Summary
The President has challenged cabinet Secretaries and senior Federal agency heads to create a government that is more citizen centered, results oriented, and market based. To achieve this vision within The Department of Homeland Security, we are searching for high caliber leaders who possess high standards of excellence and enjoy challenges and opportunities.
Before applying for this position, please read the entire announcement and follow the instructions in the How to Apply section.
This job is open to

• Senior executives
  Those who meet the five Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs).
• The public
  U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Clarification from the agency
All groups of qualified individuals
Duties
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is an agency within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) comprised of approximately 19,000 Federal. We lawfully administer immigration and naturalization adjudication functions and establish immigration services policies and priorities.
Service Center Operations Directorate (SCOPS) adjudicates applications and petitions for persons seeking immigration benefits that do not require in person processing or interviews.
This position is eligible for remote work. This position is for the California Service Center.
Major Duties:
1. Assists the Director in carrying out all delegated authorities and responsibilities for planning, directing, managing, and coordinating the activities of the Service Center to include processing and adjudicating applications and petitions for immigration and nationality benefits and privileges.
2. Supports the Director in administering key national goals and priorities for the immigration benefits program and is responsible for results to Headquarters' senior management.
3. Assists the Director in overseeing the Center's responsibility for related functions to support its operations, including fraud detection, records operations, public information services, and operation of computer support systems and administrative support systems and activities.
4. In conjunction with the Director, provides executive leadership and direction to subordinates under his/her supervision to ensure effective and efficient program management.
5. Helps ensure that programs are carried out in conformance with federal immigration laws, regulations, policies, and procedures governing Center operations.
As a member of the agency's executive team, you will implement the President's Management Agenda within your specific area of responsibility. For an overview of the diverse responsibilities USCIS carries out within the Government, visit our website at http://www.uscis.gov.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National to apply for this position
• Obtain/Maintain a Security Clearance (i.e. Secret, Top Secret)
• First time Senior Executive Service (SES) appointees are subject to a one-year probationary period
• If documents exceed page limits, excess pages will not be considered
• Financial Disclosure Required
• Drug Testing Required
• Political appointees may require OPM approval prior to on-boarding

Qualifications
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.
As a basic requirement for entry into the SES, applicants must provide evidence of progressively responsible leadership experience that is indicative of senior executive level managerial capability. This experience should be sufficiently broad in scope and at a major management level in a large or complex organization. The ideal candidate will have experience supervising a large number of employees through subordinate supervisors and have experience hiring, developing and evaluating employees.
Your application should demonstrate that you possess the knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully fulfill responsibilities inherent in SES positions such as:

• Leading the work of an organizational unit
• Ensuring the success of one or more specific major programs or projects
• Monitoring progress toward strategic organizational goals, evaluating organizational performance and taking action to improve performance
• Supervising the work of employees, developing policy and other executive functions

To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, your application must show evidence that you possess the five (5) Executive Core Qualifications listed below. Typically, experience of this nature is gained at the GS-15 or equivalent level in the federal service or its equivalent in the private sector.
If your experience does not include these basic qualifications, you will not be determined qualified for this position.
**Noncompetitive status- if you are a current or reinstatement eligible Career SES or a graduate of an Office of Personnel Management (OPM) approved SES Candidate Development Program (CDP) and your ECQs have been certified by OPM's Qualifications Review Board (QRB)-you are not required to address the ECQs. Current and reinstatement eligible SES must include with your application a copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, documenting your SES Career Appointment. CDP graduates must include a copy of your OPM CDP graduation certificate or other proof that your ECQs have been QRB certified.**
The application process used to recruit for this position is the TRADITIONAL METHOD.
MANDATORY EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS
All applicants must submit a written narrative addressing each ECQ generally not to exceed two (2) pages per ECQ for a total of no more than 10 pages. Any information in excess of ten (10) pages WILL NOT be considered.
A sample 5-page executive level resume and ECQ narratives can be viewed at this link http://www.opm.gov/ses/references/GuidetoSESQuals_2012.pdf
Applicants are encouraged to follow the Challenge, Context, Action and Results (C-C-A-R) model when preparing written ECQs narratives.
Challenge : Describe a specific problem or goal.
Context : Describe the individuals and groups you worked with, and/or environment in which you worked to address a particular challenge (e.g., clients, co-workers, members of Congress, shrinking budget, low morale).
Action : Discuss the specific actions you took to address a challenge.
Result : Give specific examples of measures/outcomes that had some impact on the organization. These accomplishments demonstrate the quality and effectiveness of your leadership skills.
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 Executive Core Qualification (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.
Additional information on the Executive Core Qualifications is available at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/executive-core-qualifications/
MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATION(S)
All applicants must submit a written narrative explaining how they meet the mandatory technical qualification(s) not to exceed one (1) page for each MTQ. Please give examples and explain the depth of the knowledge you possess and the sensitivity of the issues you handled, etc. Any information in excess of one (1) page per MTQ WILL NOT be considered.
MTQ 1 . Demonstrated executive level leadership in administering national adjudicative and/or discretionary benefit programs that impact the national security of the United States, including overseeing and ensuring integrity, efficiency, and quality of program operations.
Education
There is no substitution for education of experience for this position.
Additional information
Our Benefits Package: You will be eligible for performance bonuses of 5 to 20 percent of base pay for superior accomplishments. You will be covered by a defined benefit, contributory Federal retirement system. You may participate in a retirement savings investment plan that offers before-tax savings and tax-deferred investment earnings. You may select one of a variety of health plans and options under the Government's Federal Employees' Health Benefits program and you may participate in the Federal Employees' Group Life and Long Term Care Insurance Programs. You will earn 26 vacation days and 13 days of sick leave per year. In addition, the Government observes 10 regular paid holidays each year.
Veterans' preference does not apply to Senior Executive Service positions.
Financial Disclosure: If you are hired, you will have to complete a Public Financial Disclosure Report within 30 days after appointment.
Selective Service: If you are a male born after December 31, 1959 and selected for this position, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under Selective Service law.
Immigration Reform and Control Act: The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 seeks to preserve jobs for those who are legally entitled to them: American citizens and aliens who are authorized to work in our country. This law requires employees to provide a document or documents that establish identity and employment eligibility.
The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability and genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factor.
USCIS provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify us. Decisions on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Background Investigation: This position is a sensitive position and the tentative selectee must undergo and successfully complete a background investigation as a condition of placement/retention in the position. A security clearance is required.
Drug Testing: This position has been identified as a Testing Designated Position under the USCIS Drug-Free Workplace Program. Satisfactory completion of a drug test is a condition of placement and/or employment in the position and the incumbent(s) of this position is thereafter subject to Random Drug Testing.
Probationary Period: You will serve a one-year probationary period unless you previously completed a probationary period in the SES.

