Deputy Director

This position is in the Department of Labor (DOL), Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), Office of Standards, Regulations and Variances (OSRV), Regulatory Development Division. The incumbent serves as the Deputy Director and shares management of the development and issuance of mine safety and health standards and all other regulations. Along with the Director, provides advice to the Assistant Secretary on MSHA regulatory matters.

This position is outside the bargaining unit.

Qualifications:

You must meet the "Specialized Experience" to qualify for Deputy Director, as described below.

For GS-15 : Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level GS-14 in the Federal Service.

Specialized Experience is the experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform the duties of the position successfully, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level.

Qualifying specialized experience for GS-15 includes experience in at least 4 of the following:

• Experience in developing and implementing regulations and policies related to occupational safety and health regulations and standards.
• Experience in developing and advising on regulatory policies and studies.
• Experience in analyzing and preparing proposed legislation, draft regulations, and policy documents, such as analytical reports or issues papers.
• Experience in representing agency/organization views on legislative or regulatory proposals to stakeholders both internal and external to an agency or organization.
• Experience in orally presenting policy recommendations and supporting arguments clearly and concisely.
• Experience in developing written materials and presentations on behalf of Senior Leadership for formal and informal purposes.

There is no substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience at the GS-15 grade level. Applicants must meet the eligibility requirements of time-in-grade (52 weeks at the next lower grade), time-after-competitive-appointment (90 days), and minimum qualifications (52 weeks equivalent to the next lower grade in federal service). These requirements must be met within 30 days of 10/10/2023, the announcement closing date.

Please Note: Your SF-50 must include enough information to be able to determine that time-in-grade requirements have been met and reflect your position title, pay plan/series/grade, tenure, and the type of appointment (i.e. competitive/excepted). In some cases, you may need to submit more than one SF-50.

Responsibilities:

Serves as full deputy and alter ego to the Director of the office by sharing in the overall program management, leadership, and decision-making activities.

Supervises two Division Chiefs, FOIA Officer, and employees in the immediate OSRV office. Plans work to be accomplished by subordinates and sets priorities. Interviews candidates for positions, making recommendations for appointment, promotion, or reassignment involving such positions. Hears and resolves complaints from employees, referring group grievances and the more serious complaints not resolved to higher level supervisors. Handles minor disciplinary measures such as warnings and reprimands, recommending action in more serious cases.

Negotiate and coordinate major policy, regulatory, programmatic, and procedural issues with senior staff-level managers and specialists representing Government, industry, and labor, and other interested stakeholders, such as state and local officials. Develop and make presentations to industry, labor, and governmental groups including joint groups.

Represents the agency views on legislative and regulatory proposals. Reviews proposals for new and revised mine safety and health regulations and standards. Coordinates development of MSHA position with appropriate managers and technical specialists, negotiates resolution of technical and programmatic issues and makes recommendations to the Assistant Secretary concerning whether to proceed with a regulatory project. Develops the MSHA regulatory plan and agenda for inclusion in the Departmental Plan and Agenda and monitors plan and agenda items. Analyze proposed legislation, draft regulations and executive orders and testimony from other Federal agencies in order to assess their impact on regulatory standards and regulations. Analyze proposed legislation, draft regulations and executive orders and testimony from other Federal agencies in order to assess their impact on MSHA and MSHA standards and regulations.

Chairs public hearings on proposed regulations and standards. Questions those who testify to clarify issues and viewpoints to facilitate development of the agency's position. Provides MSHA input into Departmental responses to congressional inquiries related to MSHA standards and regulations and the overall regulatory process. Reviews and provides MSHA comments and position concerning testimony by industry, trade organizations, and union spokespersons.

Directs and manages the development and writing of draft and final version of new and revised mine safety and health standards. Develops or reviews memoranda for Assistant Secretary's signature to proceed with publication of draft regulations in the Federal Register. Prepares and/or reviews a wide variety of correspondence and documents, including specialized policy papers, analytical reports and issues papers, on issues affecting all aspects of the mining industry for the Director's and/or other high-level signature.