Open position: Director of Administration

Job Title: Director of Administration

Agency: National Council on Disability

Job Announcement Number: WA-583331-MJ

SALARY RANGE:

$105,211.00 to $155,500.00 / Per Year

OPEN PERIOD:

Monday, January 30, 2012 to Monday, February 13, 2012 SERIES & GRADE:

GS-0341-14/15

 

POSITION INFORMATION:

Full Time – Permanent

PROMOTION POTENTIAL:

15

 

DUTY LOCATIONS:

1 vacancy(s) – Washington DC Metro Area, DC United States WHO MAY BE CONSIDERED:

United States Citizens

JOB SUMMARY:

The Director of Administration is the supervisory administrative officer for the National Council on Disability (NCD), an independent Federal agency, subject to the provisions of Title 5 U.S.C. and established by the Vocational Rehabilitation Act, as amended in 1978, and the Rehabilitation Amendments of 1984 (PL 221), dated February 22, 1984. The NCD staff supports the Council, which is comprised of 15 members appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The Council’s principal purpose is to develop recommendations to use in advising the President, the Congress, federal entities, the states, and occasionally international entities on policies and programs that promote full inclusion, independence, and equal opportunity for people with disabilities.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

•     U.S. Citizenship Required

•     A one-year supervisory/managerial probationary period may be required.

•     Must successfully complete a background investigation prior to employment

•     Travel and Relocation expenses will not be paid.

•     Must provide latest SF-50 if applicable

 

DUTIES:

As the Supervisory Administrative Officer you will:

• Provide, secure and/or negotiate for the services needed to manage and run the administrative operations of an independent Federal agency.  These services may include budget preparation and funds management, human resources, management analysis, procurement, contract administration, property management, space management, security administration, travel, meeting management, reports management, data base management and data mining.

• Develop budget estimates and justifications; assure that funds, either appropriated or gifted in accordance with the NCD authorizing statute, are tracked and that expenditures are appropriate and align with Council goals and priorities as well as NCD by-laws and the annual operating budget.

• Serve as a liaison with the servicing human resource specialist to find solutions to management problems arising from changes in organizational workload or priorities which impact jobs and employees.

• Advise on and negotiate contracts, agreements and cooperative arrangements with other government agencies at the Federal and State levels, universities or private organizations.

• Supervise a permanent staff, in addition to contractor personnel and staff members on temporary assignment to meet short-term program needs and exercises a full range of supervisory responsibilities including, but not limited to, planning and assigning work, evaluating work performance and recommending performance awards; advising and instructing employees on work methods and strategies; overseeing and approving the hiring of personnel; hearing and resolving complaints; and creating and implementing ways to eliminate or reduce significant bottlenecks and barriers to production, promote team building, or improve business practices.

• Recommend selections for subordinate supervisory positions and for work leader, group leader, or project director positions responsible for coordinating the work of others.

• Provide oversight to assure that Council member meetings; NCD staff meetings; and, meetings between Council members, stakeholders and NCD staff, as applicable, meet all Federal, state and local requirements for accessibility and support the specific needs of attendees with disabilities.  Also perform special assignments, studies or projects that are of a confidential or sensitive nature for the Executive Director that involve changes in managerial policies, practices, methods, procedures and/or organizational structures.

About the National Council on Disability: NCD is a small, independent federal agency charged with advising the President, Congress, and other federal agencies regarding policies, programs, practices, and procedures that affect people with disabilities. NCD is comprised of a team of fifteen Senate-confirmed Presidential appointees, an Executive Director appointed by the Chairman, and eleven, full-time professional staff members.  Staff members work on a wide array of interesting subjects.  We offer both flexible work schedules and an opportunity for challenging and interesting work.

