Executive Director, Operations Directorate

Summary

Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security; within U.S. Customs and Border Protection; in the Office of Trade in Washington, D.C. For more information about U.S. Customs and Border Protection, please visit https://www.cbp.gov/about.

Duties

As Executive Director, Operations in the Office of Trade, at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), you will oversee the coordination of national level trade initiatives and intelligence-driven trade operations. You will oversee resources and systems to fully implement a comprehensive multi-year strategic plan to effectively target and analyze national trade issues and operational initiatives. You will oversee threat assessment and targeting units, intelligence-driven civil investigation services, and the collection and analysis of trade data to quantify the economic impact of trade disruptions. You will serve as an agency authority in formulating new trade intelligence and trade investigative policies and program objectives. You will provide management and consulting services to top executives of the agency on change management and internal business process improvements to increase the effectiveness of major operations and functions. As Executive Director, will provide guidance to senior management staff and officials at multiple levels of the agency; senior staff of other federal, state, and local government agencies; and private sector clients and vendors; on matters related to the Operations and Planning Program. You will also establish and maintain collaborative working relationships with agency or Department management officials, other Government agencies, and institutions with related interests and equities to advance the Operations and Planning Program and objectives of the agency. For an overview of the diverse responsibilities CBP carries out within the Government, visit our website at www.cbp.gov

Requirements

Must be a U.S. Citizen. All pre-employment processes will be conducted in English. You may be required to pass a background investigation. CBP follows the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan for drug testing procedures. Subject to a 1-year supervisory probationary period (unless already completed). Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency. If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so. May be subject to pre-employment and random drug tests File a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report OGE-278e within 30 days of appointment and annually from then on. You may be required to obtain and maintain a security clearance prior to entrance on duty. Failure to obtain and maintain the required level of clearance may result in the withdrawal of a job offer or removal. Organizational and geographical mobility is essential in developing and managing SES leaders. Individuals selected for SES positions may be subject to reassignment across geographical, organizational, and functional lines, and may be required to sign a Reassignment Rights and Obligation Agreement. There are three key documents that contain important information about your rights and obligations. Please read and retain these documents: Noncriminal Justice Applicant's Privacy Rights, for those who undergo an FBI fingerprint-based criminal history record check for personnel vetting, which includes Rap Back, FD-258 Privacy Act Statement - FBI (this is the same statement used when your fingerprints are submitted as part of your background investigation), and SEAD-3-Reporting-U.pdf (dni.gov), (applicable to those who hold a sensitive position or have eligibility for access to classified information). If you fail to meet the conditions of employment or any other pre-employment requirements, such as missing any of the scheduled appointments, the hiring agency may rescind their tentative offer of employment. You must meet the qualification requirements of this position no later than the closing date of the job opportunity announcement.

Qualifications and evaluation

Once the application process is complete, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be conducted. If you meet minimum qualifications, your Application Package will be further reviewed to determine if you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) and Technical Qualifications (TQ) listed above. ECQs and TQs must be thoroughly addressed within your two (2) page resume. Separate narratives will not be accepted or reviewed. Highly Qualified applicants may undergo one or more interviews and may be referred to the selecting official for further consideration. Upon selection, if not already a member of the SES serving under a career appointment, the individual selected must have his/her executive qualifications certified by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB) before appointment to this position. The selected individual's application will be forwarded to the OPM for review and certification by the QRB, unless the selectee provides evidence of their noncompetitive status (i.e., a current SES, OPM QRB certified SESCDP graduate, or SES reinstatement eligible). Upon QRB certification, the selected individual will be required to serve a one-year probationary period. For more information regarding the SES, go to https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/. As an employee of CBP, you will be joining a workforce that is dedicated to accomplishing our mission while maintaining the trust of our Nation by strictly adhering to all government ethics standards. Your conduct will be subject to the ethics rules applicable to all Executive Branch employees, and to CBP employees specifically, as well as the criminal conflict of interest statutes. Once you enter on duty, these rules include obtaining approval for outside employment or business activity, to ensure such employment or business activity is not prohibited and does not interfere or conflict with the performance of your official duties. Please review further details via the following link. Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Statement: http://www.eeoc.gov/federal/index.cfm Employment Information Resources - Resource Center: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfRegistration.aspx)

Education

There is no education requirement for this position. You will be evaluated on the quality and extent of your total accomplishments and experience. Your resume will be evaluated by a rating and ranking panel, and highly qualified candidates may undergo an interview and a reference check. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection 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 before an appointment can occur.

