SSA Policy Job Openings!

The Social Security Administration (SSA) is looking for two individuals to serve in leadership roles within its Office of Research, Evaluation, and Statistics (ORES) as the Office’s Associate Commissioner (AC) and Chief Research and Data Officer (CRDO). The AC will report directly to the Deputy Commissioner and Assistant Deputy Commissioner for the Office of Retirement and Disability Policy (ORDP), while the CRDO will report directly to the AC for ORES. The office has locations in Woodlawn, MD and Washington DC. Duty location will be determined based on the selectee for the position; however, regular travel between the two offices is expected.

The AC for ORES has responsibility for the broad research, evaluation, and statistical programs of SSA, including the:

· Study of problems of poverty and insecurity;

· Examination of expected or projected outcomes from current or modified program rules; and

· Evaluation of proposed solutions to such problems by social insurance and related programs.

The AC is also responsible for:

· Advising senior Agency officials on research findings relating to Social Security reform;

· Responding to information requests from Agency, Administration and Congressional policy makers; and

· Participating in formulating Agency-level policy and program planning.

S/he represents the research, evaluation, and statistical interests of SSA at meetings or on committees with other Government agencies, including the Interagency Council on Statistical Policy colleges and universities, research centers, and other professional organizations. As such, the incumbent makes commitments concerning research, evaluation and statistical projects and activities to be carried out, and the products to be supplied. 

Candidates for the AC position must have professional experience at a senior level (equivalent to the GS-15 in either the General Schedule (GS) or a comparable pay plan) and demonstrate via their resume and application their level of experience for each of the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) that are included in the job posting.

The CRDO meanwhile will oversee the technical aspects of the office's comprehensive research and statistics program to support social security policy development and inform policymakers, the public and external stakeholders on a spectrum of critical social security issues. Responsibilities for the position include:

· Developing the agency's portfolio of short and long-term research projects;

· Ensuring the scientific integrity of SSA’s intramural and extramural research products, developing program data used to inform policy decisions, authoring peer-reviewed articles on research project findings in professional journals, and improving the use of research results in decision making throughout the agency;

· Advising management regarding the statistical processes/practices the organization is responsible for engaging in as a formally recognized federal statistical agency producing statistics on SSA's social welfare programs;

· Presenting agency research projects before Congress, the Office of Management and Budget, the Interagency Council on Statistical Policy, colleges and universities, research centers, other professional organizations, and external monitoring authorities such as the Government Accountability Office, the Social Security Advisory Board, and the Office of Inspector General; and

· Fostering research, evaluation and statistical projects that tie into the Social Security research program via extramural mechanisms.

Applicants to the CRDO position must possess progressive research experience at a senior analytical/scientific level, including substantial specialized experience managing extramural social science research programs, and demonstrated experience and ability designing a portfolio of internal social science research projects. Typically, experience of this nature will have been gained at or above the GS-15, comparable pay band or level above in the federal government; or comparable position with a state or local government, or private sector organization. Applicants are required to address each of the mandatory technical qualifications (TQ) statements included in the job posting to substantiate their technical knowledge and abilities.

The complete vacancy announcement for both jobs can be found on USAJOBS; direct link below. Interested applicants may apply to one or both of the vacancies:

Associate Commissioner                   SSA-EX-500

Chief Research and Data Officer       SSA-SL-004