Executive Leadership in Public Service: Becoming the Air Force Executive Director of Manpower

Are you a senior administrator with a proven track record of steering complex organizational personnel structures? Do you possess the strategic foresight required to advise high-level military leadership on civilian workforce matters? The Department of the Air Force has announced an exceptional executive opening for the Executive Director of Manpower, Personnel, and Services at the Air Combat Command (ACC) located in Langley Air Force Base, Virginia.

This position is graded at the GS-15 level, offering a salary range of $150,144 to $195,190 per year. Acting as an Excepted Service, career-track leader, the selected individual will hold immense influence over the operational planning, policy generation, and management of the command's workforce strategies.

Let’s dive deep into what this elite role entails, the organizational structure of the agency, critical job duties, specialized qualifications, and key strategies for crafting a successful federal application.

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About the Agency: The Air Combat Command (ACC)

The Air Combat Command is one of the premier Major Commands (MAJCOMs) within the United States Air Force. Headquartered at Joint Base Langley-Eustis (Langley AFB) in Hampton, Virginia, ACC's overarching mission is to organize, train, equip, and maintain combat-ready forces for rapid deployment and employment while ensuring strategic air defense is maintained for peacetime and wartime operations.

To achieve this global vigilance, reach, and power, the Department of the Air Force focuses heavily on developing its civilian and military Airmen. The organizational culture is built around core values: integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all things. As the Executive Director, you will help shape the civilian personnel pipeline that makes this high-octane mission possible, ensuring that civilian teams are fully integrated, supported, and aligned with warfighting operations.

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Job Responsibilities of the Executive Director

As the Executive Director of Manpower, Personnel, and Services, you will work hand-in-hand with the Director to orchestrate all major activities of the directorate. You will sit at the crossroads of operational management and senior leadership advising.

Key responsibilities include:

• Command Advisement: Serving as the primary professional advisor to the MAJCOM Commander on all matters relating to civilian personnel systems, workforce development, and service policies.
• Supervisory Human Resources Management: Directly and indirectly leading a large, multi-disciplinary workforce through subordinate supervisors. You will be responsible for mentoring staff, setting performance expectations, and appraising career progress.
• Strategic Policy Formulation: Authoring, interpreting, and applying command-wide goals, operational plans, and policies regarding civilian and military manpower integration.
• Agency Representation: Acting as the lead advocate and representative for the Manpower, Personnel, and Services Directorate when interfacing with installation commanders, functional area agencies, and external government organizations.
• Special Assignments: Directing and participating in high-visibility command-level projects, joint-service initiatives, and organizational restructuring studies.

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Qualification Requirements & Time-In-Grade Standards

This executive role operates at the GS-15 grade level, which requires candidates to prove exceptional competence. To qualify, you must possess at least one year of specialized experience at the GS-14 level (or equivalent in other public or private pay systems).

Specialized Experience Criteria

Your resume must demonstrate deep experience across the following four core performance areas:

1. Managing comprehensive manpower, personnel, and services operations, showing a solid command of the theories, policies, and practices governing subordinate specialist organizations.
2. Expert-level familiarity with civilian personnel management, Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policies, and federal safety and security regulations.
3. Directing complex organizational goals and evaluating workforce output through intermediate subordinate supervisors.
4. Analyzing and adapting large-scale workflow segments to align with evolving program objectives while remaining strictly within budgetary limits.

Candidate Qualification Groups

Applications are evaluated under a structured Cut Point procedure, grouping candidates into distinct levels of qualification:

Qualification Group	Required Level of Competency	Experience / Assessment Alignment
Best Qualified	Exceptional skills and experience well above the minimum standard	Resume explicitly highlights deep, complex leadership exceeding GS-14 level.
Fully Qualified	Good skills and operational experience above the minimum standard	Clear progression and accomplishment matching GS-14 requirements.
Basically Qualified	Meets the bare minimum experience and education requirements	Matches basic technical requirements but lacks extensive leadership depth.

Note: Current federal employees must meet the 52-week Time-in-Grade (TIG) requirement at the GS-14 level to be eligible for GS-15 consideration.

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Salary & Federal Benefits

This position offers competitive executive-level compensation ranging from $150,144 to $195,190 annually. Alongside base pay, the Department of the Air Force provides a comprehensive federal benefits package designed to support career development and personal well-being:

• Retirement Security: Coverage under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) pension scheme and the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) featuring up to 5% agency matching.
• Health and Wellness: Access to top-tier Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB), Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP), and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs).
• Work-Life Balance: Formal telework agreements depending on operational criteria, plus generous annual leave, sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Relocation Support: Relocation expenses may be authorized for highly qualified candidates, facilitating a smooth transition to Langley AFB.

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Five Crucial Application Tips for Success

Applying for a GS-15 executive-level position requires meticulous attention to detail. Simple administrative errors can result in immediate disqualification. Follow these crucial tips to ensure your package stands out:

1. Obey the Two-Page Limit: Your resume must not exceed two pages in length, and the font size must be 10-point or larger. Resumes exceeding this length will be excluded from review entirely.
2. Specify Hours and Dates: For every role listed on your resume, you must include the exact start/end dates (MM/YYYY) and the exact number of hours worked per week. Omitting this data leads to a determination of 'insufficient information'.
3. Detail Your Supervisory Scope: Clearly outline your experience managing programs through subordinate supervisors. State the size of the teams you managed and the budgets you administered.
4. Align Resume with the Questionnaire: Ensure that your resume directly provides evidence for every response you select on the online occupational questionnaire.
5. Provide Verifiable SF-50s: If you are a current or former federal employee, upload a legible SF-50 that verifies your competitive status (Block 24 should display '1' or '2', and Block 34 should display '1').

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Is this position open to the general public?

This position is open to various hiring paths, including competitive service employees, excepted service employees, military spouses, veterans (VEOA eligibility), and family members of overseas employees. Review the full USAJobs announcement to verify your specific eligibility path.

2. Where is the physical duty station for this job?

The physical duty station is located at Langley Air Force Base (Joint Base Langley-Eustis) in Hampton, Virginia, which is situated in the scenic coastal Hampton Roads region.

3. Is a security clearance required?

Yes. Because of the critical nature of command operations, the selected candidate must obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance and undergo random drug testing.

4. What is the deadline to submit an application?

All application materials, including the online questionnaire and supporting documents, must be submitted by September 8, 2026, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time.

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The role of Executive Director of Manpower, Personnel, and Services at the Air Combat Command represents a pinnacle career milestone for federal personnel leaders. By overseeing vital workforce structures and serving as a trusted advisor to senior military commanders, you will directly influence the operational readiness of the Department of the Air Force. Ensure your application is robust, strictly adheres to the two-page layout, and highlights your strategic executive capabilities. Take the next step in your public service career and apply before the September 8, 2026, deadline.