Executive Director, Investigative Operations Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. EXSER/26-12792128-CBP Department Customs and Border Protection
Salary $150,160.00 to $225,700.00 Grade 00 to 00
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 10/28/2025 Close Date 11/10/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection within the Office of Professional Responsibility.

For more information about U.S. Customs and Border Protection, please visit https://www.cbp.gov/about.

This job is open to

Federal employees - Competitive service

Current federal employees whose agencies follow the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's hiring rules and pay scales.

Federal employees - Excepted service

Current federal employees whose agencies have their own hiring rules, pay scales and evaluation criteria.

Senior executives

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

Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted from all groups of qualified individuals within the civil service. U.S. Citizenship is required.

Duties

As Executive Director, Investigative Operations Directorate (IOD), in the Office of Professional Responsibility, you will oversee a wide range of investigative functions and programs including: criminal, non-criminal, and special inquiry investigations related to employee integrity and misconduct; corruption detection and analysis; deployment of investigative resources to review critical and use of force incidents; counterintelligence; and a robust integrity awareness program.

You will be responsible for implementing a comprehensive integrity strategy designed to prevent, detect, and investigate all threats to the integrity of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and its workforce. You will be responsible for sustaining an integrity continuum, and reviewing IOD operations on an ongoing basis to ensure that incidents of corruption and misconduct are prevented, detected, and investigated in a comprehensive, thorough, and efficient manner. You will oversee the formulation of program requirements, the development and implementation of administrative policies and procedures, and the development of long-range programs.

You will be responsible for overseeing the development of policies, programs, and guidelines for the conduct and coordination of highly complex, difficult, and sensitive criminal, civil, and administrative investigations involving alleged misconduct, criminal activity, and/or corruption by CBP employees and related entities; development and dissemination of innovative techniques for handling all types of investigations; development of new program objectives and operational guidelines; delivery of technical support to IOD field operations; and development of resources and IOD budget requirements.

For an overview of the diverse responsibilities CBP carries out within the Government, visit our website at cbp.gov.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen.
  • All pre-employment processes will be conducted in English.
  • You may be required to pass a background investigation.
  • CBP follows the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan for drug testing procedures.
  • You will be required to carry a firearm and maintain firearm proficiency.
  • Subject to a 1-year supervisory probationary period (unless already completed).
  • Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.
  • If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so.
  • May be subject to pre-employment and random drug tests.
  • File a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report OGE-278e within 30 days of appointment and annually from then on.
  • You may be required to obtain and maintain a security clearance prior to entrance on duty. Failure to obtain and maintain the required level of clearance may result in the withdrawal of a job offer or removal.
  • Organizational and geographical mobility is essential in developing and managing SES leaders. Individuals selected for SES positions members may be subject to reassignment across geographical, organizational, and functional lines, and may be required to sign a Reassignment Rights and Obligation Agreement.
There are three key documents that contain important information about your rights and obligations. Please read and retain these documents: If you fail to meet the conditions of employment or any other pre-employment requirements, such as missing any of the scheduled appointments, the hiring agency may rescind their tentative offer of employment.

You must meet the qualification requirements of this position no later than the closing date of the job opportunity announcement.

Qualifications

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. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.

As a basic requirement, applicants must demonstrate progressively responsible leadership experience that is indicative of senior executive level managerial capability and directly related to the skills and abilities outlined under the Technical Qualifications and Executive Core Qualifications listed below. Typically, experience of this nature will have been gained at or above the equivalent of the GS-15 grade level in the Federal service or its equivalent with state and local government, the private sector, or non-governmental organizations.

To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the five Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and the Technical Qualifications (TQs) listed below. We recommend that your resume emphasize your level of responsibilities, the scope and complexity of programs managed, and your program accomplishments, including results of your actions.

The application process used to recruit for this position is RESUME-ONLY. YOUR RESUME MUST NOT EXCEED 2 PAGES. Any resumes over the 2-page limit, will not be reviewed beyond page 2 or may be disqualified.

There is NO requirement to prepare a narrative statement specifically addressing the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) or the Technical Qualifications (TQs).

TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs):
Your resume should demonstrate accomplishments that would satisfy the technical qualifications.

TQ 1: Expert knowledge of and experience leading criminal and administrative investigative operations or programs for a large, complex organization or agency, to include ensuring investigative activity is conducted in accordance with applicable standards and guidelines.

EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs):
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.

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 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 individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors.

FAILURE TO MEET OR FULLY ADDRESS EACH EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATION AND TECHNICAL QUALIFICATION IN THE RESUME WILL ELIMINATE A CANDIDATE FROM FURTHER CONSIDERATION.

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 must attach proof (e.g., SF-50, Certification by OPM's SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB)) of your eligibility for noncompetitive appointment to the SES.

Education

There is no education requirement for this position.

You will be evaluated on the quality and extent of your total accomplishments and experience.
Your resume will be evaluated by a rating and ranking panel, and highly qualified candidates may undergo an interview and a reference check. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection will review results and make recommendations on final selections to the appointing authority. Unless you have already been certified by a Qualifications Review Board (QRB) in the past, your ECQs must be certified by a QRB before an appointment can occur.

Additional information

Relocation Bonus: CBP may authorize a relocation bonus (not to exceed 25% of basic pay) for an eligible selectee. A service agreement would be required.

