This Senior Executive Service position is located in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), United States Fire Administration, in Emmitsburg, Maryland. The incumbent serves as the principal advisor to the Fire Administrator, or in his/her absence, to the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), regarding the National Fire Problem, views and policies of the Nation's Fire Service and fire service stakeholder community.

Duties

In this position, the incumbent's principal responsibilities are to ensure financial, programmatic, statutory, and regulatory compliance in the Agency's policies, procedures, investments, and budget activities and provide executive direction and advice to subordinate staff and program officials agency-wide, with respect to USFA programs. Additional responsibilities include maintaining a close collaboration with the National Preparedness Directorate, as well as other FEMA/Disaster Readiness Support (DRS) components and other Federal departments and agencies, to synchronize first responder preparedness and training activities across the Federal government. The incumbent also participates in the FEMA's strategic and systems planning, budgeting, and long-term strategic planning initiatives, councils and working groups. Ensures USFA strategic plan, goals, and objectives are aligned with FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Specific responsibilities include: Recommends appropriate methods of accomplishing DRS and FEMA policy objectives within the context of existing Federal Fire programs and the priorities and positions of the fire service stakeholders, requiring extensive discussion with both national, regional and local fire service organizations and with the broader national fire community that not only includes fire departments, but also public and private code organizations, manufacturers, fire protection engineers, and institutions, private industry, and the insurance industry. Coordinates the development, direction, management and evaluation of all USFA programs and staff resources. Responsible for knowledge of and appropriate reaction to all applicable federal statutes and regulations governing the management of programs resources and personnel. In the absence of the Fire Administrator, or upon his/her direction, assumes all appropriate authorities and responsibilities. Responsible for maintaining close and continuous contact with public and private sector elements of the national fire community, both to ensure awareness of evolving issues and the multiplicity of organizational and institutional positions and to present and explain current Federal fire programs and policies, as well as their underlying rationale. Develops a successful integration of key national strategy and agency goals with fire service and fire community stakeholder objectives and priorities. Based upon this collaboration, the senior executive must develop an overall program plan which prioritizes and makes more effective use of USFA programs and resources in achieving the stated objectives. Key elements in such a plan must include appropriate strategies by reacting to contingencies that may impact on program execution and maximizing leverage to achieve impact through involving national, state and local public and private sector organizations in USFA program initiatives. Based on guidance provided by the Fire Administrator, the incumbent is responsible for overall management of the USFA's programs and resources. Directs the proper implementation of congressional, executive branch, and agency budgetary, administrative (i.e., procurement, travel, printing, etc.) and personnel regulations and policies. Directs and evaluates all USFA programs and both supervisory and subordinate staff, both in terms of program accomplishment of USFA program objectives and in terms of adherence to appropriate regulation and policies. Responsible for (1) carrying out EEO policies and communicating support of those policies to subordinates; (2) assuring equality in determining qualifications, selections, assignments, training, promotions, details, discipline and awards to employees; (3) ensuring that minorities and women are considered for training opportunities and are also nominated/appointed to boards and committees; and (4) coordinating efforts with EEO officials during the development and execution of policies and practices affecting personnel.

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
• You must submit to a pre-employment drug test.
• You must be able to obtain/maintain a TS/SCI security clearance.
• You may be required to undergo periodic drug testing.
• You will serve a one-year probationary period unless you previously completed the probationary period in the SES.
• Selectee will be required to complete form OGE-278, Executive Personnel Financial Disclosure Form.

