Assistant Administrator, Federal Insurance Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. FEMA-24-HK-AAFI-SES Department Federal Emergency Management Agency
Salary $147,689.00 to $221,900.00 Grade 00 to 00
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 9/25/2024 Close Date 10/25/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Job Description (Please follow all instructions carefully)

Summary

This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Resilience, Federal Insurance Directorate.

The Assistant Administrator, Federal Insurance oversees the development, management, direction and evaluation of the Federal Insurance Directorate's insurance programs and activities.

Duties

The Assistant Administrator, Federal Insurance is responsible for providing thorough leadership on the future of insurance and making communities more resilient through risk transfer in the face of more frequent and intense disasters.

Specific responsibilities include:

  • Assists and advises Resilience leadership in developing and implementing strategies designed to make the nation more resilient.
  • Serves as focal point through which all insurance program and project actions receive effective central coordination and decision. Decisions may include resource expenditures, the timing of major events, priority of projects and plans, and projects that should be initiated, dropped, or postponed. Incumbent also ensures that appropriate long-range planning is coordinated and accomplished, and that there is maximum and efficient utilization of available resources.
  • Overall management of the Directorate's personnel resources. The Assistant Administrator directs and evaluates programs and supervisory and subordinate staff in terms of program accomplishments and adherence to appropriate regulations and policies. Holds staff responsible for performance within their areas and appropriately recognizes performance. Motivates subordinate managers to incorporate vision, strategic planning, and elements of quality management into the full range of their activities. Assures a comprehensive approach to problem resolution, calling to the attention of Resilience leadership any significant policy and personnel matters. Presents unresolved problems or conflicting interests to the Deputy Associate Administrator with a recommendation for final determination and course of action.
  • Coordinates with the private insurance industry and leads the placement of reinsurance to assist with transferring risk.
  • Identification, management, and utilization of program dollars. He/she is charged with recommending the most efficient and effective use of dollars spent for fund expenditures and expenses to attain maximum utilization of funds. Current technologies must be monitored and evaluated to recommend system and operations improvements within the context of Presidential guidance and legislative requirements.
  • Serves as the principal point of contact with the Inspector General on insurance program fraud prevention and is challenged with minimizing the element of fraud.
  • Speaks authoritatively in meetings with senior FEMA officials, top representatives of other government agencies, state and local officials, insurance industry and other outside groups. The incumbent must present, defend, and negotiate programs and associated resource requirements to other agencies and key members of Congress and their staffs. Must be able to defend programs and policies in legislative proceedings at the national, state, and local level.
  • Reviews new directives, legislation, and regulations relating to assigned programs and makes recommendations to Resilience leadership concerning their impact on efficiency of operations and the most effective means of implementation.
  • Represents DHS/FEMA in dealings with Federal, state, local, tribal, territorial, private sector and non-governmental organization officials who have vital interests in homeland security and emergency management.
  • Implements Presidential and Homeland Security policy across the federal interagency, intergovernmental, and whole community partners.
  • Carries out Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policies and communicates support of these policies to subordinates. Ensures diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in determining qualifications, selections, assignments, training, promotions, discipline, and awards to employees. Ensures that minorities and women are considered for training opportunities and are nominated/appointed to boards and committees. Coordinates efforts with EEO officials during the development and execution of policies affecting personnel.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • 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 Top-Secret w/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 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. Comprehensive knowledge of community resilience, climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, hazard mitigation, disaster risk management, and/or a related field and the ability to utilize that knowledge in a leadership role working with partners in other government agencies at all levels to reduce risk.

TQ 2. Experience working in or working with local, state, territorial or tribal governments in a leadership role.

TQ 3. Experience with using an equity lens in policymaking, strategy development, and/or program design.

TQ 4. Experience in evaluating and streamlining business processes and programs to improve the customer experience, including for the most resource constrained communities.

