Duties

Summary

The International Trade Administration (ITA), Global Markets is looking for an innovative executive to work serve as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Western Hemisphere. The ideal candidate will have knowledge related to managing operations and resources for programs that promote U.S. exports, attract inward foreign investment, and advance and protect U.S. commercial interests in the Western Hemisphere.

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Responsibilities

The incumbent serves as senior advisor to the Secretary, ITA Under Secretary, Assistant Secretary/Director General (AS/DG), Deputy Director General (DDG), Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary (PDAS), and other senior Department officials on all matters concerning international economic, trade, investment, and commercial policy agreements and programs with respect to the Western Hemisphere region.

• Represents the AS/DG, DDG and/or PDAS in executive meetings within and outside the Department related to the Western Hemisphere.
• Represents the Department in interagency and international meetings and negotiations on bilateral and regional economic, trade, investment, and commercial issues, including a leadership role in bilateral government and commercial exchanges and other government­ to-government meetings. Brings private sector perspective and input to these engagements as unique Commerce contribution.
• Represents the Department in export promotion activities and events that include private sector participation, such as trade missions, trade fairs, conferences, etc.
• Serves on high-level panels and groups addressing critical trade policy, international business and export issues; Department spokesperson to industry associations and executives; and delivers briefings and speeches at seminars and gatherings of international trade and export leaders and professionals.
• Provides leadership for Western Hemisphere in the planning, development, and execution of activities and initiatives that support Department, ITA and Global Markets short and long-term strategic goals and priorities.
• Provides strategic direction and communication of strategy and priorities to all staff in the Western Hemisphere region and provides oversight for management of fiscal and staffing allocations to support programs and priorities in this region.
• Directs development and implementation of policies and programs that increase U.S. commercial opportunities in region markets through trade promotion, bilateral and regional trade policy development and implementation, business counseling and planning, market intelligence, business matchmaking, removal of trade barriers, commercial diplomacy and advocacy, and support for trade and investment strategies.
• Directs efforts to ensure U.S. Government trade policy and export promotion programs are mutually reinforcing; supports promotion and facilitation of business investment in the United States; and serves as a focal point within the Department for addressing bilateral and regional international economic, investment and commercial trade issues related to the Global Markets mission.
• Leads creation of an integrated platform of export assistance services throughout the region to assist U.S. firms in entering or expanding their presence in region markets, including counseling, market intelligence, matchmaking, outreach, and trade events.
• Formulates Departmental positions on bilateral and regional economic, commercial, and trade policy issues, taking into consideration private sector views and foreign policy considerations.
• Directs a program to monitor economic and commercial developments and maintain in­ depth commercial and economic expertise on individual countries and the region to formulate and implement country- and region-specific market access and promotion strategies that increase opportunities for U.S. companies in region markets.
• In all activities, the incumbent aligns with and operates under GM enterprise-wide strategic planning, human capital management, and resource allocation processes and methodologies to optimize and promote consistency in goal setting, resource allocation, executive decision-making, policy coordination, and internal controls.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - Some domestic and/or foreign travel may be required.

Supervisory status
Yes

Promotion Potential
00

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• 1 year probationary period for new SES members
• Subject to pre-employment and random drug testing
• Background and/or security investigation required
• Public Financial Disclosure (SF-278 filing within 30 days of hire)
• All members of the SES are subject to geographic relocation.

Applicants are required to submit only a Resume which provides detailed evidence of how they meet the mandatory Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and the mandatory Professional/Technical Qualifications (PTQs). Applicants currently serving under a career Senior Executive Service (SES) appointment, eligible for reinstatement into SES, or have successfully completed a SES Candidate Development Program (CDP) approved by OPM are not required to be evaluated on the ECQs. For detailed guidance on ECQs, applicants are strongly encouraged to review the Office of Personnel Management's Guide to Executive Qualifications at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/reference-materials/guidetosesquals_2012.pdf

If selected for the position as your initial career SES appointment, you will be required to submit a written narrative statement addressing all of the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs). The Department of Commerce will work with the selectee to develop the appropriate ECQ narrative for QRB certification, as needed.

Qualifications

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must show in your resume that you possess all of the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and Professional/Technical Qualifications (PTQs) listed. These qualifications typically would be acquired through education, experience, and training which reflect progressive development and executive potential. Applicants do not need to submit any separate narrative responses to address the ECQs or PTQs. Please remember that if experience is not stated in your resume, it will not be presumed that you possess it. Sample resumes that incorporate the ECQs and PTQs are available at: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/reference-materials/guidetosesquals_2012.pdf .


Executive Core Qualifications
The following are the five ECQs and their fundamental competencies which are selection criteria for SES positions. The ECQs were developed to assess executive experience and potential, not to evaluate technical experience.

