Director, Center for Policy, Planning, and Environment

The incumbent leads and oversees the Center for Policy, Planning and Environment within the Department of Transportation’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology (OST-R), John A. Volpe National Transportation Center (Volpe). This is one of the four Technical Centers at the Volpe Center whose function is to support transportation policy analysis and research that contributes to a compelling vision of the 21st Century transportation enterprise.

Duties

The Center Director for Policy, Planning and Environment provides leadership and strategic direction over programs by developing plans and policies that formulate, staff, conduct, and manage projects for sponsoring organizations to support and advance the strategic goals of the DOT and OST-R as they pertain to transportation policy, planning and the environment. The Center Director oversees existing programs, develops new programs, and ensures technical excellence within the staff and programs of the Technical Center. In addition, the Technical Center Director will be responsible for providing horizontal integration of policy and sustainability research across the Center, working with other Center Directors to bring together cross-functional teams to address the challenges facing the nation’s transportation system. Supports decision making in the development, management, operation, and financing of an integrated multimodal national transportation system that meets 21st Century mobility needs for goods and people.

NOTE: Volpe is a fee-for-service Working Capital Fund organization.

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 qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) and Technical Qualifications (TQ) related to this position within your resume – NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES. Resumes over the 2-page limit, will not be reviewed beyond page 2 or may be disqualified. Your resume should include examples of experience, education, and accomplishments applicable to the qualification(s). If your resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of these qualifications, you may not receive consideration for the position.

TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs): Your resume should demonstrate accomplishments that would satisfy technical qualifications.

TQ 1. Demonstrated executive level experience supporting transportation policy, planning, and environment-related initiatives; leading technical teams that conduct research, economic analysis, and technology deployment; and cultivating critical high-level stakeholder relationships and ensuring quality output and outcomes while working in a fee-for-service environment.

TQ 2. Demonstrated executive management and leadership experience in a large government not-for-profit, or private sector professional sciences organization that focuses on innovations in policy, planning and environment, including directing and managing technical staff responsible for applied research and development programs; managing significant program budgets; adjusting organizational structures to meet program needs; and leading/collaborating both horizontally and vertically to ensure the effective delivery of programs, products, and services while meeting time, budget, and customer requirements.

EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): In addition to the Technical Qualification Requirements listed above, all new entrants into the Senior Executive Service (SES) under a career appointment will be assessed for executive competency against the following five mandatory ECQs. If your 2-page resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of the ECQs and TQs, you may not receive further consideration for the position.

There are five ECQs:

ECQ 1: Commitment to the Rule of Law and the Principles of the American Founding – This core qualification requires a 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 -This core qualification involves the 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 – This core qualification involves demonstrated knowledge, ability and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality.
ECQ 4: Leading People – This core qualification involves the 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 – This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors.
Note: If you are a member of the SES or have been certified through successful participation in an OPM approved SES Candidate Development Program (SESCDP), or have SES reinstatement eligibility, you do not need to respond to the ECQs. Instead, you should attach proof (e.g., SF-50, Certification by OPM’s SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB)) of your eligibility for noncompetitive appointment to the SES.

Education

If you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. An official transcript will be required if you are selected.

A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page.

About U.S. DOT Volpe Center

Our Mission As part of U.S. DOT, our mission is to improve the nation’s transportation system by anticipating emerging issues and advancing technical, operational, and institutional innovations for the public good. We work to anticipate emerging transportation issues and objectively address the nation’s most pressing and complex transportation challenges, particularly those that can be solved with an intermodal, systems perspective. A Catalyst for Innovation While the U.S. DOT Volpe Center has been an active part of the Kendall Square community for more than 50 years, its location in Cambridge, Massachusetts firmly positions it in the epicenter of technology, innovation, and entrepreneurial startups. The vibrancy and energy of this location infuse our culture, help inform our work, and optimally support the current and future needs of U.S. DOT. Our workforce uses its decades of expertise to solve the nation’s most pressing transportation challenges. Multimodal and cross-disciplinary expertise Nationally and internationally recognized Sustained knowledge of emerging and future issues Strong, collaborative working relationships with the Office of the Secretary of Transportation and its operating administrations, other federal agencies, and across state and local governments, academia, and industry A trusted, objective partner focused on advancing transportation innovation for the public good Our Role ?The U.S. DOT Volpe Center is a global leader in applied transportation research, analysis, technology, and innovation. Our institutional memory provides historical perspective that cannot be found elsewhere. Our transportation professionals provide technical expertise and develop solutions to complex challenges. We anticipate emerging and future transportation issues and inform decision-making. The U.S. DOT Volpe Center is home to a federal, multimodal, multidisciplinary workforce that possesses a deep knowledge of national and global transportation systems and government operations. Our diverse team is comprised of engineers, data scientists, policy experts, community planners, economists, and other transportation experts. Our people are our greatest asset. Get to know the inspiring team of transportation experts driving our success.

Apply here:

https://www.usajobs.gov/job/882043600