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Regional Director

Department of Homeland Security
Transportation Security Administration
International Operations

Summary

International Operations (IO) leads TSA's mission to identify, analyze, and mitigate risk to international transportation security, particularly international inbound aviation. As part of this process, IO reduces risk to the United States through its Transportation Security Administration Representative, Preclearance, and Capacity Development programs.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
03/31/2026 to 04/14/2026
Salary
$151,661 - $228,000 per year
Pay scale & grade
SW 2
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
50% 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.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
None
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Top Secret
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Special-Sensitive (SS)/High Risk
Financial disclosure
Yes
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
HQ-SO-GO-26-56854 -ERD
Control number
863249200

Duties

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As a Regional Director, International Operations, Security Operations (SO), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), you will be assigned to a specific Area of Responsibility (AOR) within International Operations (IO) and report to the Deputy Assistant Administrator for IO. You will lead TSA's strategic efforts in raising the baseline for aviation security in your assigned AOR. In addition, you will serve as an advisor, consultant and expert to government officials in foreign countries to harmonize aviation security measures, share best practices, exchange lessons learned, and establish common policies to minimize duplication of effort.High-level duties include:

  • Serving as an international transportation security advisor to the Assistant Administrator and Deputy Assistant Administrator for IO and representing TSA's views and perspectives on transportation security to international stakeholders.
  • Promoting transportation security standards in a global environment and exercising independence, autonomy, and decision-making in order to advance key goals of TSA.
  • Applying regional transportation security leadership to enhance security operations and to reduce transportation threats.
  • Serving as a subject matter expert in transportation security and leveraging relationships with key allies to most effectively influence global transportation security standards.
  • Advising on-site IO representative in host country, serving as an expert in reviewing intermodalism and its impact on transportation security systems, and ensuring an integrated approach to security.
  • Representing TSA with high level government officials and imparting knowledge and subject matter expertise in order to provide education on transportation security standards.
  • Promoting security practices and awareness in all modes of transportation and facilitating cooperative partnerships between private and government sectors.
  • Representing IO and the TSA on international transportation security working groups, committees, and conferences and participating in and contributing to transportation security development activities in foreign locations.
  • Coordinating the dissemination of threat or security related information to concerned parties throughout the AOR and provide on-site communications and other viable support during incidents or threats involving U.S. carriers and other U.S. transportation carriers
  • Supervising and directing the efforts of all TSA Representatives (TSARs) assigned at foreign posts within your AOR to ensure accomplishment of TSA strategic goals.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  1. Must be a U.S. Citizen.
  2. Must serve a probationary period of one year unless you previously completed the probationary period in a SES/TSES position.
  3. Must complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.
  4. If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so.
  5. Subject to pre-employment and random drug tests.
  6. Must file a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report OGE-278e within 30 days of appointment and annually from then on.
  7. Must complete a favorable Tier 5 Background Investigation (T5).
  8. This position requires a TS/SCI (Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information) clearance that must be completed prior to appointment.
  9. You will be subject to a 5-year periodic investigation and must be able to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI clearance. Failure to obtain and maintain the required clearance may result in the withdrawal of a job offer or removal.
There are three key documents that contain important information about your rights and obligations. Please read and retain these documents:
If you fail to meet the conditions of employment or any other pre-employment requirements, such as missing any of the scheduled appointments, the hiring agency may rescind their tentative offer of employment.

Qualifications

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.

As a basic requirement, applicants must demonstrate progressively responsible leadership experience that is indicative of senior executive level managerial capability and directly related to the skills and abilities outlined under the Technical Qualifications and Executive Core Qualifications listed below. Typically, experience of this nature will have been gained at or above the equivalent of the GS-15 grade level in the Federal service or its equivalent with state and local government, the private sector, or non-governmental organizations.

To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and Technical Qualifications (TQs) related to this position within your resume. Your resume MAY NOT EXCEED 2 PAGES. Resumes over the 2-page limit will be deemed ineligible and will not receive further consideration. Your resume should include examples of experience, education, and accomplishments applicable to the qualification(s). If your resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of these qualifications, you may not receive consideration for the position.

There is NO requirement to prepare a narrative statement specifically addressing the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) or the Technical Qualifications (TQs).

The application process used to recruit for this position is RESUME-BASED. Therefore, evidence of each ECQ and TQ must be CLEARLY REFLECTED in your resume.

TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs): Your resume should demonstrate accomplishments that would satisfy the following technical qualifications.

1. Demonstrated leadership experience examining transportation security issues in an international arena and to recommend improvements in infrastructure, policy, or practices.

2. Demonstrated leadership experience developing and maintaining professional relationships with high-level officials in the international community, negotiating sensitive or diplomatic issues, and achieving desired outcomes.

EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): In addition to the Technical Qualification Requirements listed above, all new entrants into the Senior Executive Service (SES)/Transportation Security Executive Service (TSES) under a career appointment will be assessed for executive competency against the following five mandatory ECQs. If your 2-page resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of the ECQs and TQs, you will not receive further consideration for the position.

ECQ 1 - COMMITMENT TO THE RULE OF LAW AND THE PRINCIPLES OF THE AMERICAN FOUNDING. This core qualification requires a demonstrated knowledge of the American system of government, commitment to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law, and commitment to serve the American people.

