Assistant General Counsel for Ethics Law and Program Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. 24-OS-OGC-12393990-ES Department Office of the Secretary
Salary $147,649.00 to $221,900.00 Grade 00 to 00
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 4/23/2024 Close Date 5/23/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Job Description (Please follow all instructions carefully)

Summary

The Ethics Law and Program (ELP's) primary mission, to prevent conflicts of interest for Commerce personnel, is achieved through rigorous training, financial disclosure reviews, and advice and counsel activities. ELP supports Departmental risk mitigation and provides support related to guidance on the Hatch Act. Common guidance areas include financial and personal conflicts of interest, outside activities, gifts, and post-employment restrictions.

Duties

The Assistant General Counsel (AGC) for Ethics Law and Program (ELP) is accountable to the Secretary and the Designated Agency Ethics Official for the administration of Commerce's government ethics program, encompassing all Department bureaus and offices. Specific responsibilities include:

  • Exercises executive leadership in particular complex legal issues in one of the major operating units. Is responsible for analysis of the legal issue in question, the development of the strategy to deal with legal issues, and the content and means of delivering the completed analysis of the legal issue. The position contemplates dealing with the top management of the Department as well as the top management and attorneys representing both individual and corporate clients outside the government.
  • Provides leadership at the Departmental level in the yearly development of the ethics training program required of every high-level official in the Department whose activities have a substantial effect on members of the public. Is ultimately responsible for the content of the programs to ensure that all issues of significance are covered, and all written materials provided are well-written and accurate.
  • Is responsible for the design and implementation of major administrative programs in the collection and review of all financial disclosure reports by all Presidential appointees and all other senior managers and employees in policy management positions. In administering the program, represents the office in coordination and communications with other offices of the Department, the White House, outside regulatory agencies, and representatives of the United States Congress.
  • Conducts and supervises extensive legal research and prepares legal memoranda concerning complex and difficult legal questions involving the interpretation and laws related to administration of the Department, where there are implications of ethical conduct, including accurate analysis of risks associated with alternative courses of action available to the Department's senior policy and program officials.
  • Represents the office when coordination and communication are necessary and useful with representatives from other Departments on issues of significance government-wide. Participates in interagency groups and task forces. In order to carry out this function, official must have in- depth knowledge of the Department's operations, the mission and the policies of the various operating units, and the sensitivities and current policies of the Department's leaders.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Background and/or Security Investigation required.
  • All members of the SES are subject to geographic relocation.
  • A one-year probationary period is required for new SES members.
  • Subject to pre-employment and employment random drug testing.
  • Public Financial Disclosure (SF-278 filing within 30 days is required).

OPM approval is required before appointing any current or former political appointee to a permanent position in the civil service. This includes anyone who has been a political appointee in the last five years.

Qualifications

All candidates for SES positions with the Federal Government must demonstrate leadership experience indicative of senior executive level management capability.

To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, your resume should demonstrate that you possess the five Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs), and the Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQ's), listed below.

It is recommended that your resume emphasize levels of responsibility, scope and complexity of programs managed, and program accomplishments and results. Typically, experience of this nature will have been gained at or above the equivalent of the GS-15 grade level in the Federal service or its equivalent with state and local government, the private sector, or non-governmental organizations. Failure to meet all executive and technical qualification factors will automatically exclude you from further consideration.

Executive Core Qualifications: The following are the five ECQs and their competencies. The ECQs were developed to assess executive experience and potential, not to evaluate technical experience. ECQs measure whether an individual has the broad experience needed to succeed in a variety of SES positions.

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. (Competencies: creativity and innovation, external awareness, flexibility, resilience, strategic thinking, vision).

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.(Competencies: conflict management, leveraging diversity, developing others, team building).

ECQ 3 - RESULTS DRIVEN: This core qualification involves the ability to meet organizational goals and customer expectations. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to make decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks. (Competencies: accountability, customer service, decisiveness, entrepreneurship, problem solving, technical credibility).

ECQ 4 - BUSINESS ACUMEN: This core qualification involves the ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically.(Competencies: financial management, human capital management, technology management).

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. (Competencies: partnering, political savvy, influencing/negotiating).

For detailed guidance on ECQs, applicants are strongly encouraged to review the Office of Personnel Management's Guide to Executive Qualifications at http://www.opm.gov/ses/recruitment/ecq.asp Example of ECQ statements are available at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/reference-materials/guidetosesquals_2012.pdf

Professional/Technical Qualifications:

  1. Experience that demonstrates the ability to make legally sound interpretations and decisions with respect to statutes and regulations in the areas of ethics in government and financial disclosure.
  2. Experience that demonstrates the ability to supervise and manage a significant legal staff.
  3. Experience that demonstrates the ability to run a Department-wide ethics law training program and large financial disclosure program.

IF SELECTED, you will be required to complete an ECQ package by drafting narratives for each of the ECQs and be certified by an OPM Qualifications Review Board (QRB) in order to be placed in this position. If you are currently serving in a career SES appointment, are eligible for reinstatement into the SES, or have successfully completed an SES Candidate Development Program and your ECQs were certified by an OPM QRB, you WILL NOT need to draft the ECQs.

