Summary

The Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) provides an innovative work environment for its employees. As a Senior Leader, you are expected to possess team, management, and leadership skills needed to lead a dynamic and growing organization. The management skills will enhance overall performance and productivity of the staff while creating a vibrant work culture. To learn more about the CTP, please visit the following link: https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products.

This job is open to

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Senior executives

Individuals looking for an executive-level job and who meet the five Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs).

Clarification from the agency

All groups of qualified individuals who meet the mandatory qualifications of the announcement. Current SES employees, individuals with SES reinstatement eligibility, and SES Candidate Development Program graduates must apply to be considered.

Duties

Provides executive leadership, direction, and senior management for all of the Center's compliance and enforcement responsibilities regarding the planning, development, administration, execution, and coordination of nationwide programs and policies.
Provides executive leadership and direction for all retail regulatory projects and tobacco retail investigations, inspections, and enforcement action reviews.
Oversees office's policies, priorities, and processes for all advisory, administrative, and judicial enforcement actions, including issuing warning letters, civil money penalties, injunctions, seizures, import alerts, and no tobacco sales orders.
Provides direction, leadership, coordination, and guidance for the overall operations of program segments responsible for all compliance and enforcement policy issues and the Office of Compliance and Enforcement (OCE) extensive contracts program.
Plans and sets long-range goals and schedules for the overall work of the Office, ensures implementation by the management team for the Office and organizes the goals, priorities, and objectives of the Office.
Determines goals and objectives that need additional emphasis, determines the best approach and solution for resolving budget problems, and plans for long-range staffing needs.
Establishes, prioritizes, and approves OCE quality management activities, as well as determines key business processes.
Performs review and analysis of data to ensure continued suitability, adequacy, and effectiveness of OCE products, services, and systems.
Performs a critical role in strategic planning activities for OCE and guides the strategic vision for the office.
Guides the Office's strategic vision, including assignment of resources to strategic program areas in order to generate maximum impact and mission achievement.
Sets priorities for Office program areas under their management.
Institutes performance metrics to evaluate the Office's execution of its mission.
Advises high-level Agency officials on administrative and regulatory programs and policies concerning Agency compliance responsibilities relating to the manufacture, distribution, importation, marketing, and promotion of tobacco products.
Participates in and contributes to top level Center, Agency and Department discussions, meetings and conferences on broad compliance matters and issues.
Monitors, coordinates, and advises the CTP Director on new or revised policies related to the Center's compliance and enforcement responsibilities.
Provides technical guidance and support in the development and review of standards, regulations, and guidance related to tobacco product compliance and enforcement, evaluates and monitors compliance and enforcement programs across the supply chain.
Oversees the conduct of field tests and manufacturing inspections, and surveillance activities through among other things, product submissions, publication surveillance, and the internet.
Evaluates regulated industry activities to ensure compliance with regulations relating to the Center's overall compliance and enforcement efforts.
Establishes and maintains effective relationships with top level FDA and government officials, industry representatives, program directors, senior scientific and academia officials, and state and local health and compliance officials.
Represents OCE and CTP, including serving as spokesperson on matters under their areas of expertise, including through public presentations and attendance at conferences and other meetings.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

Ethics pre-clearance is required.
Males born on, or after, December 31, 1959 must be registered with the Selective Service System or have an approved exemption. Visit www.SSS.gov for more info.
Suitability for Federal employment is determined by a background investigation.
Veterans Preference DOES NOT APPLY to positions, such as this one, advertised under SES hiring regulations.
Application package must be received by the closing date of this announcement.
One-year SES probationary period for initial SES appointment is required.
All initial appointments to an SES position are contingent on approval from OPM's Qualifications Review Board unless the selectee has successfully participated in an OPM approved SES Candidate Development Program.
FDA participates in e-Verify: All new hires must complete the I-9 form; this information will be processed through e-Verify to determine your employment eligibility. If a discrepancy arises, you must take affirmative steps to resolve the matter.

Qualifications

As a basic requirement for entry into the Senior Executive Service (SES), you must show in your resume evidence of progressively responsible leadership experience that is indicative of senior executive level management capability and that is directly related to the skills and abilities outlined under the Technical Qualifications and Executive Core Qualifications listed below.

