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Strategic Operations Officer

Department of Health and Human Services
Food and Drug Administration
Office of Operations

Summary

This position is being filled under a stream-lined hiring authority, Title 21 of the United States Code (21 US Code 379d-3a) as amended by the 21st Century Cures Act of 2016, section 3072 and the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, Section 3624. The candidate selected for this position will serve under a career or career-conditional appointment and be paid under the provisions of this authority. This position is being recruited based on the Title 21 Pay Table 7, Band D.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Posted today · Apply by 06/03/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on June 3, 2026
This job will close when we have received 150 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Location
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$143,913 - $197,200 per year
Pay scale & grade
AD 00
Learn more about pay scale and grade
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
FDA-OO-26-T21-12967481-KEH
Control number
870708500

This job is open to

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The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Clarification from the agency

You must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National. Foreign nationals or legal permanent residents are not eligible for consideration. This is a 21st Century Cures Act authority announcement. Traditional federal rules regarding rating, ranking, and veterans' preference do not apply.

Duties

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  • Independently leads day-to-day operational workflows and cross-functional projects, establishing priorities and operational parameters in coordination with senior leadership.
  • Serves as the primary point of contact for operational matters across the Center/Office/Program (COP), independently resolving complex non-routine issues and advising leadership on matters requiring senior-level judgement.
  • Provides high-level operational advisement to Center/Office/Program (COP) leadership by synthesizing and analyzing relevant data, identifying strategic patterns, and developing actionable recommendations to support executive decision-making.
  • Independently translate strategic objectives into comprehensive operational work plans with well-defined tasks, milestones, timelines, and resource requirements, briefing leadership on progress and deviations.
  • Leads operational feasibility assessments for proposed initiatives, evaluating systemic risks, interdependencies, and resource constraints, and recommending courses of action to senior leadership.
  • Proactively identifies emerging operational challenges and develops strategic options for leadership consideration, exercising independent judgement on when to escalate or resolve matters autonomously.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship requirement or proof of being a U.S. National must be met by closing date.
  • The candidate selected for this position will serve under a career or career-conditional appointment within the competitive service.
  • Direct Deposit: You will be required to have all federal salary payments electronically deposited into a bank account with a financial institution of your choice.
  • FDA participates in e-Verify: All new hires must complete the I-9 form; this information will be processed through e-Verify to determine your employment eligibility. If a discrepancy arises, you must take affirmative steps to resolve the matter.
  • Males born after December 31, 1959, must be registered with the Selective Service. Please go to http://www.sss.gov for more information.
  • Background Investigation Requirement: All employees must pass a security investigation. Failing to pass the background check may be grounds for removal or legal action. If hired, you may be subject to additional investigations at a later time.
  • Certification of Accuracy: All information concerning eligibility and qualification is subject to investigation and verification. False representation may be grounds for non-consideration, non-selection, or appropriate legal action.
  • Probationary periods are required for new employees appointed to competitive service positions for the first time; or reinstated employees who return after a break in service of 30-days or more and who have not completed a probationary period.

Qualifications

These positions support the following Center/Office/Program (COPs):

  • Office of the Chief Counsel (OCC)
  • Oncology Center for Excellence (OCE)

In order to qualify for the Strategic Operations Officer position which falls under the 0301 occupational Series, you must meet the following requirements by 11:59 pm EST on 06/03/2026:

In order to qualify for the Strategic Operations Officer, AD-0301-D, you must demonstrate in your resume at least seven (7) years of qualifying experience: exercising a high degree of independent judgment and expertise in translating complex organizational priorities into comprehensive operational frameworks. Working in partnership with Center/Office/Program (COP) senior leadership and the Deputy Chief Operating Officer, the Strategic Operations Officer independently leads cross-functional operational initiatives, drives strategic planning efforts, and serves as the authoritative point of contact for operational integration across the organization. This position requires mastery of program management principles and the ability to establish and refine operational strategies within a large, complex organizational environment.

In accordance with Office of Personnel Management policy, federal employees are assumed to have gained experience by performing duties and responsibilities appropriate for their official series and grade level as described in their position description. Experience that would not normally be part of the employee's position is creditable, however, when documented by satisfactory evidence, such as a signed memorandum from the employee's supervisor or an SF-50 or SF-52 documenting an official detail or other official assignment. The documentation must indicate whether the duties were performed full time or, if part time, the percentage of times the other duties were performed. It is expected that this documentation is included in the employee's official personnel record. In order to receive credit for experience in your resume that is not within the official series and grade level of your official position, you must provide a copy of the appropriate documentation of such experience as indicated above.