ECQ 1 - LEADING CHANGE: This core qualification involves the ability to bring about strategic change, both within and outside the organization, to meet organizational goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to establish an organizational vision and to implement it in a continuously changing environment.
(Competencies: creativity and innovation, external awareness, flexibility, resilience, strategic thinking, vision)
ECQ 2 - LEADING PEOPLE: This core qualification involves the ability to lead people toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to provide an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others, facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports constructive resolution of conflicts.
(Competencies: conflict management, leveraging diversity, developing others, team building)
ECQ 3 - RESULTS DRIVEN: This core qualification involves the ability to meet organizational goals and customer expectations. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to make decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks.
(Competencies: accountability, customer service, decisiveness, entrepreneurship, problem solving, technical credibility)
ECQ 4 - BUSINESS ACUMEN: This core qualification involves the ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically.
(Competencies: financial management, human capital management, technology management)
ECQ 5 - BUILDING COALITIONS: This core qualification involves the ability to build coalitions internally and with other Federal agencies, State and local governments, nonprofit and private sector organizations, foreign governments, or international organizations to achieve common goals.
(Competencies: partnering, political savvy, influencing/negotiating)

Professional Technical Qualifications

PTQ 1 - Demonstrated experience leading a large and geographically dispersed organization to achieve program results.

PTQ 2 - Demonstrated knowledge of U.S. Government trade promotion programs and international trade, economic, and business issues to assist and advocate for U.S. business in international markets.

Education

This position does not have an educational requirement.

Additional information

Background Investigation/Clearance: This position is designated as special-sensitive and requires a Top Secret clearance.
Financial Disclosure: This position is covered under the Ethics in Government Act, which requires comprehensive financial disclosures from employees. The appointee will be required to file a Public Financial Disclosure Report (SF-278), within 30 days after his/her appointment, and then annually thereafter.
Qualifications Approval and Probationary Period: Persons newly selected for career appointment to the Senior Executive Service must have their executive core qualifications approved by an Office of Personnel Management Qualifications Review Board and will be required to serve a one-year probationary period.
Mobility: Individuals selected for Senior Executive Service positions may be subject to reassignment across geographical, organizational, and functional lines.
Drug Testing: Applicants tentatively selected for employment in any position are subject to designated and/or random pre-employment and employment urinalysis. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment and/or removed from employment with the Department of Commerce.
Application materials: The materials you send with your application will not be returned.
Veterans' preference: Veterans' preference is not applicable to positions in the Senior Executive Service.
SSN: You will be required to enter your full social security number (SSN) only to initially access and create an account at the OPM USAJOBS website; however, only the last four digits will appear in your resume. Please DO NOT put your SSN on pages within your application package. Privacy Act - Privacy Act Notice (PL 93-579): The information requested here is used to determine qualifications for employment and is authorized under Title 5 U.S.C. 3302 and 3361.
Signature: Before you are hired, you will be required to sign and certify the accuracy of the information in your application.
False Statements: If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired, you may be fired after you begin work, or you may be subject to fine, imprisonment, or other disciplinary action.
Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law.
Reasonable Accommodation: This agency provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities.

Consideration for competitive selection for this position is open to all persons within the area of consideration who meet the basic qualifications without regard to race, color, age, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, political affiliations, religion, marital or family status, or disability (including Targeted disabilities).

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

Key steps in the evaluation process are as follows:
1. Executive core qualifications and professional technical qualifications determination (Basic Qualification assessment from resume submission)
2. Rating panel assessment of your application
3. Structured interviews
4. Tentative selection by the hiring organization
5. OPM Qualification Review Board certification, if applicable

You are not required to submit responses to the ECQs and PTQs. If you submit narrative ECQs or PTQs reponses they will not be considered and will not be forwarded to the rating panel or selecting official.

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Top Secret

Drug test required
Yes

Required Documents

1. Resume- You must submit a resume to be eligible for this position. Your resume must show how you possess the ECQs and PTQs required for this position. It is recommended that your resume include the following information:

• Your full name, mailing address (including zip code), email address, and day and evening telephone numbers.
• Paid and Non-paid job-related work experience. For each job listed you are to provide: job title; duties and accomplishments; employers' name and address; supervisor's name and phone number; starting and ending dates (month and year); hours per week; salary; if a federal position, list the title, series and grade/pay band.
• Education, provide name, city and state of all schools attended; i.e., high school, colleges and universities, vocational, trade, business, technical. Provide dates of attendance, major, and type and year of any degrees received. Report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For more information, you may refer to the following website: https://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html
• Other Job Related Qualifications Information. Provide training courses, special skills you possess, certificates and licenses, honors, awards, special accomplishments, etc., applicable to the position.

2. For current Senior Executives or individuals with SES reinstatement eligibility - You are encouraged to submit your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) that documents your career appointment status in the SES.

3. For OPM-certified Candidate Development Program graduates - you are encouraged to submit your proof of eligibility (i.e., OPM certificate of ECQ approval as part of CDP program)

4. For current Federal employees - You are encouraged to submit your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) that documents your current tenure, position title, series and grade level.

Any documents that are not listed above including writing samples, recommendation letters, narrative ECQ or PTQs, and proof of veterans' preference will not be considered and will not be forwarded to the rating panel or selecting official.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.