ATTORNEY-ADVISOR (GENERAL) - TITLE 5 Job in Marietta, GA

Vacancy No. GA-12376907-AR-24-177 Department Army National Guard Units
Salary $129,134.00 to $167,876.00 Grade 14 to 14
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 4/18/2024 Close Date 5/9/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Marietta, GA


Job Description (Please follow all instructions carefully)

Summary

***THIS IS A NATIONAL GUARD TITLE 5 EXCEPTED SERVICE POSITION.***

This position is for a Attorney Adviser (General) Position Description Number T5915900 located in The Office of The Adjutant General, Georgia National Guard located in Marietta, Georgia.

This is a full time Permanent Excepted position that does not require a National Guard commitment.

Area of Consideration: All On-board Excepted Service Technicians within the State of Georgia.

Duties

As a Attorney-Adviser (General), GS-0905-14, you will:

Furnishes legal advice and services on all matters arising from, or pertaining to, activities of the state National Guard and state militia. Assures that both Adjutant General, head of the state military department and staff elements receive the best possible legal advice and recommendations for actions. Provides options, alternative courses of action, and recommendations in the resolution of problems or the accomplishment of desired results. Responsible for preventive law, which requires foreseeing potential issues, taking proactive action to deflect, and resolving the concern. Must be fully knowledgeable of Department of Defense (DoD), service, NGB, state policies and operations, and local policies in order to recognize potential issues and problems before they arise, and to provide meaningful input into appropriate resolutions. Maintains the capability and knowledge of all aspects of the law and regulations which affect the operations of the state national guard, state militia, and their personnel. Exercises oversight over the day-to-day legal operations within the state National Guard and state militia. Reviews state National Guard operations, and takes necessary action where required, to assure competent functioning. Assures that policy guidance from DoD, NGB, service departments, and state decisions on legal and policy concerns are understood and carried out as intended. Oversees, drafts, and reviews all federal contracts from RFP to post-award for legal sufficiency prior to submission to US Property and Fiscal Officer (USPFO). Assures that contractual documents are prepared in a legally acceptable manner, considering laws and regulations. Acts as state National Guard settlement authority for claims, and contract disputes for budgets that may routinely exceed a billion dollars. Advises contracting officers on contract terminations and bid protests. Serves as the state National Guard claims officer. Provides staff oversight and legal advice on all non-contractual claims arising from operations of the state National Guard. Assures that cases resulting from accidents or injuries dealing with basic tort law are handled in a legal and professional manner. Cases arising under the Federal Tort Claims Act, Maritime Law, state law or government operations, are reviewed to assure the proper legal rules and case laws are followed. Recommendations are made as to settlement where the state National Guard has settlement and denial authority on a routine and regular basis that exceeds $100,000. Advises on the legal responsibilities of state National Guard employees and National Guard military personnel concerning Financial Liability Investigations of Property Loss. Furnishes legal advice regarding the application of restrictions and limitations contained in authorization and appropriation acts, and related legislation as they affect the state NG.

Furnishes legal advice and assistance on all legal matters involving the acquisition, management, or disposal of real estate interests within the state NG Advises and reports on requests for release of state NG information, records, and appearance of personnel in litigation involving state NG as an interested party, or when required by the court to provide documents or testimony. Makes and responds to Touhy requests in the event of disputes or problems, makes decisions as to release of information requested under the Freedom of Information Act, or to recommend denial to higher authority. Determines issues involving the Privacy Act similarly. Furnishes legal advice on matters relating to the state National Guard contract labor relations program.

Provides staff oversight and legal advice on all litigation matters affecting the state National Guard, and provides liaison with DoD, services, and NGB. Responsible for all litigation affecting the state National Guard. Monitors and provides guidance with respect to responsibilities of the state NG in environmental matters, to include the following: CERCLA, RCRA, Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, Clean Air Act, FIFRA, TSCA, NEPA, NHPA, Endangered Species Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act, Coastal Zone Management Act, Wilderness Act, and other federal, state and local laws and regulations affecting Army or Air Guard activities or their real property interests. Has primary responsibility for handling regulatory Notices of Violations for environmental violations and assisting the State's attorney General with environmental litigation. Assures that no conflicts of interest exist, and as the Deputy Standards of Conduct official/Ethics Counselor for the state National Guard, oversees the state wide Financial Disclosure Management program and assures that no employee has outside activities which are in conflict, or appear to be in conflict with job duties.

Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
  • Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
  • You may be required to serve a probationary period
  • Subject to background/security investigation
  • This position is covered by the Domestic Violence Misdemeanor Amendment (30 Sep 96) of the Gun Control Act (Lautenberg Amendment) of 1968. An individual convicted of a qualifying crime of domestic violence may not perform the duties of this position.
  • Ability to establish effective professional working relationships with coworkers and customers, contributing to a cooperative working environment and successful accomplishment of the mission.
  • May occasionally be required to work other than normal duty hours; overtime may be required.
  • The duties and responsibilities of your job may significantly impact the environment.
  • You are responsible to maintain awareness of your environmental responsibilities as dictated by legal and regulatory requirements, your organization, and its changing mission.
  • Work may require frequent travel away from the normal duty station on military and commercial aircraft. The work may require the employee to drive a motor vehicle. An appropriate, valid driver’s license may be required for the position.
  • Must either be currently in good standing (certified) with a State Bar or able to obtain certification. Must be a graduate of an ABA-accredited law school.
  • This position is designated as Essential Personnel and may be subject to duty in preparation for, or in response to, a state emergency or disaster declaration.
  • This designation will not exceed 14 calendar days per year unless otherwise approved in advance by the TAG.

Qualifications

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

In order to qualify, you must meet the experience requirements described below. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

To qualify based on your experience, your resume must describe at least one year of experience which prepared you to do the work in this job. Specialized experience is defined as serving as the full-time professional legal adviser and support to the Adjutant General, the Commander of federally recognized Army and Air National Guards, and state/territory unique public defense or safety structures or wing commander . In this primary purpose, this position also serves as the full-time professional legal advisor and support to Sexual Assault Response Coordinator and State Equal Employment Opportunity advisors, and subordinate commanders to support the state prevention efforts relating to sexual assault, sexual harassment, and domestic abuse . This position also serves as a professional legal adviser to the United States Property and Fiscal Officer (USPFO), state/territory National Guard senior leadership, state/territory National Guard directorates, and subordinate National Guard commanded units or state/territory level divisions.

This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-13).

Education

LL.B or J.D. degree and active membership in the bar of the highest court of a State, Territory, or the District of Columbia, and more than three years experience that is equal to the duties and responsibilities of the position.

There is no formal rating system for applying veteran's preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Defense considers veteran's preference eligibility a positive factor for attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veteran's preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attached supporting documentation (for example, DD Form 214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty") to their submissions. Although the point-preference system is not used, applicants eligible to claim a 10-point preference must submit a Standard Form 15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference," and supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed. (SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preference and the required supporting documents, is available from the Office of Personnel Management Website at www.opm.gov.)

Additional information

If you are a male applicant who was born after 12/31/1959 and 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 (https://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfRegistration.aspx).

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.

Permanent Change of Station (PCS) allowances may be authorized, subject to the provisions of the Joint Travel Regulations and an agency determination that a PCS move is in the Government Interest.

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.

Once the announcement has closed, your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine if you meet the qualifications listed on this announcement. If you are minimally qualified, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application package, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this position. If you are found to be among the top qualified candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

  • Conflict Management
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Legal Government and Jurisprudence
  • Technical Credibility

Knowledge of interpersonal relations practices and the ability to apply statistical methods to the analysis of program data.

Ability to apply research skills to locate archived subject specific print and broadcast media materials and utilizes these as historical background material for developing current articles on the same subject or issue.

Ability to apply general and specializes statistical methods to the analysis of communication campaign surveys to assess communication campaign effectiveness in reaching the desired target audience.


Ability to apply inter-personal communication skills to the building of effective relationships with media representatives, community groups and other internal/external audiences, to insure open lines of communication between the wing's ANG PA office and potential audiences. FL 1-8 is not met.

