Deputy Director for Civil Rights

Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Services•Washington, DC

16h

About The Position

This position serves as Deputy Director for Civil Rights within HHS's Office for Civil Rights (OCR). The role is responsible for supporting OCR's mission to prevent unlawful discrimination, protect conscience and religious freedom rights, and safeguard protected health information. The Deputy Director serves as a senior executive and principal advisor to the OCR Director on all matters related to civil rights, providing national leadership, direction, and execution of OCR's civil rights program. The incumbent ensures the consistent, lawful, and effective implementation of Federal civil rights statutes and regulations prohibiting discrimination across HHS programs. This is a senior executive leadership role focused on enforcement, policy development, program performance, and strategic operational planning.

Requirements

U.S. Citizenship
Subject to a 1-year SES probationary period
Executive qualifications must be approved by OPM before appointment
Must complete a structured ECQ interview with OPM if not already certified
Must complete a Declaration for Federal Employment
Male applicants born after December 31, 1959 must certify Selective Service registration
Must file a Public Financial Disclosure Report (OGE-278e)
Must obtain and maintain a security clearance
Prior supervisory experience
Must possess Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and Technical Qualifications (TQs) demonstrated within a 2-page resume

Nice To Haves

Prior experience with HHS programs

Responsibilities

Provides executive leadership for OCR's national civil rights program, with accountability for achieving measurable outcomes in enforcement, policy and regulatory development, and implementation, and program performance.
Leads priority enforcement initiatives within the civil rights program, including coordination of high-impact investigations and compliance reviews.
Ensures timely resolution of assigned civil rights complaints to Civil Rights Division staff consistent with performance metrics and compliance standards.
Directs and oversees efforts to identify, investigate, and address systemic discrimination through coordinated enforcement, compliance reviews, and policy interventions.
Implements enforcement and policy priorities established by the Secretary and OCR Director, translating strategic direction into operational plans, program guidance, and performance expectations.
Ensures the consistent and legally sound implementation of Federal civil rights statutes, regulations, and policies.
Ensures that enforcement actions and compliance activities effectively remedy violations and promote accountability.
Oversees the development and execution of regulations, sub-regulatory guidance, and policy interpretations.
Directs program operations to ensure efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability.
Collaborates with the Deputy Director of Enforcement on strategies for improving timely resolution of civil rights complaints, reducing backlogs, and meeting performance outcomes.
Oversees the development and use of data systems, analytical tools, and performance metrics to identify national trends and assess program effectiveness.
Ensures the integrity and maintenance of program data to support reporting requirements and inform decision-making.
Collaborates with organizational leadership responsible for operations, resources, and performance management to ensure effective use of data.
Serves as a recognized subject matter expert in Federal civil rights laws and policy.