Office Director Job in Arlington, VA

Vacancy No. CSTM-2025-0003 Department Department of State - Agency Wide
Salary $147,649.00 to $221,900.00 Grade 00 to 00
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 11/5/2024 Close Date 11/20/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Arlington, VA


Summary

This position is located in the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, Office of Personnel Security and Suitability (DS/SI/PSS).  As the law enforcement and security arm of the U.S. Department of State, the Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DS) is responsible for providing a safe and secure environment for the conduct of U.S. foreign policy.  The incumbent of this position will serve as the Office Director and reports to the Senior Coordinator for Security Infrastructure (SI).

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

All groups of qualified individuals. Noncompetitive (Current career SES, QRB certified graduates of SES candidate development programs and individuals with SES reinstatement eligibility) "You are encouraged to read the entire announcement before you submit your application package. Your application may not get full consideration if you do not follow the instructions as outlined."

Duties

The Office of Personnel Security and Suitability is responsible for determining the initial and continuing eligibility of DOS personnel for access to classified National Security Information and Sensitive but Unclassified (SBU) information and access to intelligence information, including Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) and sources and methods, and suitability for Federal employment.

The person selected for the Office Director DS/SI/PSS position manages a workforce responsible for determining the initial and continuing eligibility of DOS personnel (including direct hire and contractor personnel being deployed to high threat overseas locations) for access to classified National Security Information and Sensitive but Unclassified (SBU) information and access to intelligence information, including Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) and sources and methods, and suitability for Federal employment.

Additional duties and functions include the following:

  • Is an authoritative expert and senior advisor to DOS senior leadership regarding personnel security programs such as investigations, adjudications, continuous evaluation, insider threat, and investigations. Directs efforts to ensure program reliability, loyalty, and determine program goals and develop implementation plans; to support the DOS mission to protect U.S. national security interests from theft, loss, misuse, fraud, disclosure, espionage, or sabotage.

  • Leads a workforce responsible for reevaluating security clearances for employees selected for Presidential appointments; revalidating continued security clearance eligibility; certifying clearances to officials of the Department and its overseas posts and reviewing employees' security files. Modernizes security clearance initiatives in-sync with Security Executive Agent Directives(Office of the Director of National Intelligence) and Suitability and Credentialing Executive Agent (Office of Personnel and Management) requirements to transform all aspects of personnel vetting.

  • Directs the development and implementation of administrative and management policies, plans, systems, and processes to ensure that DS resources are allocated, administered, and accounted for in a highly effective and efficient manner, are carried out in accordance with all relevant legal and regulatory requirements, and are aligned with the Department mission.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is required.
  • Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/SCI security clearance.
  • Incumbent will be subject to random drug testing.
  • Requires a financial disclosure statement, OGE-278.
  • Verification of employment eligibility in the United States is required.

This position is a drug-testing designated position subject to random testing for illegal drug use.

Appointment will be subject to the applicant's completion and favorable adjudication of a background security investigation.

The Ethics in Government Act, PL 95-521 requires the applicant selected for this position submit a financial disclosure statement, OGE-278, prior to assuming the SES position, annually, and upon termination of employment.

Qualifications

Unless you are currently serving under a career Senior Executive Service (SES) appointment, are eligible for reinstatement into the SES, or have successfully completed a SES Candidate Development Program approved by OPM, you must submit separate narrative statements covering each of the Executive Core Qualifications (last five vacancy assessment questions).  Applicants must also submit separate narrative statements covering each of the Mandatory Technical Qualifications (listed below) in order to receive consideration for the position.  To view additional information on the proper preparation of Executive Core Qualification statements available on the Office of Personnel Management's website please click here. 

When responding to the Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) and Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs), you must clearly show that you possess the experience, knowledge, skills, and ability to perform the duties of this position.  Your narrative responses to each of the MTQs and the ECQs should be clear and emphasize your level of responsibilities, scope and complexity of programs managed, program accomplishments with results of your actions, policy initiatives and level of contacts.  Include in your responses all efforts/accomplishments related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) initiatives.  Your narratives are limited to two (2) pages per each MTQ and ECQ. 

Applicants' failure to respond to MTQs and ECQs, and exceeding required page limits will be marked “ineligible.”  

Applicants who use "see resume" as a response will not receive consideration for the position.


