Duties

Summary

The incumbent manages both the litigative and administrative responsibilities required in his/her organizational/functional unit under the direction of the Deputy Assistant Attorney General. The National Courts section of the Commercial Litigation Branch (CLB) is responsible for litigation that includes contract and procurement actions; cases arising under money-mandating statutes; international trade and customs matters; veteran's appeals, and military and civilian personnel and pay claims.
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Responsibilities

The Branch Director supervises approximately 160 attorneys and support staff and is responsible for overseeing all operational aspects of the National Court Section. The Director's duties include:

• Assigning and distributing work among the personnel assigned to his/her organizational and functional area.
• Reviewing and approving attorney work product, including pleadings, briefs, and other papers filed with the courts, personally handling or overseeing those matters that are particularly significant legally or financially, and counseling attorneys concerning approaches and strategies to be followed in preparing for or presenting a case.
• Conferring with attorneys concerning all aspects of their performance and providing both official and informal appraisals.
• Analyzing and reviewing proposed and pending legislation which may affect the work of the unit or which is in any way related to its responsibilities.
• Maintaining close contact with the responsible officials of the principal agencies in which the cases handled by his/her staff originate in order to provide guidance and consultation on appropriate matters and issue.
• Providing advice and serving as a consultant to the Deputy Assistant Attorney General, the Assistant Attorney General and other officials within the DOJ and throughout the Executive Branch on matters concerning his/her areas of responsibility.
• Participating in the formulation and implementation of new policies or organizational changes having an impact on the Branch and the Division.
• Advising on significant cases and their impact/ramifications concerning National Courts' responsibilities, and those of the Branch and the Division.
• Making decisions involving the management of personnel, budget resources, and operational issues of concern to National Courts, and ensuring that personnel management activities (including the selection, development, assessment, and promotion of employees) are performed in accordance with the provisions of Merit Promotion and Equal Opportunity.

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
Yes

Promotion Potential
None

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• One year probationary period may be required.
• You must be a U.S. citizen to qualify for this position.
• Relocation expenses will not be paid.
• Veteran's preference is not applicable to the Senior Executive Service.
• Only experience obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.
• A negative drug test reading is required before you may be appointed to this position.
• You must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance with eligibility for Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) access depending on organizational assignment/duty location.
• You must successfully complete a background security investigation before you can be appointed to this position.
• Before entering on duty, you will be required to complete a Financial Disclosure Report, SF-278. This information must be reported annually.

Qualifications

Applicant must be a graduate from a full course of study in a School of Law accredited by the American Bar Association and be a member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

We recommend that your résumé emphasize your level of responsibilities, the scope and complexity of the litigation and commercial law programs managed, and your program accomplishments, including the results of your actions.

You will be evaluated to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications required of the position and on the extent your application demonstrates that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of the Branch Director, National Courts. Please be sure to give concrete examples of your experience and demonstrate the complexity of the knowledge you possess.

YOU WILL BE EVALUATED ON ALL OF THE FOLLOWING MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (MTQ): Your responses to the MTQs should be submitted in one document that includes separate narrative statements addressing each of the 3 Mandatory Technical Qualifications .

MTQ 1. Demonstrated expertise in federal litigation and multiple areas of commercial law.

MTQ 2. Demonstrated experience supervising attorneys and attorney work product.

MTQ 3. Demonstrated ability to communicate persuasively on behalf of the United States and one's organization.

IN ADDITION, YOU MUST CLEARLY DOCUMENT AND DEMONSTRATE THE FOLLOWING EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQ) EVIDENCE BY ADDRESSING EACH OF THE (5) ECQs IN A SEPARATE RESPONSE FOR EACH:

ECQ 1 - LEADING CHANGE. This core qualification involves the ability to bring about strategic change, both within and outside the organization, to meet organizational goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to establish an organizational vision and to implement it in a continuously changing environment.

ECQ 2 - LEADING PEOPLE. This core qualification involves the ability to lead people toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to provide an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others, facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports constructive resolution of conflicts.

ECQ 3 - RESULTS DRIVEN. This core qualification involves the ability to meet organizational goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to make decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks.

ECQ 4 - BUSINESS ACUMEN. This core qualification involves the ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically.

