Regional Deputies to the Director--Position of Opportunity Listing Date: Wed, 22 Nov 1995 21:16:36 GMT From: "Linda D Stanley, Reston, VA" (Linda Stanley) Subject: Deputies to the Director To: All GS-14 & GS-15 Employees From: Gordon P. Eaton, Director Subject: Regional Deputies to the Director--Position of Opportunity Listing It is imperative in the present economic climate that the goals and priorities for science and technology be well defined and that resources be directed to meeting those goals. To succeed in this environment, the USGS is integrating bureau activities and programs into cohesive,coordinated multidisciplinary scientific efforts to carry out more effectively our mission and obligations to the Nation. In my Benchmark Note of April 24, 1995, I announced my intention to establish Regional Deputy to the Director positions in response to recommendations made by the Benchmark Committee on Regional Structure. The Regional Deputies to the Director will have the opportunity to serve as members of the senior bureau management team responsible for moving the USGS forward to meet our challenges and maintain a viable scientific program in an era of declining resources. With this memorandum I am soliciting expressions of interest from bureau employees who are qualified for noncompetitive assignment to the following positions: Deputy to the Director for the Eastern Region Deputy to the Director for the Central Region Deputy to the Director for the Western Region As the regional spokesperson and personal representative for the Director, the Deputies serve as the chairperson of the Regional Councils. The Deputies will lead the Regional Councils in fulfilling the organizational vision, strategic plan, and policy agenda for the USGS. Charged with the responsibility to identify and coordinate collaborative scientific programs, the Deputies will facilitate the planning of program initiatives leading to interdivisional plans, including funding allocation, to focus resources on priorities benefitting the Nation, fulfilling the common goals of the bureau, and advancing the science. Finally, the Deputies will function in a vital communication role serving as the regional point of contact for theme and outreach coordination and as the regional contact for liaison with other Federal agencies, State and local governments, academic institutions, private industry and the general public. Coordinating the efforts of State Representative and others, the Deputies will promote and facilitate the exchange of technical information and the effective communication of the existence, holdings, functions, and mission of the USGS. Attached for your information is a description of the duties of the positions and information on the process for filling these positions. To register your interest in one or more of these positions, the Expression of Interest Form (attached) must be completed and received by the Chief of Staff, Office of the Director, MS 100, by close of business December 2, 1995. ================================================================= Position Description OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY INTRODUCTION: The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Federal Government's foremost earth- science research organization, is a major nonregulatory bureau of the Department of the Interior. The USGS employs approximately 9000 people located in over 300 offices throughout the continental and territorial United States. For management and program coordination purposes, the USGS has established three geographic regions comprised of all Survey components located in the respective areas. The incumbent serves as a personal representative of the Director, USGS and is responsible for creating and instilling a shared vision and unified purpose of the bureau mission within the region. The incumbent fosters and facilitates cooperation and communication among not only the program divisions but also the bureau constituency at the state and regional levels. Representing the vision, values, and policy agenda of the Director, the incumbent works in conjunction with senior division personnel to establish the institutional framework to best support the unified mission of the program divisions. MAJOR DUTIES: With full authority of the Director and the Policy Council, the Deputy is responsible for the oversight of the planning and execution of interdivisional and bureau-level programs within the region. Maintains effective communication with Division and bureau management on regional issues, progress, and opportunities. Specific responsibilities include: -Serves as the regional leader and spokesperson for the USGS with other Federal agencies, interstate, or regional organizations in the area. Assesses the impact of Congressional, Federal, and Departmental issues on regional programs and initiatives. Coordinates comprehensive responses to regional issues which reflect the interdisciplinary mission of the bureau. -Serves as a member of the immediate staff of the Director and as a Regional Advisor to the USGS Policy Council. As an ex-officio member meets with the Policy Council quarterly or as needed. Maintains effective communication between the Policy and Regional Councils ensuring regional and headquarter's perspectives are considered in the decisionmaking process. -Leads the Regional Council in carrying out the policies and organizational vision set forth by the Director and the Policy Council. Serves as the chairperson of the Regional Council and is responsible for facilitating interdivisional cooperation, coordination, and integration. Works with program