To meet the minimum qualification requirements of this position you must show that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) and Technical Qualifications (TQ) related to this position within your resume - NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES. Resumes over the 2-page limit will not be reviewed beyond page 2 or may be disqualified. Your resume should include examples of experience, education and accomplishments applicable to the qualification(s). If your resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of these qualifications, you may not receive consideration for the position.

There is NO requirement to prepare a narrative statement specifically addressing the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) or the mandatory Technical Qualifications (TQs).Technical Qualifications (TQs) -- Mandatory; Your resume (not to exceed 2 pages) should demonstrate accomplishments that would satisfy the following TQs. (Do not submit a separate narrative addressing the TQs):

Experience that demonstrates strong leadership abilities in a scientific, regulatory, or public health organization; demonstrated ability to develop program goals and strategic/tactical priorities; demonstrated ability to develop, direct and/or guide long-term and short-term projects and to conduct periodic program assessments.
Demonstrated ability to work effectively across organizational lines and beyond to build strong working relationships among people and organizations with diverse interests and/or opinions.
Knowledge and understanding of the provisions, limitations, and practical application of laws and regulations in a public health context.

Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) -- Mandatory; In addition to the Technical Qualification Requirements listed above, all new entrants into the Senior Executive Service (SES) under a career appointment will be assessed for executive competency against the following five mandatory ECQs. If your 2-page resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of the ECQs and TQs, you may not receive further consideration for the position. There are five ECQs:

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.
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.
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.
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.
ECQ 5: Achieving Results: This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to achieve both the individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors.

Note: If you are a member of the SES or have been certified through successful participation in an OPM approved SES Candidate Development Program (SESCDP), or have SES reinstatement eligibility, you do not need to respond to the ECQs. Instead, you should attach proof (e.g., SF-50, Certification by OPM's SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB)) of your eligibility for noncompetitive appointment to the SES.

Your executive resume should emphasize your level of responsibilities, the scope and complexity of programs managed (e.g. budget, type and number of staff supervised) and program accomplishments, including the results of your actions.

Education

Education requirement:

1. A bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree in quality assurance or a related degree that included at least 30 semester hours in one or a combination of the following: consumer laws, biological sciences, food science, chemistry, pharmacy, physical sciences, food technology, nutrition, medical science, engineering, epidemiology, veterinary medical science, legal investigations, law enforcement, or related scientific fields that provided knowledge directly related to consumer safety officer work.

The 30 semester hours may include up to 8 semester hours in statistics, or course work that included the principles, theory, or practical application of computers or computer programming.

2. Combination of education and experience--courses consisting of at least 30 semester hours in the fields of study described in paragraph A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

To meet specialized experience requirement, the applicant's work experience must have demonstrated the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies necessary to perform at the grade level of the position. Qualifying experience involves enforcing laws and regulations to protect consumers from foods, drugs, cosmetics, fabrics, toys, equipment, and household products that are defective, dangerous, impure, unwholesome, ineffective, or improperly or deceptively labeled or packaged.

Transcripts are required must be uploaded in the required documents section.

TRANSCRIPTS: Positions which are scientific or technical in nature often have very specific educational requirements. You must submit an official transcript, unofficial transcript, or a list including courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned.

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities, see the Foreign Education section below for additional requirements.

Electronic Transcript Caution: If you have obtained your transcripts electronically, the file might contain security measures that could prevent our application system from reading the file. Therefore, you should consider asking the institution to provide the file in a non-secured electronic format. Alternatively, you could scan or take a photo of the printed copy of the transcript. If your uploaded transcript cannot be read by our system, you may receive consideration and credit for the information we can access.

Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit the U.S. Department of Education website for Foreign Education Evaluation.

To be acceptable, the foreign credential evaluation must include/describe at a minimum, the following information: (1) The type of education received by the applicant; (2) The level of education in relation to the U.S. education system, and state that its comparability recommendations follow the general guidelines of the International Evaluation Standards Council; (3) The content of the applicant's educational program earned abroad, and the standard obtained; (4) The status of the awarding foreign school's recognition and legitimacy in its home country's education system; and (5) Any other information of interest such as what the evaluation service did to obtain this information, the qualifications of the evaluator, and any indications as to other problems such as forgery.

