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Supervisory Attorney-Advisor (Deputy Director)

Employer
USAJobs
Location
Washington, D.C
Closing date
Jun 30, 2019
Duties

Summary

This position is located in the Chief Counsel Unit within the Division of Market Oversight (DMO), which provides legal and policy advice regarding all issues affecting Division policy and oversight of commodity futures, options on futures, and swaps markets, including cross-border issues.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

As the Deputy Director of the Chief Counsel Unit, you will lead all legal and policy issues on matters under the Division's jurisdiction, including cross-border matters. In this role you will lead, manage, and provide oversight to the Chief Counsel's Unit programs in direct support of the Division and Commission. You will develop short and long range plans, make binding decisions in any area of the Unit's activities, and carry out the administrative functions of the Unit.
  • Oversees all rulemaking for the Division, with the exception of swap data reporting rules. Oversees all Division guidance, interpretations, and no-action requests, with the exception of swap data reporting issues.
  • Works with the Division's other branches of staff economists and attorneys to synthesize their work with the necessary legal research and implementing vehicles, such as product jurisdictional issues. Leads or reviews substantial written work product from other branches of the Division. Pursues resolution of emerging issues in the markets that are covered by the mandate of the Division.
  • Provides legal and regulatory counsel to Commission officials, the Division Director and Division staff, regional officials, and other officials with regard to the interpretation of the Act, relevant statutes, regulations, judicial opinions, and administrative rulings. Provides unique interdisciplinary advice on legal and economic matters of concern to the Commission.
  • Serves as liaison to the Division of Enforcement with respect to reviewing investigations and settlements for consistency with Division policy. Serves as liaison to the Division of Clearing and Risk and Division of Swap Dealer and Intermediary Oversight with respect to policy initiatives for consistency with Division policy and reviews rules and other proposals of a legal and policy nature from these Divisions.
  • Provides expert authoritative opinions, testimony, and evidence on Division matters in connection with hearings and legal briefs required by the Division of Enforcement or the Office of General Counsel.
  • Utilizes current knowledge of the Act and Commission regulations and policies and monitors emerging developments in derivatives market structure, including trading and industry practices and to adapt the Division's and Unit's work products in response to such developments. For example, the incumbent will suggest enhancements to policy to account for such changes that promote fair, efficient, and vibrant markets and sound market structures.
  • Prepares comments on proposed legislation or regulations that affect the Division's area of responsibility and drafts proposed legislation or regulations as deemed appropriate. For example, analyzes proposed legislation related to oversight of regulated exchanges to identify the possible effects of such legislation upon the registration and compliance program, the markets in general, and the public. Explores and develops ideas, evaluates problems, and implements courses of action in areas, most of which are unprecedented or where precedent and past practice do not serve emerging needs.
  • Regularly interacts with members of the Commission's executive and senior management teams from various divisions and offices, representatives from other government agencies, and outside interest groups, which may require persuasive advocacy regarding issues under the Division's purview. Represents the Commission with respect to the Unit in communications with Congress, the public, industry groups, trading facilities, and other U.S., and non-U.S. government agencies. Prudently handles sensitive policy questions, and exercises tact, diplomacy, and superb judgment in dealing with the regulated industry, other agencies, market participants, members of Congress, and other interested parties.
  • Serves on advisory panels and international working groups with representation of other U.S. and foreign agencies and industry officials regarding the functions of the derivatives markets and emerging trends. Advises and provides technical assistance to foreign government officials and foreign exchanges concerning derivatives markets and the development of registration and compliance programs.
  • Supervises and manages the daily work product of a team of staff attorneys. Assigns work based on Division and Unit priorities and consideration of the difficulty of the work and the requirements and capabilities of employees. Establishes, tracks, and evaluates project goals and deadlines and ensures deadlines are being met. Keeps the Director of DMO actively apprised of progress towards meeting deadlines and any potential issues in this regard. Makes appropriate adjustments to project goals and evaluates the need for changes in organizational or project teams to improve operations and meet goals, objectives, and deadlines. Communicates performance standards and expectations to employees at the beginning of a project and when circumstances change.


Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
Yes

Promotion Potential
16

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship
  • Background/Security Investigation
  • Males born after 12-31-1959 must be registered for Selective Service
  • One Year Supervisory/Managerial Probationary Period May Be Required
  • Relevant Experience (see Qualifications section)


Bar Membership: Currently an active member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Applicants are responsible for citing minimum qualifications such as JD and Bar membership information (institution name, state for bar, and dates) on their respective resumes. Failure to supply details will result in an incomplete application.