TQ 5. Ability to administer financial and accounting systems, financial systems, and materials in support of insurance programs. Ability to monitor property insurance market trends and to design strategies on a timely basis to accomplish the organization's mission, support programs policy objectives, and promote strategic vision.

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.

Additional information

Permanent Change of Duty Station (PCS) Expenses may be authorized at Management's discretion.

Recruitment/Relocation/Retention Incentive may be authorized at Management's discretion.

This is a Non-Bargaining Unit position.

Veteran's Preference does not apply to the Senior Executive Service.

All candidates must be able to deploy with little or no advance notice to anywhere in the United States and its territories for an extended period of time. If selected, you will be subject to 24-hour on-call in the event of an emergency. In this event, this service may include duties other than those specified in the official position description. Selectee must be able to relocate to emergency sites with little advance notice and function under intense physical and mental stress.

Background Investigation: To ensure the accomplishment of its mission, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requires each and every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully complete a background investigation for Top Secret w/SCI clearance as a condition of placement in this Special Sensitive position. This review includes financial issues such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs.

Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U. S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U. S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance, and Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.

Pursuant to Executive Order 12654 and DHS policy, DHS is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace and, therefore, conducts random and other drug testing of its employees in order to ensure a safe and healthy work environment. Headquarters personnel in safety- or security-sensitive positions are subject to random drug testing and all applicants tentatively selected for employment at DHS Headquarters are subject to drug testing resulting in a negative test result.

If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.

DHS uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

Benefits

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.

Review our 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.

A multi-step process is used to evaluate and refer applicants:

1. Minimum requirements: Your application must show that you meet all requirements including the education and/or experience required for this position. You may be rated "not qualified" if you do not possess the qualification requirements for the position. If your application is incomplete, you will be found "ineligible".

2. Rating and Ranking: A panel of subject matter experts will review your application and evaluate your qualifications for this position based on the information in your application. Your application will be rated, based on the extent and quality of your experience, education, and training relevant to the duties of this position. Interviews will be at the discretion of the panel and/or selecting official.

3. Referral: If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application will be referred to a selecting official for consideration and possible interview. The FEMA Executive Resources Board (ERB) will review results and make recommendations on final selections to the appointing authority where final interviews and reference checks may occur.

Your supporting documents are an integral part of the process for determining your qualifications for the position. If your responses are not supported by required narratives, you will be eliminated from consideration. After reviewing your resume and supporting narratives, if a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Incomplete or late applications will not receive further consideration.

The application process to recruit for this position is the TRADITIONAL-BASED method. You must address each ECQ separately and limit your statements to no more than two pages per ECQ, totaling no more than 10 pages addressing all ECQs. Combine all ECQ responses into 1 document (i.e., PDF or Word document). Additionally, you must address each TQ separately, and you may not exceed six pages. You are required to respond to all TQs. If you fail to do so, you will be rated as 'ineligible.' DO NOT COMBINE THE TQ AND ECQ STATEMENTS.

Unless you have already been certified by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualifications Review Board (QRB) in the past, your ECQs must be certified by the QRB before appointment can occur.

