Deputy Chief Operating Officer
What you'd do
This position is within the Office of the Chief Operating Officer, Bonneville Power Administration, Department of Energy. As Deputy COO, you will share authority to drive strategic operations, oversee key business units, and manage programs with cross-organizational impact. A successful candidate in this position will lead programs, systems, and processes needed to perform critical mission alignment and support activities across the organization.
Major duties
Powering the Northwest: Lead Our Operational Future At Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), our mission is to deliver reliable, clean power and sustain the economic and environmental health of the Pacific Northwest. As our next Deputy Chief Operating Officer (COO), you won't just manage operations-you will directly shape the strategic decisions and organizational culture that keep our region moving. We are looking for an established leader from our talented ranks to step into this executive, high-impact role. Working hand-in-hand with the Chief Operating Officer, you will exercise shared authority to guide our core functions and business lines, champion operational excellence, and lead a dedicated team of over 2,200 professionals. Key Leadership Duties 1. Drive Strategic Agency Decisions at the National Level Represent our organization in high-level national discussions alongside the Administrator and Chief Administrative Officer. You will collaborate directly with top officials at the Department of Energy to align our regional strategies with national energy policies. 2. Provide Direct Executive Guidance to Business Unit Leaders Serve as a trusted advisor and director to our senior leadership team. You will oversee and support Vice Presidents across crucial business lines-including Power Services, Transmission Services, and Environment, Fish, and Wildlife-to ensure seamless operations and unified goals. 3. Lead Enterprise-Wide Change and Innovation Design and champion major initiatives that integrate people, processes, and technology. You will steer large-scale organizational improvements, helping our teams smoothly transition through updates and adopt modern, efficient ways of working. 4. Champion Operational Excellence and Continuous Improvement Proactively identify areas for growth across our workflows and execute solutions to enhance performance. You will ensure our internal operations are cost-effective, high-performing, and fully aligned with our long-term strategic plans. 5. Manage and Allocate Vital Organizational Resources Make critical decisions regarding how we distribute funding, manage staff, and utilize organizational resources. You will oversee budget formulations and direct the COO expense pool to maximize efficiency and support our critical programs. 6. Mentor, Develop, and Empower Our Diverse Workforce Actively promote a supportive, inclusive, and high-performing workplace culture. You will oversee talent development, guide subordinate managers on performance standards, and ensure every employee has fair access to career advancement and training opportunities. 7. Strengthen Crucial Partnerships and Build Coalitions Serve as a key liaison to build strong, collaborative relationships across the Department of Energy, other federal agencies, state and local governments, and regional organizations. You will navigate complex discussions to build consensus on vital regional energy issues. 8. Ensure Mission Delivery and Environmental Stewardship Take direct ownership of business initiatives designed to keep BPA a leading engine of the Pacific Northwest's economic prosperity and environmental sustainability, ensuring we meet our commitments to the communities we serve.
What you need to qualify
This is a temporary promotion, not to exceed one (1) year, may be extended up to five (5) year's total; may be made permanent without further competition. Upon termination of the promotion, you will be returned to your original position of record, or to a different position of equivalent grade and pay. Temporary promotions may be terminated at any time based on the needs of management. If you are currently employed at a grade equivalent to, or higher than the advertised position, the action will be considered a detail for processing purposes, and no salary increase will be associated with accepting the position. Details are processed in 120-day increments and may be extended up to two (2) year's total; additional extensions may be approved at the discretion of the Human Resources Service Center Director. Upon termination of the detail, you will be returned to your original position of record. Details may be terminated at any time based on needs of management. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS A qualified candidate's resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-14) in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as: 1) Developing and recommending long-range strategic business objectives, operational plans, and enterprise-level policies for a large, complex organization, such as a utility or major function within a utility; 2) Directing the operations of multiple, diverse business lines or major programs, ensuring the integration of goals and the effective use of financial and personnel resources to achieve strategic initiatives; AND 3) Representing an organization at a senior level to negotiate or justify major programs and resources with internal and external executive stakeholders. "Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience. Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations. 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. Time-in-Grade: Current Federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement to receive consideration. CTAP candidates: To be considered "well qualified" you must meet all of the requirements as described in this section. You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Before you apply
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