Chief Innovation Officer
What you'd do
This position is part of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), Office of Performance & Improvement (OPI). The Chief Innovation Officer is a champion of innovation culture and leads DFC's portfolio for improving agency operations through incubation, innovation/reengineering, internal customer liaison, and coordination of overseas and relocation support.
Major duties
The Chief Innovation Officer is a champion of innovation culture and leads DFC's portfolio for improving agency operations through incubation, innovation/reengineering, internal customer liaison, and coordination of overseas and relocation support. The incumbent serves as DFC's senior subject-matter expert on innovation-driven operational improvement, leveraging the latest innovation models and associated best practices. The work includes identifying operational pain points; incubating and piloting new capabilities; redesigning services, processes, and operating models; leading change implementation; and building the relationships, consensus, and buy-in needed to advance practical, customer-centered solutions across DFC. The role also requires use of business process improvement, KPI-based monitoring, customer feedback, and continuous improvement methods aligned with ISO 9001, Lean Six Sigma, and related quality and process improvement approaches in order to make the Corporation effective and efficient in accomplishing its mission. The incumbent provides expert policy advice, analysis, and recommendations to senior leadership and drives cross-organizational action to improve efficiency, effectiveness, service quality, accountability, and operational performance. As DFC's Chief Innovation Officer, you will: - Lead DFC's center of excellence for process improvement and innovation, including identifying operational pain points, service gaps, and emerging business requirements and translating them into actionable pilot concepts, improvement projects, or new capabilities. - Incubate and implement new operational and mission-support initiatives by establishing concepts, governance structures, operating models, milestones, success measures, workplans, roles and responsibilities, and feedback mechanisms. - Lead innovation, reengineering, pilots, and change implementation for existing programs, services, and business processes to improve efficiency, effectiveness, internal customer experience, and alignment with agency priorities. - Serve as the internal agency customer liaison and relationship manager by gathering customer feedback, diagnosing service delivery challenges, coordinating solutions across mission and mission-support stakeholders, and providing executive briefings and decision-ready recommendations. - Coordinate overseas operations support and corporate relocation support, including improving processes, reducing friction, clarifying requirements, strengthening compliance, and standardizing support approaches where feasible. - Track continuous improvement and advise senior leadership by developing reports, implementation trackers, and analytical products; and recommending actions to improve operations and support executive decision-making. - Supervise, support, and sponsor staff, including setting priorities, assigning and reviewing work, evaluating performance, supporting employee development, approving leave, resolving complaints, and addressing conduct or performance issues; develop followership. Please Note: This is not a Bargaining unit position.
What you need to qualify
Applicants must meet all eligibility and qualification requirements no later than the closing date of this announcement. You may qualify at the GS-15 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirements: A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 grade level in the Federal service that demonstrates your ability in all of the following: (1) Lead enterprise-level innovation, business process improvement, and operational transformation initiatives that improve organizational efficiency, effectiveness, service quality, or customer experience; (2) Design, implement, and evaluate pilots, proof-of-concept efforts, process redesigns, and/or new operating models using performance measures, customer feedback, risk analysis, and continuous improvement methods; (3) Advise senior leaders on innovation strategy, change management, governance, implementation planning, and cross-organizational operational improvements; (4) Build consensus and negotiate solutions across senior-level stakeholders, mission offices, and mission-support functions to implement complex organizational changes; and (5) Supervise and lead teams by setting priorities, assigning work, evaluating performance, and supporting employee development. Note: Education is not substitutional at this grade level. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. This position is being advertised concurrently with vacancy announcement 26-OPI-ST-12992245-MB using Merit Promotion (MP) procedures. If interested, refer to that announcement to determine if you meet MP requirements and can apply to that announcement. NOTE: You must apply separately to each announcement in order to be considered under both. This announcement may be used to fill similar positions, if additional vacancies occur.
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