Assistant General Counsel for Enforcement Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. 25-GC-00397-12630518-SES Department Department of Energy - Agency Wide
Salary $193,819.00 to $221,900.00 Grade 00 to 00
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 12/5/2024 Close Date 12/19/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

The "Required Documents" section of this announcement identifies all documents that must be uploaded in order to be considered a complete application package. Applicants who do not submit a complete application package will receive an incomplete application rating. Incomplete packages will not receive further consideration. If you have any questions regarding the application process, please reach out to the Executive Consultant listed in the "Agency Contact" section below.

Duties

Position is Remote (Restricted)- The duty station can be the employees' home, however, must be located within the local commuting area of Washington, DC which has been established as 125 miles or 2.5 hours. The applicant would not be required to report to the DOE Worksite every pay period but will be required to do so with some regularity (e.g., a few times a month) for work that cannot be performed remotely.

The Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of the General Counsel is looking for a dynamic, innovative, seasoned executive to evaluate the most difficult legal and factual issues facing the Department of Energy Enforcment program.

As the Assistant General Counsel for Enforcement you will:

  • Direct the enforcement programs for the Department to ensure consistent application of laws and regulations across the country to all sectors of regulated industries.
  • Direct courses of action when cases may affect agency authority, operations, procedures, or practices.
  • Supervise a staff of experienced attorneys and support personnel; coordinate and integrate efforts of the enforcement attorneys with technical program support and regulatory attorneys.
  • Direct organizational activities, frame strategic plans based on broad organizational assessments and evaluations of long-term organizational objectives.
  • Set all internal control standards for effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity and assess all organizational policy, program, and project viability.
  • Determine the financial and personnel resources needed to achieve mission objectives and support mission operations.
  • Identify the need for major organizational improvements, develop the requisite plans and direct implementing actions.
  • Direct trial attorneys and attorney/advisors on case preparation and prosecution in administrative hearings and federal court.
  • Provide substantive guidance to staff attorneys and determine whether the agency will undertake prosecution of individual cases based on the weight of the evidence, the importance of the case, the necessity of uniform application of the law, the cost of litigation, and other considerations that bear on the advisability of instituting suit.
  • Determine which cases to prosecute, including evaluation of resources, strength of evidence, relationship to other cases, and overall impact on enforcement and compliance efforts.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

PRE-HIRING REQUIREMENTS: This is a permanent position in the SES. Unless you are already a member of the SES with career status or are a graduate of an Office of Personnel Management (OPM) certified SES Candidate Development Program, your executive qualifications must be approved by OPM before you can be hired. If you are selected, you will be required to prepare your executive core qualification (ECQ) narrative for OPM submission.

CITIZENSHIP: You must be a U.S. Citizen or National.

PUBLIC FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REPORT (OGE 278): If you are selected for this position, you will be required to file this report prior to entry on duty in accordance with the Ethics of Government Act of 1978.

PROBATIONARY PERIOD: You must complete a one-year SES probationary period.

SELECTIVE SERVICE: If you are a male born after December 31,1959, you must be registered with the Selective Service registration. To learn more about this law, visit the Selective Service web page, Who Must Register.

MOBILITY: A mobility agreement may be required based on mission needs.

E-VERIFY: New employees will be required to pass the employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify.

BAR MEMBERSHIP: You must be a current active member in good standing of the Bar of a State or Territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Qualifications

Your resume must describe your executive core qualifications (ECQs) and experience, technical qualifications and give a synopsis of your accomplishments.Do not include a separate ECQ narrative. Additionally, Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) listed later in this section below must be addressed in a separate document.

EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS: The five ECQs described below were designed to assess executive-level experiences and potential not technical expertise. They measure whether you have the broad executive skills needed to succeed in a variety of SES positions.

1: Leading Change: Ability to bring about strategic change, both within and outside the organization, to meet organizational goals and establish an organizational vision and to implement it in a continuously changing environment.

2: Leading People: Ability to lead people toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals and provide an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others, facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports constructive resolution of conflicts.

3: Results Driven: Ability to meet organizational goals and customer expectations and make decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks.

4: Business Acumen: Ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically.