• Benefits
  A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
  Review our benefits
  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Our evaluation will be based on the information you provide. Verification of performance, suitability and security information from reference checks will be taken into consideration when making offers of employment.
You will be evaluated on the quality and extent of your total accomplishments, experience and education. Your application will be evaluated by a rating and ranking panel, and highly qualified candidates may undergo an interview and a reference check. The USCIS Executive Resources Board (ERB) will review results and make recommendations on final selections to the appointing authority. Unless you have already been certified by a Qualifications Review Board (QRB) in the past, your ECQs must be certified by a QRB after selection and before appointment can occur.

• Benefits
  A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
  Review our benefits
  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
• Required Documents
  As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
  Failure to submit the required documents will result in your application being disqualified.
  1. Resume should not exceed five (5) pages. Please do not submit an application form (such as OF 612, Optional Application for Federal Employment) in lieu of a resume. Applicants typically provide the following information:
  
  • Vacancy announcement number -ERS-70141-24-SES-SCOPS
  • Full name, e-mail and mailing addresses, and day and evening telephone numbers
  • Educational information, including the name, city and state of colleges or universities you attended, as well as the type and year of any degree 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
  • U.S. Department of Education website:https://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/accreditation_pg4.html#Diploma-Mills
  • Information about your paid and non-paid work experience related to this position including:
  • Job title (include series and grade if Federal job)
  • Duties and accomplishments
  • Employer's name and address
  • Supervisor's name and phone number
  • Starting and ending dates of employment (month and year)
  • Salary
  • Honors, awards and special accomplishments
  When uploading your resume, choose the label "Resume."
  2. Executive Core Qualifications- Written narratives addressing each ECQ generally not to exceed 2 pages per ECQ for a total of no more than 10 pages.
  When uploading your ECQs, it should be one document, choose the label "ECQs."
  3. Mandatory Technical Qualifications - Written narratives addressing the Mandatory Technical Qualification(s) (MTQ) not to exceed one (1) page for each MTQ.
  4. Non-competitive applicants: Current of former career SES members must provide a recent SF-50 showing their current status or reinstatement eligibility. Candidates who have successfully completed an Office of Personnel Management approved SES Candidate Development Program must submit a copy of their certification . Your status must be clearly stated in your resume.
  When uploading your SF-50, choose the label "SF-50."
  When uploading your SES CDP Certification, label this Supporting Document as "Other."
  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.
• How to Apply
  To apply for this position, you must at a minimum provide a complete application package which includes:
  1. Your 5-page (or shorter) resume (any excess pages will not be considered)
  2. ECQ narrative statements (ten page maximum, any excess pages will not be considered)
  3. Mandatory Technical Qualifications narrative statement (1 page maximum for each MTQ, any excess pages will not be considered)
  See Required Documents section for more detail.
  To begin your online application, click here to create your account and follow the prompts to register or sign into USAJOBS. Once there, click the apply button, take the online questionnaire, and submit the required documents..
  It is your responsibility to verify that information entered, uploaded, sent (i.e. resume, ECQ, SF-50s) is received and is accurate by 11:59PM EST on 06/03/2024. You may complete the assessment questionnaire more than once, but only your most recent submission will be used.
  Agency contact information
  Executive Resources and Services
  Phone
  202-233-2323
  Email
  USCISHCTExecResources@uscis.dhs.gov
  Next steps
  Once you submit your application, we will review your experience and qualifications to determine if you possess the required ECQs for the position based on the information submitted in your package. Those who meet the qualifications will be referred to a panel of SES members to determine the "best qualified" candidates who will be referred to the selecting official for further consideration.
  Once a selection has been made, the selectee's application will be forwarded to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for approval by the OPM Qualifications Review Board (QRB), unless the selectee is a noncompetitive candidate that has been successfully certified by the OPM QRB.
  We will notify you by email at various stages in the process. Your status will also be updated on USAJOBS throughout the process. To check your status, log on to your USAJOBS account, click on "Application Status," and then click "More Information." We expect to make a selection within 90 business days after the deadline for applications. If you are selected, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation.
• Fair and Transparent
  The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
  