ECQ 2 - DRIVING EFFICIENCY. This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to strategically and efficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades.

ECQ 3 - MERIT AND COMPETENCE. This core qualification involves the demonstrated knowledge, ability and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality.

ECQ 4 - LEADING PEOPLE. This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals, and to drive a high-performance, high-accountability culture. This includes, when necessary, the ability to lead people through change and to hold individuals accountable.

ECQ 5 - ACHIEVING RESULTS. This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors.

NOTE: If you are a member of the SES/TSES or have been certified through successful participation in an OPM approved SES Candidate Development Program (SESCDP), or have SES/TSES reinstatement eligibility, you do not need to respond to the ECQs. Instead, you should attach proof (e.g., SF-50, Certification by OPM's SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB)) of your eligibility for noncompetitive appointment to the SES/TSES.

FAILURE TO MEET OR FULLY ADDRESS EACH EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATION AND TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS IN THE RESUME WILL ELIMINATE A CANDIDATE FROM FURTHER CONSIDERATION.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize any employment offers made to current or former (within the last 5 years) political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES/TSES employees in the executive branch. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Noncareer SES/TSES employee in the executive branch, you must disclose that to the Human Resources Office.

Education

This job does not have an education qualifications requirement.

Additional information

  • The Regional Director position has a Tour of Duty. The length of a tour of duty assignment is generally up to 5 years. The initial tour is normally 36 months, and with agency approval a second tour of duty up to 24 months. Any subsequent tour of duty extension beyond the second tour will be based on the Agency's needs.
  • During your assignment, an employee from Human Capital will work with you to complete a career assessment and to identify future position interests. It is TSA's policy to provide a consistent and timely way of placing employees upon expiration of their tour of duty. Placement is based on the employee meeting the priority placement eligibility requirements and qualification requirements for an appropriate vacant position, as well as any applicable career development assessment and agency needs.
  • Must be available for duty worldwide, including areas or locations that may be dangerous and require tolerating austere living conditions.
  • Work may require driving or traveling by motor vehicle and occasionally involves regular and reoccurring exposure to moderate risk or discomforts that require special safety precautions.
  • This duty assignment can result in dangerous and/or austere living conditions. In addition, work may require driving or traveling by motor vehicle to surrounding countries and therefore may be required to obtain vaccinations depending on guidance from State Department, DHS, and/or the host country.
  • The TSA, an excepted service agency, was established by Public Law 107-71, ATSA, on November 19, 2001. ATSA provides TSA with the authority to modify and develop its own human capital program, provided such modifications are consistent with 49 USC 40122.
  • This is an excepted service position. However, there is an interchange agreement with the OPM and TSA that enables Career TSES members who have been approved by the Qualifications Review Board at OPM to qualify for Senior Executive Service (SES) positions without additional competition.
  • You will be required to serve a probationary period of one year unless you previously completed the probationary period in a SES/TSES position.
  • When you enter on duty, you will be required to complete a Public Financial Disclosure Report, OGE Form 278e. You will need to provide this information annually.
  • Veteran's Preference does NOT apply to SES/TSES positions.
  • This is an Emergency Essential position.
  • Mobility: Organizational and geographical mobility is essential in developing and managing SES/TSES leaders. Individuals selected for SES/TSES positions members may be subject to reassignment across geographical, organizational, and functional lines, and may be required to sign a Mobility Agreement.
  • Levels: The TSA structures its TSES positions into categories (i.e. levels) to determine the pay range for each position. The categories are based on the position scope, breadth, functions, and placement within the structure of organizational levels across the Agency.
  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Statement: http://www.eeoc.gov/federal/index.cfm.
  • Employment Information Resources - Resource Center: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

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

Once the application process is complete, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be conducted. If you meet minimum qualifications, your Application Package will be further reviewed to determine if you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) and Technical Qualifications (TQ) listed above. ECQs and TQs must be thoroughly addressed within your two (2) page resume. Separate narratives will not be accepted or reviewed. Highly Qualified applicants may undergo one or more interviews and may be referred to the selecting official for further consideration.

Upon selection, if not already a member of the SES/TSES serving under a career appointment, the individual selected must have his/her executive qualifications certified by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB) before appointment to this position. The selected individual's application will be forwarded to the OPM for review and certification by the QRB, unless the selectee provides evidence of their noncompetitive status (i.e., a current SES/TSES, OPM QRB certified SES CDP graduate, or SES/TSES reinstatement eligible). Upon QRB certification, the selected individual will be required to serve a one-year probationary period. For more information regarding the SES/TSES, go to https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/.

Transportation Security Administration

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is calling those who want to help protect American interests and secure our Nation. DHS components work collectively to prevent terrorism; secure borders and our transportation systems; protect the President and other dignitaries; enforce and administer immigration laws; safeguard cyberspace; and ensure resilience to disasters. Make an impact; join DHS.

Agency contact information

Executive Resources
Email
ExecutiveResources@tsa.dhs.gov
Address
Executive Resources
DO NOT MAIL
Springfield, VA 22150
US

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