Duties

The Deputy Director for Consumer Protection provides executive leadership and oversight of Bureau components that prepare economic analyses of consumer protection cases at the evaluation, Commission review, and compliance stages of matters, as well as provides economic support for the Commission's consumer protection rule-making process. This support entails statistical and analytical efforts to ascertain facts, provide a sound economic basis for actions, and dispel incorrect economic arguments. The incumbent also examines selected policy issues to provide evidence and analysis that will inform Commission policy on significant consumer protection questions.

Bureau staff consists of economists, research analysts, financial analysts, and administrative personnel. BE provides economic analysis in support of antitrust and consumer protection investigations and rulemakings, advises the Commission and other government entities on the impact of government regulation on competition, and analyzes the impacts of various economic phenomena on competition, consumer protection, and consumer welfare.

The Deputy Director is a key member of the Bureau's executive team and is delegated to act for the Bureau Director in interpreting and carrying out the Commission's objectives in a wide area of economics. In fulfilling these duties, the incumbent is responsible for strategic planning regarding the Bureau's role in the consumer protection mission. The incumbent, along with assistant directors and supervisors, serves as the primary link on consumer protection matters between the division, other bureau leaders, and the Bureau Director. Delegated responsibility in this regard involves content review and comprehensive quality control over professional work products, as well as consistency with Commission goals and objectives.

The Deputy Director is the principal source of the Commission's economic advice on broad questions of consumer protection policy, such as evaluation of questionable business practices, business relationships, and proposed remedies. Upon request, the incumbent oversees economic and statistical investigations preparatory to the investigation and trial of cases, provides economic analyses in the investigation and expert witnesses in trial of such cases, analyzes economic and statistical evidence submitted by respondents, and makes recommendations as to the economic aspects of proposed orders. This work has far-reaching implications for the welfare of American consumers.

The Deputy Director evaluates the ideas of those who propose studies and advocacy projects on consumer issues and is ultimately responsible for ensuring that final economic analyses provided are economically sound, empirically based, and informative regarding the Commission's mission. During the course of most assignments, the incumbent collaborates with senior attorneys, managers, and other professionals and staff assigned to the case. The incumbent has ultimate responsibility for overseeing the development of the economic theory of a case, research strategy to be followed, decisions regarding the type and quantity of economic evidence necessary, and selection and evaluation of information sources.

The Deputy Director serves as an advisor to the Commission and may be called on as an expert witness at trial, as a representative of the Commission on interdepartmental committees, or to represent the Commission before federal, state, or local regulatory bodies. The incumbent may perform independent research related to the economic effects of consumer protection or other government regulations on consumers and competition.

The Deputy Director monitors the Bureau's progress toward organizational goals and makes appropriate adjustments in the Consumer Protection Division. This includes monitoring work status through formal and informal means to evaluate progress toward objectives, assessing the overall effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity of the Bureau, identifying, diagnosing, and consulting on problem areas related to implementation and goal achievement, and making decisions on alternative courses of action. In directing the work of the Consumer Protection Division, the incumbent assesses policy, program, and project feasibility, determines program goals, develops implementation plans, structures the deliverables of the organization to promote effective task accomplishment, sets effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity performance requirements, implements management and/or internal control standards, and administratively and professionally directs and oversees-through one or more supervisors-the work of 30-35 economists, research analysts, financial analysts, and administrative personnel.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to qualify for this position.
• Background investigation (Public Trust) is required.
• You will serve a one-year probationary period unless you have previously completed the probationary period in the Senior Executive Service (SES).
• The individual selected will be required to file an Executive Branch Personnel Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 278) in accordance with the Ethics in Government Act of 1978.
• Due to COVID-19, the FTC is currently in a maximum telework posture through December 31, 2021. In addition, the agency is currently exploring the possibility of having a remote workforce for current and future employees beyond January 2022.
• If selected, you will be permitted to temporarily telework from a location outside the local commuting area.
• However, once employees are permitted to return to the office, you may be required to report to the duty station listed on this announcement within 60 days. At that time, you will be eligible to request telework in accordance with FTC policy.

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS:
Applicants must possess the Basic Education requirement and demonstrate competence in terms of the Mandatory Professional/Technical Qualifications listed below, as well as executive leadership capabilities in terms of the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) of the SES. Typically, experiences of this nature are gained at or above the GS-15 grade level or its equivalent in federal service or with state or local government, private industry, or nongovernmental organizations.

If you are a current career member of the SES, are eligible for reinstatement into the SES, or have completed an SES Candidate Development Program and have been certified by the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Qualifications Review Board (QRB), please submit your resume, proof of education requirement, written statements addressing the Mandatory Professional/Technical Qualifications, and other applicable qualifications. You must also provide documentation of QRB certification (i.e., SF-50 showing career SES status or OPM-issued SES qualification certificate).

