Superintendent Job in Yosemite National Park, CA

Vacancy No. WO-1614-SESO-25-12743385 Department National Park Service
Salary $161,128.00 to $225,700.00 Grade 00 to 00
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 6/4/2025 Close Date 6/18/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Yosemite National Park, CA


Summary

Yosemite National Park covers 747,956 acres along the central western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in east-central California. Designated a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site in 1984, Yosemite is internationally recognized for its spectacular granite cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams, giant sequoia groves, and biological diversity.

Duties

This complex role involves managing the iconic national park including its infrastructure, employees, and visitors. The Superintendent is responsible for carrying out the legislative mandate to preserve, protect, restore, and interpret these areas. The Superintendent also exercises direction over Devils Postpile National Monument. Responsibilities include:

  • The Superintendent oversees daily operations, planning, management decisions, and implementation of park policy; provides executive leadership of park staff, volunteers, and assessment of park programs; and, manages a multi-million dollar operating budget.
  • Leads strategic planning and establishes short and long-range goals and standards of operations to ensure effective park operations and policy.
  • Represents the Director in interactions with the Secretary of the Interior and members of his/her staff, local/state/regional leaders of other federal/land management agencies, members of Congress and Congressional staff, state/county/local leadership, tribal leaders, leadership of partner organizations, and other state, local and gateway communities and authorized concessionaires.
  • Implements cooperative agreements, contracts, special use permits, and instruments that define the parks' relationship with a variety of partners and commercial interests.
  • Manages and directs the parks' partnerships and public awareness programs and a public relations program. This includes concessions, public use management, stewardship, and community outreach.
  • Leads a complex law enforcement and emergency service program, including the Emergency Communications Center, dispatch services for Lassen Volcanic National Park and Devils Postpile National Monument, and Yosemite's complex fire management program.
  • Develops resource protection and restoration strategies for the parks' historic and cultural resources and preserves the natural features for future generations and strategies for education and interpretative programs.
  • Maintains and operates nearly 500 miles of road, over 800 miles of surface and graded trails, over 2,000 buildings and structures with dozens of water systems and sewer systems, 14 campgrounds with approximately 1500 sites, and five entrance stations. Plans manages, and directs the maintenance, repair, rehabilitation, and operation of all facilities. Responsible for the development of project cost, scope, scheduling, and contract management for large-scale projects from multiple fund sources.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship required.
  • You must be able to obtain/maintain a Tier 5 background investigation. This position sensitivity is Non-Critical Sensitive. Selectees may be required to submit to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use.
  • Males must meet Selective Service Registration Act requirements. To verify registration visit SSS.gov.
  • You will be required to make occasional travel.
  • Selections are subject to Department approval. Initial appointments to the SES must have ECQs certified by an Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualifications Review Board before the appointment and will be required to serve a one-year probationary period.
  • Individuals selected for an SES position are subject to reassignment.
  • Agencies must request OPM approval to appoint current or former (within five years) Executive Branch political appointees to permanent competitive service, non-political excepted service, or career SES position. Please make a note in your application package if you have held any of these positions within the last five years.
  • A Financial Disclosure Report, OGE-278, and the supplemental form, Confidential Statement of Employment and Financial Interest is required within 30 days after the selection for this position.

Qualifications

We are looking for an individual with experience in successfully managing the preservation of a park in a large, geographically dispersed organization who demonstrates experience in cultural and natural resources management, managing recreation and public use programs, working with executive teams, sound judgment; and, possesses strong communication and interpersonal skills. 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.

To be considered, you must submit a two-page resume (max), and a comprehensive narrative statement that addresses each Technical Qualification (TQ) and each Executive Core Qualification (ECQ). Applicants who do not submit a supplemental narrative statement that addresses each of these factors will not be considered.

Mandatory Technical Qualifications (TQs) *Required Documentation*: TQs are designed to assess an applicant's experience relevant to the specific position requirements. Each TQ narrative response must 1) not exceed two pages per TQ for a total of 4 pages; 2) include specific examples of your experience, education, and/or accomplishments; and 3) address specific challenges, contexts, actions, and results.

1. Describe your knowledge and experience in managing public lands which includes addressing operational issues involving complex programs such as visitor services, law enforcement, natural/cultural resource management and protection, interpretation, a fire management program, safety, concessions management, maintenance management, partnerships, entrepreneurial management, public land management, conservation, and recreation management.

2. Describe your ability to negotiate and manage partnerships directly related to land management operations to include a wide range of stakeholders from a cross-section of organizations; and your understanding of governmental budgets to include congressional appropriations, large donations, concessions management, fee-based funding, and large-scale project funding or equivalent.

Executive Core Qualifications: By statute, the Office of Personnel Management prescribes Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) for the appointment of career SES members. The ECQs were designed to assess executive experience and not technical expertise. Please prepare one or two examples for each of the five ECQs below. ECQ narratives must not exceed ten pages in total.