Note: Some positions require the completion of specific courses or a specified number of credit hours. Therefore, the foreign credential evaluation should provide information similar to that of an official transcript, to include a list of the courses taken, quarter and/or semester hours awarded, the cumulative grade point average (GPA), honors received, if any, date degree awarded.

Applicants can request an evaluation from a member organization of one of the two national associations of credential evaluation services listed below:

Credential evaluations are not free, and applicants are responsible for the cost of the selected service.

Additional information

Additional Conditions of Employment:

Pre-employment physical required: No
Drug testing required: No
License required: No
Mobility agreement required: No
Immunization required: No
Bargaining Unit: No
Telework eligible position: Telework is at the discretion of the supervisor.

Financial disclosure statement, SF-278, required: Please be advised that this position is subject to FDA's prohibited financial interest regulation and may require the incumbent of this position to divest of certain financial interests. Applicants are advised to seek additional information on this requirement from the hiring official before accepting this position. For more information please visit the FDA Ethics web page: https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/jobs-and-training-fda/ethics.

Additional Information:

Incentives may be authorized; however, this is contingent upon funds availability. If authorized, certain incentives will require you to sign a service agreement to remain in the Federal government for a period of up to 3 years. Note: This statement does not imply nor guarantee an incentive will be offered and paid. Incentives include the following: moving expenses, recruitment or relocation incentive; student loan repayment, superior qualifications appointment, creditable service for annual leave for prior non-federal work experience or prior uniformed military service, etc.
If you are serving, or have served in the last 5 years (from 05/15/2026) as an Executive Branch political, Schedule C, or Non-career SES appointee, HHS/FDA may be required to obtain approval by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) prior to beginning employment. You can find out if you have held one of these appointment types by looking at your Standard Form 50s in your Electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF), in Section 5 where the legal authorities are listed. If you have served or are currently serving, you must provide a copy of your SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, documenting this appointment. In addition, you will be required to respond to the question in the assessment and certify your responses to the questionnaire. See Political Appointee FAQ - OPM for more.

To demonstrate commitment to the HHS goal of a drug-free workplace and to set an example for other Federal employees, employees not in a testing designated position may volunteer for unannounced random testing by notifying their Drug-free Federal Workplace Program Point of Contact upon hiring. All requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement (05/15/2026); only education and experience gained by this date will be considered. You must continue to meet all requirements throughout the entire hiring process.

In accordance with Executive Order 14170, applicants are encouraged to respond to the four short, free-response, essay questions in the questionnaire. Answers to these questions are optional and will not be scored or rated. Your answers will be reviewed by the hiring manager and agency leadership if you are referred for selection consideration. You will be asked to certify that your responses are written in your own words and that you did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) tool (such as ChatGPT or Copilot).

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.

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.

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.

Once the job opportunity announcement closes (at 11:59 pm ET on 05/15/2026, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be conducted, the information will be compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine your eligibility for Federal employment, and then whether or not you are qualified for this particular position. If you meet minimum qualifications, your Application Package will be further reviewed to determine if you possess the ECQs and TQs listed above. ECQs and TQs must be thoroughly addressed within your two (2) page resume. Separate narratives will not be accepted or reviewed. Highly Qualified applicants may undergo one or more interviews and may be referred to the selecting official for further consideration. See the USAJOBS help article "What is the difference between eligibility and qualifications?" for more...

You will be evaluated on the quality and extent of your total accomplishments, experience, and education (if applicable). Your application will be rated and ranked by an Executive Resources Board (ERB) Panel, comprised of at least three SES members, using only the information required within the application package. Applicants who do not demonstrate in their application sufficient possession of the ECQs and TQs will be determined ineligible for further consideration.

Upon selection, if not already a member of the SES serving under a career appointment, the individual selected must have his/her executive qualifications certified by the OPM's SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB) before appointment to this position. The selected individual's application will be forwarded to the OPM for review and certification by the QRB, unless the selectee provides evidence of their noncompetitive status (i.e., a current SES, OPM QRB certified SESCDP graduate, or SES reinstatement eligible). Upon QRB certification, the selected individual will be required to serve a one-year probationary period. For more information regarding the SES, go to https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/.

Qualification determinations will be based on the information provided in your application and the requirements of the position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

To preview the assessment questionnaire, click this link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12933937

Required Documents

A complete application includes items described below. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).Please carefully review the following list to determine what documentation you need to submit. Some documents may not apply to all applicants.