Link to full description:

http://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/307529400

 

National Council on Disability

1331 F Street, NW, Suite 850

Washington, DC 20004

202-272-2004 Voice

202-272-2074 TTY

202-272-2022 Fax

 

Website: http://www.ncd.gov

Get regular updates via NCD’s Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/NCDgov

Follow NCD on Twitter:

http://twitter.com/NatCounDis

Sign up for regular email updates at:

http://www.ncd.gov/subscribe

 

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Felony Employment: The Second Chance Act of 2007

On April 9th, 2008, The Second Chance Act of 2007 Community Safety through Recidivism Prevention (the “Act”) was passed by Congress and enacted into law when it was signed by President George W. Bush. The purposes of the Act are:

1. To break the cycle of criminal recidivism, increase public safety, and help the States, local units of government, and Indian Tribes, better address the growing population of criminal offenders who return to their communities and commit new crimes.
2. To rebuild ties between offenders and their families, while the offenders are incarcerated and after reentry into the community, to promote stable families and communities.
3. To encourage and develop the support of, and to expand the availability of, evidence-based programs that enhance public safety and reduce recidivism, such as substance abuse treatment, alternatives to incarceration and comprehensive reentry services.
4. To protect the public and promote law-abiding conduct by providing necessary services to offenders, while the offenders are incarcerated and after reentry into the community, in a manner that does not confer luxuries or privileges upon such offenders;
5. To assist offenders reentering the community from incarceration to establish a self-sustaining and law-abiding life by providing sufficient transitional services for as short a period as practical, not to exceed one year, unless a longer period is specifically determined to be necessary by a medical or other appropriate professional.
6. To provide offenders in prison, jails or other juvenile facilities with educational, literacy, vocational, and job placement services to facilitate re-entry into the community.
7. There is little doubt that an individual returning to their family and community can only be successful and achieve the purposes and goals of the Act, if they can establish a self-sustaining and law-abiding life, as item #5 of the Act’s purposes reflect.

The remaining five (5) purposes of the Act will be achieved only with the individual having the ability to obtain successful employment or career and gaining the “TRUST” of their community and family.

Douglas L. Pilarski

Executive Director

say Special Ability Foundation

 

c/o Sawyer TMS

PO BOX 371616

Las Vegas, NV 89137 USA

 

001+  (702) 561-2157      

dp@SawyerTMS.com

 

www.SawyerTMS.com

www.strategicdiversity.com

Talent Manager’s Journal

Say Special Ability

 

@sawyertms

@iMatteratWork

Ask a question during your next interview

Job seekers who do not respond when their interviewer asks if they have any questions are missing a huge opportunity to connect with the prospective employer. Candidates are used to being asked questions and a savvy job seeker will be ready for anything. With behavioral interviews taking hold at companies of all sizes, shapes, and, industries, candidates must prepare ahead of time to make their best impression on the interviewer. Usually there is an opportunity to turn the tables so to speak and ask something of the employer during the interview. Many candidates do not seize the opportunity to ask questions of their interviewer. Opportunity lost.

Why is it a smart move to have something ready? It gives you an opportunity to communicate on a different level. When the candidate does not ask a question, the interview is very one sided. But what if you had something prepared that connected you to the interviewer. Why not ask, “What do you like about the company?” or “What attracted you to the company?” or “What are you most proud of since you have been working here?” Boom! For the minute or so you are listening to your interviewer answer, you are in the driver’s seat. You have just broken the ice in a new relationship. Not only do you gain a valuable and unique insight into the company and its culture, the interviewer now has a lasting impression of you. All because you were ready! What is the old saying? “Strike when the iron is hot.”

Next interview have a good question or two tucked away and ready. When you get your chance, take it. Don’t hesitate. Some questions just don’t work. Don’t ask about earnings per share or return on invested capital or EBITA trends over the last six quarters. These questions will surprise the interviewer rather than impress them and motivate them to talk. They are also really hard to answer. Setting up the interviewer to look like a dummy isn’t a win-win anywhere on the planet. And besides, unless you are the next CFO, EBITA won’t be a huge part of your work day. Get in there with something about company culture, how the customer experience measured, or something familiar but not too personal. Keep it professional. In short, ask something the interviewer can answer.

Savvy job seekers are better prepared than ever these days. Truly, candidates are pretty much the same once they make the interview short list. It is important to differentiate yourself as a candidate. You may even consider getting some coaching. It is hard to predict what a company will do with you as a candidate. Further, you may never really know why they are even interviewing in the first place. To that question there are about a thousand workable answers.

Next interview, be ready. A well thought out question reflects well on the candidate. Be that candidate!

