Clarification from the agency

This vacancy announcement is open to Federal Civil Service Employees currently assigned to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).

Serves as the Director, Contingency Operations and dual hatted as Chief, Homeland Security for all of USACE, with responsibility for providing technical direction, guidance, and assistance to USACE's divisions and subordinate districts on homeland security and provost marshal matters. Manages USACEs response to the National Response Framework, National Disaster Recovery Framework, and to OCO sourcing and support to the Department of Defense. Provides leadership and technical expertise in the coordination and facilitation of USACE's relationships with the President's Homeland Security Council, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)/Office of National Preparedness (ONP), DOD elements, Combatant Commands, Army Service Component Commands, and Department of the Army. Coordinates and often leads federal, state, and local emergency management and emergency response organizations on mitigation, planning, training, and exercises necessary to build and sustain capabilities to provide protection from and respond to regional/national/international emergencies or disasters including terrorist incidents involving weapons of mass destruction, as well as other natural or man-made hazards. This includes the protection of the critical infrastructure facilities of the Army and the Nation's public and private engineering and technical activities. Represents USACE before congressional committees to present USACE's policies and practices relating to specific projects and programs. For the USACE Commander (LTG), presents USACE's views and policies in meetings and conferences with the Congress, the Interagency, the Office of Management and Budget, DHS, FEMA, and other government agencies to discuss problems and to make comments/recommendations in connection with the most critical homeland security issues encountered in conjunction with national efforts to safeguard U.S. citizens and maintain U.S. superiority to combat terrorism. Serves as the focal point for USACE command and control of civil and military contingency response operations. Leads the development of command contingency doctrine and military readiness plans and programs. Serves as the manager of command intelligence, force protection, and security countermeasures programs. Responsible for the overall readiness of USACE to respond to all contingencies at home and abroad.
Incumbent reports to the Deputy Commanding General, Civil and Emergency Operations (DCG-CEO) who is a direct report to the LTG Commander, USACE who defines general responsibilities in terms of broad policies. Incumbent is allowed wide latitude of authority in making decisions within policy limits, subject only to guidance of the Director, Civil Works. Directly supervises 8 staff including 5 GS 15s and one COL.

Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen. You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
• One year trial/probationary period may be required. You will serve a one-year probationary period unless you have previously completed the probationary period in the SES.
• If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so.
• You must be able to submit and pass designated and/or Random Drug Testing as required.
• File a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report OGE-278e within 30 days of appointment and annually from then on.
• Appointment is subject to the completion of a favorable suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a background investigation.
• You must be able to obtain/maintain the appropriate clearance and access level for this position. Failure to obtain and maintain the required level of clearance may result in the withdrawal of a job offer or removal.
• Direct deposit of pay is required.
• The incumbent is required to travel on both scheduled and unscheduled aircraft, and other modes as required, under conditions specified under the DoD Joint Travel Regulations.
• The incumbent is expected to travel on short notice to attend high level meetings to obtain resolution of problems and gather information to assist in the decision-making process.
• Mobility: An essential element of the SES is mobility across geographic, organizational and functional lines. Individuals selected for Army SES positions may be subject to reassignment that requires them to be mobile. The U.S. Army senior leadership considers mobility to be an integral part of employment as an SES member with the Department of the Army. You must sign a mobility agreement.

There are three key documents that contain important information about your rights and obligations. Please read and retain these documents:

• Noncriminal Justice Applicant's Privacy Rights, for those who undergo an FBI fingerprint-based criminal history record check for personnel vetting, which includes Rap Back,
• FD-258 Privacy Act Statement - FBI (this is the same statement used when your fingerprints are submitted as part of your background investigation), and
• SEAD-3-Reporting-U.pdf (dni.gov), (applicable to those who hold a sensitive position or have eligibility for access to classified information).

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 qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) and Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQ) related to this position within your resume. Your Resume must be 2 pages. If you submit a resume that exceeds the two-page limit, you will immediately be deemed ineligible for this position and will receive no further consideration. We recommend using a sans-serif font such as Lato, if available. Other acceptable options include Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open Sans, Source Sans Pro, Roboto, or Noto Sans. Please use 0.5-inch margins. For formatting, consider using a 14-point font for titles and a 10-point font for the main body text.
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 separate narrative statement specifically addressing the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) or the Mandatory Technical Qualification (MTQ).

MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATION (MTQ): Your resume should demonstrate accomplishments that would satisfy the following technical qualification.
MTQ: Demonstrated executive ability to lead a national-level enterprise by developing and implementing policy for contingency and security operations. This includes directing a geographically dispersed organization during crisis response and representing the organization's interests while advising high-level stakeholders across the interagency, Congress, and the White House.

EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): In addition to the Technical Qualification Requirements listed above, all new entrants into the Senior Executive Service (SES) 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 TQ, you may not receive further consideration for the position.There are five ECQs:

• 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 or have been certified through successful participation in an OPM approved SES Candidate Development Program (SESCDP), or have SES 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.

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 by an Executive Evaluation Panel to determine if you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) and Technical Qualification (MTQ) listed above. ECQs and TQ must be thoroughly addressed within your two (2) page resume. Separate narratives will not be accepted or reviewed. Best Qualified applicants may undergo one or more interviews and may be referred to the selecting official for further consideration.

QRB Assessment Process: If you are selected for this position, your Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) will be evaluated by the Office of Personnel Management's Qualifications Review Board (QRB). Beginning in FY 2026, OPM has implemented a structured interview process as the method for assessing ECQs. As part of the QRB certification process, you will be required to participate in a structured interview administered by OPM, which will be used to determine whether you meet the Executive Core Qualifications for entry into the Senior Executive Service.

Unless the selectee provides evidence of their noncompetitive status (i.e., a current SES, OPM QRB certified SESCDP graduate, or SES reinstatement eligible). Upon QRB certification, the selected individual will be required to serve a one-year probationary period. For more information regarding the SES, go to https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/.