This position is for a Senior Information Technology Specialist (Cybersecurity/ENTARCH) located in the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) at the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). In this role, the incumbent will serve as the agency's principal technical authority responsible for establishing and governing enterprise cybersecurity architecture, secure engineering practices, and long-range security modernization strategy.
Summary
This position is for a Senior Information Technology Specialist (Cybersecurity/ENTARCH) located in the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) at the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). In this role, the incumbent will serve as the agency's principal technical authority responsible for establishing and governing enterprise cybersecurity architecture, secure engineering practices, and long-range security modernization strategy.
The Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) is responsible for ensuring the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of FHFA's information systems and assets. The office maintains the agency's information technology (IT) infrastructure, oversees the IT security program, develops and maintains custom applications and data repositories, manages technology resources, investments, and assets, establishes IT strategic plans, policies, and procedures, supports business partners, and manages the agency's records and information management program.
Position Overview
The Senior Information Technology Specialist (Cybersecurity/ENTARCH) will provide high-level expertise across cloud security, identity architecture, Zero Trust, network segmentation, application/container security, and enterprise monitoring capabilities. This role is critical to shaping the agency's cybersecurity posture and ensuring compliance with federal mandates including FISMA, CISA, OMB, Executive Orders, and NIST frameworks. Operating with substantial independence, the architect leads multi-disciplinary technical efforts, advises executives, and ensures the secure evolution of the agency's technology environment.
The Senior Information Technology Specialist (Cybersecurity/ENTARCH) is also responsible for defining and implementing secure enterprise architectures, engineering complex cybersecurity solutions, and integrating federal security mandates across the agency's technology stack.
Major Duties & Responsibilities
Lead enterprise cybersecurity architecture by designing and governing integrated architectures across identity, devices, networks, applications, and data within a Zero Trust model.
Develop secure architectures for hybrid cloud, Microsoft 365, identity services, and container ecosystems.
Establish enterprise patterns, baselines, and engineering standards.
Ensure alignment with NIST SP 800 53, SP 800 207, RMF, and OMB/CISA directives.
Lead major cybersecurity modernization initiatives including defining scope, technical objectives, dependencies, schedules, and measurable outcomes.
Coordinate engineering, cloud, network, application, and development teams to oversee threat modeling, secure API design, encryption, secrets management.
Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation.
May be required to successfully complete a probationary period.
Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.
Resume and supporting documents (See How To Apply).
If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.
FHFA participates in e-Verify. All new hires must complete the I-9 Employment Verification form either on or before their first day of employment. If a discrepancy arises, you must take affirmative steps to resolve the matter.
This position is eligible for inclusion in the bargaining unit. The union that represents employees in this position is the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) Chapter 343.
This is NOT a remote position; you MUST live within or be willing to relocate within a commutable distance of the Washington, DC duty location.
Must be able to obtain and maintain a COR-I Certification.
Qualifications
You may qualify for your desired series and grade level if you meet the following qualification requirements:
BASIC REQUIREMENTS:
To be eligible for the 2210 series, you must have IT-related experience demonstrating each of the four competencies listed below:
Attention to Detail - Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail.
Customer Service - Works with clients and customers (that is, any individuals who use or receive the services or products that your work unit produces, including the general public, individuals who work in the agency, other agencies, or organizations outside the Government) to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy their expectations; knows about available products and services; is committed to providing quality products and services.
Oral Communication - Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
Problem Solving - Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations.
In addition to meeting the basic requirements listed above, applicants must also meet the following minimum qualifications for their desired grade level:
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Minimum Qualification EL-14: Applicants must have 52 weeks (one-year) of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level as described below.
Experience: I qualify for the EL/GS-14 because I have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience at the EL/GS-13 or equivalent demonstrating work experience with the statements described below.
Examples of specialized experience include:
Leading Zero Trust-aligned enterprise architectures across identity, cloud, applications, and data AND establishing standards and baselines to ensure compliance with NIST, RMF, and federal directives.
Directing or participating in major cybersecurity modernization efforts (i.e. coordinating cross-functional teams, managing architectural risk, overseeing pilots and vendor integrations, and driving enterprise application security).
Advancing the security of enterprise applications and platforms by embedding secure designing practices; integrating automated security testing and software-composition analysis; and applying threat analysis, API security, and data protection strategies.
Advising senior leadership on strategy and enterprise risk; leading or participating in architecture boards and interagency councils or industry working groups; and representing the organization to internal and external stakeholders.
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.
Education
This job does not have an education qualification requirement.
Career Transition Assistance Programs: These programs apply to Federal employees who have been involuntarily separated or whose positions are surplus. To receive selection priority, you must: (1) meet CTAP/ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified with a score of 90 or above; and (3) submit required documentation. For more information, visit: For more information visit: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp.
FHFA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), national origin, disability, age (40 or older), genetic information, parental or marital status, prior protected EEO activity, political affiliation, or any other non-merit factor.
Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION: FHFA provides accommodations to applicants with disabilities unless it would create an undue hardship. To request an accommodation, contact reasonableaccommodations@fhfa.gov. All requests are reviewed case by case.
Ethics: FHFA employees are subject to government-wide ethical standards of conduct, financial disclosure requirements, and post-employment prohibitions. In addition, certain FHFA employees are prohibited from accepting compensation from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for a two-year period after terminating employment with FHFA. Furthermore, to avoid financial conflicts-of interest or the appearance of conflicts-of-interest, FHFA employees may need to divest or sell certain assets they, their spouse, or minor children own or control, including securities issued by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or the Federal Home Loan Banks. Employees who work on Federal Home Loan Bank issues may need to sell or divest financial interests with any of the Federal Home Loan Bank members, which may include stock in bank holding companies, insurance companies, and other financial services firms. Questions regarding these requirements and prohibitions should be directed to the Office of General Counsel at (202) 649-3088.
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.
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.
This position is being advertised using the Direct Hire Authority granted by OPM. For this reason, veteran's preference does not apply to this announcement.
You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.
You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):
Accountability
Attention to Detail
Customer Service
Decision Making
Flexibility
Influencing/Negotiating
Integrity/Honesty
Interpersonal Skills
Learning
Reading Comprehension
Reasoning
Self-Management
Stress Tolerance
Teamwork
The USA Hire Assessments includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.
Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.
All of the information you provide will be verified by a review of the work experience and/or education as shown on your application forms, by checking references or through other means, such as the interview process. This verification could occur at any stage of the application process. Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempts to conceal information may be grounds for rating you ineligible.
In accordance with the Fair Chance Act, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) may not request, in oral or written form, that an applicant for an appointment to (FHFA) disclose criminal history record information before the appointing authority extends a tentative offer to the applicant. Allegations of FHFA violations of this Act may be submitted to fairchanceactcomplaints@fhfa.gov or to Fair Chance Act Complaints, Office of Human Resources Management, Employee Relations Branch, FHFA 400 7th Street, SW Washington DC 20219 within 30 days from the agency employee's alleged non-compliance with the law.
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.
FHFA's application process has been specifically developed to ensure that we only ask you for the information we absolutely need to evaluate your qualifications and eligibility. All applicants are required to submit the following supportive documents:
1. Your Resume: If you have not written a federal resume before, you may want to check out the new USAJOBS Help Center links (USAJOBS Help Center - How do I write a resume for a federal job?), as they detail what you should, and should not, include in your resume. Below you will find some of the required information that you should include in your federal resume:
Contact Information: Your name and the best way to contact you.
Relevant work experience: Job experience should include employer name, job title, start and end dates (month/year), the number of hours worked per week and descriptions that explain how you meet the required qualifications in the job announcement.
Education, certifications or licensures: If the job announcement requires any education, certifications or licensures, make sure you include the required information on the resume.
Other important information regarding your resume:
As a part of the Executive Order 14170 titled, "Reforming the Federal Hiring Process and Restoring Merit to Government Service", all applicant resumes must be 2 pages or less. The long-form Federal resume style is now prohibited under this Executive Order. To be compliant with this guidance, please limit your resume to 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.
Due to the new 2-page resume limitation, finalists for this position may be asked to provide additional previous employment information for pay setting purposes.
2. Required, if applicable: This position may require a minimum level of education or a combination of education and experience. Please submit your transcripts (official or unofficial) along with your application. Failure to provide transcripts, when required, will result in removal from the hiring process. Note: If you are selected for a position, an official transcript will be required before onboarding.
3. Required, if applicable: CTAP/ICTAP documentation (a copy of a separation notice or other proof of eligibility for priority selection; a copy of an SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, showing current position, grade, promotion potential, and duty location; AND a copy of your most recent performance appraisal.)
4. Required, if applicable: Veteran's Preference Documentation (DD-214, Member Copy 4 or other documentation containing dates of service and character of discharge. Disabled veterans and other applicants eligible for 10-point Veteran's Preference please include: documentation to validate your claim - VA letter, SF-15, etc.).
5. Other Supporting Documents:
Cover letter, optional
SF-50, optional
Important Notes:
Utilize the preview feature of USA Jobs to view your documents and ensure the formatting remains and all documents are legible.
Additional materials will not be accepted after the announcement closes (e.g. updated grades, updated resume, etc.).
Your full name must be clearly visible on all documents.
Do not submit encrypted documents.
Tips: Encrypted documents do not transmit properly through USA Jobs. We recommend, you save the document as a new PDF or Print to PDF to ensure the document comes through properly and is displayed properly using the USA Jobs preview feature.
If the position has an education requirement or you are qualifying on the basis of education, you need to list your education history including the type of degree and your major of study. If the position requires a certain number of credit hours, you are strongly encouraged to list the relevant courses in your resume. Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) on your resume or cover letter. We will not access web pages linked on your resume or cover letter to determine your qualification.
Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and 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:
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.
If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
Set aside about two (2) hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.
To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To view the announcement status or your application status: Visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.
If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Human Resources Office. Please contact Ryan Stanger at ryan.stanger@fhfa.gov or 771-233-7320 to obtain an alternative application.
FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY
400 7th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20219
US
Next steps
After all application packages have been received, we will review your materials to ensure you meet the qualification requirements for the position. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the qualifications on the information provided in their resume and the completed USA Hire Assessment. Applicants deemed best qualified may be contacted for an interview. We anticipate making a final job offer for this position within 45 days after the application deadline. All candidates will be notified of the final disposition.
***There is currently one vacancy available for this announcement. However, should additional vacancies become available within three months from the closing date of this announcement, eligible applicants for this position may be referred for consideration for the additional position(s)***
FHFA may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies. Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for FHFA to share your application with others in FHFA for similar positions. This announcement may be used to fill like positions in other organizations within the Federal Housing Finance Agency or at other agencies across the Federal government.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
FHFA's application process has been specifically developed to ensure that we only ask you for the information we absolutely need to evaluate your qualifications and eligibility. All applicants are required to submit the following supportive documents:
1. Your Resume: If you have not written a federal resume before, you may want to check out the new USAJOBS Help Center links (USAJOBS Help Center - How do I write a resume for a federal job?), as they detail what you should, and should not, include in your resume. Below you will find some of the required information that you should include in your federal resume:
Contact Information: Your name and the best way to contact you.
Relevant work experience: Job experience should include employer name, job title, start and end dates (month/year), the number of hours worked per week and descriptions that explain how you meet the required qualifications in the job announcement.
Education, certifications or licensures: If the job announcement requires any education, certifications or licensures, make sure you include the required information on the resume.
Other important information regarding your resume:
As a part of the Executive Order 14170 titled, "Reforming the Federal Hiring Process and Restoring Merit to Government Service", all applicant resumes must be 2 pages or less. The long-form Federal resume style is now prohibited under this Executive Order. To be compliant with this guidance, please limit your resume to 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.
Due to the new 2-page resume limitation, finalists for this position may be asked to provide additional previous employment information for pay setting purposes.
2. Required, if applicable: This position may require a minimum level of education or a combination of education and experience. Please submit your transcripts (official or unofficial) along with your application. Failure to provide transcripts, when required, will result in removal from the hiring process. Note: If you are selected for a position, an official transcript will be required before onboarding.
3. Required, if applicable: CTAP/ICTAP documentation (a copy of a separation notice or other proof of eligibility for priority selection; a copy of an SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, showing current position, grade, promotion potential, and duty location; AND a copy of your most recent performance appraisal.)
4. Required, if applicable: Veteran's Preference Documentation (DD-214, Member Copy 4 or other documentation containing dates of service and character of discharge. Disabled veterans and other applicants eligible for 10-point Veteran's Preference please include: documentation to validate your claim - VA letter, SF-15, etc.).
5. Other Supporting Documents:
Cover letter, optional
SF-50, optional
Important Notes:
Utilize the preview feature of USA Jobs to view your documents and ensure the formatting remains and all documents are legible.
Additional materials will not be accepted after the announcement closes (e.g. updated grades, updated resume, etc.).
Your full name must be clearly visible on all documents.
Do not submit encrypted documents.
Tips: Encrypted documents do not transmit properly through USA Jobs. We recommend, you save the document as a new PDF or Print to PDF to ensure the document comes through properly and is displayed properly using the USA Jobs preview feature.
If the position has an education requirement or you are qualifying on the basis of education, you need to list your education history including the type of degree and your major of study. If the position requires a certain number of credit hours, you are strongly encouraged to list the relevant courses in your resume. Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) on your resume or cover letter. We will not access web pages linked on your resume or cover letter to determine your qualification.
Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and 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:
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.
If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
Set aside about two (2) hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.
To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To view the announcement status or your application status: Visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.
If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Human Resources Office. Please contact Ryan Stanger at ryan.stanger@fhfa.gov or 771-233-7320 to obtain an alternative application.
FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY
400 7th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20219
US
Next steps
After all application packages have been received, we will review your materials to ensure you meet the qualification requirements for the position. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the qualifications on the information provided in their resume and the completed USA Hire Assessment. Applicants deemed best qualified may be contacted for an interview. We anticipate making a final job offer for this position within 45 days after the application deadline. All candidates will be notified of the final disposition.
***There is currently one vacancy available for this announcement. However, should additional vacancies become available within three months from the closing date of this announcement, eligible applicants for this position may be referred for consideration for the additional position(s)***
FHFA may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies. Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for FHFA to share your application with others in FHFA for similar positions. This announcement may be used to fill like positions in other organizations within the Federal Housing Finance Agency or at other agencies across the Federal government.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