PHS Commissioned Corps Officers interested in performing the duties of this position within the Commissioned Corps may apply online to this announcement. Candidates will be referred to (CC) personnel and not as candidates for conversion to a permanent career or career-conditional appointment.

You must submit documentation to verify your eligibility to apply for this vacancy. For most applicants, an SF-50 will be required. However, if you are applying based as a Veteran, person with a disability, or a displaced former employee, you will be required to provide other supporting documents as applicable. See the Required Documents section for more details.

Education

There is no education substitution for this position at the Band D level.

Additional information

The application limit, if applicable, for this advertisement is: 150 applicants.

Additional Conditions of Employment:

  • Pre-employment physical required: No
  • Drug testing required: No
  • License required: No
  • Mobility agreement required: No
  • Immunization required: No
  • Bargaining Unit: No
  • Telework eligible position: Telework is at the discretion of the supervisor.
  • Financial disclosure statement, OGE-450, required: No
Additional Information:
  • Additional selections may be made for similar positions within the commuting area(s) of the locations listed through this vacancy announcement.
  • Incentives may be authorized; however, this is contingent upon funds availability. If authorized, certain incentives will require you to sign a service agreement to remain in the Federal government for a period of up to 3 years. Note: This statement does not imply nor guarantee an incentive will be offered and paid. Incentives include the following: moving expenses, recruitment or relocation incentive; student loan repayment, superior qualifications appointment, creditable service for annual leave for prior non-federal work experience or prior uniformed military service, etc.
  • If you are serving, or have served in the last 5 years (from 06/03/2026) as an Executive Branch political, Schedule C, or Non-career SES appointee, HHS/FDA may be required to obtain approval by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) prior to beginning employment. You can find out if you have held one of these appointment types by looking at your Standard Form 50s in your Electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF), in Section 5 where the legal authorities are listed. If you have served or are currently serving, you must provide a copy of your SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, documenting this appointment. In addition, you will be required to respond to the question in the assessment and certify your responses to the questionnaire. See Political Appointee FAQ - OPM for more.
Applicants selected for this position will be subject to reasonable suspicion and post-accident drug testing upon hiring. To demonstrate commitment to the HHS goal of a drug-free workplace and to set an example for other Federal employees, employees not in a testing designated position may volunteer for unannounced random testing by notifying their Drug-free Federal Workplace Program Point of Contact upon hiring.

Active-duty U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps Officers are encouraged to apply. If selected, officers may either (1) remain on active duty assigned to the designated billet for PHS assignment, or (2) separate or retire from the Commissioned Corps before entering a Title 21 civilian appointment.

All requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement (06/03/2026); only education and experience gained by this date will be considered. You must continue to meet all requirements throughout the entire hiring process.

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.

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above. This is a Title 21 announcement. Traditional rating and ranking of applications, and veterans' preference does not apply to this vacancy.

If you are referred to the hiring manager for consideration, you may be further evaluated based on an interview; review of requested work samples, writing samples, most recent performance evaluation(s), or professional references; or results of an oral presentation or work-related test.
Failure to comply with any of the additional assessment requirements will result in removal from further consideration.

Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

Food and Drug Administration

Become a part of the Department that touches the lives of every American.
At the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) you can give back to your community, state, and country, by making a difference in the lives of Americans everywhere! HHS is the principal agency for protecting the health of citizens. Join HHS and help to make our world healthier, safer, and better for all Americans.

The Food and Drug Administration is the regulatory, scientific, public health, and consumer protection agency responsible for ensuring that all human and animal drugs, and medical devices are safe and effective, that cosmetics, foods, food additives, drugs and medicated feeds for food producing animals, and radiation emitting devices are safe, and that all such products marketed in the United States are adequately, truthfully and informatively labeled and safely and properly stored, transported, manufactured packaged and regulated.

Agency contact information

FDA Applicant Help Desk
Phone
866-807-3742
Email
eric@fda.hhs.gov
Address
FDA Office of Operations
10903 New Hampshire Ave
Silver Spring, MD 20993
US

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at Food and Drug Administration, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

https://www.fda.gov/about-fda

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