Cheers!

Douglas L. Pilarski

Executive Director

say Special Ability Foundation

 

c/o Sawyer TMS

PO BOX 371616

Las Vegas, NV 89137 USA

 

001+(702) 561-2157

dp@SawyerTMS.com

 

www.SawyerTMS.com

www.strategicdiversity.com

Talent Manager’s Journal

Say Special Ability

 

@sawyertms

@iMatteratWork

Achieving greatness means stretching your abilities

If you want to achieve greatness, stretching your abilities is something you will have to get comfortable with. Remember, you can achieve anything you desire if you truly believe that you can achieve the outcome that you desire. You will have to challenge yourself because you are trying to achieve something that is outside of your current abilities.

Achieving greatness is never going to be easy to achieve. In fact, it might be one of the most difficult challenges of your life. You have to be prepared to for a struggle. You have to be committed to your success. If you are thinking of failure even being a possibility, you are destined to fail. If you believe that success is your only option, you will succeed.

Emmanuel Kelly The X Factor 2011 Auditions

Take a moment and watch this. This is a person with a special ability and a dream no less.

Cheers!

Douglas L. Pilarski

Executive Director

say Special Ability Foundation

 

c/o Sawyer TMS

PO BOX 371616

Las Vegas, NV 89137 USA

 

001+(702) 561-2157

dp@SawyerTMS.com

 

www.SawyerTMS.com

www.strategicdiversity.com

Talent Manager’s Journal

Say Special Ability

 

@sawyertms

@iMatteratWork

Ashley Wolfe Receives the 2011 Research in Action Award

Ashley Wolfe Receives the 2011 Research in Action Award

The Arc of the United States has awarded Ashley Wolfe with the 2011 Research in Action award. Wolfe was presented with this for her significant contributions to Participatory Action Research efforts in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Her research and work has made her a respected member of the research field and this award is an acknowledgement by her colleagues and peers of her numerous contributions to I/DD research at ICI and Boston University.

This is the first year that the Research in Action award has been given. Wolfe substantially contributes to all aspects of project development and implementation at the ICI while also participating as a member of the Choosing Employment team and the Connecticut Employment First project. Her work has resulted in one peer-reviewed journal article, two Research-to-Practice briefs, one Tools for Inclusion article, and a presentation at the 2010 TASH New England Conference.

Wolfe is also on a Participatory Action Research study at Boston University for youth with disabilities. She is a valued member of her research teams, an effective communicator, and a person with Down Syndrome.

Quinn Barbour

Institute for Community Inclusion

Phone: 617-287-4309

www.communityinclusion.org

say Special Ability Foundation

Sawyer TMS is proud to announce the formation of the Say Special Ability Foundation.  The Say Special Ability Foundation is dedicated to reversing the shocking unemployment rate of our friends and family members with disabling conditions.

The Foundation, which was created in August 2011,  will work to create awareness of the special abilities of disabled job seekers and promote the stories of those who are have achieved a level of success in the workplace. 7o % of those with disabling conditions can work and cannot find meaningful and challenging work. We can reverse this shocking number if more employers are informed of the wonderful contributions that can be made if the door would open only a little. The vast majority of accommodations for these workers is less than $500.

The Foundation believes managers, professionals, and executives, can open the door for the disabled workforce by developing a sensitivity to the needs of these workers, through specially developed seminars and training events, they will be introduced to the world of working with disability. There is a unknown universe of assistive technology, helpful resources, subject matter experts and disability specialists waiting for a chance to connect the disabled workforce to meaningful and challenging work.

Your support of the Foundation’s mission is critical. We are asking for your financial gift. Individuals and Corporations are encouraged to support the activity through your financial gift. Our goal now is to raise $100,000 in the next few months. We can only achieve this high goal by asking for your support.

With these dollars, the Say Special Ability Foundation  will work  closely with employers and help them develop the insights and sensitivity needed for the doors to open and stay open for the disabled workforce. In addition, we will help support the job search activities of disabled individuals and homeless US Veterans who are giving their all to re enter the workforce and make a difference.