1. RESUME: All applicants are required to submit a resume limited to two (2) pages (i.e., 1 page that is double-sided or 2 pages that are one-sided each) showing all relevant experience. Applicants seeking initial career appointment to the Senior Executive Service (SES) must include evidence of the mandatory 5 ECQs and TQs for this position. PLEASE DO NOT USE USAJOBS RESUME BUILDER. Any information submitted in excess of two (2) pages WILL NOT be considered.

2. VACANCY QUESTION/ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONSES: Responses are automatically submitted through USA Jobs when you apply to this vacancy.

3. ADDITIONAL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS: Applicants are required to submit the following supporting documentation, if applicable:

CURRENT OR FORMER SES MEMBERS: Must provide your SES appointment SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action), and an SF-50 showing current career SES status or career SES reinstatement eligibility. Do not submit an SF-50 that is for an award.

SES CANDIDATE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (SESCDP) GRADUATES: Submit copy of your certification for verification of successful completion of an OPM-approved SESCDP and OPM SES QRB certification.

CURRENT FEDERAL CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEE: Must provide a copy of your most current Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form reflecting you are a current Federal Civil Service employee.
EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION: Transcripts, licenses, and/or professional certifications (See the job announcement for details).

Do NOT include Personally Identifiable Information (PII) such as a Social Security Number or Date of Birth on your résumé or any other document.**IMPORTANT** We strongly encourage you to tailor your executive résumé specifically to ensure it includes relevant examples of how you possess the Technical Qualifications and the Executive Core Qualifications to enable reviewers to assess your eligibility and make qualitative distinctions among candidates for rating and ranking purposes. Your résumé should focus on recent experience and executive-level accomplishments; some reviewers consider experience that is over 10 years old to be stale.

Addressing Executive Qualifications in a Résumé A well-written résumé prepared in response to a Résumé-based vacancy announcement for an SES position will show reviewers that you possess the ECQs and will describe results (rather than providing a list of duties). Follow the instructions in the vacancy announcement carefully when preparing your résumé and adhere to any specified page limitations.

Applicants typically provide the following information:

Full name, email addresses, telephone number
Vacancy announcement number -- CTP-SES-2026-12933937, Director, Office of Compliance and Enforcement
Information about paid and nonpaid work experience related to the position including: job title, duties and accomplishments, employer's name and address, duration of employment, and salary (pay plan and grade, if applicable)
Educational information, including date and type of any degree received, and professional certifications related to the position
Executive-level training
Information about honors, awards, and special accomplishments related to the position.

If you have questions about the documentation requirements, please reference the following support articles:

You may also contact the FDA Applicant Help Desk and reference VIN# 12933937. The help desk contact info is listed on this announcement.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

You must complete the assessment questionnaire and submit all documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. To receive consideration for this position you must submit your complete application by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on the closing date of this announcement 05/15/2026

You must have a Login.GOV-enabled USAJOBS account to apply for jobs with the U.S. Government. Before you can apply, you must be signed in to your USAJOBS account. If you need assistance with any part of the application process, please visit the following support links:

You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application and receive status notifications. However, if you are not able to apply online due to extenuating life circumstances or disability, this agency provides reasonable accommodations on a case-by-case basis. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please contact the FDA Applicant Help Desk at 866-807-3742; TTY/TDD: (800) 877-8339; or by email ERIC@fda.hhs.gov. (In your e-mail request, please replace the blank line with the Vacancy Identification Number, VIN, for this job, which is: 12933937. Decisions for granting a reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. The Applicant Help Desk operates between the hours of 7am to 6pm Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except government holidays).

Agency contact information

FDA Applicant Help Desk

Phone: 866-807-3742
Email: eric@fda.hhs.gov

Address: FDA Center for Tobacco Products
10903 New Hampshire Ave
Silver Spring, MD 20993
US

Next steps

HHS has a critical preparedness and response mission: HHS protects the American people from health threats, researches emerging diseases, and mobilizes public health programs with domestic and international partners. In support of this mission, HHS offers its employees the opportunity to volunteer to become Federal Civilian Detailees and contribute their unique skills through voluntary temporary assignments to humanitarian emergencies or Departmental priorities countering new and emerging health, safety, and security threats.

Director, Office of Compliance and Enforcement Job in Silver Spring, MD