Superintendent Great Smoky Mountains National Park Job in Gatlinburg, TN

Vacancy No. WO-1614-SESO-25-12771976 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 7/28/2025 Close Date 8/11/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Gatlinburg, TN


Summary

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Foothills Parkway consist of over 500,000 acres of the Southern Appalachian Mountains, containing the largest expanses of old-growth forest left in the eastern United States, internationally noted for the biodiversity of plant and animal species. The Superintendent manages the iconic national park and is responsible for carrying out the legislative mandate to preserve, protect, restore, and interpret areas within the park.

Duties

The Superintendent manages the Park's infrastructure, employees, budget, natural and cultural resources, and visitor services. Responsibilities include:

  • Provides executive leadership to a large workforce of permanent and temporary staff in fields such as research, engineering, architecture, resource management, protection, information management, and general administration.
  • Oversees the development of policies, standards, and procedures that govern the professional conduct of work related to the administration and implementation of the programs, including the functional areas of public use management, resource protection, resources education, and interpretation, fiscal and human resource management, park maintenance, visitor services, law enforcement, safety management, concessions, park partnerships, public affairs, budget planning and execution, and park development.
  • Leads strategic planning and establishes short and long-range goals and standards of operations to ensure effective park operations and policy.
  • Provides program management to one of the most ecologically diverse park areas. Develops resource protection and treatment strategies for the Park's historic and cultural resources and preserves the natural features for future generations.
  • Maintains and operates a complex inventory of physical facilities including 342 buildings, National Historic Landmarks and National Register Properties, 384 miles of roads, more than 850 miles of trails, water systems, and campgrounds.
  • Implements cooperative agreements, contracts, special use permits, leases, and instruments that define the Park's relationship with a variety of partners and commercial interests.
  • Responsible for the planning, development, and operation of a comprehensive education and interpretative program.
  • Provides coordination, leadership, and direction to a complex law enforcement and emergency service program which includes areas of both concurrent and exclusive jurisdiction.
  • Establishes and maintains a close relationship with local, state, and Federal agencies, as well as private organizations interested in park uses and maintaining the integrity of the ecosystem.
  • Represents the Director in interactions with the Secretary of the Interior and members of his staff, members of Congress, Mayors, Governors, Tribal Leaders, and other municipal authorities.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship required.
  • Selectee must be able to obtain/maintain a background investigation commensurate with the risk and sensitivity level of the position.
  • Selectee may be required to submit to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use.
  • Males must meet Selective Service Registration Act requirements.
  • 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.
  • Agencies must request OPM approval to appoint the current or former (within five years) Executive Branch political appointees to permanent competitive service, non-political excepted service, or career SES position.
  • Selectee will be required to file a Financial Disclosure Report, OGE-278, and the supplemental form, Confidential Statement of Employment and Financial Interest. All forms must be filed within 30 days after the selection for this position.

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.

To meet the minimum qualifications, you must submit a two-page resume (max) that shows you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and two Technical Qualifications (TQs). To be considered, only the first 2 pages of your resume will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.

Technical Qualifications (TQs) are designed to assess an applicant's experience relevant to the specific position requirements. Your resume should clearly demonstrate your experience and accomplishments related to the two TQs below:

1. Experience in managing a complex land management program(s) that typically extends and applies to an entire organization or major components of an organization. This should include describing your leadership experience in public land management, strategic planning, project management, law enforcement and emergency services, natural and cultural resource management, concessions management, visitor services, safety, maintenance management, and workforce management.

2. Experience establishing and managing partnerships directly related to land management operations.

Your two-page resume should also show that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications listed below. Your resume should clearly demonstrate your experience and accomplishments related to the ECQs below. 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.

ECQ 1-Commitment to the Rule of Law and the Principles of the American Founding: 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. Competencies: Knowledge of the American System of Government, Commitment to the Rule of Law, Civic-Mindedness

ECQ 2 - Driving Efficiency: Demonstrated ability to strategically and efficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades. Competencies: Fiscal Responsibility, Managing Resources, Leveraging Technology

ECQ 3 - Merit and Competence: Demonstrated knowledge, ability, and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality. Competencies: Technical Skill, Problem Solving, Agility and Resilience

ECQ 4 - Leading People: 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. Competencies: Accountability, Developing Others, Executive Judgement

ECQ 5 - Achieving Results: Demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors. Competencies: Operational Mindset, Innovation, Strategic Thinking

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 or equivalent in the private sector or non-governmental organizations.

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 two-page resume and personnel action showing you have held a career SES position. SES CDP graduates must submit a two-page resume and a copy of their CDP program certification with their package.

Education

This job does not have an educational qualification requirement.

Additional information

--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 increases and recognition, if applicable, are based on performance in the SES.
--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.
--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. If 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.

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.

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.

We will review your resume to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. If you meet the basic qualification requirements, a panel of SES members will evaluate your resume and determine the degree to which you possess each of the listed qualifications. Highly Qualified applicants may undergo one or more interviews.

If the selectee does not have Qualifications Review Board (QRB) certification by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), he/she will be required to undergo an ECQ-based structured interview with OPM.

Required Documents

Please upload the following documents:

  • Resume (not to exceed two pages).If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.
    • We highly recommend that you DO NOT use the USAJOBS Resume Builder to create your resume.
  • 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)
  • If you are already SES Certified but have NOT held a career SES position, please upload your OPM QRB SES certification.
  • Note: You may be asked to provide additional documentation to support your eligibility and the information provided in your resume.

How to Apply

You must submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. 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. Add your two-page resume.
  3. Select the documents you want to be included in this application.
  4. Review the package to acknowledge that your documents were reviewed.
  5. After reading and certifying the application is true and submitted in good faith, select "Continue to Agency Site."
  6. Follow onscreen prompts and instructions to complete your application.
  7. Add the supporting documents by indexing your documents with the dropdown.
    • Upload any missing required documents or optional documents.
  8. Review and Submit Application.
  9. While logged in, you can check the status of your application by selecting "+" next to the job title for this position.
  10. 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

Highly qualified candidates will be referred to the selecting official for further consideration and a 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.


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