Senior Advisor

This position is being filled under a stream-lined hiring authority, Title 21, Section 3072 of the 21st Century Cures Act. The candidate selected for this position will serve under a career or career-conditional appointment and be paid under the provisions of this authority.

Application Period: June 26, 2024 – July 5, 2024

Area of Consideration: United States Citizenship is required. You must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National. Foreign nationals or legal permanent residents are not eligible for consideration.

Position: Senior Advisor

Series: 0301

Location(s): Silver Spring, MD

Minimum of 16 hours per pay period in-office, additional may be necessary based on business needs.

Work Schedule: Full Time

Salary: Starting at $163,964

Cures Band(s): Band E

Full Performance Band Level: Band E

Travel Requirements: Up to 25%

Relocation Expenses Reimbursement: You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency) is the regulatory, scientific, public health and consumer protection agency responsible for ensuring all human and animal drugs, medical devices, cosmetics, foods, food additives, drugs and medicated feeds for food producing animals, tobacco and radiation emitting devices safe, and effective.

The Office of the Commissioner (OC) is responsible for the efficient and effective implementation of FDA's mission. To assist in those responsibilities, OC contains Super Offices that support specific organizational focus areas and administrative offices that manage Program. As Senior Advisor to the FDA Chief of Staff, the incumbent serves as an advisor, providing expert level advice within the Office of the Commissioner on strategic planning, policy, program operations and performance accountability for the development and administration of OC functions and programs.

Please note, this is a telework eligible position. This position will be required to report to the FDA White Oak Campus a minimum of 16 hours per pay period, additional may be necessary based on business needs.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Participates with the Chief of Staff and other key officials in developing strategies to execute and evaluate initiatives and to address major FDA priorities.

• Coordinates projects or work activities in areas of assigned responsibilities that span organizational lines and require input from several offices to make a concerted effort and reach desired objectives.

• Provides agency management with interpretations of policy and procedures, including when issues involve new, highly controversial, and precedent setting decisions made by senior-level management.

• Recommends policies governing the administrative programs and processes of the FDA.

• Provides authoritative advice on implications involved in proposed and impending actions.

• Provides input on communication strategies on complex policy issues and OC initiatives, including both for external dissemination and agency wide distribution and implementation.

• Applies comprehensive knowledge to unusual and often precedent-setting problems associated with the administration of a large, diverse scientific research and regulatory agency with programs of national and international scope and impact.

• Identifies challenges and provides recommendations and/or solutions to complex issues.

• Develops written materials designed to convey information concerning complex policy issues, programs, or functions.

• Participates in meetings with high level agency officials and provides information related to matters of interest, presents positions, conclusions, and alternatives, obtains agreements and concurrences, and develops courses of action to avoid, eliminate, or mutually resolve immediate, anticipated, or potential problems.

• Represents the Commissioner or Chief of Staff in meetings across the Agency and FDA in meetings with officials from HHS, other government agencies, or stakeholders.

• Coordinates with partners across the Agency or with other government entities or external parties, and works with various parties as needed to gather information, develop consensus when appropriate, and develop recommended course of action for Agency leadership’s consideration.

Qualifications

To be placed into a Cures position, candidates must meet the following criteria:

1. Scientific, Technical, and Professional Fields

2. Qualified and Outstanding Candidates

a. Qualified applies to all candidates for Cures appointments. The FDA OTS will use the basic requirements defined in the OPM Qualification Standards as a baseline for comparing experience levels and other candidate attributes for relevant positions.

b. Outstanding candidates can be defined by existing outstanding work experience, outstanding performance rating, or both.

In order to qualify for this Title 21 Cures position, the candidate(s) must meet the following required qualifications. Please note: Additional education and experience listed that is not indicated as required is preferable and desired. Candidates who do not meet the “desired” criteria will not be excluded from consideration for this position.

Desired Professional Experience: Competitive candidates will have skills, experience, or education in public policy, public health, regulatory science, or related field.

How to Apply

How to Apply: Submit resume or curriculum vitae with cover letter by July 5th to: Ashley Crawford at Ashley.Crawford@fda.hhs.gov. Candidate resumes may be shared with hiring official within the Office of the Commissioner with a similar job vacancy. Candidates can opt out of this process by annotating resume with “do not share”. For questions please contact Ashley.Crawford@fda.hhs.gov.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Equal Employment Opportunity Policy

The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) for federal employees & job applicants

Reasonable Accommodation

Reasonable Accommodation Policy

Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where process should follow the instructions in the job opportunity announcement. For any part of the remaining hiring process, applicants should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.A reasonable accommodation is any change to a job, the work environment, or the way things are usually done that enables an individual with a disability to apply for a job, perform job duties or receive equal access to job benefits. Under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodations when: An applicant with a disability needs an accommodation to have an equal opportunity to apply for a job. An employee with a disability needs an accommodation to perform the essential job duties or to gain access to the workplace. An employee with a disability needs an accommodation to receive equal access to benefits, such as details, training, and office-sponsored events. You can request a reasonable accommodation at any time during the application or hiring process or while on the job. Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis.