Duties

Summary

The Office of Chief Counsel of the IRS, the largest tax law firm in the country, is looking for enthusiastic individuals to join our team and gain valuable experience in a legal environment. Our mission is to serve America's taxpayers fairly and with integrity by providing correct and impartial interpretation of the internal revenue laws and the highest quality legal advice and representation for the Internal Revenue Service. It's a great place to work and a family-friendly atmosphere.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

This position is located in Washington, DC, in the Office of Chief Counsel (Executive Counsel to the Chief Counsel). The Special Counsel assists the Executive Counsel in a broad array of tax and management activities in connection with implementing major tax legislation, such as the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), the Taxpayer First Act (TFA), and in implementing the tax provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and other related legislation or Administration health care priorities. The Special Counsel ensures coordinating Office of Chief Counsel involvement in all U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) and U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) audits and in formulating policies and programs for the operation of the Executive Counsel Office. The Special Counsel is involved with the IRS operating divisions as well as other federal agencies in identifying operational and legal issues related to TIGTA and GAO audits. The Special Counsel provides technical assistance in efforts to support the Associate Chief Counsel offices with timely implementation of guidance projects and program management related to major tax legislation, and provides technical assistance on various health care issues arising under the ACA and the Internal Revenue Code, including but not limited to issues related to the health care exchanges, the premium assistance tax credit, and the employer shared responsibility payment. The Special Counsel is involved with the IRS operating divisions as well as the Departments of the Treasury, Health and Human Services, and Labor, as well as other federal agencies in identifying and resolving operational and legal issues in the implementation of the ACA, successor legislation and related Administration health care priorities. The Special Counsel provides support to the Department of Justice in law suits they are defending, and assists in reviewing published guidance, communications documents, and training materials related to health care.

• As directed by the Executive Counsel, considers legal cases or problems having broad ramifications and renders decisions thereon without review, except at the discretion of the incumbent or as otherwise specifically directed.
• Represents the IRS and the Treasury Department on sensitive, extremely complex, and controversial issues related to health care issues and activities, to other major tax legislation, and to TIGTA and GAO audits. Performs exhaustive and detailed research on complicated legal problems with broad ramifications and develops and prepares innovative recommendations as to the position to be taken by the Office.
• Performs exhaustive and detailed research on complicated legal problems and prepares recommendations as to the position to be taken by the Executive Counsel's Office.
• Formulates and coordinates goals and strategies for the effective and comprehensive strategic management of issues through all phases of the health care administration process, the administration of major tax legislation and work related to TIGTA and GAO audits.

Please note this is not an all inclusive list of duties

Travel Required

Occasional travel - 5% or greater

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
15

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Please refer to "Conditions of Employment".
• Click "Print Preview" to review the entire announcement before applying.
• Applications will be accepted on-line via Career Connector.
• If unable to apply on-line please contact careerconnectorhelp@do.treas.gov
• Public Trust-Background Investigation required

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer.
• Must prepare an annual OGE 450, Confidential Financial Disclosure Report.
• Subject to a 1-year trial period (unless already completed).
• Subject to a 3 year tenure service requirement agreement (unless already completed).
• Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.
• If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so.
• Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form I-9 . Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S.
• Obtain and use a Government-issued charge card for business-related travel.
• If selected, you will be required to submit an original Certificate of Good Standing from your State Bar.

Because of its tax-related mission, the Office of Chief Counsel requires fingerprinting, tax verification, and a background security investigation as part of the pre-employment process.

Qualifications

You must meet the following requirements by the closing date of this announcement:

Possess a J.D. and 1 year of general legal experience, plus 3 years of legal tax experience.

-OR-

Possess a Tax LL.M. and 3 years of legal tax experience

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: The legal tax experience above must have included one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility comparable to the GS-14 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized Experience for this position is defined as experience applying broad knowledge of federal tax statutes, regulations, decisions, rulings, and precedents and Administration health care priorities; AND skills in providing litigation support and effective decision-making, including management skills; AND identifying and gathering resources needed to solve highly complex problems of substantial impact, sensitive or controversial nature.

