Correspondence Program Manager (Open to both U.S. Citizens and Federal Employees)

Summary

The prospective employee will serve as a Program Manager and Director of Executive Correspondence reporting to the Associate Administrator (AA) for Administration. The Program Manager will provide leadership and direction to the office that controls executive correspondence and NHTSA publications. The Program Manager provides critical and urgent on-demand facilitation of Secretariat and Administrator correspondence, manages internal agency concurrence and executive clearance programs.

Duties

The Correspondence Program Manager: Manages the operation of the Executive Correspondence office and manages the Exec Sec Staff including correspondence assistants and clerical personnel of the unit. Assures the proper coordination of actions within and outside NHTSA about correspondence. Reviews documents, papers, Reports to Congress, and other communications submitted to the Office of the Administrator to assure completed staff work, including adequate coordination, cooperative operations, and activities. Assists professional staff inquiries concerning preferred style and correspondence practices, clearance, distribution and usage techniques and establishes guidelines and standards for controversial approaches and viewpoints. Supervises the application of the Executive Correspondence system. Assures that effective means are provided to achieve clerical and technical accuracy, completeness and correct format in papers submitted by the program for information, consideration, approval, and/or signature of the Administrator or for the Secretary. The ideal candidate for this position possesses excellent organizational skills and is capable of garnering support throughout the organization to accomplish the agency's mission. NHTSA is looking for someone who is highly motivated, who can facilitate processes, and who can communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, at all levels of the organization. As a manager, the ideal candidate must be able to motivate, train and recognize employees and deliver results through their performance. The ideal candidate possesses a keen understanding of organizational dynamics and the ability to prioritize a large volume of urgent, high-priority tasks. The director of the office of Executive Correspondence must possess strong interpersonal skills and the ability to track multiple diverse priorities acknowledging competing pressures while still engaging senior executives to meet tight deadlines. The ideal candidate must possess a knowledge of federal government correspondence, civilian or Military protocols and be technically adept at managing the Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) system. Requirements

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: You must complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed). TIME-IN-GRADE: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade in the competitive or excepted service in the executive branch to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions contained in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F. DEU REQUIREMENTS: Applicants selected under delegated examining procedures may be required to successfully complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed). Qualifications

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet the specialized experience requirements. To qualify for the Grade 14, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-13, it must include: Experience coordinating meetings, correspondence and handling sensitive issues for senior officials. Experience in managing and leading a correspondence team to deliver exceptional customer service in a timely manner within fast-paced environment. Experience in presenting sensitive recommendations and briefings to senior leadership both in writing and through high-level presentations that embody a customer service-orientated posture and utilize interpersonal skills. 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: Management: Demonstrated ability to direct and manage human resources including establishing and implementing goals, assigning work to subordinates. Evaluating performance and resolving complaints and obtaining completed staff work from subordinates. Critical Solving: Demonstrated ability to provide advice and guidance to employees and managers related to administrative functions of a confidential or sensitive nature within an organization. Communication: Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with high level officials and employees, work under pressure and respondto short deadlines. Technical knowledge: Demonstrated ability to meet tight time deadlines and to prioritize work from a broad range of competing priorities. 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

DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE: PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. To receive full credit during evaluation, your assessment responses must explicitly point back to your resume, as HR cannot make assumptions about your experience. You must write your narrative answers in full paragraph format, beginning each response with the exact position title, organization, employment dates (MM/YYYY–MM/YYYY), full-time/part-time, average hours worked per week, and federal series/grade (if applicable) as listed on your resume. Within the paragraph, clearly describe your specific individual duties, actions taken, tools used, and measurable outcomes to prove your level of expertise. HR will cross-check your narrative against your resume; if your resume does not fully support every detail and timeframe claimed in your written response, the claimed experience will be disallowed, which may result in an ineligible determination. 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). You may preview questions for this vacancy. Other Information

The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Transportation and its Operating Administrations from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Transportation by email at, [email protected]. To learn more, please visit our page at: The Fair Chance to Compete Act | US Department of Transportation This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if similar vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.