Attorney Adviser (DEIA)

Duties

The person selected for this opportunity will serve as the Senior Level (SL) Attorney-Adviser on internal Department Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) issues. This incumbent provides legal advice to the Department on a wide range of DEIA related issues, works closely with and supports the Secretary's Office of Diversity and Inclusion (S/ODI), on the Department's varied lines of effort developed to support Executive Branch initiatives, including Executive Order 14035, "Advancing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility in The Federal Workforce." Responsibilities of the Attorney Adviser (DEIA) include but are not limited to the following:

• Leads coordination and advises on legal policy on all DEIA matters. Primarily advises the Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer (CDIO) and S/ODI on DEIA-related legal matters and equities on behalf of the Office of the Legal Adviser, and coordinates legal research and analysis to prepare arguments, briefing materials, and analytical documents on areas of law pertinent to S/ODI's responsibility.
  
• Coordinates legal advice with her/his supervisor and the Assistant Legal Adviser for Employment Law (L/EMP) and provides legal services related to DEIA to Department principals and senior officers as well as other internal stakeholders of the client bureaus and offices;
  
• Represents the Office of the Legal Adviser and the Department at intra-departmental and interagency and international meetings and conferences, and maintains contacts with other agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Office of Personnel Management, and the White House Office of Management and Budget; and provides legal advice on inquiries from Congress and the press, as requested.
  
• Promotes DEIA policies and seeks to promote professional development through varied work assignments, continuing legal education, and executive and other training.
  

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.
• Incumbent will be subject to random drug testing.
• Requires a financial disclosure statement, OGE-278.
• Verification of employment eligibility in the United States is required.

This position is a drug-testing designated position subject to random testing for illegal drug use. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's completion and favorable adjudication of a background security investigation. The Ethics in Government Act, PL 95-521 requires the applicant selected for this position submit a financial disclosure statement, OGE-278, prior to assuming the SL position, annually, and upon termination of employment.

Qualifications

BASIC REQUIREMENT:

A. Must possess a J.D. or higher degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association and be licensed and authorized to practice law as an attorney under the laws of a state or territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Must be an active member of the bar and in good standing.

Note: All applicants WILL BE required to submit transcripts as verification of educational requirement by the closing date of this announcement. If you fail to provide requested information, or the information you submit is insufficient to verify your eligibility, you WILL lose consideration for this position.



IN ADDITION TO meeting the basic requirements listed above, applicant's must have:

• A minimum of 3 years of legal experience (ideally not less than five years) in practicing employment law and international law at the GS-15 level or equivalent
• substantial experience in employment law with a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion (preferred, but not required)
• strong oral and written advocacy skills
• superior legal research and analytical skills
• demonstrated ability to function with minimal guidance in a highly demanding environment

There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the SL position.

Applicants must also submit separate narrative statements covering the Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) listed below in order to receive consideration for the position. Your narrative responses to the MTQs should be clear and emphasize your level of responsibility, scope and complexity of programs managed, program accomplishments with results of your actions, policy initiatives, and level of contacts. Include in your responses all efforts/accomplishments related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) initiatives . Your narrative response is limited to two (2) pages per MTQ.

For this position, applicants' experience and resume should explicitly demonstrate the following:

• MTQ 1: Demonstrated experience providing sound legal advice and representation involving the application of international, foreign, and domestic law to legal, policy and management issues involving multiple stakeholders and the activities of large public or private organizations.
  
  
• MTQ 2: Demonstrated experience providing sound legal advice and representation through effective written and oral counsel and advocacy on legal, management and policy issues relating to large public or private organizations, including with respect to international organizations and the conduct of U.S. diplomacy.

MTQ narrative statements should include one or two notable examples (within last 10 years) using the Challenge-Context-Action-Result (CCAR) model:

• Challenge: Describe a specific problem or goal.
  
  
• Context: Talk about the individuals and groups you worked with, and/or the environment in which you worked, to tackle a particular challenge (e.g., clients, co-workers, members of Congress, shrinking budget, low morale).
  
  
• Action: Discuss the specific actions you took to address a challenge.
  
  
• Result: Give specific examples of the results of your actions. These accomplishments demonstrate the quality and effectiveness of your leadership skills.

Applicants must meet all the qualification requirements and submit any supporting documentation by the closing date of this announcement. Your application package must contain sufficient information to make a valid determination that you fully meet the basic/specialized experience requirements as stated in this job opportunity announcement for each grade level(s) for which you are applying.

Applicants who do not possess the MTQs described above will not receive consideration for this position.

Applicants who use "see resume" as a response to the MTQs will not receive consideration for the position.

Application packages that do not include MTQs will be marked "ineligible" and will not receive consideration for this position.

Education

See the qualifications section of this vacancy announcement for education requirements.

Additional information

SELECTIVE SERVICE - If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify at the time of appointment that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under Selective Service law.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION - This agency provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations at (202) 663-3474 or OAA@state.gov . The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis.

TELEWORK ELIGIBILITY - If eligible, telework agreements may be permitted with supervisory approval.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY - The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.

EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION PROGRAM (E-Verify) - U.S. law requires organizations to employ only individuals who may legally work in the United States - either U.S. citizens, or foreign citizens who have the necessary authorization. This agency utilizes E-Verify to compare information from the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration (SSA) records to confirm employment eligibility. If the employee's information does not match DHS and/or SSA records, the employee is given an opportunity to resolve the problem. If eligibility cannot be verified, employment will be terminated.