Qualifications

As a basic requirement for entry into the SES, applicants must provide evidence of progressively responsible executive leadership and supervisory experience that is indicative of senior executive level management capability and directly related to the skills and abilities outlined under Executive Core Qualifications and Technical Qualifications listed below. Typically, experience of this nature will have been gained at or above the GS-14/15 grade level in the federal service or its equivalent in the private sector. As such, your resume should demonstrate that you have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully fulfill responsibilities inherent in most SES positions such as: Directing the work of an organizational unit; Ensuring the success of one or more specific major programs or projects; Monitoring progress toward strategic organizational goals, evaluating organizational performance and taking action to improve performance; Supervising the work of employees; and Exercising important policymaking, policy determining, or other executive functions. The application process to recruit for this position is the TRADITIONAL-BASED method. The applicant must address each Executive Core Qualification (ECQ) and Mandatory Technical Qualification (MTQ) separately in each required narrative. EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): Unless you are currently serving under a Career Senior Executive Service (SES) appointment, eligible for reinstatement into the SES, or completed the SES Candidate Development Program (CDP) and approved by OPM, you must address the ECQs. Your narrative must address each ECQ separately and demonstrate the underlying competencies in the narrative. Examples should be clear, concise, and emphasize your level of responsibilities; the scope and complexity of the programs, activities, or services you managed; program accomplishments; policy initiatives undertaken; level of contacts; the sensitivity and criticality of the issues you addressed; and the results of your actions. You should use action-oriented leadership words to describe your experience and accomplishments and quantify your experience wherever possible to demonstrate your accomplishments (e.g., number of employees supervised; size of budget managed; amount of money saved, etc.). Applicants should use the Challenge, Context, Action and Results (CCAR) model below when responding to each ECQ: CHALLENGE: Describe a specific problem or goal. CONTEXT: Describe individuals and groups you worked with, and/or the environment in which you worked, to address a particular challenge (e.g., clients, members of Congress, shrinking budget, low morale). ACTION: Describe the specific actions you took to address a challenge. RESULT: Describe specific examples of measures/outcomes that had impact on the organization. These accomplishments demonstrate the quality and effectiveness of your leadership skills. Your narrative response may not exceed 10 pages, using no smaller than 12-point font with one-inch margins. It is recommended that you include 2 recent (not older than 10 years) examples per ECQ and draft your ECQs in a Word document before uploading into the system to ensure these guidelines are met. Information that exceeds these guidelines will not be reviewed. Detailed information on each ECQ, the underlying and fundamental competencies, sample narratives and a tips sheet for writing effective ECQs are available in the "Guide to Senior Executive Service Qualifications" Senior Executive Service Executive Core Qualifications and Senior Executive Service Qualifications & Fundamental-Competencies. ECQ 1 - LEADING CHANGE. This core qualification involves the ability to bring about strategic change, both within and outside the organization, to meet organizational goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to establish an organizational vision and to implement it in a continuously changing environment. Leadership Competencies: Creativity & Innovation, External Awareness, Flexibility, Resilience, Strategic Thinking, Vision. ECQ 2 - LEADING PEOPLE. This core qualification involves the ability to lead people toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to provide an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others, facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports constructive resolution of conflicts. Leadership Competencies: Conflict Management, Leveraging Diversity, Developing Others, Team Building. ECQ 3 - RESULTS DRIVEN. This core qualification involves the ability to meet organizational goals and customer expectations. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to make decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks. Leadership Competencies: Accountability, Customer Service, Decisiveness, Entrepreneurship, Problem Solving, Technical Credibility. ECQ 4 - BUSINESS ACUMEN. This core qualification involves the ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically. Leadership Competencies: Financial Management, Human Capital Management, Technology Management. ECQ 5 - BUILDING COALITIONS. This core qualification involves the ability to build coalitions internally and with other Federal agencies, State and local governments, nonprofit and private sector organizations, foreign governments, or international organizations to achieve common goals. Leadership Competencies: Partnering, Political Savvy, Influencing/Negotiating. TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQ)s: In addition to the Executive Core Qualifications, all candidates must show evidence of the following TQs below in order to meet basic qualifications for this position. Please label and include your name on each page of the TQ Narrative. Please give examples and explain how often you used your skills, the complexity of the knowledge possessed, the level of people you interacted with, the sensitivity of the issues you handled managing a large public or private sector organization that administers complex, rules-based benefits or services, etc. It is recommended that you draft your TQs in a word document and then upload into the system. You must address each TQ separately and may not exceed 6 pages, using no smaller than 12-point font with one-inch margins. You are required to respond to all TQs. If you fail to do so, you will be rated as 'ineligible.' TQ 1. Knowledge of and experience addressing the national fire problem and the principal issues facing Federal, State and local government and volunteer entities, the fire service (including the career, volunteer and combination of fire services), the fire protection community, groups, and associations and the general public. TQ 2. Experience in a senior leadership position that demonstrates a thorough understanding of the changing roles of the fire service and fire protection community and knowledge of the specific aspects of national fire issues, including but not limited to, community risk reduction, emergency response, fire suppression, the impact of climate change on the wildfire problem, the need for data, research, and technology in the fire service, public education programs; fire service training and education; firefighter health and safety programs; emergency medical services; hazardous materials response; fire prevention and control programs; arson control programs; building codes, fire service organizations, administrations and managements. DO NOT COMBINE THE TQ AND ECQ NARRATIVES. Failure to meet the basic qualification requirement and address all Mandatory Technical and Executive Core Qualification factors in the required narratives will result in your application being disqualified.

Education

There is no recognized education to qualifying for this position; applicant's resumes and supporting documentation will be acceptable.

Contacts

• Address Mission Support, Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer, Executive Resources 500 C Street SW Washington, DC 20024 US
• Name: Christine Benner
• Phone: 202-868-3711
• Email: [email protected]