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Assistant General Counsel (General Attorney)

Employer
USAJobs
Location
Arlington, Virginia
Closing date
Jul 25, 2019
Duties

Summary

Wonderful opportunity for attorney with excellent writing and interpersonal skills and a keen analytical ability to work in a small federal agency. The incumbent of this position serves as an Assistant General Counsel for the Committee for Purchase from People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled, with emphasis on the agency's regulatory program. The incumbent also serves as the Alternate DAEO.
Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

As an Assistant General Counsel, the incumbent performs specialized and complex legal tasks and assignments involving the review and research of questions and issues arising from the implementation of the Javits-Wagner-O-Day (JWOD) Act (41 U.S.C. Chapter 85), which requires a high order of original and creative legal endeavor in order to obtain a reasonable balance of conflicting public and private interest. Legislative drafting and review of proposed legislation impacting the AbilityOne Program by competing procurement priorities among the various preferred procurement sources. Legal review and research duties and responsibilities carried out by the incumbent are of significant importance to the operations and program objectives of the Committee and are typified by the following examples:
  • Prepares legal opinions and reports analyzing questions and issues concerning Committee actions and related regulations, policies and procedures which provide the precedents and bases for legal conclusions and recommendations. Presents findings to Executive staff and members of the Committee; orally and in writing as dictated by the circumstances or the assignment.
  • Prepares and presents the Committee's Semi-annual Regulatory Agenda and drafts proposed rules and regulations relating to Committee responsibilities and operations; serves as the Committee staff focal point and expert on rulemaking matters.
  • Reviews Committee policies, procedures, regulations, technical manuals, and other agency publications to ensure conformance to legal requirements of governing legislation and other pertinent legal criteria and proposes new and revised policies and procedures directed toward improving the Committee's legal position.
Prepares and/or presents the Committee's legal position in an administrative hearing, before a court of original jurisdiction or Appellate court. In cases involving the Department of Justice (DOJ), incumbent assists and gives technical guidance to DOJ attorneys in preparation of the Committee's position and at trial. Advises the Committee on contracting methods and individual contracts. Provides legal advice and assistance in the formulation and administration of contracts and related matters, including contract drafting.Prepares written and oral presentations of the results of such research, including its legal ramifications.Prepares and recommends draft decisions on Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for the Committee's FOIA Officer and makes legal determinations regarding requests under the FOIA. Advises Committee staff on Privacy Act matters to ensure that policies, systems, and procedures are in compliance with all applicable statutes and regulations.Additional responsibilities include other matters as assigned by the General Counsel.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
14

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship Required.
  • May be required to complete background investigation and drug screening.
  • A one year trial/probationary period may be required.
  • Must provide resume and supporting documents (See required documents).
  • Time-in-Grade: Current or former Federal employees applying under merit promotion considerations must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements for consideration.
  • Current admission to the Bar and license to practice law within the US.


Qualifications

TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENTS: Merit promotion applicants must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements to be considered eligible. One year at the GS-13is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-14 level. (Must submit your SF-50 that shows Time-in-Grade eligibility and reflects your title, series, and grade. No award SF-50 will be accepted).

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
To be considered minimally qualified for this position, you must demonstrate that you have the required specialized experience and/or education for the respective grade level in which you are applying:

Have at least 5 years of progressively responsible professional experience working as a practicing attorney, including at least one year comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-13 level which involved a mastery of complex administrative law. This experience must include activities such as: (1) Initiating proposals suggesting new and revised policies and procedures directed toward improving legal positions; (2) Preparing presentations on the results of such research, including its legal ramifications; (3) Researching questions and issues arising from the implementation of the Javits-Wagner O'Day Act; (4) Giving technical guidance to Department of Justice attorneys in preparation for trial; and (5) Preparing draft decisions on Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for higher management.

Quality Ranking Factor: In addition to the Basic Requirements and the Minimum Qualifications, the agency identified the following competencies as important indicators for success on the job (This is not a screen out element. Applicants who possess one or more of the following will receive a small bonus on this assessment.). Must be demonstrated in your resume.

Have the knowledge and experience with Federal administrative law, Federal procurement law, and Federal Acquisition Regulation.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).

For more information on the qualifications for this position, click here .

Education

Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.htm

In addition, when reviewing applicant's transcripts, assumptions will not be made. Applicants MUST state which coursework is relevant.

Additional information

This position is open to Competitive Merit Promotion, Non-Competitive, and Special Hiring Authority eligibles. You must meet the requirements for one of the following categories to be eligible.

