guidance on all issues related to this program.
  2. Ability to interpret governmental, Presidential and/or Congressional initiatives; determine applicability; develop and implement policies; and set goals/objectives, track performance, and train personnel.
  3. Ability to provide sound and authoritative technical analysis, recommendations and guidance on all issues related to sustainability. Skill in interpersonal relations and in written and oral communications required to explain and negotiate requirements and/or implementation of program initiatives; ability to influence change with authority; and ability to present findings and conduct formal meetings in a concise and professional manner.
  4. Ability to supervise / lead cross-functional, program, and project teams.

Additional hurdle assessments, such as narrative responses or other assessments, may be administered to applicants who meet the requirements of the first hurdle, e.g., the minimum qualification requirements. If additional assessments are used, you will be provided with further instructions.

Consideration will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards in merit promotion selection decisions in accordance with 5 CFR 335.103(b)(3). You should list any relevant performance appraisals and incentive awards in your resume so that information will be taken into consideration during the selection process.  If selected, you may be required to provide supporting documentation.

If you are eligible under Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan or GSA’s Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP/CTAP), you must receive a score of 85 or higher to receive priority.


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