You can send a check, payable to Sawyer TMS,  or use the PayPal button at this link. Send checks to my address given below, and if you have any queries regarding the mission of the Say Special Ability foundation, please feel free to contact me at dp@sawyertms.com

Thank you for considering our request.

Sincerely,

Douglas L. Pilarski

President

Sawyer Talent Management Solutions

Corporate Staffing Strategy Consulting

International Executive Search Consulting

MENA//ASEAN//INDIA//Asia Pacific

Sawyer TMS

PO BOX 371616

Las Vegas, NV 89137 USA

001+(702) 561-2157

dp@sawyertms.com

 

 

www.sawyertms.com

www.strategicdiversity.com

 

www.sayspecialability.wordpress.com 

www.sawyertms.wordpress.com

Enable America Partners with Raleigh-Triangle Employers to Increase Employment Opportunities for People with Disabilities

Raleigh, NC, September 25, 2011 –(PR.com)– Enable America, a non-profit organization devoted to improving employment for people with disabilities, wounded warriors and disabled veterans, has announced a full schedule of Job Seekers Workshops and Career Mentoring Days for October and November. With the unemployment rate for persons with disabilities remaining extremely high, these events provide important opportunities to connect with Triangle employers for job search advice and career exploration.

“Since our successful 2009 North Carolina launch with founding partner Progress Energy, we have continued to expand employment and mentoring programs and add new corporate partners as word of our commitment and abilities spread,” said Richard Salem, founder and CEO of Enable America. “The opportunity to go to work, even for a single day, opens opportunities that are often elusive to those who have difficulty finding employment.”

Triangle companies participating in Enable America 2011 Career Mentoring Days include: Progress Energy, BCBSNC, Rex Healthcare, SAS, Carolina Hurricanes, WRAL, WakeMed, IBM, Hill-Rom, Lenovo and Eaton Corporation. A complete list of places and dates, as well as registration forms, can be found at the Enable America website, EnableAmerica.org.

In addition, employers dedicated to diversity and inclusion are partnering with Enable America to hold two Job Seekers Workshops.

October 4: BCBSNC will host the Enable America Job Seekers Workshop for Persons with Disabilities at their Durham campus. Volunteer Human Resource professionals from BCBSNC, Lenovo, Hill-Rom, Rex Healthcare, and IBM will serve as panelists and deliver workshop content, providing a unique opportunity for attendees to accelerate their job search with information directly from employers.

November 1: SAS will host the Enable America Job Seekers Workshop for Wounded Warriors and Disabled Veterans. HR professionals serving on the November workshop panel represent SAS, Progress Energy, Eaton Corporation, and Hill-Rom.

Enable America works with social and veteran service organizations including the DHHS Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Services, Workforce Development Board, Community Workforce Solutions, Veterans Administration, and diversity managers at local colleges and universities to introduce and offer mentoring opportunities to persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities who are interested in participating in October and November programs may also contact Enable America by phone at 919-345-9933 or register online at the organization’s web site, Enable America.org.

In addition to employee mentoring, Enable America offers other services throughout North Carolina, all designed to improve job opportunities. Those include community connection forums, in which local leaders, lawmakers, employers and service providers come together to learn and share success stories. These meetings are an important step in building a bridge between those with disabilities, and their community

4th Annual National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic VA Event in San Diego

Today, more than 100 recently injured Veterans are gathered in San Diego for the National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic, a special rehabilitation-related sporting event, sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).  Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki will host the opening ceremony at Point Loma Naval Base.

“The Summer Sports Clinic is proof of VA’s commitment to improve quality of life for Veterans with disabilities,” said Shinseki. “The clinic helps our most severely injured Veterans gain physical and mental confidence.”

In its fourth year, this annual event is open to Veterans injured within the past six years.  The clinic will last five days, Sept. 18 – 23.

Participants’ injuries include orthopedic amputations, traumatic brain injuries, burn injuries, psychological trauma, certain neurological conditions, visual impairments, spinal cord injuries as well as many other injuries. Events include adaptive kayaking, sailing, track and field, cycling and surfing.