For this position applicants must submit a narrative statement that address the following mandatory technical qualification:

Your experience should explicitly demonstrate the following:

  • MTQ 1: Comprehensive knowledge of and demonstrated ability leading a complex organization responsible for planning, developing, implementing, and executing critical personnel security duties and responsibilities designed to protect the integrity of classified national security information, controlled unclassified information or proprietary information.

  • MTQ 2: Comprehensive knowledge and expertise in initiating, overseeing, and implementing new policies and program initiatives in the personnel security arena for a large organization to meet changing requirements, resolve major issues, and improve the overall quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of an organization’s personnel vetting processes.  This includes overseeing and managing the operational and strategic planning process, program management, and performance measurement processes; developing annual and multi-year budgets for the program to ensure the acquisition of resources at levels sufficient to support ongoing personnel security programs; allocating resources in accordance with the plans and priorities of the organization and making adjustments to allocations based on changes in requirements, resources availability, or higher-level priorities; and monitoring and evaluating office operations and services through regular interaction with subordinate program managers and program reports

If you do not possess the mandatory technical qualification described above, you may be considered ineligible for these positions.

Additional information

SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER - Your Social Security Number is requested under the authority of Executive Order 9397 to uniquely identify your records from those other applicants who may have the same name. As allowed by law or Presidential directive, your Social Security Number is used to seek information about you from employers, schools, banks, and others who may know you. Failure to provide your Social Security Number on your application materials will result in your application no being processed.

SELECTIVE SERVICE - If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify at the time of appointment that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under Selective Service law.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION - This agency provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the Office of Employee Relations, Disability/Reasonable Accommodations Division, at (202) 261-8180.  The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis.

TELEWORK - If eligible, telework agreements may be permitted with supervisory approval.  This position is not eligible for remote work.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY - The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.

EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION PROGRAM (E-Verify) – U.S. law requires organizations to employ only individuals who may legally work in the United States - either U.S. citizens, or foreign citizens who have the necessary authorization. This agency utilizes E-Verify to compare information from the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration (SSA) records to confirm employment eligibility. If the employee’s information does not match DHS and/or SSA records, the employee is given an opportunity to resolve the problem. If eligibility cannot be verified, employment will be terminated.

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.

Applicants will be evaluated by a Qualifications Review Panel of senior officials. The Panel will rate applicants on the basis of the quality and extent of total accomplishments, experience and education. The Panel will determine the degree to which candidates possess the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the mandatory technical requirements of the position and the Mandatory Executive Core Qualification requirements. Among the factors the evaluation panel will consider in determining the applicant's relative capacity and fitness for the position are education, training, experience and demonstrated executive level qualifications. The Panel will rate your application against each of the Mandatory Executive Core Qualifications and Mandatory Technical Qualifications to determine the best qualified candidates. Candidates determined to be best qualified candidates will be referred to the selecting official for further consideration for the position.


You may preview questions for this vacancy.

Required Documents

All required documents listed below must be submitted to our automated system "Gateway to State" prior to the closing date of this announcement, which is 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.  See Step 3 under "How to Apply."

  • Resume
  • SES Executive Core Qualifications
  • SES Mandatory Technical Qualifications
  • SES Non-Competitive Documentation (if applicable)
  • Performance Appraisal (most recent – if current Federal employee)
  • SF-50 Notification of Personnel Action (if current Federal employee)

PLEASE READ THE BELOW INSTRUCTIONS PRIOR TO SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION.  INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL BE RATED AS “INELIGIBLE” AND WILL NOT RECEIVE FURTHER CONSIDERATION:

  • A completed informational questionnaire.

          Applicants must complete the online questionnaire associated with this job announcement.

  • A resume of relevant experiences and accomplishments (not to exceed 5 pages).  Please ensure your resume is uploaded with pages numbered, preferably in .pdf format.  Failure to upload and number pages, including documents exceeding page limit will be marked “ineligible.”

    Your resume serves as a basis for qualification determinations and must highlight your most relevant and significant work experience as it relates to this job opportunity.  Your resume must demonstrate executive potential such as experiences, accomplishments, activities, recognition, and awards related to each Executive Core Qualification (ECQ) and breadth and scope of professional accomplishments.  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).  Your resume must include the dates of all qualifying experience (from month/year to month/year) and/or the number of hours worked/volunteered per week.  For assistance with creating a resume, please click here.  Please note that if a cover letter is submitted, it counts towards the 5-page limit.
  • Executive Core Qualification (ECQ) statements are limited to a maximum of two pages per ECQ (not to exceed 10 pages).  Please ensure your ECQs are uploaded with pages numbered, preferably in .pdf format.  Failure to upload and number pages, including documents exceeding page limits will be marked “ineligible.”

