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 window Learn 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.