1. A current permanent competitive service employee; former Federal employee who achieved career status in the competitive service; or former Federal employee who served on a career conditional appointment without achieving career status in the competitive service who was separated less than three years ago. This includes applicants who have not previously held, or currently hold this position and grade with the same promotion potential as announced for this announcement. You must submit an SF-50 that shows competitive service eligibility to be considered.

2. A Veteran applying under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA), must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing an honorable discharge to be considered. To be eligible, a veteran must be honorably separated and either a preference eligible or have substantially completed 3 or more years of active service. NOTE: Current employees applying under VEOA must submit a qualifying SF-50 to show they meet time-in-grade requirements.

3. A 30% or more Disabled Veteran. You must submit your DD214, a completed SF-15, and letter from the VA dated 1991 or later to be considered.

4. Military spouses are eligible if their active duty military spouse: 1) receives a Permanent Change of Station move; 2) has a 100% disability rating; or 3) died while on active duty. Please submit supporting documentation.

5. Schedule A: Documentation of eligibility under Schedule A can be obtained from a licensed medical professional; a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist (i.e. state or private); or any Federal agency, state agency, or agency of the District of Columbia or a U.S. Territory that issues or provides disability benefits. This letter must be separate from any Veterans Preference documentation.

6. A Former Peace Corps or VISTA Volunteers Appointment. Please submit documentation to be considered.

7. Veterans eligible for a Veterans' Recruitment Appointment (VRA). You must submit a copy of your DD-214. NOTE: VRA only applies to positions at the GS-11 level and below.

8. Other non-competitive authorities (please see announcement language for applicable authorities)

9. A current or former Land Management Bureau employee who has served at least 24 months under a time-limited competitive appointment who is eligible for appointment under the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act

Active Duty Service Members-- You must submit a statement of discharge/certification of release or an official written document from the armed forces that certifies you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions no later than 120 days from the date the certification is signed. Enlisted Record Briefs and military identification do NOT qualify as official documentation.

Note: Multiple selections may be made from this announcement. Salaries listed above are an approximation and are subject to duty station locality adjustment.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application .

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed on this announcement. If you are basically qualified for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the online assessment questionnaire. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job. If you are found to be among the top candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration. All applicants' qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, and other characteristics):

  • Legal, Government and Jurisprudence
  • Quality Ranking Factors
  • Reasoning


Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and have a final assessment score of 85 or better. You must provide proof of eligibility with your application. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form. Additional information about ICTAP eligibility is at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/#ictap

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your CTAP eligibility, 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement, and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and have a final assessment score of 85 or better. You must provide a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility with your application. Additional information about CTAP eligibility is at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/#ctap

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Other

Drug test required
No

Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Trust determination process
Credentialing

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

1. Your Resume
2. A complete Assessment Questionnaire
3. Other supporting documents:
  • Veterans Preference Documentation, if applicable
  • College transcript(s), if qualifying based on education, if applicable
  • SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applying as a status candidate with current or former Federal service)
  • Certifications as required under the Qualifications section
  • Any other supporting documentation required for verification as described in the announcement.
NOTE: For those applying under merit promotion procedures, you must provide a copy of your SF-50, "Notice of Personnel Action" that indicates proof of status and time-in-grade eligibility. The SF-50 must include your position, title, series, grade, step, tenure, type of service (Competitive or Excepted) and career status (career or career-conditional). No award SF-50 will be accepted.

Veterans Preference
If you are a veteran and you are claiming veteran's preference, you must submit a DD-214, Certificate of Release from Active Duty, which shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions. For competitive service positions, active duty service members expecting to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions within 120 days: you may be granted tentative preference by submitting a "certification" document in lieu of a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214. This "certification" is any written document from the armed forces that certifies the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty service under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date of the submission of the certification. Veteran's preference must be verified prior to appointment. Without this documentation, you will not receive veteran's preference and your application will be evaluated based on the material(s) submitted. If you are claiming 10-point veteran's preference based on service-connected disability, in addition to the DD-214 or certification requirements, you must also submit an SF-15, "Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference, plus the proof of entitlement of this preference from the Department of Veterans Affairs certifying to the present existence of the service-connected disability and indicating the percentage of your disability. For more information on veterans' preference see http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/get-service-records.html For more information on Veteran Authorities, consult the Vet Guide at: http://www.opm.gov/employ/veterans/html/vetguide.asp

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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