What are the responsibilities and job description for the Deputy Assistant Director position at LIBRARY OF CONGRESS?
The CRS Domestic Social Policy Division (DSP) seeks a senior manager to serve as Deputy Assistant Director and Specialist. The selectee will support the Assistant Director in managing DSP, which provides expert research to meet ongoing congressional policy making and oversight needs on issues such as health policy, education, labor, income support, immigration, criminal justice and child and family well-being.
Qualifications:
The competencies below are required for this position. Those marked with a double asterisk (**) are considered the most critical competencies for this position.
A candidate's resume must show a proven record of accomplishment that clearly demonstrates he or she has:
1. Multidisciplinary knowledge of domestic social policy**: The successful candidate has multidisciplinary knowledge of the theories, laws and regulations, concepts, processes, methodologies, principles, and/or practices related to domestic social policy issues that emerge from the legislative and oversight work of the Congress. This includes knowledge of the history, trends, interrelationships, and current status of domestic social policy issues.
2. Ability to manage and execute public policy research and analysis**: The successful candidate has the ability to manage, organize, and evaluate the analysis of public policy issues by applying broad knowledge of domestic social policy. This includes ensuring public policy problems are appropriately conceptualized and defined; appropriate research approaches and frameworks, analytical methodologies, and techniques are utilized; information and research are fully analyzed and synthesized; the implications of data and research findings are identified and appropriate conclusions are drawn; alternatives are generated and assessed; and the consequences of choosing each alternative are evaluated. This also includes understanding the big picture, the inter-relationships of all aspects of the public policy issue, and the appropriate array and design of products and services to meet client needs.
3. Ability to lead people and manage a workforce**: The successful candidate manages and promotes a diverse and inclusive workforce that fosters the development of others, facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports constructive resolution of conflicts. Conducts workforce- planning activities by identifying staffing needs and recruiting, hiring, training, supervising, and mentoring highly qualified, staff to meet those needs. Ensures tasks are appropriately delegated and completed by monitoring and evaluating performance against a predetermined deadline and/or measure of quality.
4. Ability to exercise judgment and discretion**: The successful candidate demonstrates awareness of the likely consequences or implications of one’s own actions and work within the context of agency/ organizational/departmental standards. Acts appropriately in a given situation (e.g., with colleagues, clients, media/press), using discretion, and being committed to confidentiality.
5. Ability to communicate in writing and assess the quality of products and services**: The successful candidate has the ability to write, review, and oversee the production of a variety of clear, cogent, accurate, and well-organized products. This includes evaluating the content, organization, and relevance of a range of products and services to meet the quality standards of a public policy organization. Ensures that products and services are substantively correct, and meet CRS’s core values of objectivity, nonpartisanship, authoritativeness, and timeliness. Makes suggestions for improvement.
6. Ability to think strategically and implement change: The successful candidate implements a strategic vision and direction for an organization or group and effects change. This includes evaluating interdependencies and interrelationships among functions and resources and outcomes and ensuring performance targets are met. This also includes championing ideas that promote the mission with enthusiasm, conviction, and assertiveness; gaining support and commitment from others; and motivating and inspiring others.
7. Ability to communicate effectively other than in writing: The successful candidate effectively expresses ideas and recommendations other than in writing in various settings to peers, staff, managers, supervisors, and external audiences to both provide and seek information. This includes actively listening to or understanding communicated information and answering questions thoughtfully and completely.
Responsibilities:
The Deputy Assistant Director counsels the Assistant Director on all aspects of the administration and operations of the division; monitors research, administration and operations of the division in relation to its capacity for and actual experience in meeting needs of the Congress; ensures that the division is working toward identifying public policy problems facing the Congress and follows through with analysis that provides an objective, authoritative framework in which the Congress can assess the consequences of legislative/policy options; demonstrates intellectual leadership in monitoring congressional needs in policy areas within the research management responsibility of the division; collaborates with other senior research division managers to assure full identification of significant issues and develops analytical approaches; and serves with full delegated authority as the Assistant Director in his/her absence. The Deputy Assistant Director performs special research, consultative, or administrative assignments as requested by the CRS Director or the Assistant Director.
CRS works exclusively for the United States Congress, providing policy and legal analysis to committees and Members of both the House and Senate, regardless of party affiliation. As a legislative branch agency within the Library of Congress, CRS has been a valued and respected resource on Capitol Hill for more than a century.
CRS is well known for analysis that is authoritative, confidential, objective, and nonpartisan. Its highest priority is to ensure that Congress has immediate access to the nation’s best thinking on public policy issues of interest to its Members and Committees.
Major duties of this position include:
• Demonstrates intellectual leadership in the formulating, framing, conducting and communicating of research policy and analysis conducted in the division, in terms of subject matter expertise, methodology and relevance to congressional needs. Reviews the written products of staff to ensure that the Service’s quality standards are met.
• In collaboration with other senior managers, ensures coverage of all issues identified throughout the Service. Oversees implementation of the research agenda, including approaches, frameworks, or methodologies. Monitors, updates, and adjusts the research agenda to meet the changing needs of Congress, reassesses/reallocates capacity and communicates adjustments to supervisors and staff. Coordinates research activities with managers in other divisions to promote research and analysis across the Service.
• Performs the human resource management functions relative to the staff supervised. Ensures that supervisors and staff conduct research and analytical activities in a collaborative manner that incorporates expertise from multiple disciplines available from both inside and outside the division. Establishes and clearly communicates performance expectations for staff members in support of agency goals. Provides informal feedback and periodically formally evaluates staff on performance measures and results.
• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with various high-level individuals, including committees and officers of the United States Congress, other legislative agencies and the Library of Congress, executive branch departments and agencies, professional organizations, universities, and other research organizations in order to advance the programs and objectives of the Congressional Research Service.
The Deputy Assistant Director leads staff toward meeting the Library’s vision, mission, and goals by demonstrating flexibility and resilience, fostering continuous improvement and innovation, fostering integrity and honesty, communicating effectively, and managing conflict and crisis. Exhibits commitment to the Library’s Supervisory Core Competencies.
The position description number for this position is 058853.
The salary range indicated reflects the locality pay adjustments for the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan area.
The incumbent of this position will work a flextime work schedule.
This is a supervisory, non-bargaining unit position.
Relocation expenses will not be authorized for the person(s) selected under this vacancy announcement.
Salary : $151,661