Qualifications

CT-16: In addition to the Executive Core Qualifications and Technical Qualifications, applicants must have demonstrated a high level of relevant professional experience in the field of law, which would allow the incumbent to perform as a peer with partners in major law firms and their equivalent. Relevant experience is defined as an attorney, law clerk, or other legal experience which was obtained subsequent to graduation from law school.

While not required, the below professional qualifications are highly desirable:
  • Advanced post-graduate degree in the field of law.
  • In-depth knowledge of the Commodity Exchange Act and the Commission's regulations and policies relating to the derivatives market, particularly in areas of the Division's programs such as exchanges, market participant trading techniques, data reporting, product jurisdictional issues, and emerging market structure issues.
  • Ability to invent new techniques or creatively apply existing techniques or knowledge in order to solve problems posed by complexity, size, lack of existing literature, or unavailability of data.
  • Knowledge of derivatives clearing organizations, futures commission merchants, swap dealers, major swap participants, and large traders. Knowledge of economic theory, the operation of the futures, option, and swap markets and the economy in general, so as to assess and understand problems of critical importance to the Commission.


  • Education

    Must be a graduate of a law school accredited by the American Bar Association at the time of graduation and be a current member of a bar with a valid license to practice law in a state or territory of the United States.

    Additional information

    Relocation. Relocation expenses will not be paid.

    Trial Period. You will be subject to a two year trial period.

    Supervisory Probationary Period. You may be subject to a one year supervisory probationary period.

    EEO Policy Statement. The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, genetic information, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factor.

    Reasonable Accommodation. Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

    The law prohibits public officials from appointing, promoting, or recommending their relatives. The law prohibits requesting, making, transmitting, accepting, or considering political recommendations for employment or other personnel actions for non-political positions. This includes recommendations from Members of Congress, Congressional employees, elected state or local officials, and political party officials and any recommendation based on party affiliation.

    How You Will Be Evaluated

    You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

    This job is being filled under a Schedule A hiring authority 5 CFR 213.3102 and is excepted from the competitive civil service. You will be evaluated and deemed either eligible or ineligible based on the relevance and quality of your experience and education, bar membership, and on the desired qualifications described above. All eligible applicants will be further evaluated by subject-matter experts. You will be evaluated on the criteria outlined in the below Technical and Executive Core Qualifications. Failure to provide evidence when submitting your narrative statements that describes fully and concisely how your experience meets the competencies described in the Executive Core Qualifications and Mandatory Technical Qualifications will eliminate you from consideration.

    NOTE: MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS and EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS must be addressed separately in a supplemental narrative statement.

    MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS:
  • Ability to conduct in-depth legal research and analysis and write complex legal documents; significant experience developing research strategies for legal issues; and significant attention to detail. Experience with rulemaking or policy initiatives and outstanding writing skills.
  • Outstanding ability to communicate highly complex legal matters to a variety of internal and external audiences to advance CFTC and Division priorities. Outstanding ability to lead and motivate teams of legal and technical professionals to achieve desired goals. Demonstrate outstanding personal judgment, particularly when encountering novel, sensitive, or controversial matters. Outstanding ability to work with individuals from within and outside of the organization.
  • Knowledge of the Commodity Exchange Act and the Commission's regulations and policies relating to the derivatives market, administrative and court cases of precedential value, and the operations and practices of Commission registrants, as well as, knowledge of derivatives market structure. Experience in interpreting and providing advice on the Act and Commission regulations. Experience with administrative law and procedure.

  • MANDATORY EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS:

    1. Leading Change - The ability to bring about strategic change, both within and outside the organization, to meet organizational goals. Inherent is the ability to establish an organizational vision and to implement it in a continuously changing environment.

    2. Leading People - The ability to lead people toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals. Inherent is the ability to provide an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others, facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports constructive resolution of conflicts.

    3. Results Driven -The ability to meet organizational goals and customer expectations. Inherent is the ability to make decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks.

    4. Business Acumen - The ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically.

    5. Building Coalitions - The ability to build coalitions internally and with other Federal agencies, State and local governments, nonprofit and private sector organizations, foreign governments, or international organizations to achieve common goals.

    To preview questions please click here .

    Background checks and security clearance

    Security clearance
    Not Required

    Drug test required
    No

    Required Documents

    • Cover Letter
    • Resume
    • Responses to the Technical and Leadership Qualifications

    In addition to the required documents, a writing sample demonstrating analysis of complex legal issues is highly desired.

    If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

    Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

    Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

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