Duties

Summary

Position Summary

This position is located in the Office of Railroad Safety within the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The Deputy Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety will contribute to the planning, development and administration of an effective and comprehensive program to achieve safe, responsible, and effective programmatic safety practices and procedures within the railroad industry and its ancillary components.

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Responsibilities

The Deputy Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety supports the Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety and Chief Safety Officer in advancing the mission of FRA with regard to railroad safety. As a senior member of the FRA leadership team, the Deputy Associate Administrator is a primary source of executive advice and leadership for Office of Railroad Safety operations, safety standards, as well as policy development. The Deputy Associate Administrator is responsible for planning and ensuring the execution of FRA safety policies, programs, and activities and advancing overall organizational excellence within the Office of Railroad Safety.

As the Deputy Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety, the candidate:

• Provides executive leadership over the development, resourcing and implementation of programs and projects across the Office of Railroad Safety. Ensures programs are fully coordinated within the Office and across the other major directorates within the Federal Railroad Administration, other DOT modes, and major stakeholders.

• Manages the administration and operation of the full range of day-to-day activities of Office of Railroad Safety programs and managers. Ensures accountability for management actions, fiscal stewardship and transparency in the Office's headquarters and field operations.

• Provides executive oversight for the administration and performance of Office of Railroad Safety's personnel with regard to safety compliance operations throughout the United States. Ensures programs are developed and implemented to improve safety within the railroad industry.

• Oversees the development and successful completion of programs and projects to increase the effectiveness and scope of the rail safety programs, including providing technical guidance on discipline-specific technical issues related to audits, inspection, outreach, and accident activities. Ensures that programs and projects address both the prevention and the detection of unsafe rail transportation conditions.

• Leads the development of standards, regulations, and legislation to improve the safety of rail freight and passenger transportation. Ensures appropriate involvement of Office of Chief Counsel, other FRA organizations, Department, and Office of Management and Budget representatives on safety regulatory and legislative matters.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - Requires occasional travel (less than 10%).

Supervisory status
Yes

Promotion Potential
XX

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date.
• Provide all required documents by closing date.
• Must be able to obtain a Top Secret Clearance.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• PROBATIONARY PERIOD: Complete a one-year SES probationary period (unless already completed).
• FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE: Complete a Public Financial Disclosure report, OGE-278. You will need to provide the information annually.
• SECURITY CLEARANCE: This position requires the ability to obtain and retain a Top Secret Clearance.
• FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD REQUIREMENT: The Travel and Transportation Reform Act of 1998 [pub.L.105-264] and the Federal Travel Regulations [41 CFR Part 3000 et seq.] require that all Federal employees obtain and use contractor-issued Federal travel charge cards for all payments or expenses related to official Government travel. To be considered for this position, all applicants who are current employees of either the Federal Railroad Administration or another Federal agency will be asked to certify that their Government travel card is in good standing (i.e. not suspended or cancelled) and that there exist no reasonable circumstances which would jeopardize that good standing. All applicants understand and agree that FRA's offer of employment or a position under this announcement is voidable at the sole discretion of FRA if: 1) the applicant fails to provide the required certifications; or 2) the certification is found to be untrue; or 3) the applicant is unable to obtain a Federal Government travel card for whatever reason.
• DECLARATION OF FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT: The selectee will be required to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation.

Qualifications

As a basic requirement for entry into the Senior Executive Service (SES), you must clearly articulate and describe within your resume evidence of progressively responsible supervisory, managerial, or professional experience which involved management of a program or organization of significant scope and complexity. The experience must have been sufficiently responsible to show clearly your ability to perform the duties of this position and meet the mandatory Technical Qualifications and Managerial Executive Core Qualifications listed below.

TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs): Below are descriptions of the Technical Qualifications that must be clearly evident in your resume.

1. Demonstrated experience in formulating program goals related to transportation safety, including regulatory and legislative activities, that improve the safety culture and safety record of transportation industries; as well as to assure and enhance program and safety compliance. This includes the ability to find solutions to transportation safety issues with all levels of government and industry that includes management, labor, and various related associations.

2. Comprehensive knowledge of current technological advances, economic and operating conditions, and policy trends that impact and relate to surface transportation systems, which will help support FRA programmatic goals and objectives.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATION (DQ):

1. Demonstrated experience and knowledge related to the required technical qualifications that pertains specifically to the nation's railroad infrastructure, industry and its ancillary components.

EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): Below are descriptions of the ECQs that must be clearly evident in your resume.

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. Leadership 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. Leadership 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. Leadership Competencies: Accountability, Customer, Decisiveness, Entrepreneurship, Problem Solving, Technical Credibility
ECQ 4 - BUSINESS ACUMEN: This core qualification involves the ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically. Leadership 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. Leadership Competencies: Partnering, Political Savvy, Influencing/Negotiating

FUNDAMENTAL COMPETENCIES: The following competencies are the foundation for success in each of the Executive Core Qualifications: Interpersonal Skills, Oral Communication, Written Communication, Integrity/Honesty, Continual Learning, and Public Service Motivation.

Additional information about the SES and Executive Core Qualifications can be found on the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) SES Website .

You are strongly encouraged to review OPMs Guide to SES Qualifications for specific examples and guidance on writing effective ECQ narrative statements and executive resumes.

Education

Additional information

Retirement/Pension Plan - You will be covered by a defined benefit, contributory Federal retirement system that provides benefits for both normal retirement (with as few as 5 years of civilian service) and for circumstances that might occur earlier, such involuntary retirement because of disability.
Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) - You may participate in a retirement savings investment plan that offers before-tax savings and tax-deferred investment earnings. For more details, please visit the TSP website
Employee Assistance - Employees and their immediate families can take advantage of free confidential counseling with health professionals as part of the Federal Employees Assistance Program.
Transit Benefits - We subsidize up to $265 of mass transit commuting costs each month.
Telework - This position is NOT telework eligible.

Information related to performance, suitability, and security will be verified.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.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

An SES reviewing panel will evaluate your application based on the quality and extent of your total accomplishments, experience, and education. Applicants determined to be highly qualified may undergo an interview and a reference check. If you are contacted for a second-round interview, you may be asked to submit a written narrative statement addressing each of the ECQ areas (Leading Change, Leading People, Results Driven, Business Acumen, Building Coalitions). If selected, your written narrative statement addressing the ECQs must be certified by an OPM Qualifications Review Board (QRB), unless you are a current SES executive or have successfully participated in an OPM approved SES Candidate Development Program. You must receive certification before you can be appointed to the position.

All applications must be completed and submitted electronically no later than midnight ET of the closing date. Final reviews will be performed after the announcement closing, and timely notice of the status of your application will be emailed to you. You may check the status of your application for this position at any time by logging into your USAJOBS account and selecting Application Status.

The FRA has determined that seniority rights, leaves of absence, and reemployment rights with or from a railroad generally constitute an actual or an appearance of a conflict of interest. New employees may be required to divest themselves of such rights immediately upon hire if these rights are determined to constitute an actual or appearance of a conflict of interest. No waivers of this requirement will be granted.

FRA employees (or spouses or minor children of FRA employees) are specifically prohibited from holding railroad stock (including shares of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., which owns 100% of BNSF), whether held outright, in an IRA, or in a 401(k) or other plan. Employees may hold a mutual fund which invests in railroad stocks, so long as the mutual fund does not invest more than 30% of its assets in such prohibited investments. Employees having a prohibited financial interest must divest themselves of railroad stock within 90 days after their appointment to their positions. Neither the rule against holding railroad stock, nor the divestiture period, is in any way affected by the
existence of re-employment rights which employees might have with railroad companies. Nor is there any monetary threshold for applicability of the rule against ownership of railroad stock; all dollar amounts are prohibited.

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Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Top Secret

Drug test required
Yes

Required Documents

The following documents must be provided by the closing date:

• RESUME - You must submit a resume which cannot exceed five (5) pages. Any information submitted in excess of five (5) pages WILL NOT be considered. The resume must provide evidence of how you possess the technical qualifications and the 5 ECQs. Include name on each page. No photos allowed.
• COVER LETTER - You should submit a one-page cover letter highlighting key experience and interest in the position advertised.
• SF-50 - Current & former federal employees should submit an SF-50 which shows your current (or most recent grade.)
  
  • Current Career Senior Executives and individuals with SES reinstatement eligibility must submit a copy of an SF-50 which shows career SES status
• CANDIDATE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM CERTIFICATE - individuals who have successfully completed an Office of Personnel Management (OPM) approved SES Candidate Development Program, submit a copy of your OPM certificate.

Failure to submit any of the required documents by the closing date of the announcement will result in your removal from consideration for this position.

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.