ECQ 1 - LEADING CHANGE: You must have demonstrated an 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 implement it in a continuously changing environment.
Leadership Competencies: Creativity & Innovation, External Awareness, Flexibility, Resilience, Strategic Thinking, Vision

ECQ 2 - LEADING PEOPLE: You must demonstrate the ability to lead people toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals. Inherent to the ECQ is the ability to develop others, facilitate cooperation and teamwork, and support constructive resolution of conflicts.
Leadership Competencies: Conflict Management, 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 Service, Decisiveness, Entrepreneurship, Problem Solving, Technical Credibility

ECQ 4 - BUSINESS ACUMEN: This ECQ 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 ECQ 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, Integrity/Honesty, Written Communication, Continual Learning, Public Service Motivation

Your responses should address your Challenge, Context, Actions, and Results for each example. Please give a complete and detailed answer for each specific mandatory qualification demonstrating your experience. Qualifications will be evaluated based on how clearly and concisely you emphasize your level of responsibilities, the scope and complexity of your programs; services managed; program accomplishments; policy initiatives undertaken; level of contacts; the sensitivity and criticality of the issues addressed; and the results of your actions taken. Typically experience will have been gained at the GS-15 grade level in the federal service or equivalent in the private sector or non-governmental organizations.

Each ECQ and TQ have unique qualifications. Therefore, duplicate responses are not sufficient in determining if you meet that specific qualification. Do not refer to your resume to explain your experience or your application package will be considered incomplete and will not be considered. Failure to submit a narrative statement, specifically address the mandatory ECQs and/or TQs clearly, or if you exceed the page limits, you will not be considered.

Already SES Certified? If you are currently serving under a career Senior Executive Service appointment, are eligible for reinstatement into the Senior Executive Service, or have completed a Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program (SES CDP) approved by OPM, you only need to submit a narrative statement covering each of the Technical Qualifications. You do not need to submit ECQs. SES CDP graduates must submit a copy of their CDP program certification with their package.

Education

No mandatory education requirement.

Additional information

--A Recruitment Incentive May Be Authorized for a newly selected employee when appointed to a permanent, temporary, or term position. A Federal employee who is transferring to the National Park Service from another Federal agency and who does not meet the conditions under 5 CFR §575.102 is not eligible for a recruitment incentive.
--A Relocation Incentive May Be Authorized for a Federal employee when the employee must move, as directed by the National Park Service (NPS), to a different location at least 50 miles away from the one where his/her position of record is currently located, due to a need of the NPS. A relocation incentive is not the same as a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move and, as such, may be granted in conjunction with one another.
--SES does not have Veteran's Preference and time in grade restrictions. Competitive status is not required.
--Individuals selected for Senior Executive Service positions may be subject to reassignment across geographical, organizational, and functional lines.
--The Department of the Interior structures its SES positions into categories to determine the minimum pay for each position. Pay is set based on consideration of the selectee's current salary and other factors.
--Effective January 1, 2010, OPM must authorize any employment offers we make to current or former (within the last 5 years) political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employees in the executive branch. lf you are currently or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you must disclose that to the Human Resources Office.
--If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document that you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application. Click the following link for more information, https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Alternate_Application_Information.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

Applicants who meet the mandatory executive and technical qualifications will be evaluated by a panel of SES members to determine the degree to which they possess each of the listed qualifications. Total background, including experience, ECQ, and TQ narratives, awards, and training will be reviewed. This information will be obtained from your uploaded documents.

Required Documents

Please upload the following documents:

  • Resume (not to exceed two pages)
  • Narrative responses to the Technical Qualifications not to exceed 4 pages total. (mandatory for all applicants)
  • Narratives for the Executive Core Qualifications not to exceed 10 pages total. (not required by current SES, SES reinstatement eligible or SES CDP OPM certified graduate)
  • If current or former Federal employee, submit SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (or equivalent ); please do not send an SF-50 for an award.
  • Strongly Recommended: Performance Evaluation (not more than 2 years old)

How to Apply

You must submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. To receive consideration, the complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date. WE DO NOT ACCEPT HARD-COPY OR E-MAIL APPLICATION PACKAGES.

  1. Select Apply. If you are not logged in, you will be prompted to log in or create an account.
    1. Prompted to Start the Application Process by selecting "Start Application."
    2. Click here for USAJobs Help with "How to create an application"
  2. To PREVIEW the application questionnaire, select the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12743385
  3. Add your two-page resume.
  4. Select the documents you want to be included in this application.
  5. Review the package to acknowledge that your documents were reviewed.
  6. After reading and certifying the application is true and submitted in good faith, select "Continue to Agency Site."
  7. Follow onscreen prompts and instructions to complete your application.
  8. Add the supporting documents by indexing your documents with the dropdown.
    • Upload any missing required documents or optional documents.
  9. Review and Submit Application.
  10. While logged in, you can check the status of your application by selecting "+" next to the job title for this position.
  11. You can review or revise your application at any point during the open period of the announcement. To update an application, you should log into your USAJOBS account and select "+" next to the job title for this position. Select "Update Application" for this job. Note: When you click Update Application, you will be prompted to re-select your documents from USAJOBS. Documents submitted with the first application will no longer be associated with the applicant record. So you must select all documents you want to use in the re-application.

Agency contact information

Sharon Benitez
Address
Senior Executive Service Office
1849 C Street N.W.
Washington, DC 20240
US

Next steps

The NPS will conduct a qualifications evaluation of applicants who supply all of the required material. Qualified applicants will be rated and ranked by an executive-level rating panel. Best-qualified candidates will be referred to the selecting official for further consideration and possible interview. You will be notified of the outcome after the completion of the selection process.


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