5: Building Coalitions: 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.

MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (MTQs): As part of your application package, a separate document must be uploaded addressing each MTQ listed below.

No more than one page per MTQ is allowed; additional information will not be considered. MTQs must provide specific examples that address relevant experience and accomplishments. Your leadership and management skills must be addressed in the MTQs listed below.

Failure to submit a document addressing each MTQ will result in your application to be deemed incomplete and not be considered.
MTQ 1: Describe your experience in providing, overseeing, and managing litigation before courts and administrative agencies. Experience ideally should include providing legal advice, representation, and counsel concerning complex civil enforcement and civil penalty or similar litigation matters, and exercising enforcement/prosecutorial discretion.

MTQ 2: Describe your experience in conducting and overseeing investigations in complex technical areas, and ideally in the management of teams of attorneys and support personnel in such investigations.

MTQ 3: Describe your ability to work with technical experts and rulemaking experts in crafting and enforcing a sound regulatory and enforcement program, ideally in areas related to DOE's energy efficiency and renewable energy programs.

Education

Must meet the minimum education requirements of successful completion of a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) with a professional law degree (L.L.B or J.D.).

You must provide a copy of your unofficial transcript(s). Be sure to include those transcripts directly applicable for meeting the education requirements. Failure to provide proof of education will result in non-consideration for this position. Official transcripts will be required prior to entrance-on-duty for individuals selected.

Education must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see Department of Education.

Additional information

The U.S. Department of Energy fosters a diverse and inclusive workplace and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Telework: Your position may be eligible for workplace flexibilities which may include remote work or telework options, and/or flexible work scheduling. These flexibilities may be requested in accordance with the DOE Workplace Flexibilities policy.

OF-306: You may be required to complete an OF-306, "Declaration for Federal Employment" form used to (a) determine your suitability for Federal Employment and/or (b) in conducting an investigation to determine your suitability or ability to hold a security clearance.

Applications contain information subject to the Privacy Act (PL 93 579, 5 USC 552a). The information is used to determine qualifications for employment and is authorized under Title 5, USC, Section 3302 and 3361.

The Fair Chance Act prohibits specific inquiries concerning an applicant's criminal or credit background unless the hiring agency has made a conditional offer of employment to the applicant. An applicant may submit a complaint to the agency within 30 calendar days of the date of alleged non-compliance by completing the Fair Chance Act Intake Form and submitting it to the Administrative Investigations Program at AdministrativeInvestigations@hq.doe.gov.

The selecting official may need to consult Departmental ethics counsel to determine whether any of your former or current employers, affiliations, or financial holdings conflict with your ability to perform the duties of this position. If necessary, ethics counsel will work with you and the hiring office regarding potential mitigation strategies, if available.

Hiring incentives may be authorized in accordance with agency policy and if funding is available.

This is a non-bargaining unit position.

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.

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.

Veteran's Preference does not apply to the Senior Executive service (SES).

You will be evaluated on the quality and extent of your total accomplishments, experience, and education (if applicable). Your application will be rated and ranked by an Executive Resources Board (ERB) Panel, comprised of at least three SES members, using only the information submitted within the application package. If your application does not demonstrate sufficient possession of the ECQs and MTQs, you will be determined ineligible for further consideration. In order to be eligible, you must demonstrate that you have depth and breadth of experience to successfully perform the duties of the job.

As part of the Resume Based recruitment method, the ERB Panel conducts a structured interview for all applicants who are determined to be in the top category from the ERB Rating Panel. Based on the Panel's evaluation, applicants who are determined Best Qualified will be referred to the selecting official for further consideration and possible second interview. Persons tentatively selected for appointment to SES positions must prepare their ECQ package for OPM's Quality Review Board (QRB) certification. The QRB review and certification is the last critical step in the SES selection process, and all SES candidates must have their executive qualifications certified by a QRB before being appointed as career members of the SES.

Required Documents

It is important you include and address all ECQs, MTQs, and accomplishments in your resume, MTQ narrative, and optional cover letter. A sample five-page resume addressing ECQs can be viewed in the Guide to SES Qualifications (indexed at page 29-37).

