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Regional Director

Department of the Interior
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Northeast Region

Summary

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) works with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and habitats for the American people. FWS responsibilities are to protect and conserve migratory birds, endangered species, and marine mammals and fish. FWS partners with farmers and ranchers, State and local governments, Federal agencies, Tribes, citizen volunteers, corporations, and conservation groups to accomplish its mission. You can find additional information at WWW.FWS.GOV

Overview

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Accepting applications
Posted yesterday · Apply by 07/29/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on July 29, 2026
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Salary
$197,200 - $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
Yes
Security clearance
Top Secret
Position sensitivity and risk
Critical-Sensitive (CS)/High Risk
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
FWS-26-12979513-SES-FR
Control number
876528900

Duties

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The incumbent serves two primary functions: (1) As a member of the Service Directorate, they contribute to decisions regarding national fish and wildlife conservation goals and objectives, budget priorities, funding allocations, and organizational and staffing frameworks; and (2) As Regional Director, they oversee the implementation of Service programs, policies, and procedures to fulfil the Service's mission within the Region and coastal zones under Service jurisdiction.

  • Oversees and manages activities related to national wildlife refuges and national fish hatcheries across the Region, ensuring compliance with U.S. laws and treaties that protect endangered species, migratory waterfowl, fish, and mammals while providing opportunities public to recreation.
  • Responsible for guiding scientific fish and wildlife projects connected to water and land resource development, as well as developing a nationwide system to evaluate the ecological impacts of resource decisions.
  • Responsible for the coordination and cooperation with foreign national counterparts in matters of policy, program implementation,
    and general regional Fish and Wildlife activities.
  • Directs activities throughout the Region involved in the appraisal, acquisition, management, and disposition of lands and processing land and mineral applications, and the appraisal of lands proposed for acquisition under the Federal Aid and Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act.
  • Administers and directs, under laws and treaties of the United States, activities involved in the maintenance and operation of established fish hatcheries and associated facilities located throughout the region.
  • Directs activities concerning the analysis and preparation of a scientific fish and wildlife program in the water and land resource development field.
  • Directs the development, improvement, and conduct of education extension and information to provide public understanding of, and participation in, conservation programs involving fish and wildlife resources throughout the Region.
  • Directs the supporting functions of personnel management, contracting and general services, financial management, safety, and library.

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 (Critical-Sensitive (CS)/High Risk).
3. Newly appointed SES members must serve a 1-year probationary period.
4. Public Financial Disclosure (OGE-278 filing within 30 days is required.)
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.

Qualifications

Educational Requirement
As a basic requirement, applicants MUST have:
A. Degree: Biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, or related disciplines appropriate to the position; OR
B. Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, or at least 30 semester hours in courses, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education; OR
C. Experience: Four years of experience that demonstrated that the applicant acquired knowledge and understanding of one or more of the biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, or related disciplines equivalent to that which would have been acquired through completion of a 4-year course of study as described in A above.

In addition to meeting the basic education requirement, 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 two TQs below:

1- Knowledge of current issues in resource management and the interactions among various biological and other sciences, with an in-depth knowledge of, and professional experience in, applying principles and techniques of natural resources administration and management.

2- Knowledge of the roles, responsibilities, and goals of a large natural resources organization with programs of national scope.

Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs). Your two-page resume should also show that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications listed below. Your resume should clearly demonstrate your experience and accomplishments related to the ECQs. 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: 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.
Competencies: Knowledge of the American System of Government, Commitment to the Rule of Law, Civic-Mindedness

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.
Competencies: Fiscal Responsibility, Managing Resources, Leveraging Technology

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.
Competencies: Technical Skill, Problem Solving, Agility, and Resilience

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.
Competencies: Accountability, Developing Others, Executive Judgement

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. Competencies: Operational Mindset, Innovation, Strategic Thinking

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, you only need to 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

PROOF OF EDUCATION:
All applicants who are using education or a combination of education and experience to qualify must submit copies of official or unofficial transcripts which include grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, institution name, and student name. If any required coursework is not easily recognizable on transcripts, or if you believe a portion of a particular course can be credited toward meeting an educational requirement, you must also provide a memorandum on letterhead from the institution's registrar, dean, or other appropriate official stating the percentage of the course that should be considered to meet the requirement and the equivalent number of units. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable; however, if you are selected for the position, you will be required to produce the original official transcripts.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

--SES does not have Veteran's Preference and time in grade restrictions. 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 2 position, the pay range is $197,200-$228,000.
--Annual pay increases and recognition, if applicable, are based on performance in the SES.
--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.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

You too can make a difference in our world. The work of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is meaningful and varied. Want to know more about what it is like to work for us? Click here to Learn more about Fish and Wildlife Service Regions - www.fws.gov/about/regions

Agency contact information

Felicia Ramirez

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https://www.fws.gov/

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