Associate Director, Office of Safety and Compliance/Chief Safety Officer
Marine Minerals Administration
Washington, DCFull-time$197–228K/yrPosted 2 days ago
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At a glance
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Job overview
The Department of the Interior seeks an Associate Director, Office of Safety and Compliance/Chief Safety Officer for the Marine Minerals Administration in Washington, DC. The role leads safety, compliance, inspection, enforcement, and incident-investigation programs for Outer Continental Shelf operations, and represents the agency in intergovernmental and international work. Candidates must demonstrate the Executive Core Qualifications and two technical qualifications through a two-page resume; there is no educational requirement.
Skills & qualifications
Skills
Qualifications
Full job description
Summary
The Department of the Interior is currently seeking qualified candidates for the Senior Executive Service (SES) position of Associate Director, Office of Safety and Compliance/Chief Safety Officer located in Washington, DC. The Department structures its SES positions into categories to determine the minimum pay for each position. This is a category 3 position. The minimum pay for this position is $197,200. Veterans preference does not apply to the SES.
Duties
The position is located in the Marine Minerals Administration (MMA) at the Department of the Interior (Department) and reports to the Deputy Director, Safety and Operations. The incumbent carries out the following specific responsibilities: 1. The Associate Director, Office of Safety and Compliance/Chief Safety Officer is responsible for developing and maintaining up-to-date policies and guidelines for Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) operational safety, inspections, permitting, production verification, technical data management, engineering and technology assessments, conservation of resources and best available and safest practices; manages the Bureau's aviation program; manages the bureau's program and policies for incident investigations and enforcement; and coordinates with and supports OCS Regional Directors in the application of their responsibilities. 2. The incumbent coordinates training programs and professional development opportunities for staff to ensure consistent application of regulatory requirements and promote continuous improvement, including policy guidance and training for a high-quality inspection and compliance workforce. 3. The incumbent manages MMA's compliance program and associated policies, including oversight for the auditing operator safety management systems, ensuring effective enforcement actions, and maintaining applicable civil penalties procedures. 4. The incumbent leads cooperative research activities with industry and other federal agencies on offshore drilling and production technology and represents the U.S. in international regulatory bodies to facilitate information exchange and incident data sharing. 5. The incumbent represents MMA in conferring with and deciding upon matters requiring cooperation with the Department, Congress, other Federal agencies, State, local and various private interests and stakeholders. 6. The incumbent serves as the bureau's Chief Safety Officer responsible for the implementation and alignment of all safety standards specific to OCS operations. If your resume does not include these basic qualifications, you will not be determined qualified for this position. We recommend that your resume includes examples that are clear, concise, and emphasize their level of responsibilities, the scope and complexity of the programs, activities, or services managed; program accomplishments; policy initiatives undertaken; level of contacts; the sensitivity and criticality of the issues addressed; and the results of actions taken. 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: TQ 1: Demonstrated knowledge of diverse program functions involved in management of the offshore program, specifically including engineering and operations, drilling, and production safety. TQ 2: Demonstrated knowledge of Federal policy and regulations related to offshore exploration, development and production of oil and gas, non-energy minerals, and renewable energy. Your two-page resume should also show that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications listed 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. 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. ECQ 3 - Merit and Competence: Demonstrated knowledge, ability, and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality. 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. ECQ 5 - Achieving Results: Demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors 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
There is no educational requirement for this position. How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above. A panel of SES members will evaluate your two-page resume and determine the degree to which you possess each of the listed qualifications. 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. Other Information
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 is set based on consideration of the selectee's current salary and other factors. Effective January 1, 2010, 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. lf 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. If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document that you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application. Click the following link for more information, https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Alternate_Application_Information.
How this job compares
Set against the 1,186 open Executive Leadership jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 14, 2026.
- Pay
- This posting$197–228K/yr
- Washington, D.C. median$152–228K/yr36 salary ranges
- US median$193–300K/yr867 salary ranges
This range's midpoint, $213K, is 12% above the Washington, D.C. median midpoint ($190K) — in the middle half of Executive Leadership salary ranges in Washington, D.C..
- Openings
- Olive Jobs lists 40 open Executive Leadership jobs in Washington, D.C. and 1,186 across the US. 13% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
- Hiring the most in Washington, D.C.
- Department of State Headquarters3 open
- Smithsonian Institution3 open
- Ankura2 open
- Experience
- Executive Leadership postings that state a minimum ask for 10 years of experience at the median; the middle half ask for 10 to 15 years (940 postings).
- Education
- 462 of the 1,186 open Executive Leadership jobs (39%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.
Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 14, 2026. Figures based on too few postings are left out.
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