Thoroughly review the following list to determine the documentation you need to submit. If you fail to submit required documentation before the announcement closes, you will be rated "ineligible." Some documents may not apply to all applicants.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:


1. ALL APPLICANTS - Five-page ECQ-based Resume including the following:
  • Full name, mailing and email addresses, day & evening telephone numbers
  • Education information including:
    • Name, city, state of colleges/universities attended, major & type of degree received.
    • Report only schools accredited by the accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education
  • All work experience (paid and unpaid) including:
    • Job title, duties/accomplishments, employer's name/address, start/end dates (include month, day, and year), average hours per week worked
  • Honors, awards, special accomplishments
Tips for preparing SES applications. We recommend that your resume emphasize your level of responsibilities, the scope and complexity of the programs managed, and your program accomplishments, including the results of your actions.
2. ALL APPLICANTS - MTQ Narrative (no more than one page per MTQ, using 1 inch margins and 12 point font size).
3. Current or former career SES members must provide a SES appointment SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action), and an SF-50 showing current career SES status or career SES reinstatement eligibility.
4. Applicants who have successfully completed an OPM-approved SES Candidate Development Program must submit a copy of their certification.
5. Current or former Federal Civilian employees, must submit a copy of your most recent SF-50 (non-award) documenting the following: 1) Full position title; 2) appointment type; 3) occupational series; 4) pay plan, grade, and step; 5) tenure code; 6) service computation date (SCD).
6. ALL APPLICANTS - If positive education requirement: you must submit a copy of your transcript(s) or a separate course listing showing the course title, department, hours earned (quarters or semester), and grade. If you have completed any part of your education outside of the U.S., you must submit the evaluation of your foreign education that has been prepared by an accredited organization. The National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) can provide a list of who can evaluate your foreign education. For additional information, visit Department of Education.
7. Optional - cover letter (one page maximum).

NOTE:
  • All documents must be uploaded into the system; USAJobs Resume Builder resumes will not be accepted.
  • Separate documents addressing the ECQs will not be considered.
  • Pages submitted in excess of the limits described above will not be considered. Substituting pages for other required documents in the application is not acceptable (e.g., submitting only a four-page resume but adding an additional page to address an MTQ).
  • Do not use borders, provide photos or list a Social Security Number or date of birth on any attachment.
  • If you are selected for this position, you may be asked to provide additional documentation to verify your responses.

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

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date to receive consideration. E-mailed applications and/or resumes will not be accepted. Requests for extensions will not be granted.

All statements made in this application are subject to investigation and any false or dishonest answer to any question may be grounds for disqualification and loss of consideration. If your resume does not support the responses in your application questionnaire, or if you fail to submit required documentation before the vacancy closes, you will be rated 'ineligible' or 'not qualified'.

The application process is as follows:

  1. You must have a login.gov account to sign into USAJOBS: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/account/.
  2. To begin the application process in USAJOBS, click the Apply Online button.
  3. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all required and supporting documentation.
  4. You must click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 pm (ET) on the announcement closing date.
You may update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period by returning to your USAJOBS account, select Update Application: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To verify the status of your application, during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account; 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/.

If you need help with login.gov or USAJOBS (e.g., account access, Resume Builder) visit the USAJOBS Help Center: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/

If you experience difficulty applying on USAJOBS, after clicking the Apply Online button, or you are experiencing a significant hardship hindering your ability to apply online, the Agency Contact listed in the announcement can assist you during normal business hours. If you receive any system error messages, take screenshots if possible, to aid technical support.

Agency contact information

Rashida Smith
Address
Office of the General Counsel
Department of Energy
Human Capital Shared Service Center
1000 Independence Ave, SW
Washington, DC 20585
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

We will continue to update your status online as changes are made. Applicants who meet the mandatory ECQs and MTQs will be evaluated by a panel of senior executives. If you are selected, reference checks may be completed. DOE's Executive Resources Board will make a final approval of the selection, and in competitive cases, OPM's Qualifications Review Board (QRB) must certify the ECQs before final appointment can occur. If OPM/QRB certification is required, you will be required to prepare your ECQ package for OPM/QRB certification. Verification of performance, suitability and security information from reference checks will be taken into consideration before making final job offer.


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


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