Deputy Director for Conscience and Religious Freedom

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

7d

About The Position

The Deputy Director for Conscience and Religious Freedom is a senior executive and principal advisor to the Director of the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) on conscience and religious freedom matters. The role provides national leadership, direction, and execution of OCR’s conscience and religious freedom program, ensuring lawful and consistent implementation of federal statutes, regulations, and Departmental policies in HHS-conducted or HHS-funded programs and activities.

The Deputy Director leads program enforcement, policy and regulatory development, implementation, and performance. The position oversees priority enforcement initiatives, investigations, compliance reviews, and complaint resolution, and translates leadership priorities into operational plans and guidance for OCR headquarters and field offices. It also leads outreach, public education, technical assistance, and staff training efforts, and develops tools, templates, and guidance to promote consistent and effective program execution.

The incumbent ensures legal sufficiency and consistency in program activities, advises senior leadership on complex and sensitive matters and related risks, and directs operations to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability. The role collaborates with other OCR Deputy Directors and organizational leaders, including on case backlog resolution, performance outcomes, and the development and use of data systems, analytical tools, and metrics to assess program effectiveness and inform decisions.

Requirements

• Demonstrated executive-level knowledge and experience developing and administering federal conscience and religious freedom laws, regulations, policies, and programs in a complex, high-visibility national environment.
• Demonstrated executive-level knowledge and experience in investigative, compliance, and enforcement methodologies to evaluate complex cases, determine legal compliance, and guide corrective actions.
• Demonstrated executive-level experience building strategic partnerships and leading collaboration across organizational and governmental boundaries.
• Experience advising senior executives on complex and sensitive issues and influencing policy and program decisions.
• Experience representing an organization in high-level interagency and external engagements and fostering productive stakeholder relationships.
• Demonstrated evidence of the five Executive Core Qualifications: commitment to the rule of law and principles of the American founding; driving efficiency; merit and competence; leading people; and achieving results.
• Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Must meet qualification requirements by the announcement closing date.
• Must complete a Declaration for Federal Employment when requested.
• Must obtain and maintain the required interim and/or final security clearance before entering on duty.
• Must complete a one-year SES probationary period unless already completed.
• Executive qualifications must be approved by OPM before appointment; applicants without OPM QRB certification must complete a structured ECQ interview with OPM before appointment.
• Must file a Public Financial Disclosure Report, OGE-278e, before assuming the SES appointment and annually thereafter.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must certify Selective Service registration or exemption.
• Resume must not exceed two pages and must demonstrate relevant qualifications.

Nice To Haves

• Prior experience with HHS programs is preferred.
• Prior supervisory experience is required.

Responsibilities

• Provide national leadership, direction, and execution of OCR’s conscience and religious freedom program.
• Advise the OCR Director on complex and sensitive conscience and religious freedom enforcement and policy matters.
• Lead priority enforcement initiatives, including high-impact investigations and compliance reviews.
• Ensure timely resolution of assigned conscience and religious freedom complaints in accordance with performance metrics and compliance standards.
• Translate enforcement and policy priorities into operational plans, program guidance, and performance expectations for OCR headquarters and field offices.
• Lead outreach, public education, and technical assistance efforts to promote awareness of and compliance with applicable laws and policies.
• Develop program-specific tools, model templates, and guidance for enforcement, policy, and outreach activities.
• Identify and design training and technical guidance for OCR staff.
• Collaborate with other OCR Deputy Directors to coordinate overlapping work and integrate program activities with broader OCR operations.
• Ensure consistent and legally sound implementation of federal conscience and religious freedom statutes, regulations, and policies.
• Oversee development and execution of regulations, sub-regulatory guidance, and policy interpretations.
• Advise senior leadership on risks from inconsistent interpretation or application of federal laws and implement mitigation strategies.
• Direct program operations to support efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability.
• Collaborate with the Deputy Director of Enforcement on strategies to improve timely resolution of civil rights case backlogs and meet conscience and religious freedom performance outcomes.
• Oversee development and use of data systems, analytical tools, and performance metrics to identify trends, assess effectiveness, and improve processes.
• Ensure program data integrity and maintenance for reporting and decision-making.
• Collaborate with organizational leaders responsible for operations, resources, and performance management to improve collection, analysis, and use of program data.

Benefits

• Comprehensive federal employee benefits package for employees and their families.
• Potential eligibility for performance bonuses and performance-based pay adjustments.
• Opportunity to volunteer for temporary Federal Civilian Detailee assignments supporting humanitarian emergencies or Departmental priorities.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive
• Education Level: No Education Listed