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Ascension is seeking an accomplished Lead Executive Coach / Coaching Practice Lead to support a Department-wide executive coaching program serving Senior Executive Service (SES) members and other designated senior leaders throughout the U.S. Department of Transportation and its Operating Administrations.

The ideal candidate is an experienced executive coach who combines exceptional coaching capability with the maturity, judgment, discretion, and executive presence required to work effectively with senior Federal leaders addressing complex organizational, leadership, workforce, and mission challenges.

This individual will serve as one of Ascension’s most senior coaching resources and will help establish a consistently high standard of coaching delivery across the program. The position supports individual executive coaching, executive-team coaching, leadership assessments, development planning, coach-client matching, coaching quality assurance, leadership-development resources, and the sustainability of coaching outcomes.

Ascension is particularly interested in candidates who have coached Federal executives, Senior Executive Service members, senior civilian leaders, executives operating in complex matrixed organizations, or equivalent C-suite/senior leadership populations.

The successful candidate should be comfortable operating independently in a confidential environment while also collaborating with Ascension’s Program Manager, program operations staff, other credentialed coaches, and DOT stakeholders.

This position is best suited for an experienced coach who is:

• Executive-level in professional presence and communication.
• Highly trustworthy and capable of maintaining strict confidentiality.
• Self-directed and comfortable operating with limited supervision.
• Skilled at navigating ambiguity, organizational complexity, leadership transitions, and sensitive executive issues.
• Adept at asking challenging questions while maintaining constructive, trusted coaching relationships.
• Experienced in translating leadership assessments and observations into practical development priorities.
• Capable of coaching both individual executives and leadership teams.
• Organized enough to manage multiple engagements, schedules, development objectives, and coaching commitments simultaneously.
• Comfortable using digital coaching platforms and virtual collaboration technologies.
• Committed to the International Coaching Federation’s ethical principles and professional coaching standards.

Summary of the Contractor Role

The Lead Executive Coach / Coaching Practice Lead will provide confidential executive and team coaching designed to strengthen leadership effectiveness, strategic thinking, executive presence, communication, decision-making, collaboration, stakeholder engagement, organizational change leadership, and accountability.

The Coach will conduct initial intake discussions, establish coaching objectives, review available leadership assessment information, administer or interpret appropriate leadership assessments when qualified to do so, develop individualized coaching priorities, conduct executive coaching sessions, and help leaders translate coaching insights into sustainable workplace behaviors and leadership practices.

The position will also support the coach-client matching process by helping determine alignment among client developmental needs, coach expertise, leadership experience, availability, and engagement objectives.

For team engagements, the Lead Executive Coach will work with executive leadership teams and designated groups to strengthen team effectiveness, leadership alignment, communication, collaboration, decision-making, conflict resolution, shared accountability, and execution of organizational priorities.

As a senior member of Ascension’s coaching practice, this individual may also provide professional guidance to other coaches, contribute to coaching quality assurance, support difficult or complex executive engagements, help resolve coach-client fit concerns, and assist Ascension in maintaining a scalable and responsive coaching network capable of serving DOT’s multiple Operating Administrations.

The Coach must maintain the separation and confidentiality expected of a professional coaching relationship while providing Ascension with the limited programmatic information necessary for engagement administration, utilization reporting, scheduling, and contract performance management.

Primary Day-to-Day and Engagement Activities

• DELIVER confidential one-on-one executive coaching sessions for Senior Executive Service members and other designated senior leaders.
• CONDUCT initial coaching intake sessions to establish the coaching relationship, clarify expectations, understand the client’s leadership environment, and identify developmental objectives.
• ESTABLISH measurable coaching objectives and appropriate action steps in collaboration with each executive client.
• REVIEW available Executive Development Plans, leadership assessments, performance-related information, and other participant-provided developmental materials when authorized.
• ADMINISTER approved leadership assessments and 360-degree feedback instruments for which the Coach possesses the required training, qualification, or certification.
• INTERPRET leadership assessment results and translate findings into practical coaching priorities and individualized development activities.
• DEBRIEF assessment results with participants in a manner that strengthens self-awareness and facilitates meaningful leadership development.
• DEVELOP individualized coaching plans aligned with participant goals, assessment findings, leadership responsibilities, and organizational needs.
• FACILITATE 60-minute individual executive coaching sessions at the frequency established under the applicable BPA call/order.
• COACH executives on strategic thinking, executive presence, communication, interpersonal effectiveness, decision-making, problem-solving, emotional intelligence, change management, adaptability, collaboration, employee engagement, accountability, conflict resolution, and other leadership-development priorities.
• DELIVER team coaching engagements for executive leadership teams and designated groups.
• FACILITATE leadership alignment, team effectiveness, collaboration, communication, shared-goal development, decision-making, and conflict-resolution sessions.
• ASSESS executive-team dynamics and identify barriers affecting collaboration, alignment, trust, accountability, and organizational performance.
• GUIDE participants in converting coaching observations and insights into practical actions they can implement within their organizations.
• SUPPORT executives in developing strategies and action plans that sustain leadership improvements beyond the formal coaching engagement.
• RECOMMEND relevant leadership-development articles, tools, assessments, exercises, resources, and developmental activities based on individual client needs.
• PROVIDE appropriate between-session guidance and developmental support when necessary to reinforce learning and maintain progress.
• ADVISE Ascension’s Program Manager regarding coach-client alignment while protecting confidential coaching discussions and participant information.
• SUPPORT coach-client matching by evaluating executive needs against coach expertise, Federal experience, leadership background, assessment credentials, and availability.
• FACILITATE reassignment or transition of coaching clients when a different coach-client match is requested or determined to be more appropriate.
• MENTOR or provide professional guidance to other coaches when requested as part of Ascension’s coaching quality-management approach.
• PROMOTE consistency in coaching methodology, professional standards, ethical practices, and client experience across the coaching team.
• IDENTIFY emerging engagement risks, participation barriers, scheduling issues, or service concerns without disclosing confidential coaching content.
• MAINTAIN accurate records of authorized coaching sessions, dates, durations, engagement status, and coaching hours necessary for program administration.
• COORDINATE schedules directly with coaching clients while meeting contractual timelines and program administration requirements.
• SUPPORT the preparation of aggregate program reporting by providing appropriate non-confidential engagement information to the Program Manager and program operations team.
• PROTECT coaching discussions, leadership assessment information, developmental information, and other sensitive participant data from unauthorized disclosure.
• APPLY International Coaching Federation ethical standards and professional coaching principles throughout every engagement.
• PARTICIPATE in program kickoff meetings, coach coordination meetings, quality reviews, or other program activities when required.
• MAINTAIN sufficient availability and responsiveness to support new coaching engagements, participant reassignments, and authorized surge requirements.