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

  1. Resume
    • Emphasize your level of responsibility, scope and complexity of programs managed, program accomplishments, policy initiatives undertaken, and the results of your actions.
    • Your resume must show evidence of progressively responsible leadership experience that is indicative of senior executive-level management capability and directly related to the executive core qualifications.
    • Include start and end dates for each position (e.g., month and year; month, day, and year).
  2. Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) statements
    • The ECQs are listed in the Qualifications section.
    • Address each ECQ separately.
    • Limit your statements to no more than two pages per ECQ, totaling no more than 10 pages addressing all ECQs. Combine all responses into 1 document (i.e., all narratives in 1 PDF or Word document)
    • Provide one or two examples of relevant experience per ECQ. For each example, describe your level of responsibility, scope and complexity of programs managed, program accomplishments, policy initiatives undertaken, and the results of your actions.
    • Applications directing the reviewer to search within the application or to see the resume (e.g., "Refer to Resume") are considered incomplete and may not receive further consideration.
    • The Writing Executive Qualifications Statements section of the Office of Personnel Management's Guide to Senior Executive Service Qualifications can assist you with writing your ECQ statements. We recommend following the Challenge, Context, Action, and Result (CCAR) model to write your ECQ statements.
    • Upload under "Executive Core Qualifications" document type in the agency application system.
  3. Technical Qualifications (TQs):
    • Each of the TQs listed in the Qualifications section of the Job Opportunity Announcement MUST be addressed.
    • Number each of your responses with the TQ number you are addressing and provide specific examples of your experience, education and accomplishments that are applicable.
    • Limit your responses to no more than six pages.
I am applying as someone that currently holds or has held a position in the federal civil service--the federal civil service is defined as positions in the executive, judicial, and legislative branches; it does not include positions in the uniformed services. I must submit
  • SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action
    • Upload under "SF-50" document type in the agency application system.
  • Proof of holding of federal civil service position
    • If you work(ed) for an agency that does not provide an SF-50--for example, the United States Postal Service--provide documentation that confirms you currently hold or have held a position in the federal civil service.
    • Upload under "SF-50" document type in the agency application system.
I am applying as a current career Senior Executive Service (SES) member. I must submit:
  • SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action
    • Block 5-B (Nature of Action) must identify SES career appointment.
    • Upload under "SF-50" document type in the agency application system.
I am applying as a former career Senior Executive Service (SES) member that is reinstatement eligible. I am eligible for reinstatement to the SES because (1) I successfully completed the 1-year SES probationary period or am exempt because I was converted to the SES as a career appointee when the SES was first established, and (2) left the SES for reasons other than misconduct, neglect of duty, malfeasance, or less than fully successful performance, or resignation after receipt of a notice proposing or directing removal under any of the aforementioned conditions. I must submit:
  • SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action
    • Block 5-B (Nature of Action) must identify SES career appointment.
    • Upload under "SF-50" document type in the agency application system.
I am applying as an SES Candidate Development Program graduate. I must submit:
  • Certificate of Executive Qualifications
    • Upload under "Certificate of Executive Qualifications" document type in the agency application system.
IMPORTANT: 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 do not submit any additional information not requested above.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section.
The complete application package MUST be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 10/25/2024.

To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.

Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package. It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.

To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.

You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application. Paper applications and information sent by mail WILL NOT be accepted. If you cannot apply online, you may submit a paper application and the required forms. If you are unable to apply online view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.

DHS is an equal employment employer: Selection for positions will be based solely on merit without regard to race, color, religion, age, gender, national origin, political affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, marital or family status or other differences.

DHS provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify us. Decisions on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize any employment offers made to current or former (within the last 5 years) political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Noncareer SES employees in the Executive Branch. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Noncareer SES employee, please indicate this in your resume. Serving in a Schedule A, Schedule C, or Noncareer SES appointment WILL NOT eliminate you from consideration.

Agency contact information

Hollie Koutsalas
Address
Mission Support, Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer, Executive Resources
500 C Street SW
Washington, DC 20024
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once you submit your application, we will review your experience and qualifications to determine if you possess the required ECQs and TQs for the position based on the information submitted in your package. Those who meet the qualifications will be referred to a panel of SES members to determine the "highly qualified" candidates who will be referred to the selecting official for further consideration.

Once a selection has been made, the selectee's application will be forwarded to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for approval by the OPM Qualifications Review Board (QRB), unless the selectee is a noncompetitive candidate that has been successfully certified by the OPM QRB.

We will notify you by email at various stages in the process. Your status will also be updated on USAJOBS throughout the process. To check your status, log on to your USAJOBS account, click on "Application Status," and then click "More Information." If you are selected, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation.

DHS/FEMA offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including: health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays. Other benefits may include: flexible work schedules; telework; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers.

Thank you for your employment interest in the Federal Emergency Management Agency!


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.