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Associate Director for Community Engagement

Department of the Interior
National Park Service

Summary

More than 20,000 employees work in a wide variety of disciplines and organizations, from parks to regions to national programs, throughout the National Park Service. They are led by the NPS Director, who is supported by senior executives who manage national programs, policy, and budget in the Washington, DC, headquarters, (WASO) and seven regional directors responsible for national park management and program implementation.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Posted today · Apply by 06/22/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on June 22, 2026
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—Situational telework may be approved at the discretion of the supervisor.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Salary
$186,207 - $228,000 per year
Pay scale & grade
ES 00
Promotion potential
00
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
Yes
Federal service type
This job is in the Senior Executive Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Position sensitivity and risk
High Risk (HR)
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
Yes
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
WO-1614-SESO-26-12978334
Control number
871964700

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Duties

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The Associate Director for Community Engagement is responsible for providing strategic leadership, developing policies, liaising with external stakeholders, ensuring program accountability, and formulating budgets. Responsibilities include:

  • Executive oversight and the direct management of subordinate leaders across multiple functional areas within the Directorate, including major outdoor recreation technical and financial assistance programs, national trails, wild and scenic rivers, as well as other community assistance and engagement initiatives.
  • Through supervisory staff, the Associate Director offers technical guidance and oversees the delegated duties and responsibilities relating to organizational and national programs.
  • Evaluates program performance against organizational objectives, endorsing key plans and changes in directives, and analyzing structural and resource needs to enhance operational effectiveness.
  • Serves as a member of the NPS leadership team. Collaborates with the Director and other leaders to set overall policy, establish priorities, define the strategic direction of the Service, and determine legislative goals and strategies at the national level.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  1. U.S. Citizenship.
  2. Must be able to obtain/maintain a background/suitability investigation/determination commensurate with the risk and sensitivity level of the position (Tier 4, non-sensitive, high risk.)
  3. Newly appointed SES members must serve a 1-year probationary period.
  4. Public Financial Disclosure is required within 30 days of appointment (OGE-278.)
  5. This position may require pre- and post-employment drug screening.
  6. Selections are subject to Department approval. Initial appointments to the SES must undergo an ECQ based structured interview with Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for SES certification.
  7. Males must meet Selective Service Registration Act requirements. To verify registration visit SSS.gov.
  8. Agencies must request OPM approval to appoint current or former (within 5 years) Executive Branch political appointees (political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-Career SES) to permanent competitive service, non-political excepted service, or career SES position. You must disclose political appointments held to the Human Resources Office.
  9. The incumbent may be required to wear the official uniform on an intermittent basis.

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.

To meet the minimum qualifications, you must submit a two-page resume (max) that shows you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and two Technical Qualifications (TQs). To be considered, only the first 2 pages of your resume will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.

Technical Qualifications (TQs) are designed to assess an applicant's experience relevant to the specific position requirements. Your resume should clearly demonstrate your experience and accomplishments related to the TQs below:

  1. Demonstrated ability to manage a complex program which includes nationwide technical and financial assistance programs.
  2. Demonstrated ability to manage personnel and budget-related issues that affect a major organization.
Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs): Your two-page resume should also show that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications listed below. By statute, the Office of Personnel Management prescribes Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) for the appointment of career SES members. The ECQs were designed to assess executive experience and not technical expertise.
ECQ 1-Commitment to the Rule of Law and the Principles of the American Founding: 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: 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: Demonstrated knowledge, ability, and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality.
ECQ 4 - Leading People: 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: Demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors.
Qualifications will be evaluated based on how clearly and concisely you emphasize your level of responsibilities, the scope and complexity of your programs; services managed; program accomplishments; policy initiatives undertaken; level of contacts; the sensitivity and criticality of the issues addressed; and the results of your actions taken. Typically experience will have been gained at the GS-15 or equivalent in the private sector or non-governmental organizations. Executive Core Qualifications

Already SES Certified? If you are currently serving under a career Senior Executive Service appointment, are eligible for reinstatement into the Senior Executive Service, or have completed a Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program (SES CDP) approved by OPM, please submit a two-page resume and personnel action showing you have held a career SES position. SES CDP graduates must submit a two-page resume and a copy of their CDP program certification with their package.

Education

This position does not have an educational qualification requirement.

Additional information

--Veteran's Preference and time in grade restrictions are not applicable to the SES. Competitive status is not required.
--Individuals selected for Senior Executive Service positions may be subject to reassignment across geographical, organizational, and functional lines.
--The Department of the Interior structures its SES positions into categories to determine the minimum pay for each position. This is a category 4 position, the pay range is $186,207-$228,000.
--Annual pay increases and recognition, if applicable, are based on performance in the SES.
--This position may require wearing the official uniform on an intermittent basis to perform duties that involve representing the agency to the public, supporting field operations, or participating in activities where a uniformed presence is necessary.
--A recruitment incentive may be authorized for a newly selected employee when appointed to a permanent, temporary, or term position. A Federal employee who is transferring to the National Park Service from another Federal agency and who does not meet the conditions under 5 CFR §575.102 is not eligible for a recruitment incentive.
--A relocation incentive may be authorized for a Federal employee when the employee must move, as directed by the National Park Service (NPS), to a different location at least 50 miles away from the one where his/her position of record is currently located, due to a need of the NPS.
--If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document that you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application. Click the following link for more information,https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Alternate_Application_Information.

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 on the quality and extent of your accomplishments and experience. ECQs and TQs must be demonstrated within your two-page resume. Applicants who do not demonstrate sufficient possession of the ECQs and TQs will be determined ineligible for further consideration. If you meet the basic qualifications and eligibility requirements, a panel of SES members will evaluate your resume and determine the degree to which you possess each of the listed qualifications. The highest qualified applicants will be considered for one or more interviews.

If the selectee does not have Qualifications Review Board (QRB) certification by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), he/she will be required to undergo an ECQ based structured interview with OPM for SES appointment approval.

National Park Service

Agency contact information

Sharon Benitez
Phone
771-215-6605
Email
sharon_benitez@ios.doi.gov
Address
Senior Executive Service Office
1849 C Street N.W.
Washington, DC 20240
US

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