Education

Incumbent must have a law degree and an active bar membership in good standing in the bar of a U.S. State, the District of Columbia, or U.S. Territory.

Additional information

Background Investigation/Clearance: This position is designated as Critical-Sensitive (High Risk) | Top Secret.

Financial Disclosure: This position is covered under the Ethics in Government Act, which requires comprehensive financial disclosures from employees. The appointee will be required to file a Public Financial Disclosure Report (SF-278), within 30 days after his/her appointment, and then annually thereafter.

Qualifications Approval and Probationary Period: Persons newly selected for career appointment to the Senior Executive Service must have their executive core qualifications approved by an Office of Personnel Management Qualifications Review Board and will be required to serve a one-year probationary period.

Mobility: Individuals selected for Senior Executive Service positions may be subject to reassignment across geographical, organizational, and functional lines.

Application materials: The materials you send with your application will not be returned.

Veterans' preference: VETERAN'S PREFERENCE IS NOT APPLICABLE TO POSITIONS IN THE SENIOR EXECUTIVE SERVICE.

SSN: You will be required to enter your full social security number (SSN) only to initially access and create an account at the OPM USAJOBS website; however, only the last four digits will appear in your resume. Please DO NOT put your SSN on pages within your application package. 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.

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 Department of Commerce is an equal opportunity employer.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

  1. Resume (not to exceed five pages) review. Your resume should demonstrate possession of the technical qualifications and executive core qualifications. Typically, experience demonstrating the technical and executive core qualifications will have been gained at or above the equivalent of the GS-15 or its equivalent with state and local government, the private sector, or non-governmental organizations. Follow the instructions in the vacancy announcement carefully when preparing your resume and adhere to the page limitations. Any pages in excess of the page limit will not be considered.
  2. Basic qualification determination.
  3. Rating panel assessment of your executive core qualifications and professional technical qualifications.
  4. Structured interview and possible further interviews.
  5. Tentative selection by the hiring organization.
  6. OPM Qualification Review Board certification (as needed).

Required Documents

This is a resume-based recruitment. Applicants are required to submit only a resume which must provide detailed evidence of how they meet the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and the Professional/Technical Qualifications (PTQs).

  • Resume that does not exceed the five (5) page limit. (ECQ and PTQ sample experience should be incorporated in the resume and not separately).

Additional documents you may submit:

  1. For current Senior Executive or individuals with SES reinstatement eligibility - You are encouraged to submit your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) that documents your career appointment status in the SES.
  2. For OPM QRB certified SES Candidate Development Program graduates - You are encouraged to submit your OPM certificate of QRB ECQ approval.
  3. For current Federal employees - You are encouraged to submit your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) that documents your current tenure, position title, series, and pay.
  4. Current or former Political Appointees (if applicable) - please note on your resume and attach an SF-50 (i.e. your appointment SF-50). OPM must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information.

Documents not listed above including writing samples, recommendation letters, narrative ECQ and PTQ statements, and proof of veteran status will not be considered and will not be forwarded to the rating panel or selecting official.

How to Apply

Applications (resume and application questions) for this vacancy must be received on-line via USAJOBS by 11:59pm Eastern Time (ET) (Washington, D.C. time) on the closing date of this announcement. If you fail to submit a complete online resume, you will not be considered for this position. Requests for extensions will not be granted. If applying online poses a hardship for you, you must speak to someone in the Servicing Human Resources Office listed on this announcement PRIOR TO THE CLOSING DATE for assistance. Instructions for Applying Online for this Vacancy Announcement:

  1. Click the blue "Apply Online" button.
  2. If you are not a registered USAJOBS user, please create a new account and follow the instructions to complete your application process. If you are a registered user, login to access your existing USAJOBS profile.
  3. As a registered user, select a stored resume and select one or more of your stored documents to attach to your application.
  4. Check the "Certification" box and click the "Apply for this position now!" button located at the bottom of the screen.
  5. Address the eligibility questions as well as the questionnaire containing questions and/or task statements that address the knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies for this vacancy.
  6. Submit the required documents.
  7. If you experience technical difficulties during the online application process, please contact the USAJOBS helpdesk.
To view the application form, visit:https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12393990

Agency contact information

Shannon Thompson

Address

Office of General Counsel
1401 Constitution Ave NW
Washington, DC 20230
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps


The Executive Resources Operations Staff will provide notification of applicant status through periodic emails at the four points of the hiring process, as applicable, in a timely fashion. The four points of notification are: Application Received; Minimum Qualification Requirement Met or Not Met; Panel Rating of Best Qualified (Application referred to the Selecting Official) or Panel Rating of Qualified/Not Qualified (Application not referred to Selecting Official); and Selected or Not Selected.Applicants can check the status of their application at any time after the announcement closes by accessing USAJOBS website.Select "My USAJOBS" and enter your ID and password. Click the link titled "Applications" and select the link under "Application Status" next to the name of the announcement. Your status will be updated as changes occur. If you have any questions, you may contact the Human Resources Specialist at the telephone number listed in the announcement.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.