Knowledge of a variety of PA programs, activities and functions and a mastery of communication principals, methods and techniques in order to resolve issues that are controversial with many and often divergent opinions which require deeper analysis to identify specific issues for discussion and the ability to communicate the ANG's position in a manner that is not offending or inflammatory.

Required Documents

You are required to provide documentation that supports the eligibility and qualification claims made in your resume and assessment questionnaire. You must submit the applicable documents listed here and those listed with the eligibilities you select in the announcement questionnaire with your application package. Applicants who do not provide supporting documentation that fully support their claims will not be referred to the hiring manager. Cover letter is optional.

A complete resume is required. Your resume must show relevant experience, job title, duties and accomplishments. Your resume must show complete information for each job entry to support minimum qualifications. The following information should be provided in your resume, but it is acceptable to provide elsewhere in your application package: employer's name, starting and end dates (Mo/Yr.), hours per week, and pay plan, series and grade level (e.g. GS-0201-09) for relevant federal experience. TIP: A good way to ensure you include all essential information is to use the Resume Builder in USAJOBS to create your resume.

Are you applying for a promotion? If you are a current GS employee applying for a higher grade than the grade that you currently hold you must provide an SF-50 that shows that you have held the next lower grade for at least one year. Some SF-50s effective within the last 52 weeks will not demonstrate you have held the next lower grade for at least one year (e.g. General Adjustment SF-50 from this year). In many cases, we need to see two (2) SF-50s to determine time-in-grade and eligibility for promotion. If you are a DoD employee, you can obtain a copy of your SF- 50(s) from MyBiz.

Are you claiming membership in any professional organizations, or possession of a license, certificate or credentials? Check the Conditions of Employment section above to see if any are required. If you claim membership, license, certification, or credentials, you must submit a copy of said document in your application package.

Are you using education as a substitute for some or all of the experience requirement? Is there a basic education requirement for this position? Check the Education section above to see what is allowed and what is required. Any claims you make in your resume or assessment questionnaire regarding education or degrees MUST be supported by official or unofficial transcripts or a list of courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned issued from your school. While unofficial transcripts are acceptable for initial application, an official transcript will ultimately be required if you are selected for the position. You may submit a copy your degree(s) if specific coursework does not have to be verified. Claims for approved "grandfather" clauses must be fully supported with documentation.

Are you a veteran claiming 5-point veterans' preference or claiming sole survivorship preference? You must submit a copy of your latest DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (any copy that shows all dates of service, as well as character of service [Honorable, General, etc.] is acceptable) OR a VA letter that shows dates of service or service connected disability AND character of service. If you have more than one DD-214 for multiple periods of active duty service, submit a copy for each period of service. If you were issued a DD-215 to amend aforementioned information on the DD-214 you must submit that too. If you are not sure of your preference eligibility, visit the Department of Labor's website: Veterans' Preference Advisor

Are you a disabled veteran or claiming 10-point veterans' preference?
If you are eligible to claim 10 point veterans preference you must submit a DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty as described above for 5-point preference.

You must also provide the applicable supporting documentation of your disability (e.g. disability letter from the VA) as described on Standard Form-15 (SF-15). http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf.

Are you an active duty service member? Active Duty Service Members are required to submit a statement of service printed on command letterhead and signed by the command. The statement of service must provide the branch of service, rate/rank, all dates of service, the expected date of discharge and anticipated character of service (Honorable, General, etc.).

Documents submitted as part of the application package, to include supplemental documents, may be shared beyond the Human Resources Office. Some supplemental documents contain personal information such as SSN and DOB and some documents such as military orders and marriage certificates may contain personal information for someone other than you. You may sanitize these documents to remove said personal information before you submit your application. You must provide an un-sanitized version of the documents if you are selected.

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.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application/Occupational Questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. To view the Occupational Questionnaire, click the following link:https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12376907

A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.

To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.

Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.

You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.

To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

Agency contact information

David Drew

Address

GA JFHQ
1000 Halsey Avenue Bldg 447
Marietta, GA 30061
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.


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