The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986: seeks to preserve jobs for those who are legally entitled to them: American citizens and aliens who are authorized to work in our country. This law requires employees to provide a document or documents that establish identity and employment eligibility.

Law Enforcement Retirement: This position will carry secondary law enforcement coverage as provided in 5 U.S.C. 8336(c), and 5 U.S.C. 8412(d), for eligible law enforcement employees. Employees who reach age 57 with at least 20 years of creditable service under law enforcement provisions are subject to mandatory separation from this position. Federal employees who currently work in a primary/rigorous law enforcement position and do not have a break in service of more than three days are eligible to continue coverage in a secondary position.

Lautenberg Amendment: This position authorizes the incumbent to carry a firearm. Any person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence cannot lawfully possess a firearm or ammunition [TITLE 18, U.S.C., SECTION 922(G)(9)]. A "misdemeanor crime of domestic violence" is generally defined under the statute as any offense involving the use or attempted use of physical force, or the threatened use of a deadly weapon, committed by the victim's current or former domestic partner, parent, or guardian. The term "convicted", as defined in the statute, excludes any person whose conviction has been expunged, set-aside, or pardoned or any person whose civil rights have been restored unless the pardon, expungement or restoration of civil rights expressly prohibits the possession of firearms or ammunition. Candidates who have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence within the meaning of the referenced statute are not qualified for this position. Candidates under consideration will be required to certify whether they have ever been convicted of such an offense. False or fraudulent information provided by candidates is criminally punishable by fine or imprisonment (TITLE 18, U.S.C., SECTION 1001).

Firearms Requirement: You will be required to carry a firearm and maintain firearm proficiency. This position requires that the incumbent meet initial and continuing qualifications in the use of firearms as outlined in the Gun Control Act of 1968, amended by the Lautenberg Amendment of 1996.

Veterans Preference: Veterans' preference is not applicable to the SES.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection:

  • is an equal employment employer. Selection for positions will be based solely on merit.
  • provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need 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.
OPM must authorize any employment offers made to current or former (within the last 5 years) political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career 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 in the executive branch, you must disclose that to the Human Resources Office.

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.

Review DHS 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 application process is complete, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be conducted. If you meet minimum qualifications, your Application Package will be further reviewed to determine if you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) and Technical Qualifications (TQ) 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.

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 U.S. Office of Personnel Management'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/.

As an employee of CBP, you will be joining a workforce that is dedicated to accomplishing our mission while maintaining the trust of our Nation by strictly adhering to all government ethics standards. Your conduct will be subject to the ethics rules applicable to all Executive Branch employees, and to CBP employees specifically, as well as the criminal conflict of interest statutes. Once you enter on duty, these rules include obtaining approval for outside employment or business activity, to ensure such employment or business activity is not prohibited and does not interfere or conflict with performance of your official duties. Please review further details via the following link.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Statement: http://www.eeoc.gov/federal/index.cfm

Employment Information Resources - Resource Center: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to

Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfRegistration.aspx)

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 ECQs and TQs. PLEASE DO NOT USE USAJOBS RESUME BUILDER.

  • Vacancy announcement number: EXSER/26-12792128-CBP
  • Full name, e-mail and mailing addresses, and day and evening telephone numbers
  • Information about your paid and nonpaid work experience related to this position including:
    • Job title (include series and grade if Federal job)
    • Duties and accomplishments
    • Employer's name and address
    • Supervisor's name and phone number
    • Starting and ending dates of employment (month and year)
Note: The Federal Government does not deny employment to individuals who are currently or who have been unemployed, nor does it deny employment to individuals who have had financial difficulties through no fault of their own.

2. VACANCY QUESTION/ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONSES: Responses are automatically submitted through USAJOBS 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 specific SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action), which documents conversion or appointment to your formal SES position, and an SF-50 showing current career SES status or career SES reinstatement eligibility.
  • SES CANDIDATE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (SESCDP) GRADUATES: Must provide verification of your successful completion of an OPM-approved SESCDP and OPM SES QRB certification.
  • CURRENT FEDERAL CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEE: Must provide a copy of your SF-50 or equivalent personnel action form reflecting you are a current Federal Civil Service employee.
NOTE:An award SF-50 (i.e. cash or time off award) does not indicate grade, pay band or level and will not be accepted.
STRONGLY RECOMMENDED: Most recent performance evaluation.

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

To apply for this position, you must complete this application and submit any required documents specified in the Required Documents section and submit by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.

To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.

Follow the prompts to select and upload your résumé and/or other required documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the "Include Personal Information" section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.

You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.

It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and uploaded, (i.e., resume and other required documents) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application.

Application packages will NOT be accepted via mail. Due to security processes, mail delivery takes approximately 2-3 weeks to process at which time the vacancy announcement will be closed, and no further consideration will be given to additional application packages.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, please use the contact information below.

Your application materials must be received by 11:59 PM EST on 11/10/2025.

To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account and check your applicant profile dashboard, which 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.

Agency contact information

Jasmine Yeung
Email
jasmine.yeung@cbp.dhs.gov
Address
Office of Professional Responsibility
Please read entire announcement
Please apply online
Washington, DC 20229
US

Next steps

To verify the status of your application, sign in to your USAJOBS account (https://www.usajobs.gov/), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to.

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Management Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.

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.


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