  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
  • Criminal history inquiries
  • Reasonable accommodation policy
  • Financial suitability
  • Selective Service
  • New employee probationary period
  • Signature and false statements
  • Privacy Act
  • Social security number request

Required Documents
Failure to submit the required documents will result in your application being disqualified.
1. Resume should not exceed five (5) pages. Please do not submit an application form (such as OF 612, Optional Application for Federal Employment) in lieu of a resume. Applicants typically provide the following information:

• Vacancy announcement number -ERS-70141-24-SES-SCOPS
• Full name, e-mail and mailing addresses, and day and evening telephone numbers
• Educational information, including the name, city and state of colleges or universities you attended, as well as the type and year of any degree 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
• U.S. Department of Education website:https://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/accreditation_pg4.html#Diploma-Mills
• Information about your paid and non-paid work experience related to this position including:
• Job title (include series and grade if Federal job)
• Duties and accomplishments
• Employer's name and address
• Supervisor's name and phone number
• Starting and ending dates of employment (month and year)
• Salary
• Honors, awards and special accomplishments

When uploading your resume, choose the label "Resume."
2. Executive Core Qualifications- Written narratives addressing each ECQ generally not to exceed 2 pages per ECQ for a total of no more than 10 pages.
When uploading your ECQs, it should be one document, choose the label "ECQs."
3. Mandatory Technical Qualifications - Written narratives addressing the Mandatory Technical Qualification(s) (MTQ) not to exceed one (1) page for each MTQ.
4. Non-competitive applicants: Current of former career SES members must provide a recent SF-50 showing their current status or reinstatement eligibility. Candidates who have successfully completed an Office of Personnel Management approved SES Candidate Development Program must submit a copy of their certification . Your status must be clearly stated in your resume.
When uploading your SF-50, choose the label "SF-50."
When uploading your SES CDP Certification, label this Supporting Document as "Other."
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.
How to Apply
To apply for this position, you must at a minimum provide a complete application package which includes:
1. Your 5-page (or shorter) resume (any excess pages will not be considered)
2. ECQ narrative statements (ten page maximum, any excess pages will not be considered)
3. Mandatory Technical Qualifications narrative statement (1 page maximum for each MTQ, any excess pages will not be considered)
See Required Documents section for more detail.
To begin your online application, click here to create your account and follow the prompts to register or sign into USAJOBS. Once there, click the apply button, take the online questionnaire, and submit the required documents..
It is your responsibility to verify that information entered, uploaded, sent (i.e. resume, ECQ, SF-50s) is received and is accurate by 11:59PM EST on 06/03/2024. You may complete the assessment questionnaire more than once, but only your most recent submission will be used.
Agency contact information
Executive Resources and Services
Phone
202-233-2323
Email
USCISHCTExecResources@uscis.dhs.gov
Next steps
Once you submit your application, we will review your experience and qualifications to determine if you possess the required ECQs for the position based on the information submitted in your package. Those who meet the qualifications will be referred to a panel of SES members to determine the "best qualified" candidates who will be referred to the selecting official for further consideration.
Once a selection has been made, the selectee's application will be forwarded to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for approval by the OPM Qualifications Review Board (QRB), unless the selectee is a noncompetitive candidate that has been successfully certified by the OPM QRB.
We will notify you by email at various stages in the process. Your status will also be updated on USAJOBS throughout the process. To check your status, log on to your USAJOBS account, click on "Application Status," and then click "More Information." We expect to make a selection within 90 business days after the deadline for applications. If you are selected, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation.
Fair & Transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
• Reasonable accommodation policy
• Criminal history inquiries
• Financial suitability
• Selective Service
• New employee probationary period
• Signature and false statements
• Privacy Act
• Social security number request