Deputy Director, Systems

Homeland Security Institute (HSI):  Deputy Director, Systems

 

Organization:  In response to the terrorist attacks on September 11th 2001, the United States government decided to combine 22 separate federal organizations into a new Department of Homeland Security (DHS).  In concert with this development, Congress also mandated in the Homeland Security Act of 2002 that a new Federally Funded Research and Development Center or FFRDC be created to support DHS.  The new FFRDC, named the Homeland Security Institute (HSI), is the only congressionally charted FFRDC specifically created to fulfill the needs of DHS.  HSI is located in the Washington metropolitan area.  The HSI organizational climate is highly collaborative, routinely assembling multi-disciplinary teams to perform independent studies on a wide variety of topics relating to the homeland security mission.  The organizational unit?HSI Systems (HSS) ? provides technology assessment and systems engineering / systems analysis capabilities required to conduct and/or support these studies.  HSI is recruiting a new Deputy Director for HSS.  The position reports directly to the Director.

 

Major Responsibilities:  The successful candidate will provide intellectual and organizational leadership and direction for HSS, to include:  identifying the types of studies and analyses that HSS should seek to perform over a planning horizon of two or more years; evaluating the capabilities of the organization vis-?-vis these goals;  building and executing an effective staffing effort, to include recruitment and development of existing staff; spotting potential obstacles and putting plans in place to mitigate them; and developing action plans to achieve HSS and Institutional goals.  The candidate will interact with decision makers at all levels of DHS and other organizations to understand their needs, ensure HSS and Institutional goals are aligned with those needs, and articulate the Institute?s capabilities.

 

Requisite Skills and Expertise:  The successful candidate will have a thorough understanding of technology management across all phases of research and development (including laboratory research, system conceptualization and definition, development, testing, and fielding).  Ideally, this expertise will span a wide range of organizations (private sector, U.S. Government, and/or international).  Expertise in one or more of the following areas is strongly desired:  chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and/or explosives countermeasures; cybersecurity; transportation security systems and technologies; credentialing; biometrics; medical technology; tagging/tracking; systems/enterprise architecture; and/or communications and information systems to support homeland security missions.  The successful candidate will also understand the principles of systems thinking, demonstrate a systems approach to problem-solving, and be able to assess the application of these principles and approaches to problems outside their own area of specialization. 

 

Basic Competencies: The successful candidate will be able to plan and manage organizational change in the face of uncertainty; motivate and mentor both individuals and teams; embody HSI values; and instill the corporate culture and values within HSS.  This will include a demonstrated ability to leverage relevant expertise elsewhere in the corporation and among consultants, advisors, and professional colleagues.  Candidates must exhibit superb verbal and written communications skills, including the ability to articulate complex concepts clearly.

 

Experience and Educational Attainment:  The successful candidate will have demonstrated experience in leading technology assessments and/or systems engineering evaluations, working in a team environment, and managing change. Incumbents who have earned a PhD will have at least 15 years of relevant experience; incumbents who have earned a Master?s degree will have at least 20 years of relevant experience.  At least 10 years of that experience must have been in leadership and/or management positions.

 

Clearance Requirement:  Candidates must be US citizens and eligible for a security clearance; a current Secret or Top Secret clearance is preferred.