Duties

Summary

This position is located in the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office Justice Programs (OJP), Office for Civil Rights (OCR). The OCR ensures that recipients of financial assistance from OJP and its components comply with federal laws that prohibit discrimination in both employment and the delivery of services or benefits based on race, color, national origin, sex, religion, disability, and age.
Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

This position serves as a Deputy Director and has responsibility for the development, coordination and evaluation of programs to ensure that recipients of Federal financial assistance from OJP comply with applicable civil rights laws, regulations, guidelines, and Executive orders.

Serves as Agency Liaison for Legal Issues Regarding Civil Rights Law
Serves as an OCR primary point of contact for complainants and external agencies and participates in workgroup or intra/inter agency meetings or public forums related to complaint investigations or strategic initiatives. Addresses civil rights cases or legal problems that have the effect of substantially broadening or restricting the activities of an agency. Is responsible for recognizing when matters under discussion are of such precedent-setting nature or of such importance that recommendations must be cleared with superiors before being made public.

Confers or negotiates with top administrative personnel in DOJ OJP, private industry, or state, local, or foreign governments on important legal and policy questions pertaining to civil rights law. Advises and assists congressional committees and their staffs in drafting legislation, or gives expert testimony before congressional hearings on legislative proposals pertaining to civil rights matters. Delivers briefings and presentations affiliated with civil rights law at seminars and other outreach programs for the agency. Facilitates meetings and post-meeting question and answer sessions on civil rights matters. In the course of regular business, the incumbent establishes and maintains effective working relationships with recipients of federal financial assistance, State governments, law enforcement organizations, and important stakeholders.

Prepares Legal Reports and Opinions on Civil Rights Matters
Create reports on OCR's program performance based on formal, organically created measures. Provides information briefings to the OCR Director, the OJP Assistant Attorney General, and DOJ senior management on OCR performance and cases. Ensures effective communication with OJP senior leadership to ensure urgent and compelling matters are addressed and appropriately elevated as needed. Independently conducts investigations or negotiations, plans an approach, and develops completed decisions, reports, briefs, opinions, contracts, or other products affiliated with difficult civil rights issues affecting a significant segment of public interest.

Supervisory and/or Managerial Responsibilities
Supervises a group of employees performing work at the GS-15 level and below. Provides administrative and technical supervision necessary for accomplishing the work of the unit. Provides technical expertise to the OCR employees and assigned staff, and directly oversees a number of OCR personnel. Provides training for OCR staff to ensure standard practices support the overall success of the OCR. Communicates program and management goals to OCR staff, identifies targeted results/outcomes, and advises on the establishment of timeframes. Allocates and adjusts resources in response to workload and priority changes and plans, organizes, and assigns OCR work. Ensures OCR compliance with DOJ's policies, including OJP Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) program. Implements policy set by the OCR Director and assists the OCR Director in applying the policies consistently in the OCR. Reviews processes and practices for efficiency and utility, implementing improvements in a continuous improvement process.

Performs the administrative and human resource management functions relative to the staff supervised. Establishes guidelines and performance expectations for staff members, which are clearly communicated through the formal employee performance management system. Observes workers' performance; demonstrates and conducts work performance critiques. Provides informal feedback and periodically evaluates employee performance. Resolves informal complaints and grievances. Develops work improvement plans, recommending personnel actions as necessary. Provides advice and counsel to workers related to work and administrative matters. Effects disciplinary measures as appropriate to the authority delegated in this area. Reviews and approves or disapproves leave requests. Assures that subordinates are trained and fully comply with the provisions of the safety regulations.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position up to 20% of the time.

Supervisory status
Yes

Promotion Potential
15

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Subject to background/suitability investigation/determination.
• Federal payments are required to be made by Direct Deposit.
• Requires registration for the Selective Service. Visit www.sss.gov.
• Pre-employment drug testing required.
• This appointment is subject to completion of a 2-year trial period.
• This position requires active bar membership (any jurisdiction) in good standing.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications
Applicants must:

Possess a J.D. or LL.B. degree from an accredited law school,

Be an active member of the bar in good standing (any jurisdiction), AND

Have a minimum of 4 years of post J.D./LL/B legal experience which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Civil Rights experience is preferred, but not required.

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

Applicants must possess a J.D. or LL.B. degree.

Additional information

• This position may be eligible for part-time telework, per agency policy.
• OJP offers opportunities for flexible work schedules.
• This vacancy announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
• Please do not indicate current or former position salary in your application or resume.

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 eligibilities and qualifications listed on the announcement. If you are found to be basically qualified for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your resume and application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Not Required

Drug test required
Yes

Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk

Trust determination process
Suitability/Fitness

Required Documents

REMINDER: ALL DOCUMENTS MUST BE RECEIVED BY 11:59 Eastern Time (Washington, D.C. time) ON 01/19/2021 .

Required Documents

Cover Letter,

Resume,

Responses to the online questions,

Writing Sample (5-10 pages),

Unofficial law school transcripts (degree conferred must be reflected; official transcripts will be required if selected).

Proof of bar membership in good standing (any U.S. jurisdiction),

Veterans' Preference Documentation (if applicable; see below for more information).

Note: Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Veterans Preference There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service- connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that his or her retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that he/she was transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more).

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.

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.