Duties

Summary

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Weather Service (NWS) has played a key role in protecting American lives and properties for over a century. The timely provision of weather, water, climate, and environmental information has supported the Nation's social and economic development. Offices in communities across the U.S. and its territories provide the authoritative information needed to plan, prepare, mitigate, and respond to natural and human-caused events.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

The Director, National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) is a Senior Executive Service (SES) position in the NCEP, an arm of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Weather Service (NWS). NCEP is comprised of nine National Centers and the Office of the Director, which provide a wide variety of national and international weather guidance products to National Weather Service field offices, government agencies, emergency managers, private sector meteorologists, and meteorological organizations and societies throughout the world. NCEP is a critical resource in national and global weather prediction. NCEP is the starting point for nearly all weather forecasts in the United States.

The Director handles the planning and execution of personnel and budget matters, as well as the operational aspects for all nine National Centers, including the Aviation Weather Center, Climate Prediction Center, Environmental Modeling Center, National Hurricane Center, NCEP Central Operations, Ocean Prediction Center, Storm Prediction Center, Space Weather Prediction Center, and the Weather Prediction Center. The incumbent works with various groups to examine the effects of weather and climate on national security and to establish practical responses to climate change and extreme weather events. The incumbent leads staff and interacts with different governmental and non­governmental organizations, and public and private groups.

The incumbent is responsible for the direction and administration of all NCEP activities. This includes resolving operational and technical management problems; maintaining surveillance over the organization; and ensuring the timely and adequate implementation of established NWS/NCEP goals and programs. In addition, the Director has responsibility for discharge of the following essential organizational functions:

• Ensures the NCEP forecast guidance system is responsive to the needs of the NWS field operations and that NCEP numerical weather prediction guidance products are further refined, developed, and implemented to improve efficiency and accuracy of forecasts and to meet the requirements of NWS offices.
  
  
• Oversees the implementation of NCEP's budget and supports the strategic planning process to efficiently and effectively run NCEP, serving NWS/NOAA's strategic/programmatic needs over both the short and long term.
  
  
• Manages and directs a full range of NCEP administrative support functions in the following areas: administers human resource activities in the NCEP centers and within NWS; manages acquisition services, grants, facilities, and logistic and support services; and directs information resource management functions, implementing the operation and maintenance of all computer and supporting systems.
  
  
• Provides for the collaborative and responsive provision and/or exchange of data, products, services, or other support to Federal agencies, foreign governments, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the World Weather Watch, and other international and professional/academic organizations. While providing the above, ensures that applicable U.S. positions in support of NWS, NOAA, and WMO efforts are developed and presented.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - Travel may be required to attend meetings, conferences, training, and on-site visits to facilities across the U.S.

Supervisory status
Yes

Promotion Potential
00 - Position is at the full promotion potential

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Incumbent may be subject to geographic mobility.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/SCI security clearance.
• Newly appointed SES members must serve a 1 year probationary period.
• Position is subject to pre-employment background investigation.
• Public Financial Disclosure (OGE-278 filing within 30 days is required).
• Position is subject to random drug testing.

As a basic requirement for entry into the SES, you must provide evidence of progressively responsible leadership experience that is indicative of senior executive level management capability; and that is directly related to the skills and abilities outlined under the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and the Professional/Technical Qualifications (PTQs) listed under "How You Will Be Evaluated." Typically, experience of this nature will have been gained at or above the GS-14/15 grade level in the Federal service or its equivalent with state or local government, the private sector, or non-governmental organizations.

Qualifications

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must possess all of the mandatory Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and Professional/Technical Qualifications (PTQS) listed below. Your responses must demonstrate possession of these qualifications typically acquired through experience, education, and training, which reflect progressive development and achievement in managing a comprehensive business program for a complex organization. An individual's total experience must demonstrate the ability to perform the duties of the position. Please provide examples that are clear, concise, and emphasize your level of responsibility, the scope and complexity of programs managed, program accomplishments, policy initiatives undertaken, and level of contacts. All qualified candidates will be evaluated on the relevance of their experience, education, training, self-development, honors, awards, and outside activities. Failure by non-Senior Executive Service members to submit a narrative statement addressing each of the ECQs and PTQs will result in loss of consideration.

SES Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs):

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.

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.

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.

ECQ 4 - Business Acumen: This core qualification involves the ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically.

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.

NOTE: Responses to ECQs must not exceed 10 pages typed in 12-point font, or the application will be disqualified.

Professional/Technical Qualifications (PTQs):

PTQ 1 - Demonstrated experience in theories, principles, and practices of modern weather forecast and analysis systems consisting of one or more of the following specialty areas: meteorology, weather research, climate, hydrology, and/or environmental sciences and their operational applications.

PTQ 2 - Demonstrated executive-level expertise and experience with basic and applied research, applications, and processes associated with weather research, and complex policy issues that affect numerical weather and climate prediction programs to include medium and long-range forecasting.

NOTE: Responses to PTQs must not exceed 2 pages per PTQ, for a total of 4 pages, or the application will be disqualified.

