Director, Center for Policy, Planning and Environment Job in Cambridge, MA

Vacancy No. VOLPE.SES-2025-0001 Department Office of the Secretary of Transportation
Salary $150,160.00 to $216,600.00 Grade 00 to 00
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 1/3/2025 Close Date 2/3/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Cambridge, MA


Summary

The Director leads and oversees the Center for Policy, Planning and Environment within the Department of Transportation's (DOT) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology (OST-R), John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe), a 100% fee-for service organization

Duties

The Center for Policy, Planning and Environment is one of four Technical Centers at Volpe whose function is to undertake transportation policy analysis and research that contributes   to a compelling vision of the 21st Century transportation enterprise and supports decision making in the development, management, operation, and financing for an integrated multimodal national transportation system that meets 21st Century mobility needs for goods and people.

The Director, Center for Policy, Planning and Environment is responsible for:

  • Providing executive leadership and direction to eight technical divisions and one program office with a combined Federal staffing of over 250 employees, a portfolio of 270+ projects, and annual obligations of over $50M, on average.
  • Developing plans and policies ensuring that projects for sponsoring organizations are properly formulated, staffed, conducted, and managed to support and advance DOT and OST-R strategic goals as they pertain to transportation policy, planning and the environment.
  • Providing executive level oversight and management of transportation policy, planning and environment activities and programs, in accordance with the funding, scope and requirements of formal agreements with sponsoring organizations.
  • Leading the analysis and measurement of environmental compliance and sustainability on transportation modes, to include ensuring compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
  • Assessing the transportation enterprise to anticipate future transportation needs, issues, and challenges to better prepare and inform DOT and other decision makers and provide a basis for establishing the strategic direction of the Volpe Center and of the Center for Policy, Planning and Environment.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen.
  • Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date.
  • Provide all required documents by closing date.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

  • PROBATIONARY PERIOD: Complete a one-year SES probationary period (unless already completed).
  • TELEWORK ELIGIBILITY: This position may be eligible for occasional and/or regularly scheduled telework.  The number of telework days approved will be determined by your immediate supervisor or manager following the agency’s telework policy and guidance. If participating in the telework program, you will be required to sign a telework agreement detailing agency telework policy requirements, working conditions, and expectations for the position.

Qualifications

As a basic requirement for entry into the Senior Executive Service (SES), you must clearly articulate and describe within your five (5) page resume evidence of progressively responsible supervisory, managerial, or professional experience which involved management of a program or organization of significant scope and complexity.  Your resume must provide information regarding your professional experience and accomplishments that demonstrate your ability to perform the duties of this position and meet the mandatory Technical Qualification(s) and Managerial Executive Core Qualifications listed below.

TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs): Below are the descriptions of the mandatory technical qualifications for this position. Your five (5) page resume must provide information regarding your professional experience and accomplishments that demonstrate you meet these technical qualifications. 

TQ1: Demonstrated executive level experience leading applied research, technology and demonstration projects, in one or more transportation related areas of computer science and information technology, data management, analytics and visualization, policy, planning, economics, environmental and energy measurement, modeling, engineering, and science, including NEPA, to include envisioning and developing new and innovative solutions through collaboration with transportation leaders in government, industry, and academia.

TQ2: Demonstrated executive level experience developing business opportunities and ensuring successful business relationships with clients, including being the central point of contact for a customer; successfully attracting funded programs from the customer; having responsibility for ensuring all the business needs of the customer were met; and facilitating discussions between research and development managers and customer leaders to define future opportunities, strategies, and plans and develop funded programs. 

EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): Below are descriptions of the mandatory ECQs that are required for all SES positions. Your five (5) page resume must provide information regarding your professional experience and accomplishments that demonstrate you meet the 5 ECQs.

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 and 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, 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

FUNDAMENTAL COMPETENCIES: The following competencies are the foundation for success in each of the Executive Core Qualifications: Interpersonal Skills, Oral Communication, Written Communication, Integrity/Honesty, Continual Learning, and Public Service Motivation.

Additional information about the SES and Executive Core Qualifications can be found on the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) SES Website.

You are strongly encouraged to review OPMs Guide to SES Qualifications for specific examples and guidance on writing effective ECQ narrative statements and executive resumes.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

Retirement/Pension Plan - You will be covered by a defined benefit, contributory Federal retirement system that provides benefits for both normal retirement (with as few as 5 years of civilian service) and for circumstances that might occur earlier, such involuntary retirement because of disability.

Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) - You may participate in a retirement savings investment plan that offers before-tax savings and tax-deferred investment earnings. For more details, please visit the TSP website

Employee Assistance - Employees and their immediate families can take advantage of free confidential counseling with health professionals as part of the Federal Employees Assistance Program.

Transit Benefits - We subsidize up to $280 of mass transit commuting costs each month.

Information related to performance, suitability, and security will be verified. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be fired after you begin work; or you may be subject to fine imprisonment, or other disciplinary action.

Benefits

Our benefits package offers:
Annual Leave (paid vacation), Sick Leave, and Holidays - You will earn 26 days of annual leave and 13 days of sick leave per year. In addition, the Federal Government observes 10 regular paid holidays each year.
Health Benefits - Employees and family members are eligible for health benefits at reasonable rates with no required medical examinations or restrictions because of age or physical condition. Flexible Spending Account (FSA) - You may choose to participate in the FSA Program. This program allows you to set aside money, on a pre-tax basis, for certain kinds of out of pocket medical expenses or dependent care costs of a child or parent
Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program - You may elect to participate in the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program.
Life Insurance - You may participate in the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance program. The program offers employees an opportunity to acquire life insurance protection at group rates with a government contribution toward the cost of basic insurance.

For more details on the various health and life insurance benefits offered to most Federal Employees click here

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

A Senior Executive Service (SES) reviewing panel will evaluate your application based on the quality and extent of your total accomplishments, experience, and education. Applicants determined to be highly qualified may undergo multiple interviews.  The best qualified applicant will be asked to submit a written 10-page narrative statement addressing each of the ECQ areas (Leading Change, Leading People, Results Driven, Business Acumen, Building Coalitions). If selected, your written narrative statement addressing the ECQs must be certified by an OPM Qualifications Review Board (QRB), unless you are a current SES executive or have successfully participated in an OPM approved SES Candidate Development Program. You must receive certification before you can be appointed to the position.

All applications must be completed and submitted electronically no later than midnight ET of the closing date. Final reviews will be performed after the announcement closing, and timely notice of the status of your application will be emailed to you. You may check the status of your application for this position at any time by logging into your USAJOBS account and selecting Application Status.


You may preview questions for this vacancy.

Required Documents

The following documents must be provided by the closing date:

RESUME - You must submit a resume which should not exceed five (5) pages. Any information submitted in excess of five (5) pages WILL NOT be considered. The resume must provide evidence (such as related professional experience and accomplishments) that demonstrate you possess the technical qualifications and the 5 ECQs. Include name on each page. No photos allowed.

SF-50 - Current & former federal employees should submit an SF-50 which shows your eligibility status.  We recommend submitting your current SF-50 or most recent SF-50.  DO NOT submit an award SF-50 as these often do not verify eligibility. Current Career Senior Executives and individuals with SES reinstatement eligibility must submit a copy of an SF-50 which shows career SES status.

CANDIDATE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM CERTIFICATE - individuals who have successfully completed an Office of Personnel Management (OPM) approved SES Candidate Development Program, submit a copy of your OPM certificate.

Failure to submit any of the required documents by the closing date of the announcement will result in your removal from consideration for this position.

How to Apply

The application process used to recruit for this position is RESUME ONLY. Your five (5) page resume must provide information regarding your professional experience and accomplishments that demonstrate you meet the 5 ECQs and all the Technical Qualifications (TQs).

Your resume must not exceed 5 pages; all other pages WILL NOT be considered.

Application packages must be received online no later than 11:59pm Eastern Time on the closing date of the announcement.

If submitting a cover letter, it can only be one page in length; all other pages WILL NOT be considered.

To begin, click the Apply Online button on the job announcement posting.
Create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account.

  • Upload your five (5) page resume and supporting documents.

If you are having difficulty applying online, please contact the DOT Automated Staffing Office during regular business hours, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET, at Transjobs@dot.gov.

Agency contact information

Transjobs
Address
DOT, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
1200 New Jersey Ave SE
Washington, District of Columbia 20590
United States
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

If you have opted to receive account status updates via USAJobs, you will receive online confirmation that your application package has been received. All applicants will receive a notification email of the final outcome regarding the hiring decision.


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