coordinators of bureau-level programs focused in their region to ensure a strategic plan, implementation strategy, and management plan are in place. Identifies and formulates proposals for collaborative interdivisional and interagency opportunities in the Region. Establishes priorities for bureau-level regional programs and adjudicates differences to achieve a bureau position on issues and actions. Oversees and facilitates planning, implementation, and funding of these bureau-level program initiatives resolving conflicts as they arise. -Coordinates the network of USGS State Representatives in the region ensuring effective and timely communication. Maintains an awareness of all planned and/or ongoing bureau-wide Survey activities within the region to facilitate the objectives of the Policy Council. Establishes and monitors consistent regional practices for the preparation and publication of State Fact sheets prepared by the State Representatives in the region. -Serves as the primary regional contact involving liaison with other Federal agencies, State and local governments, academic institutions, private industry, and the general public. Promotes, facilitates, and coordinates cooperative research and development programs and partnerships with the private and academic sectors. Serves as a senior bureau liaison to propose, plan, and negotiate cooperative agreements and partnerships that are multidivisional and regional in scope. -Serves as the regional point of contact for theme and outreach coordination. In conjunction with the Chief, Office of External Affairs and the Policy Council, identifies key bureau issues and opportunities for outreach in the region. Coordinates and facilitates the efforts of the Regional Council and USGS State Representatives to jointly develop outreach initiates consistent with bureauwide goals. Provides regional leadership for the continuing outreach campaign to inform a wide variety of users, from the Federal sector to the general public, of the existence, holdings, functions, and mission of the USGS. Leads the Regional Council in the development of an annual outreach plan. Coordinates and oversees regional outreach activities such as the Open House and visits of international, Congressional, and senior Federal and State Government representatives to the Regional Center. Provides onsite supervision to the External Affairs staff. -Oversees and coordinates among divisions the development of facility management plans for the region based on overall bureau guidance. In conjunction with the Office of Program Support, other Regional Deputies, and the USGS State Representatives, facilitates the coordination and provision of common services throughout the region and bureau to achieve the most efficient use of available resources. Serves as a regional focal point for the evaluation and identification of necessary changes and modifications to common services in order to effectively support rapidly evolving technical programs and respond to national needs. Exercises the Director's authority to make space assignments and cost allocation decisions and to adjudicate organizational differences to achieve bureau objectives. SUPERVISION RECEIVED Supervision, provided by the Director, USGS, is in the form of general policy directives and staff, time, and budget constraints. The incumbent is independently responsible for fulfilling program goals consistent with the policies and procedures of the Bureau and the Department. Supervisory controls involve evaluation of the fulfillment of objectives, of the effect of advice and influence on the program of the organization, and of the overall contributions of the incumbent. ================================================================ Process for Filling Regional Deputy to the Director Positions The positions are being filled at the GS-15 grade level. The positions are interdisciplinary and may be filled by a Physical Scientist GS-1301-15, Program Manager GS-340-15, Geographer GS-135015, or Computer Scientist GS-1550-15. Assignment to a Deputy to the Director position will be for a period of three years. At the conclusion of three years the employee will return to the division from which he/she was assigned to the Deputy to the Director position. The Policy Council will evaluate the qualifications of interested employees. The Director, USGS, will make the final selections based on the Policy Council's recommendations of the three best qualified for each of the three regions. In order to be noncompetitively eligible for assignment to these positions, an employee must have held on a permanent basis in the competitive service a position with the same or higher full performance level as that of the position to be filled (GS-15). In addition, an employee must meet the Office of Personnel Management qualification requirements and time-in-grade restrictions. ================================================================ EXPRESSION OF INTEREST in Regional Deputy to the Director Position Name:__________________________________Division___________ Title:________________________ Region of Interest:______Eastern, ______Central, _____Western (Check all that apply) Work Experience: (List positions/work assignments held or other applicable experience attained over the past 5 years that demonstrate your abilities and knowledge to meet the responsibilities identified in the position description for the Regional Deputy to the Director.) Awards/Recognition: (List awards/recognition received including local community activities.) Education: (List institution(s) attended, degree(s) held, year in which degree was received.)