    All applicants must submit separate written narrative statements describing your accomplishments against each of the ECQs.  You
    are required to respond to all ECQs.  When addressing the ECQs, applicants should include one or two notable examples
    (within last 10 years) using the Challenge-Context-Action-Result (CCAR) model:

        -  Challenge:      Describe a specific problem or goal.

               -  Context:  Talk about the individuals and groups you worked with, and/or the environment in which you worked, to tackle a
                  particular challenge (e.g., clients, co-workers, members of Congress, shrinking budget, low morale).

               -  Action:  Discuss the specific actions you took to address a challenge.

               -  Result:  Give specific examples of the results of your actions.  These accomplishments demonstrate the quality and
                  effectiveness of your leadership skills.

           Additional information on the ECQs is available at 
           https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/reference-materials/guidetosesquals_2012.pdf.

  • Mandatory Technical Qualification (MTQ) statements are limited to a maximum of two pages per MTQ.  Please ensure your MTQs are uploaded with pages numbered, preferably in .pdf format.  Failure to upload and number pages, including documents exceeding page limits will be marked “ineligible.” 

    All applicants must submit separate written narrative statements describing your accomplishments against each of the MTQs. You are required to respond to all MTQs. When addressing the MTQs, applicants should include one or two notable examples (within last 10 years) using the Challenge-Context Action-Result (CCAR) model:
  • A performance appraisal for the most recent performance rating period. The performance appraisal will be used to validate that the candidate is in good performance standing and has not been recently placed on a performance improvement plan. 
      
  • SF-50 (or equivalent) Notification of Personnel Action

    If you are currently serving under a federal career or career conditional appointment, a career SES appointment, are eligible for reinstatement into the career SES, or have successfully completed an SES Candidate Development Program approved by OPM, you must submit an SF-50 that shows current series and grade level or proof of non-competitive eligibility, i.e., conversion to career SES SF-50 or SES Certificate.  If you fail to do so, you will be rated as "ineligible."  Do not submit cash or performance award SF-50.

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

Please carefully read all the instructions before you begin the application process.

To apply for this job opportunity, you must submit a resume and an on-line application through the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) application system, USAJOBS. This information will be transferred to the Department of State's Gateway to State Automated Application System.

You have until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement to complete the following four-step application process:

STEP 1: Select the "Apply On-line" button and follow the instructions to register or sign into USAJOBS.

STEP 2: Submit a detailed resume or any other written format you choose documenting your job-related qualifications, experience, and education (if applicable). Cover letter is optional. If you submit a cover letter, you must also submit a resume. Please see the “How You Will Be Evaluated” section for specific information that should be outlined in your resume.

STEP 3: Answer the job-specific self-assessment questions on-line through the Gateway to State automated application system. These questions will be used to evaluate your qualifications and experience for this job opportunity.  

STEP 4: Submit all required documentation, applicable to you, listed in the Required Documents section of this job opportunity to the Department’s automated application system "Gateway to State" prior to the closing date of this announcement. For instructions on how to view the status of your supporting documentation, please click here.

Technical assistance with your on-line application can be obtained by contacting the Help Desk at mgshelp@monster.com OR by calling (866) 656-6830 or (703) 269-4944 between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. ET

ALTERNATE APPLICATION PROCEDURES

NOTE:  If applying online poses an extreme hardship, you may use alternate application procedures and submit your application package by fax.  Contact the Human Resources office listed on the announcement between the business hours of 8:15 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. ET, at least two working days prior to the closing date of this announcement. The application package for alternate application procedures must be submitted and received in the Human Resources office no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on the closing date of this announcement.

NOTE:  Paper applications and information sent by mail WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

Agency contact information

JoAnn E. Moore
Phone
202-663-2137
Fax
000-000-0000
Email
ERPMSES@state.gov
Address
U.S. Department of State
2401 E Street, N.W.
Room H-1104
Washington, District of Columbia 20520
United States
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

After all application packages have been received, we will review your resume to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. After we review and evaluate all applications, the most highly qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interviews. After a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability and or security background investigation.  

You will be notified up to four times during the hiring process:

1. Upon receipt of your application.
2. Upon minimum qualification determinations.
3. After the certificate is issued.
4. After final selection is made.

For instructions on how to view the status of your application, please click here.


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


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