Chief of Staff Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. VA-SES-24-12537545-24-AN Department Vet Customer Experience (VCE)
Salary $147,649.00 to $221,900.00 Grade 00 to 00
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 9/13/2024 Close Date 9/27/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Job Description (Please follow all instructions carefully)

Summary

Chief of Staff (CoS) is a critical senior level management position that supports VEO in setting the customer experience (CX) strategy. The incumbent will provide strategic direction and oversight for VEO's internal organizational management activities, including budget formulation and execution, human resources management, acquisitions, logistics, training, travel, policy, and performance management as well as VA-wide impact capabilities including partnerships and customer communications.

Duties

1) Identifies strategies to achieve VEO's CX mission objectives, and initiates, directs, and sets goals for projects and activities according to these objectives.

2) Leverages VEO's core capabilities (data, tools, technology, and engagement) to lead a dedicated team to improve access and outcomes for Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors through customer communications, strategic partnerships and the newly formed VA wide Veterans, Service members, and Families Fraud Evasion (VSAFE) capability.

3) Develops specific VEO objectives and goals, assigns work, and coordinates activities across different organizational functions. Communicates the enterprise-wide vision, strategic alignment, and objectives of CX to stakeholders throughout VA and across Federal government.

4) Administers overarching objectives for the Headquarters element; identifies suitable strategies to achieve these objectives, and then initiates, directs, and sets goals for projects and activities according to these objectives.

5) Collaborates with leaders across VA Administrations and Staff Offices to identify opportunities to integrate and achieve mutual goals. Formulates, organizes, and monitors or delegates these inter-connected projects and coordinating cross-project activities to ensure objectives are achieved.

6) Consistently exhibits a significant degree of independence, strategic decision making, program and project management skills, and accountability for seeing work products through to completion.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • US citizenship is required.
  • One year probationary period required for initial SES appointment.
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
  • Incumbents of this position will be subject to a background investigation commensurate with the risk and sensitivity level of the position.
  • Successful completion of drug screening required.
  • Public Financial Disclosure Report (SF-278) is required within 30 days of appointment.
  • May be subject to reassignment geographically or organizationally.
  • VA structures its SES positions into pay bands. This is a pay band 3 position and the salary range is $147,649-204,000. Exceptions to the cap of the range may be considered in certain circumstances.

Qualifications

To meet the minimum qualifications, applicants must possess the following technical and executive core qualifications. These qualifications would typically be gained through progressively responsible management or executive level assignments such as director of a regional office, medical facility or program manager. An individual's total experience, education and volunteer work experience must demonstrate the ability to perform the duties of the position.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g. Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

MANDATORY EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): All applicants must submit a written narrative response to each of the following ECQs and include your name on each page. 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 the individuals and groups you worked with, and/or the environment in which you worked, to address a particular challenge (e.g., clients, co-workers, members of Congress, shrinking budget, low morale, etc).
  • Action. Discuss the specific actions you took to address a challenge.
  • Result. Give specific examples of measures/outcomes that had some impact on the organization. These accomplishments demonstrate the quality and effectiveness of your leadership skills.

Your narrative response should not exceed 10 pages, be typed in 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" GUIDE (opm.gov) at: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/executive-core-qualifications/.

1. Leading Change: 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. (Underlying Competencies: Creativity and Innovation, External Awareness, Flexibility, Resilience, Strategic Thinking, and Vision)

2. Leading People: 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. (Underlying Competencies: Conflict Management, Leveraging Diversity, Developing Others and Team Building)

3. Results Driven: 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. (Underlying Competencies: Accountability, Customer Service, Decisiveness, Entrepreneurship, Problem Solving and Technical Credibility)

4. Business Acumen: The ability to manage human, financial and information resources strategically. (Underlying Competencies: Financial Management, Human Capital Management and Technology Management)

5. Building Coalitions: 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. (Underlying Competencies: Partnering, Political Savvy and Influencing/Negotiation)

TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs): In addition, all applicants must submit a written narrative response to the following specific TQs. Please label and include your name on each page. 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 TQ(s) in a word document and then upload into the system.

TQ1: Demonstrated experience achieving mission objectives through initiating, directing, and setting strategic goals for projects and activities. Demonstrated experience in organizational management activities in the areas of budget, contract, human resources, logistics, travel, training, performance management, etc., leading and implementing efficiencies and ensuring successful enterprise-wide execution.

TQ2: Demonstrated the ability to manage and develop organizational strategies and direction by estimating, forecasting, and anticipating requirements, trends, risks, and variances, providing analysis, and recommendation in line with strategic goals and priorities. Capable of managing complex Agency/Institution-wide customer experience projects and serving as the central coordination point for all high-level negotiations involving the establishment or implementation of policies and procedures, as well as project management activities.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

Veteran Preference does not apply to the Senior Executive Service.: https://www.opm.gov/faqs/topic/Senior-Executive-Service/index.aspx.

Drug Testing: All applicants tentatively selected for VA Senior Executive Service employment in any position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.

Incumbents of this position will be subject to a background investigation commensurate with the risk and sensitivity level of the position.

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.

Step 1: ECQ qualifications

Step 2: Technical Qualification(s)

Step 3: VA Executive Resources Board

Step 4: Nominating Organization may conduct interviews

Step 5: Approval by the Selecting Official (may include additional screening)

Step 6: OPM Qualifications Review Board certification

Required Documents

A complete application for this position includes the following items:

1. Resume not to exceed 5 pages;

2. Written narrative response to address each Technical Qualification(s) not to exceed 2 pages each; and

3. Written narrative responses to address each Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) not to exceed 2 pages each for a total of 10 pages; or

4. Proof of non-competitive eligibility (if applicable). Proof consists of an SF-50 showing career status in the SES and proof of certification of your Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) administered Qualifications Review Board (QRB).

Non-Competitive Consideration: You are considered a non-competitive applicant if you are a current career Senior Executive, graduate of a Senior Executive Service (SES) Candidate Development Program (CDP) or an individual with SES reinstatement eligibility and your ECQs have been certified by the OPM QRB. You may be considered non-competitively for appointment to this position if you meet the mandatory technical qualifications requirements.

Non-competitive applicants do not need to submit ECQ narratives but you must clearly state your status in your resume and submit a written narrative response to the Technical Qualification (s); not more than 2 pages per each TQ with a font size no smaller than 12 points. Proof of non-competitive eligibility is required. The agency has the option of considering you non-competitively or including you in the competitive process.

How to Apply

Your complete application must be received by 11:59 pm EST on the closing date, 09/27/2024 in order for you to be considered. Please read all instructions before you begin.

To begin click the Apply Online button and follow the prompts to register and submit all required documents. To return to your saved application, log in to your USAJOBS account at http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/ and click on "Application Status". Click on the position title and select Apply Online to continue.

Agency contact information

Amy Nichols
Address
Veteran Customer Experience
810 VERMONT AVE
WASHINGTON, DC 20420
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

The Corporate Senior Executive Management Office (CSEMO) will review all applications to determine if applicants meet the technical qualifications of this position and the SES ECQs. Those who meet the qualifications will be referred to the Executive Resources Board (ERB), a panel of SES members to determine the "best qualified" candidates. Once a selection is made, the selectee's application will be forwarded to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for approval by an OPM independent Qualifications Review Board (QRB), unless the selectee is a current/former SES executive or has successfully completed an OPM approved SES Candidate Development Program and is QRB certified.


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