Benefits

Review DHS benefits.

How to apply

Résumés must be submitted using the USA Jobs website application manager. We are no longer accepting résumés via email or standard/express mail. Please visit this site to create your account and apply for this position - http://www.usajobs.gov Your application materials must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern on 10/19/2026. It is your responsibility to verify that information entered, uploaded, and sent is received and is accurate. You may complete the assessment questionnaire more than once, but only your most recent submission will be used. To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account and check your applicant profile dashboard, which will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

Required documents

A complete application includes the items described below. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive special consideration for which you may be eligible). Please carefully review the following list to determine what documentation you need to submit. Some documents may not apply to all applicants. 1. RESUME: All applicants are required to submit a resume limited to two (2) pages (i.e., 1 page that is double-sided or 2 pages that are one-sided each) showing all relevant experience. Applicants seeking an initial career appointment to the Senior Executive Service (SES) must include evidence of the ECQs and TQs. Vacancy announcement number EXSER/27-13079094-CBP 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 U.S. Department of Education website. Information about your paid and nonpaid 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 Note: The Federal Government does not deny employment to individuals who are currently or who have been unemployed, nor does it deny employment to individuals who have had financial difficulties through no fault of their own. To review a sample resume and resume writing tips for executive positions, please visit our website: https://www.cbp.gov/careers/professional/ses 2. VACANCY QUESTION/ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONSES: Responses are automatically submitted through USA Jobs when you apply to this vacancy. 3. ADDITIONAL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS: Applicants are required to submit all applicable supporting documentation: SF-50: CURRENT OR FORMER SES MEMBERS: Must provide your specific SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action), which documents conversion or appointment to your formal SES position, and an SF-50 showing current career SES status or career SES reinstatement eligibility. CURRENT OR FORMER FEDERAL CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEE: Must provide a copy of your SF-50 or equivalent personnel action form reflecting you are a current or former Federal Civil Service employee. NOTE: An SF-50 that does not indicate grade, pay band or level will not be accepted. SESCDP: SES CANDIDATE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (SESCDP) GRADUATES: Must provide verification of your successful completion of an OPM-approved SESCDP and OPM SES QRB certification. STRONGLY RECOMMENDED: Most recent performance evaluation. NOTE: IF SELECTED, a Structured Interview will be used to certify the candidate by an OPM Qualifications Review Board (QRB). If you are currently serving in a career SES appointment or are eligible for reinstatement into the SES, you WILL NOT need to participate in a Structured Interview. DO NOT SUBMIT ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Extraneous materials, such as narratives addressing the ECQs and award certificates, will not be considered.

Additional information

Relocation or Recruitment Incentive: CBP may authorize a relocation or recruitment incentive (not to exceed 25% of basic pay) for an eligible selectee. A service agreement will be required. Relocation Expenses: CBP may choose to pay your relocation expenses in accordance with Federal Travel Regulations. 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. Veterans Preference: Veterans' preference is not applicable to the SES. Selective Service: If you are a male and are hired, and if you were born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under Selective Service law. 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. 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. Note: The Federal Government does not deny employment to individuals who are currently or who have been unemployed, nor does it deny employment to individuals who have had financial difficulties through no fault of their own. Drug Testing: This position has been identified as a Testing Designated Position under the Customs and Border Protection, Drug-Free Workplace Program. Satisfactory completion of the 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 the probationary period in the SES. Financial Disclosure: If you are hired, you will have to complete a Public Financial Disclosure Report within 30 days after appointment. U.S. Customs and Border Protection: is an equal employment employer. Selection for positions will be based solely on merit. provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need 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.