Clarification from the agency

This public notice is issued under Direct Hire Authority (DHA) to recruit talent to occupations for which there is a severe shortage of candidates or a critical hiring need. This means that we can hire any qualified candidate from this notice. About this DHA notice: -Current civil service employees will receive new appointments if selected under this DHA. -For information on DHA, please visit https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/direct-hire-authority/

Senior IT Expert Product Delivery Advice/Consulting and Development

• Engages with customer agencies, the public (e.g., end users, user communities), and/or management and staff to perform needs analyses to define opportunities for new or improved business processes, solutions (i.e., IT software, applications, programs, and/or services), practices, products, services, or strategies based on customer agency and/or user needs.
• Serves as a primary expert consultant to stakeholders at customer agencies and/or internal to agency to explore innovative approaches to design and deliver mission-critical IT solutions that support administrative priorities and agency practices.
• Consults with agency partners to refine and translate functional requirements into informal, plain-language descriptions and/or explanations of software features (i.e., user stories) and technical specifications.

Expert IT Project Leadership and Delivery

• Reviews projects for technical feasibility and adherence with organizational mission objectives and provides recommendations to management prior to commencement of IT projects.
• Reviews and revises product, platform, or service direction based on the outcomes of experiments, prototypes, and customer-based learning.
• Applies human-centered design techniques to drive IT project decisions to ensure the correct/proper IT product is developed.

Cross-Functional Product/Service Delivery Team Functions

• Leads cross functional product/service delivery teams developing innovative IT services and products.
• Plans, develops, and executes highly complex and intricate IT projects leading to delivery of solutions that transform the manner in which the government leverages technology to serve the public.
• Engages executive and other management and staff in the design, development, and deployment of IT solutions leveraging current and emergent IT technologies and best practices.
• Implements and/or introduces the use of new information technologies/tools within government agencies.

Relationship Management

• Serves as a liaison establishing and maintaining mutual understanding and cooperation with program management and other personnel within the agency to convey information regarding IT program activities, guidelines (e.g., laws, regulations, policies), and goals, clarify procedures, and provide definitive interpretation of directives as needed.
• Provides agency partners expert, comprehensive, accurate, and sound technical IT advice as the authority for assigned federal government products, projects, and initiatives.

Conditions of employment

• US Citizenship or National (Residents of American Samoa and Swains Island)
• Meet all eligibility requirements within 30 days of the closing date.
• Register with Selective Service if you are a male born after 12/31/1959

If selected, you must meet the following conditions:

Qualifications

For each job on your resume, provide:

• the exact dates you held  each job (from month/year to month/year)
• number of hours per week you worked (if part time).    

If you have volunteered your service through a National Service program (e.g., Peace Corps, Americorps), we encourage you to apply and include this experience on your resume.

For a brief video on creating a Federal resume, click here. 

The GS-15 salary range starts at $146,481 per year.

If you are a new federal employee, your starting salary will likely be set at the Step 1 of the grade for which you are selected.  

To qualify, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 level or higher in the Federal service. 

Applicants applying for the GS 15 grade level must meet the following requirements: Have IT-related experience demonstrating EACH of the four competencies AND one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS 14 level in the Federal service as described below:

IT Specialist competency requirements:

• Attention to Detail - This skill is generally demonstrated by assignments where the applicant keeps abreast of latest technology, information, research, etc., to maintain knowledge in field of expertise (for example, reads trade journals, participates in professional/technical associations, maintains credentials).
• Customer Service - This skill is generally demonstrated by assignments where the applicant promotes or develops and maintains good working relationships with key individuals or groups.
• Oral Communication - This skill is generally demonstrated by assignments where the applicant serves on panels, committees, or task forces as a representative for the organization on technical or professional issues.
• Problem Solving - This skill is generally demonstrated by assignments where the applicant monitors current trends or events (for example, technological, economic, political, social, educational, or employment trends or events) and applies the information as appropriate.

