Deputy Chief Human Capital Officer for Policy and Programs

Deputy Chief Human Capital Officer for Policy and Programs

Department: Department of the Interior

Location(s): Washington, District of Columbia

Salary Range: $197200 - $228000 Per Year

Job Summary: The Office of Human Capital (OHC) drives the Department of the Interior's workforce strategy, ensuring the right talent supports mission success. The position reports to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Human Capital, Learning and Safety and Chief Human Capital Officer within the Office of Policy, Management, and Budget. This is a Category 3 SES position; minimum pay is $197,200, with final salary based on current salary and other factors. Veterans' preference does not apply to the SES.

Major Duties:

• The Deputy Chief Human Capital Officer (DCHCO) for Policy and Programs for the Department of the Interior serves as the senior executive responsible for enterprise-wide human capital policy, governance, compliance, and program oversight on all human capital strategies, programs and operations. The incumbent provides strategic leadership to ensure the Department's human capital strategies, policies, programs, and systems enable mission execution, workforce readiness, and compliance with applicable law, regulation, and Administration priorities. The position ensures the Department maintains an integrated, data-driven, and legally sound human capital framework supporting executives, managers, supervisors, human capital practitioners, and employees across the enterprise. It reports directly to the Chief Human Capital Officer and co-leads the Office of Human Capital alongside the Deputy Chief Human Capital Officer for Operations. Responsibilities Include: 1. Serves as the senior executive responsible for the drafting, development and issuance of the Department's human capital policies, guidance and governance frameworks in accordance with federal law and regulations. 2. Leads the Department's strategic human capital planning efforts. Aligns workforce strategy and recruitment initiatives with mission requirements, budget planning, and organizational transformation initiatives. 3. Lead OHC's Strategic Policy and Programs (OHC-Policy) team in implementing workforce-related Executive Orders, guidance from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and responding to all data calls related to the progress of implementation. Organizes and delivers briefings to the CHCO and Department leadership on key matters and seeks guidance and decision as needed. 4. Ensures that all OHC policies, guidance, and reports reflect the organization's standards and strategic intent by conducting a senior-level review for accuracy, completeness, readability and formatting prior to issuance. Routinely coordinates with the Office of the Solicitor, Office of Civil Rights and other stakeholders to ensure Department equities are appropriately addressed. 5. Serves as a key member of the OHC leadership team, providing strategic guidance and advice to the CHCO and Department leadership on human capital policy and initiatives impacting the workforce. Leads or participates in OHC working groups, leadership meetings, and townhalls. 6. Provides executive leadership for Department-wide human capital audit and evaluation programs. Oversees compliance with employment and labor laws; merit system principles; and performance evaluation standards. 7. Provides policy and program oversight for the full lifecycle management of Senior Executive Service (SES) and Senior Professional employees. Oversees executive resources policy and operations, Executive Resources Board operations, performance management, compensation frameworks, and succession planning. 8. Provides enterprise oversight of all human capital information systems. Establishes data governance standards and ensures system integration across platforms. Further leads OHC-Policy in identifying and implementing the use of artificial intelligence in OHC's daily workflow and functions. Identifies opportunities to consolidate or streamline programs and processes, improve cost effectiveness, and eliminate unnecessary redundancies. 9. In coordination with the Deputy CHCO for Operations, serve as a senior Department liaison with external oversight and policy entities, including the Office of Personnel Management, the Office of Management and Budget, and other Federal agencies. Routinely attends CHCO Council meetings. 10. Builds, staffs, and manages the OHC-Policy team through effective recruiting, hiring, placement, and performance management activities. 11. Provides executive oversight of OHC business management. Establishes and manages enterprise processes for resource allocation, performance monitoring and operational governance.

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 qualifications, you must submit a two-page resume (max) that shows you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and two Technical Qualifications (TQs). To be considered, only the first 2 pages of your resume will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications. Technical Qualifications (TQs) are designed to assess an applicant's experience relevant to the specific position requirements. Your resume should clearly demonstrate your experience and accomplishments related to the two TQs below: TQ 1 - Human Capital Policy and Strategic Compliance - Demonstrated ability to provide strategic leadership in developing, interpreting and implementing enterprise-wide human capital policies that ensure compliance with employment laws, merit system principles, and ethics requirements. Experience establishing governance, audit, and accountability frameworks aligned to Governmentwide and agency strategic objectives. TQ 2 - Strategic Human Capital Programs and Workforce Analytics - Demonstrated ability to lead and influence enterprise human capital programs integrating strategic workforce planning, executive resources management, and HR information systems. Experience using workforce analytics and technology to drive data-informed decision-making and organizational performance. Your two-page resume should also show that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications listed below: By statute, the Office of Personnel Management prescribes Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) for the appointment of career SES members. The ECQs were designed to assess executive experience and not technical expertise. ECQ 1- Commitment to the Rule of Law and the Principles of the American Founding: 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: 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: Demonstrated knowledge, ability, and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality. ECQ 4 - Leading People: 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: Demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors Qualifications will be evaluated based on how clearly and concisely you emphasize your level of responsibilities, the scope and complexity of your programs; services managed; program accomplishments; policy initiatives undertaken; level of contacts; the sensitivity and criticality of the issues addressed; and the results of your actions taken. Typically experience will have been gained at the GS-15 or equivalent in the private sector or non-governmental organizations. Already SES Certified? If you are currently serving under a career Senior Executive Service appointment, are eligible for reinstatement into the Senior Executive Service, or have completed a Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program (SES CDP) approved by OPM, you only need to submit a two-page resume and personnel action showing you have held a career SES position. SES CDP graduates must submit a two-page resume and a copy of their CDP program certification with their package.

How to Apply: You must submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. To receive consideration, the complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date. WE DO NOT ACCEPT HARD-COPY OR E-MAIL APPLICATION PACKAGES. Select Apply. If you are not logged in, you will be prompted to log in or create an account. Prompted to Start the Application Process by selecting "Start Application." Click here for USAJobs Help with "How to create an application Add your two-page resume. Select the documents you want to be included in this application. Review the package to acknowledge that your documents were reviewed. After reading and certifying the application is true and submitted in good faith, select "Continue to Agency Site." Follow onscreen prompts and instructions to complete your application. Add the supporting documents by indexing your documents with the dropdown. Upload any missing required documents or optional documents. Review and Submit Application. While logged in, you can check the status of your application by selecting "+" next to the job title for this position. You can review or revise your application at any point during the open period of the announcement. To update an application, you should log into your USAJOBS account and select "+" next to the job title for this position. Select "Update Application" for this job. Note: When you click Update Application, you will be prompted to re-select your documents from USAJOBS. Documents submitted with the first application will no longer be associated with the applicant record. So you must select all documents you want to use in the re-application.

Application Deadline: 2026-05-04