• Candidates must be admitted to practice law before the highest court of a state or territory of the United States; the District of Columbia; or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
• Legal experience refers to full-time work after admittance to the bar. Part-time work is considered on a prorated basis.
• Experience may have been gained in the public sector, private sector, or through Volunteer Service .
• To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week, on your resume.

Preferred Knowledges/Skills/Abilities:

• Thorough knowledge and understanding of the Chief Counsel mission and organization, and the interrelationship of its programs/policies with those of the IRS, the General Counsel's Office, Treasury and the Departments of Labor and Health and Human Service
• Ability to enhance development of working partnerships among the Executive Counsel office and other functions in the IRS and Chief Counsel.

Education

Applicants must have graduated from an American Bar Association accredited law school and possess at a minimum a J.D. degree

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 .

If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of credibility of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Refer to the OPM instructions.

Additional information

• We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies.
• This is a non bargaining unit position.
• We offer opportunities for telework.
• We offer opportunities for flexible work schedules.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

Your application includes your resume and responses to the online questions and required supporting documents. Please be sure that your resume includes detailed information to support your qualifications for this position; failure to provide sufficient evidence in your resume will result in a "not qualified" determination.

Applicants will be considered based on their overall background as it relates to the position to be filled. All application materials and interviews, if conducted, will be used in the final evaluation and selection process.

If you meet the eligibility requirements, the Executive Resources Branch will assess your overall specialized knowledge and experience as it relates to the position to be filled, compare it to the other applicants' knowledge and experience and determine the candidate best qualified for the position. The board may or may not conduct interviews. You will be notified of the outcome.

Your application will be rated and ranked among others, based on your responses to the online questions, regarding your experience, training, performance appraisals and awards relevant to the duties of this position. Your rating may be lowered, if your responses to the online questions are not supported by the experience described in your application.

Referral: If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application may be referred to a selecting official for consideration. You may be required to participate in a selection interview. We will not reimburse costs related to the interview such as travel to and from the interview site.

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Other

Drug test required
No

Required Documents

All applicants must submit the following documents: 1) Memorandum of Interest summarizing your interest in the position. 2) Resume detailing your relevant qualifications and specialized knowledge and experience. 3) Current Federal Employees: A copy of your most recent official performance appraisal, or a progress review, if applicable 4) Current Chief Counsel Employees Only: a Supervisory Report (ERB Form 1-88, Rev 4/2011) regarding your suitability for the position as completed by your current or most recent supervisor. You are responsible for notifying your supervisor that this report must be received no later than five workdays after the closing date of this announcement.

A complete application includes (1) a resume, (2) vacancy question responses, and (3) submission of any required documents. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).

All applicants are required to submit a resume either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their own choosing. To receive full credit for relevant experience, please list the month/year and number of hours worked for experience listed on your resume. We suggest that you preview the online questions, as you may need to customize your resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions. Please view resume tips .

VETERANS' PREFERENCE DOCUMENTATION: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Office of Chief Counsel considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. If you are claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your Certificate of Release or Discharge From Active Duty, DD-214 (Member 4 copy), or other official documentation from a branch of the Armed Forces or the Department of Veterans Affairs showing dates of service and type of discharge. Ten-point preference eligibles must also submit an Application for 10-point Veteran Preference, SF-15 , along with the required documentation listed on the back of the SF-15 form. For more information on veterans' preference view FedsHireVets .

CURRENT AND FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES - Documentation Relating to Your Federal Employment

- Submit a copy of your SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, which shows your current (or most recent) grade and competitive service status. (The "position occupied" block on the SF-50 should show a "1" or "2" and your "tenure" block should show a "1" or "2".)

- Indicate on your application the highest permanent grade you have held; if this grade is different from your current grade; submit a copy of an additional SF-50 showing this grade.

- Submit a copy of your most recent, signed, completed annual performance appraisal which includes the final rating. If the performance appraisal is not dated within the last 12 months or if you have not received a performance appraisal, please explain why in your application

If selected, you will be required to submit an original Certificate of Good Standing from your State Bar.

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.