Duties

Duties include, but are not limited to:

Day-to-day lead for Ethics program and FOIA/PA program compliance throughout the Agency.

Provide expert advice to USAGM board members, management, and employees at all levels on the interpretation and application of all federal ethics laws and rules, the Agency's standards of ethical conduct, conflict of interest statutes, and Hatch Act.

Oversee and ensure the quality and success of the Public and Confidential Financial Disclosure Report program, including identifying reporting individuals, providing notice of, reviewing, and certifying financial disclosure forms for agency officials, and conducting timely and thorough review of the financial interests of each reporting individual.

Develops policies and establishes procedures concerning the implementation of the FOIA/PA within the Agency, including continually evaluating the effectiveness of the FOIA / PA program and providing training and guidance to USAGM component offices on the provisions and requirements of the FOIA / PA programs.

Directly involve in all FOIA litigation against USAGM, including preparing affidavits and other materials in support of litigation defense.

Develop and maintain critical relationships with USAGM and external government stakeholders to further the Agency's ethics / FOIA/ PA programs to facilitate their partnership and understanding.

Provide advice and develop guidance on the use and development of electronic discovery tools and protocols.

Serve as Agency lead for inspector general investigations.

Manage matters with minimal or no supervision.

Serve as lead lawyer on matters.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. citizenship is required.
• Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by closing date of the announcement to be considered.
• Applicants must complete online questionnaire.
• If you are a male applicant, born after 12/31/59, you are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act. The Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency.
• This is a Critical Sensitive position. If selected, this position requires the completion of the SF-86 form.
• Suitability Determination: If selected, you will be subject to a security investigation to establish your suitability for federal employment. The security investigation will include, among other aspects, a review of your credit and legal history.
• This position is not covered by a Union Agreement
• The full performance grade level for this position is GS-15.
• Top secret security clearance or the ability to obtain such clearance.
• New appointees to the Excepted Service must serve a two-year trial period.

Qualifications

Applicant must have successfully completed a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and have the first professional law degree (LL.B or J.D.), Bar Certification, and also be a current member in good standing of the Bar of a State, Territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia.

To qualify for the GS-15, applicants must have four (4) or more years of post-J.D. legal experience, at least one of which were specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-14 grade level or higher.

To qualify for the GS-14, you should have three (3) or more years of post-J.D. legal experience, at least one (1) of which were specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-13 grade level or higher.

Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skill, and ability to successfully perform the duties of the position. Examples of specialized experience include the following experience and/or knowledge, skills, and/or abilities:

• managing a team of professionals;
• legal experience with/providing definitive expert legal counsel in
• the statutory requirements and guidelines governing Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act programs.
• the requirements and guidelines concerning government ethics, conflict of interest rules, and the Hatch Act.
• the disclosure rules and protocols relating to transmission of electronic material, particularly as they relate to FOIA and litigation generally.
• electronic discovery tools, protocols, and processes in civil litigation.
• managing a large number of ongoing, complex legal tasks;
• thinking strategically and communicating clearly about legal and other operational risk (in light of a client's/Agency's legal posture/position in the instant matter and overall/in future cases);
• relating well to clients and co-workers, and work collaboratively in a fast paced legal environment;
• maintaining a customer-service oriented approach to legal practice;
• thinking outside of the box on legal questions;
• carrying out significant negotiations on behalf of clients;
• drafting or revising organizational policies, based upon continuing review of case law, appropriate legislation, and regulatory, implementation, to minimize organizational legal risk;
• working with a legal office's leadership to help agency management officials think strategically about practices and postures to improve litigation outcomes;
• demonstrating the ability and willingness to lead legal tasks and take on new tasks and responsibilities.

Desirable Experience or Expertise : These are examples of the types of experience or expertise that while not necessarily required may indicate the requisite knowledge and ability for the position. These include:

• Experience in managing and/or serving as lead attorney for an Agency Ethics Program.
• Experience in managing and/or serving as lead attorney for an Agency FOIA Program.
• Experience in drafting or revising organizational policies, based upon continuing review of case law, appropriate legislation, and regulatory implementation, to minimize organizational legal risk.
• Experience conducting federal court and administrative litigation.
• Familiarity with the Administrative Procedures Act.
• Demonstrated experience with administrative law generally.

(Note: The list is instructive; it is not exhaustive, and the successful candidate need not necessarily have all of these experiences. We encourage all interested candidates to apply).

Education

Applicant cannot substitute education for experience.

Additional information

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis with Cutoff dates of every two weeks until position(s) are filled.

Qualifying applications submitted for this position or other identical current or future open position in the Agency OGC may also be considered for this position;

Qualifying application submitted for this position or other identical positions may be considered for currently open or future positions in OGC.

If you are an eligible Inter agency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) applicant, you may apply for special selection over other candidates for this position. To be well-qualified and exercise selection priority for this vacancy, displaced Federal employees must be rated at 80 or above on the rating criteria for this position. ICTAP eligibles must submit one of the following as proof of eligibility for the special selection priority: a separation notice; a "Notice of Personnel Action" (SF-50) documenting separation; an agency certification that you cannot be placed after injury compensation has been terminated; an OPM notification that your disability annuity has been terminated; OR a Military Department or National Guard Bureau notification that you are retired under 5 U.S.C. 8337(h) or 8456.

Applicants claiming veteran's preference must submit a DD-214 (copy # 2 or 4 - member copy); veterans who are claiming disabled veteran preference must also submit a VA disability letter and a SF-15; AND, applicants seeking widow or other special veterans preference must submit a SF-15 and all documents indicated for their specific form of preference.

Status applicants who wish to be considered under merit promotion procedures, including those eligible to apply under Interchange Agreements with other Merit Systems and Veterans Employment Opportunity Act of 1998 , should apply under announcement # >.

If you are still on active duty, you may submit a statement of service from your Personnel Command which states the date you entered active duty, the date you are separating, and the campaign medals you have received.