MANDATORY PROFESSIONAL/TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (should not exceed two pages per qualification. Six pages maximum):
1. In-depth knowledge and thorough comprehension of econometric, applied microeconomic, and quantitative economic theory with skill in one or more sub-fields (e.g., economics of information, regulatory economics, law and economics, or industrial organization) and the research skills necessary for effective written and oral contribution on public policy issues.

2. Ability to plan, organize, direct, and control major studies, complex case and rulemaking projects, and research agendas to achieve goals and objectives.

3. Ability to analyze, explain, and justify to economists and non-economists the economic theories and evidence pertaining to issues affecting the nation's largest industries and corporations.

Highly Desirable Professional Qualifications:
1. Advanced post-graduate degree in the field of economics.

2. Comprehensive, professional knowledge of federal antitrust and consumer protection laws and regulations.

EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (suggested not to exceed two pages per qualification. Ten pages maximum):
All applicants must submit written statements describing accomplishments that would satisfy the ECQs. You must respond to all ECQs and address each one separately, as failure to do so will result in a rating of 'ineligible' for the position. You can find additional information on the ECQs in the
Guide to Senior Executive Service Qualifications (https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/executive-core-qualifications/)
or at the following link: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/executive-core-qualifications/.

A good competency-based qualifications statement should address the following elements for each ECQ: (a) the goal, problem, or activity and its challenge, (b) the context or environment in which the activity took place, (c) specific actions you took to address the challenge, and (d) the results or impact of the activity. Each accomplishment should be clear, concise, and emphasize your level of responsibilities, the scope and complexity of the programs you managed, and the results of your actions. You are strongly encouraged to review the Guide to Senior Executive Service Qualifications.
The ECQ statement, addressing all five ECQs, may be no longer than ten pages.

ECQ 1 - Leading Change: This ECQ 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 ECQ 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 the constructive resolution of conflicts.

ECQ 3 - Results Driven: This ECQ 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 ECQ involves the ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically.

ECQ 5 - Building Coalitions: This ECQ 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.

Education

A. Degree: economics, that includes at least 21 semester hours in economics and 3 semester hours in statistics, accounting, or calculus.

OR

B. Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in economics, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

An advanced post-graduate degree in the field of economics is Highly Desirable.

Additional information

1. An advanced post-graduate degree in the field of economics; and Comprehensive, professional knowledge of federal antitrust and consumer protection laws and regulations is Highly Desirable.

2. The agency may reimburse relocation expenses.

3. If we select you for an initial career appointment to an SES position, the OPM QRB must approve your ECQs prior to appointment. A selection is tentative until we obtain a QRB certification.

4. You must complete a Declaration for Federal Employment before we can hire you in order to certify the accuracy of your written application and provide the information necessary to determine your suitability for federal employment.

5. If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959 and we select you for this position, you must certify prior to appointment that you registered for the military selective service.

6. If we select you for this position, you must complete personnel suitability documents. Your appointment is contingent upon the successful completion of an appropriate background investigation.

7. Veterans' preference does not apply to SES positions.

8. The FTC provides reasonable accommodations, where appropriate, to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the FTC. The agency considers requests for reasonable accommodation on a case-by-case basis. Questions about the FTC's accommodation policy can be directed to Ms. Cindee Smith at csmith6@ftc.gov.

9. The Ethics in Government Act, PL 95-521, requires the applicant selected for this position to submit a financial disclosure statement, SF-278, prior to assuming the SES position, annually while employed, and upon termination of employment. You may also be subject to post employment restrictions.

10. Your application includes information subject to the Privacy Act (P.L. 93-579, 5 U.S.C. 552a). This information is necessary to determine qualifications for employment, and collection is authorized under Title 5 of the U.S. Code, 3302 and 3361.

11. The FTC is required to solicit applicant cooperation in assessing the applicant pools we are reaching with our vacancy announcements. We ask that you complete and return a "Demographic Information" form. Please note that an applications intake clerk will remove this document from your application package upon its arrival in the office and will immediately direct it to the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) office. The form, including the information it provides, is not associated with your application in any part of the examining process and is not available to human resources management or selecting officials in any way during the hiring process. After we fill the position, such information is available to the Human Capital Management Office only as part of an aggregate statistical number. We appreciate your cooperation and invite you to call us at the contact number listed below if you have any questions or concerns about using this form. We ask that you access and complete the form, write the vacancy announcement number at the top of the first page, and send us the completed form along with your application package.