Clarification from the agency

This position will be filled using Direct Hire Authority; traditional rating and ranking, Veterans' Preference, and the 'Rule of Many' do not apply. Applications will be accepted from any U.S. Citizen. Due to the potential of a high volume of applicants, not all applicants may receive consideration.

As a Deputy Associate Administrator, you will:

• Support the Associate Administrator’s oversight of the planning, implementation, and conduct of nationwide program oversight.
• Serve as an advisor to the Associate Administrator by utilizing technical expertise to assess varying consequences and impacts of nationwide program oversight initiatives.
• Assist the Associate Administrator to support organizational management, personnel and training, budget formulation and administration, financial management and audit, and general administrative activities.
• Ensure that TPO actions comply with federal, agency, and Departmental objectives and requirements and encourages maximum Federal-state-local cooperation in the execution of transit programs.

The Ideal candidate is a dynamic, strategic executive with experience in federal transportation programs, large-scale program oversight, and the implementation of federal civil rights, accessibility, and other compliance programs. The ideal candidate also has strong analytical, strategic planning, stakeholder collaboration, and communication skills. Experience in the oversight of federal transit and/or public transit governance, operations, or planning, and analysis of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title VI, and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise programs is desirable.

Conditions of employment

• Be a U.S. citizen or National and meet specialized experience to qualify.
• Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date.
• Required documents must be submitted by the closing date.
• Direct Hire Authority/SME will be used to fill this position.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance the organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

• SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service.
• GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD: This position involves travel. A government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only.
• BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: A background security investigation is required for all selected individuals. Appointment will be subject to the applicant’s successful completion of the security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
• PROBATIONARY PERIOD: Applicants may be required to successfully complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).
• SUPERVISORY PROBATIONARY PERIOD: New supervisors must complete a 1-year probationary period (unless already completed).

Qualifications

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet the specialized experience qualifications for the grade at which you are requesting consideration.

To qualify for the Grade 15, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equal or equivalent to the GS-14, it must include:

• Experience leading a team in the application, evaluation, or oversight of federal program requirements, policies, or statutory compliance frameworks for large-scale public programs or federal grant/funding recipients.
• Experience communicating effectively, both orally and in writing, with internal & external stakeholders; persuading, presenting, and defending programs, and preparing and executing briefings (formal and informal/ad hoc) to executive leaders on key topics.
• Experience directing, managing, and evaluating nationwide or large-scale public transportation programs, public transit governance frameworks, or complex infrastructure oversight initiatives.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:

• Communication - Expresses information orally and in writing to individuals and groups effectively, factoring in the audience and nature of the information (e.g., technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately; and writes in a clear, concise, organized and convincing manner for the intended audience.
• Program Management - Knowledge of the principles, methods, or tools for developing, scheduling, coordinating, and managing programs and resources, including monitoring and inspecting costs, work, and contractor performance.
• Managing Human Resources- Plans, distributes, coordinates, and monitors work assignments of others; evaluates work performance and provides feedback to others on their performance; ensures that staff are appropriately selected, utilized, and developed, and that they are treated in a fair and equitable manner.
• Strategic Thinking - Formulates effective strategies consistent with the business and competitive strategy of the organization and the priorities of the office. Examine policy issues and strategic planning with a long-term perspective. Determines objectives and sets priorities; Assesses varying consequences and impacts with the office and likely consequences of alternative determinations and formally proposes potential courses of action and optimum solutions.
• Public Transit Industry Compliance - This competency involves applying federal program requirements to public transit policy, operations, and planning frameworks, assessing public transit system compliance with program requirements, identifying regulatory risks related to the public transit industry, and ensuring alignment with federal mandates.

For all types of consideration, experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

For additional information about applying to Federal positions, please click on the following link: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4

All applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

How you will be evaluated

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

All applicants: Your application will be reviewed in two phases determine how you move forward in the hiring process. Phase I: Your resume will be reviewed to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required specialized experience. ONLY two (2) pages of your resume will be reviewed. Additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letter, links embedded in your resume) will not be reviewed. Applicants passing “Phase I” will move on to the “Phase II” of the assessment process where your application will be reviewed and rated based on the KSAs/Competencies listed in the vacancy announcement by a Subject Matter Expert (SME).

Next steps