ECQ 5 - BUILDING COALITIONS. This core qualification involves 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.

Fundamental Competencies: These competencies are the foundation for success in each of the Executive Core Qualifications: Interpersonal Skills, Oral Communication, Continual Learning, Written Communication, Integrity/Honesty, and Public Service Motivation. The Fundamental Competencies are crosscutting and should be addressed over the course of each ECQ narratives. It is not necessary for you to address the Fundamental Competencies directly as long as the narrative, in its totality, shows mastery of these competencies on the whole.

Qualifications include both general management skills and characteristics that are applicable to all SES positions and technical or program responsibilities specific to this position. Applicants must have a substantive general experience that provides a good basic or general knowledge of the principles of organization, management, and administration; and substantive specialized (operating, administrative or managerial) experience in a type of work or a combination of functions directly related to this position.

Education

Additional information

The DOJ offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation; sick leave; holidays; telework; life insurance; health benefits; and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. This link provides an overview of the benefits currently offered to Federal employees.

The Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) of the selectee who is not a current or former career Senior Executive employee (Title V) must be approved by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) before appointment. In addition, individuals entering the Senior Executive Service for the first time are subject to a one-year probationary period.

EEO Policy Statement: The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factor. The complete DOJ EEO Statement/Policy is found at: http://www.justice.gov/jmd/eeos/08-eeo-policy.pdf .

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.

Legal and Regulatory Guidance:

• Your Social Security Number is requested under the authority of Executive Order 9397 to uniquely identify your records from those of other applicants who may have the same name. As allowed by law or Presidential directive, your Social Security Number is used to seek information about you from employers, schools, banks, and others who may know you. Failure to provide your Social Security Number on your application materials will result in your application not being processed.
• Privacy Act - Privacy Act Notice (PL 93-579): The information requested here is used to determine qualifications for employment and is authorized under Title 5 U.S.C. 3302 and 3361.
• Signature - Before you are hired, you will be required to sign and certify the accuracy of the information in your application.
• False Statements - If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be fired after you begin work; or you may be subject to fine, imprisonment, or other disciplinary action.
• Selective Service - If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

You will be evaluated to determine if you meet the qualifications required of the position and on the extent your total submission package demonstrates that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of the position. Please be sure to give concrete examples of your experience and demonstrate the complexity of the knowledge you possess. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is required by law to review the executive qualifications of each new career appointee to the Senior Executive Service (SES) prior to appointment.

To be considered for this position, applicants must show evidence of experience related to the five (5) Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs). Applicants must address the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs). In addition to your resume, this additional documentation should demonstrate the necessary level of management skills, characteristics, qualities, specialized knowledge, and technical competence that would indicate successful performance in the SES. This evidence must include clear and concise examples that emphasize the applicant's level of responsibilities, scope, and complexity of programs managed, program accomplishments, policy initiatives, and level of contact. Copies of the OPM's "Guide to Senior Executive Service Qualifications" may be obtained via the Internet at http://www.opm.gov/ses/references/GuidetoSESQuals_2012.pdf .

Applicants must address the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs).

Please see Application Procedures for specific instructions. The resume should demonstrate the necessary level of management skills, characteristics, qualities, specialized knowledge, and technical competence that would indicate successful performance in the SES. This evidence must include clear and concise examples that emphasize the applicant's level of responsibilities, scope, and complexity of programs managed, program accomplishments, policy initiatives, and level of contacts.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Sensitive Compartmented Information

Drug test required
Yes

Position sensitivity and risk
Critical-Sensitive (CS)/High Risk

Trust determination process
National security

Required Documents

Applicants who fail to submit all information and documents (i.e., resume, and documents addressing the MTQs and ECQs) will not receive consideration for this position. You must send this information to CIVIL/OHR prior to the closing date of this announcement.

ECQ responses are not required for current or former career members of the SES. Indicate in your resume that you are a current or former member of the SES. You must submit responses to the MTQs, and submit a copy of the most recent SF-50 documenting your SES career appointment.

Applicants who have completed the Candidate Development Program (CDP) and have had their ECQs certified by OPM must provide a copy of their certificate as part of their application. SES CDP graduates must also submit responses to the MTQs. Responses to the ECQs are not required for current SES or CDP graduates.

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.