This year’s Summer Sports Clinic is sponsored by original founding sponsors, Help Hospitalized Veterans and the Veterans Canteen Service; host sponsors, San Diego Marriott Marquis and Marina and Cisco Systems, Inc.; as well as national sponsors, Health Net, Booz Allen Hamilton and Challenged America.  The VA San Diego Healthcare System has hosted the event since its start in 2008.

“During this week-long event, participants will be surrounded by fellow Veterans who share common bonds though their service and injuries,” said Dr. Robert Petzel, VA’s under secretary for health.  “The clinic helps wounded Veterans return to active lifestyle through physical and mental rehabilitation.”

For more information about the Summer Sports Clinic, visit www.summersportsclinic.va.gov, or contact Jose Llamas, VA Summer Sports Clinic public affairs coordinator, at (703) 969-9238.

Disabled Service Members Take on Hood to Coast Relay

August 16, 2011 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Disabled Service Members Take on Hood to Coast Relay

Team of 12 severely wounded military members compete in Oregon’s iconic relay race

PORTLAND, Ore.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–A team of 12 U.S. service members who were severely injured in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan will compete in Oregon’s iconic 2011 Hood to Coast Relay race. “Team Warfighter Sports” is the only team of wounded military to participate in Hood to Coast, thanks to a sponsorship by Standard Insurance Company (“The Standard”) in partnership with Disabled Sports USA.

“Supporting partners that provide rehabilitation and opportunity for wounded warriors is an extension of The Standard’s values, and we’re excited to sponsor this incredible team.”

They have experienced loss of limb, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder and other disabling injuries. Yet on August 26, 2011, armed with the latest technology and the support of their teammates, these undaunted warriors will challenge more than 1,200 other non-disabled teams in the competition of their lifetimes—the grueling 197-mile Hood to Coast relay race.

“These brave men and women’s dedication to living life to the fullest despite their disabilities is truly inspirational,” said Greg Ness, President and CEO of The Standard. “Supporting partners that provide rehabilitation and opportunity for wounded warriors is an extension of The Standard’s values, and we’re excited to sponsor this incredible team.”

Disabled Sports USA’s Warfighter Sports program is a schedule of challenge events that help military members with permanent disabilities train for and challenge themselves in extreme and endurance sports.

“We’re excited to partner with The Standard and provide this team the opportunity to participate in this one-of-a-kind event,” said Kirk Bauer, executive director of Disabled Sports USA and a disabled Vietnam veteran who summited Mt. Kilimanjaro in 2010 with two amputee wounded warriors as part of Warfighter Sports. “After serving thousands of severely injured service members from Iraq and Afghanistan through rehabilitation sports programs for the past seven years, our disabled veterans are now yearning for an opportunity to test their skills to the extreme, as they did in the military. Our Warfighter Sports program provides this—helping them to not just survive their injuries, but to thrive and achieve personal and professional success.”

About The Standard

The Standard is a leading provider of financial products and services. The company serves approximately 7.5 million customers nationwide as of June 30, 2011, with group and individual disability insurance, group life, AD&D, dental and vision insurance, retirement plans products and services, individual annuities and investment advice. For more information about The Standard, visit www.standard.com.

The Standard is the marketing name for StanCorp Financial Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries: Standard Insurance Company, The Standard Life Insurance Company of New York, Standard Retirement Services, StanCorp Mortgage Investors, StanCorp Investment Advisers, StanCorp Real Estate and StanCorp Equities.

About Disabled Sports USA

Founded in 1967, Disabled Sports USA (DSUSA) is a charitable organization that provides opportunities for individuals with disabilities to develop independence, confidence and fitness through participation in sports. What began as a program to serve Vietnam veterans has since grown into one of the nation’s largest multi-sport, multi-disability organizations serving wounded warriors, youth and adults with disabilities. A member of the U.S. Olympic Committee, DSUSA offers programs in more than 30 different sports through its nationwide network of more than 100 community-based chapters operating in 38 states serving more than 60,000 annually. For more information, visit www.dsusa.org.

Contacts

The Standard
General Media:
Bob Speltz, 971-321-3162
bob.speltz@standard.com
Director, Public Affairs
or
Investor Relations and Financial Media:
Jeff Hallin, 971-321-6127
jeff.hallin@standard.com
Assistant Vice President, Investor Relations