To qualify, you must have one (1) year of specialized experience. Specialized experience is defined as:

• Leading the design, roadmap, vision, technical direction, or identification of user needs for a project, product, platform, or services;
• Providing project or product leadership;
• Using iterative or agile methodologies to develop services, products, or platforms;
• Leading cross-functional teams to develop IT products;
• Collaborating with senior or executive stakeholders on IT products and services.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the federal government, passionate about the ideas of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. The following four (4) short free-response questions are optional:

1. How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the federal government? Provide
   a concrete example from professional, academic, or personal experience?
2. In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness? Provide specific examples where you improved
   processes, reduced costs, or improved outcomes?
3. How would you help advance the President’s Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role? Identify one or two relevant Executive Orders or policy initiatives that are
   significant to you, and explain how you would help implement them if hired?
4. How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements? Provide one or two specific examples, and explain how those qualities would enable you to serve effectively in this position?

How you will be evaluated

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

Applications will be evaluated against the basic qualifications. Qualified candidates will be considered in accordance with the Office of Personnel Management Direct Hire Guidelines. Applications will not be rated or ranked. Veterans’ Preference does not apply to the direct hire recruitment procedures.

You may not be considered for the position, if any part of the application is incomplete or missing the required supporting documentation. Falsifying your background, education and/or experience is cause for not hiring you or dismissing you if hired. 

ICTAP/CTAP Candidates: The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found “well-qualified" for this vacancy. In addition to meeting the basic qualifications stated in the qualification section of this announcement, well qualified is defined as: experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position, demonstrated by meeting at least 51% or more of the competencies/KSA’s listed below (i.e. 3 out of 5, or 4 out of 6, or 5 out of 8, etc.) 

1. Applying advanced IT principles, concepts, methods, standards, and practices sufficient to accomplish assignments such as developing and interpret policies, procedures, and strategies governing the planning and delivery of IT services throughout customer agencies.
2. Developing solutions to integration/interoperability issues and managing systems that meet current and future business requirements and apply and extend, enhance, or optimize the existing architecture.
3. Providing expert and authoritative technical advice, guidance, and recommendations to management and other technical specialists on critical IT issues.
4. Applying interrelationships of multiple IT specialties; new IT developments; emerging technologies and their applications to business processes; IT project management principles, methods, and practices, including developing plans and schedules, estimating resource requirements, defining milestones and deliverables, monitoring activities, and evaluating and reporting on accomplishments.
5. Developing and maintaining relationships at various levels within an organization.
6. Leading high performing ad hoc teams to accomplish goals, developing and maintaining effective team relationships, and contributing to team performance and success.
7. Collaborating across roles and organizations to build strategic relationships, achieve common goals, and to resolve sensitive issues.

ALL required documents must be submitted before the closing date. Review the following list to determine what you need to submit.

Resume: Your resume should not exceed 2 pages and must demonstrate the specialized experience related to the position for which you are applying. Resumes exceeding two pages will not be accepted by USAJOBS and will prevent your application from moving forward in the hiring process.  Your resume must contain the following information:

• Name, address, telephone number, email address;
• Job Title (if Federal Service, provide series and grade; if not in GS plan, provide GS equivalent grade);
• Relevant work experience—should include employer name, job title, start and end dates (month/year), the number of hours worked per week and descriptions that explain how you meet the required qualifications in the job announcement.
• Education, certifications or licensures—If the job announcement requires any education, certifications or licensures, make sure to include the required information and any required documents like transcripts.

Your resume should contain enough information to make a valid determination that you fully meet the basic, general, or specialized experience requirements for each grade level you are applying for. This information must be clearly identified in your resume. If you do not provide enough information for us to determine your qualifications, you may be rated ineligible.

If you are ICTAP/CTAPeligible - submit a, b, and c: (a) proof of eligibility including agency notice; (b) SF-50, and (c) most recent performance appraisal.

Current or Former Political Appointees: Submit SF-50.

Next steps

Additional locations