Summary This position is located at the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), Office of the Chief Operating Officer, Director Capitol Grounds and Arboretum (CGA), Garden and Grounds Division. The position provides leadership in planning and managing long term human capital, budget, customer experience, curatorial and other vital critical processes. CGA has continued to grow as a level 3 internationally accredited arboretum and nationally recognized leader of professional grounds management excellence. Responsibilities This position serves as Supervisory Horticulturist (Gardens and Grounds Manager) Tour of Duty: Monday - Friday (6:00 AM - 2:30 PM) Hours May Change Due to Needs of Management *This position is essential. The incumbent is required to report to work during emergencies and inclement weather situations. A Valid Driver's License is required. Maintains DC pesticide license in categories III – A, B & C. Please Note: If the required licenses or registration are not obtained within the time periods specified, the employee will be terminated for failure to meet the conditions of continued employment. MAJOR DUTIES: Supervisory and Managerial Responsibilities Serves on the CGA senior leadership team, contributing leadership and guidance to all aspects of the organization’s operations. Supervises the staff of the division through subordinate supervisors. Performs administrative and technical supervisory functions for subordinates. Assigns duties and evaluates performance. Manages the organizational unit’s budget and workload. Develops performance requirements for subordinates and ensures a mutual understanding of the performance standards. Resolves complaints and grievances. Provides advice and counsel to subordinates on administrative and technical work matters. Effects disciplinary measures as delegated to do so. Reviews and approves or disapproves requests for leave in a manner that ensures adequate coverage of the unit’s work functions. Provides leadership to ensure support for equal employment opportunity (EEO) goals and requirements. Practices non-discriminatory and non-retaliatory employment actions and prevents unlawful discrimination or harassment based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity, age or disability. Provides for employee skills enrichment through job related coaching, mentoring and training. The incumbent will foster a culture of learning, sharing, cooperation and teamwork that improves efficiency and effectiveness throughout the organization. Utilizes a thorough knowledge of and compliance with all OSHA safety rules and regulations to ensure that work progresses in a safe manner and to initiate or take corrective action on unsafe conditions in managed areas. Provides or receives training, either on the job or through classroom training, to ensure that all direct reports know how to use required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Routinely checks to verify that subordinates are using all required PPE. Garden and Grounds Leadership In conjunction with the Deputy Director, provides professional leadership of subordinate supervisors and team leaders of Urban Forester, Plant Health Care Specialist, Turfgrass Specialists, Certified Arborists, horticulturists, gardeners and other plant science specialists. Outlines overall responsibilities, makes assignments, sets priorities and provides professional, technical and administrative advice and assistance as required. Plans organizational structure and staffing needs, determines types of jobs required and assigns duties to key subordinate positions. Reviews and approves justifications for personnel requirements, reviews and approves job descriptions and selects key employees. Resolves complaints and grievances within scope of authority and refers others to higher authority with appropriate recommendations. Directs work of Plant Health Care Specialist to ensure optimum health of the living collection. In collaboration with the Deputy Director and Director, oversees the development and execution of the CGA arboretum program including specimens of historical significance. Responsible for directing work of the Urban Forester and coordinating work prioritization and work execution of over 4,800 trees to maintain health and safety. Collaborates with federal agencies, professional organizations and academia to maintain international arboretum accreditation. Directs the work of Turfgrass manager and the turf team. Prioritizes work and plans budget and resource needs. Prepares comprehensive reports on both the technical and administrative aspects of the program for higher management levels. Collaborates with AOC staff in conducting studies for proposed projects. Determines methods of data collection and analysis necessary to carry out extremely complex gardens and grounds designs. Contract Administration Advises the Deputy Director on the use of outside contractors when that is the most reasonable course of action to accomplish specific aspects of a job or an entire work project that cannot be performed by AOC staff. Recommends changes, additions to or deletions from contracts. Participates with the Deputy Superintendent in negotiations of these contracts. Develops Statements of Work for procurement. Serves as a Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative (COTR) for designated contracts. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must meet the definition of specialized experience. You must meet education requirements at the time of application. You must possess a valid, unexpired state motor vehicle driver's license. To be employed by the Architect of the Capitol in a paid position, an individual must meet one of the categories below: A citizen of the United States; A person who is lawfully admitted for permanent residence and is seeking citizenship as outlined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)(B); A person who is admitted as a refugee under 8 U.S.C. 1157 or is granted asylum under 8 U.S.C. 1158 and has filed a declaration of intention to become a lawful permanent resident and then a citizen when eligible; A person who owes allegiance to the United States (nationals of American Samoa, Swains Island, and the Northern Mariana Islands, and nationals who meet other requirements described in 8 U.S.C. 1408); or A person who is currently an officer or employee of the Government of the United States. This position requires a valid District of Columbia (D.C.) pesticide applicator's license or is willing to obtain their license in the first year of their employment in categories (3A) exterior ornamental plants, (3B) interior plant-scapes and/or (3C) turf grass. IMPORTANT NOTE: If the required licenses or registration are not obtained within the time periods specified, the employee will be terminated for failure to meet the conditions of continued employment. Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license. Qualifications You must meet the United States Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements (including specialized experience and/or educational requirements) for the advertised position. You must meet all eligibility and qualifications requirements by the closing date of the job announcement. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on the OPM web site at OPM qualification standards Specialized experience: is experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level. Candidates for the GS-13 grade level must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower (GS-12) grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position must demonstrate the following: Leading or supervising employees in the performance of horticultural work. Planning horticultural projects and activities, including plant collections, installation, maintenance and displays. Modifying or adapting standard techniques, processes and procedures and promoting knowledge and understanding of plants. Assessing and applying strategies and plans to overcome significant practical gardening problems. Education In addition to meeting the specialized experience requirements, applicants must have the following: Degree: Horticulture; or a related discipline of basic plant science that included at least 30 semester hours in the basic plant sciences, of which at least 16 semester hours were in horticultural subjects such as those dealing with the breeding, care, management, production, and post-harvest handling of horticultural crops. --OR-- Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in horticulture or a related discipline of basic plant science that included course work as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Courses in botany, plant physiology, plant taxonomy, plant pathology, genetics, agronomy, horticulture, and similar courses may be used to meet the 30-semester-hour requirement in basic plant sciences. The 16-semester-hour requirement in horticulture includes course work in basic horticulture and course work related to any of the recognized subject-matter fields of horticulture, i.e., fruits, vegetables, ornamentals, nursery work, seed production, or course work in related areas of science, such as micro-biology, entomology, plant pathology, plant physiology, or genetics that is directly related to horticultural work. Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Education completed outside of the United States must be deemed equivalent to that gained in conventional/accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment. Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part of foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing if selected. Additional Information Welcome Veterans. The Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) gives veterans' preference rights in the legislative branch to certain veterans as applied by the Congressional Accountability Act. Veterans' preference is applied on this vacancy announcement. If you are a veteran and have been separated under honorable conditions, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility; SF-15, if applicable; and Department of Veterans Affairs documentation of disability, if applicable. For more information, please visit OPM vet guide If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System. If you are exempt from registration under Selective Service Law, you must provide appropriate proof of exemption. Please visit the Selective Service System website for more information. DRUG TESTING: The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is a Drug Free Workplace. As part of the AOC’s suitability assessment, a candidate tentatively selected for a position is required to submit to screening for illegal drug use. Satisfactory completion of a drug test is a condition of employment with the Agency. A candidate must test negative prior to being eligible for appointment into a position. We will schedule, provide, and cover the cost for the drug test. The selectee(s) under the vacancy announcement for this position is subject to a criminal record check by the U.S. Capitol Police and satisfactory adjudication to be eligible for employment at the Architect of the Capitol. The Architect of the Capitol is an E-VERIFY Participant. E-VERIFY is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee's Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment authorization in the United States. If you are selected for this position, the documentation that you present for purposes of completing the DHS Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-VERIFY" electronic system. For more information on E-Verify, please visit http://www.dhs.gov/files/programs/gc_1185221678150.shtm The Architect of the Capitol is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, genetic information and/or disability. This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis. Moving expenses are not authorized. Relocation expenses are not authorized. Probationary Period- Selectee(s) is subject to the completion of a one-year trial/probationary period, regardless of whether or not a trial/probationary period has been completed previously with the Architect of the Capitol or another Federal agency. This vacancy announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies in any of the jurisdictions of the Architect of the Capitol. All application materials become the property of the Architect of the Capitol.