Assistant Director Office of Conservation Investment

Summary

The Department of the Interior is seeking highly qualified candidates for the Senior Executive Service (SES) position of Assistant Director, Office of Conservation Investment (OCI), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, located in Washington, D.C. The Department classifies SES positions by category to establish minimum pay levels. This position is designated as Category 4, with a minimum annual salary of $186,207. Veterans' preference does not apply to positions in the Senior Executive Service (SES).

Duties

The Assistant Director, Office of Conservation Investment (OCI) performs the following key responsibilities: Provides executive leadership and strategic direction for nationally significant conservation grant and financial assistance programs that support fish and wildlife conservation, habitat restoration, Tribal stewardship, recreational access, and public opportunities for hunting, fishing, boating, wildlife viewing, and conservation education. Assesses program and project feasibility and establishes national goals, priorities, performance expectations, and implementation strategies to advance OCI's mission and ensure effective program delivery. Exercises executive management and oversight of an annual conservation investment portfolio of approximately $1.3 billion and leads a geographically dispersed national organization responsible for administering complex financial assistance programs. Provides executive leadership for OCI's audit readiness, enterprise risk management, statutory and environmental compliance, and internal control activities, ensuring accountability and stewardship of public resources. Evaluates proposed Departmental policies, consolidated fiscal processes, and management initiatives to assess their operational, financial, and programmatic effects on OCI programs and statutory responsibilities. Serves as a principal executive representative of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on matters involving national conservation investment and financial assistance programs, engaging with Departmental leadership, Federal agencies, States, Tribes, conservation partners, and other stakeholders to advance national conservation priorities.

Qualifications

Basic requirement Applicants must meet one of the following basic requirements: A. Degree: Biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, or related disciplines appropriate to the position; OR B. Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, or at least 30 semester hours in courses, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education; OR C. Experience: Four years of experience that demonstrated that the applicant acquired knowledge and understanding of one or more of the biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, or related disciplines equivalent to that which would have been acquired through completion of a 4-year course of study as described in A above. In addition to the basic requirement, applicants must meet the following: Minimum Qualifications 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: TQ 1- Conservation Financial Assistance, Statutory Compliance, and Risk Management: Demonstrated experience providing senior-level leadership and oversight of complex Federal conservation or financial assistance programs, including application of governing statutes and requirements such as the Wildlife Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 669), Sport Fish Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 777), Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs Improvement Act, and applicable environmental compliance requirements (NEPA, NHPA, and ESA). Experience must include managing program risk, address audit findings and corrective actions, and ensuring accountability, internal controls, and integrity in the administration of Federal financial assistance. TQ 2- Enterprise Grants, Fiscal, and Portfolio Management: Demonstrated experience leading and integrating large-scale grants, fiscal, and program operations involving substantial financial and human resources, geographically dispersed organizations, and multiple organizational components. Experience must include coordinating enterprise financial assistance and fiscal processes with senior-level stakeholders; balancing centralized management requirements with program-specific statutory responsibilities; and providing oversight of significant program portfolios, budgets, workforce resources, and organizational performance. Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs). 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. 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: This core qualification requires a 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. Sub-Competencies: Knowledge of the American System of Government, Commitment to the Rule of Law, Civic-Mindedness ECQ 2: Driving Efficiency: This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to strategically and efficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades. Sub-Competencies: Fiscal Responsibility, Managing Resources, Leveraging Technology ECQ 3: Merit and Competence: This core qualification involves the demonstrated knowledge, ability, and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality. Sub-Competencies: Technical Skill, Problem Solving, Agility, and Resilience. ECQ 4: Leading People: This core qualification involves the 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. Sub-Competencies: Accountability, Developing Others, Executive Judgement ECQ 5: Achieving Results: This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors. Sub-Competencies: Operational Mindset, Innovation, Strategic Thinking In addition to meeting the basic requirement and demonstrating the required ECQs and TQs, candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the Federal Government, supporting the principles of the American republic, and upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. Candidates will not be hired based on race, sex, color, religion, or national origin. Already SES Certified? If you currently hold a career Senior Executive Service appointment, are eligible for reinstatement to the SES, or have completed an OPM-approved Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program (SES CDP), you need only submit a two-page resume and documentation demonstrating your SES status. Current or former career SES members must provide the applicable personnel action documenting career SES service. SES CDP graduates must submit a two-page resume and a copy of their SES CDP certifi