For detailed guidance on ECQs, applicants are strongly encouraged to review the Office of Personnel Management's Guide to Executive Qualifications at http://www.opm.gov/ses/recruitment/ecq.asp

Example of ECQ statements are available at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/reference-materials/guidetosesquals_2012.pdf

Education

A. Degree: meteorology, atmospheric science, or other natural science major that included:

At least 24 semester (36 quarter) hours of credit in meteorology/atmospheric science including a minimum of: a) six semester hours of atmospheric dynamics and thermodynamics;* b) six semester hours of analysis and prediction of weather systems (synoptic/mesoscale); c) three semester hours of physical meteorology; and d) two semester hours of remote sensing of the atmosphere and/or instrumentation.

Six semester hours of physics, with at least one course that includes laboratory sessions.*

Three semester hours of ordinary differential equations.*

At least nine semester hours of course work appropriate for a physical science major in any combination of three or more of the following: physical hydrology, statistics, chemistry, physical oceanography, physical climatology, radiative transfer, aeronomy, advanced thermodynamics, advanced electricity and magnetism, light and optics, and computer science.*

OR

B. Combination of education and experience: course work as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

*There is a prerequisite or corequisite of calculus for course work in atmospheric dynamics and thermodynamics, physics, and differential equations. Calculus courses must be appropriate for a physical science major.

Additional information

Background Investigation: This position is designated as Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information security clearance and requires that a background investigation be conducted and favorably adjudicated in order to establish security eligibility.

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 (OGE-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.

Direct Deposit: All Federal employees are required by P.L. 104-134 to have federal payments made by Direct Deposit.

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 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce.

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.

The materials you send with your application will not be returned.

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.

Selective Service: Male applicants born after 12/31/1959, who are required to register with the Selective Service under section 3 of the Military Selective Service Act, must be registered (or must have registered at the time they were required to do so) in order to be eligible for appointment. For more information, visit the SELECTIVE SERVICE SYSTEM web site at http://www.sss.gov/default.htm .

Veterans' preference: Is not applicable to positions in the Senior Executive Service.

The Department of Commerce provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify Christi Casiano, the servicing Human Resources Specialist, either by e-mail at christi.casiano@noaa.gov or by telephone at (301)628-1881. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis. TTY users may contact us via the Federal Relay Service, 1-800-877-8339.

The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factor.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

Applicants are required to submit a narrative statement for each Executive Core Qualification (ECQ) listed and each Professional/Technical Qualification (PTQ). If you are currently serving under a career Senior Executive Service (SES) appointment, are eligible for reinstatement into SES, or have successfully completed an SES Candidate Development Program approved by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and had your ECQs certified by OPM, then you only need to address each PTQ, and you do not need to submit an ECQ narrative.

All other applicants are required to respond to all ECQs and PTQs, addressing each ECQ and PTQ separately. Please give a complete and detailed answer for each qualification. Please keep in mind each ECQ and PTQ are unique qualifications. Therefore, duplicate responses are not sufficient in determining if you meet that specific qualification.

Do not enter "Refer to Resume" to explain your answer. Applications directing the reader to search within the application or to "See Resume" are considered incomplete and WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. Failure to submit a narrative statement or address any of the ECQs and/or PTQs is also considered incomplete and WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. As a result, you will be rated as "INCOMPLETE".

How you will be evaluated:

Applicants who meet or exceed minimum qualifications will be assigned to one of three category groups based on job-related criteria:

•Best Qualified

•Well Qualified

•Qualified

The servicing Human Resources Specialist will forward all minimally qualified applicants to be evaluated by an Executive Resources Board (ERB) rating panel of senior managers to determine the degree to which they possess the executive core and professional/technical qualifications, and best qualified candidates may undergo an interview and a reference check. The ERB rating panel will make recommendations on best qualified candidates to the appointing authority. Applicants will be evaluated on the quality and extent of their total accomplishments, experience, the ECQs, and the PTQs.

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Sensitive Compartmented Information

Drug test required
Yes

Required Documents

Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration.

1. Resume

2. Transcripts (Official or Unofficial) from the institution's registrar; dean or other appropriate official; or equivalent documentation which confirms completion of requirement for the required degree. If you have completed any part of your education outside of the U.S., you must submit the evaluation of your foreign education that has been prepared by an accredited organization. Please refer to http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usneijus/edlite­visitus-forrecog.html for more information.

3. 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.

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.

5. If you successfully completed the SES Candidate Development Program (CDP) approved by OPM, please provide a copy of your certificate. All required documentation must be provided on or by the closing date of the vacancy (if applicable).

6. ECQ narrative responses should be attached under "Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs)".

7. PTQ narrative responses should be attached under "Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQs)".

Applicants who fail to submit requested documents and answer the mandatory questions WILL NOT receive consideration for this position. Application will result in an "Incomplete" rating.

If you are unable to upload documents, you may fax your documents using the instructions below. Please fax with the appropriate cover sheet. Please refer to the fax cover sheet for the fax number. Each document must be dialed and faxed in separately as each sheet includes an identification number, which ensures your document is processed correctly.

FAXING INSTRUCTIONS: Please fax legible documents using the appropriate cover sheet. Documents may be faxed at any time during the open period of this announcement by going to http://www.usajobs.opm.gov

1. Log into MYUSAJOBS

2. Click on "Applications"

3. Locate the vacancy you applied to

4. Under "Applicant Status" column, click on "More Information"

5. Select "View/Generate Fax Cover Sheet" and click "Continue"

Do not submit any additional information that is not required: Extraneous materials such as award certificates will not be considered.

If you do not have access to the internet, please contact the Human Resources Specialist listed on this vacancy announcement.

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.