Attorney-Adviser (Finance)

Department of the Treasury

Treasury, Departmental Offices

Summary

This position is in the Office of the Assistant General Counsel (Banking and Finance), which is a component of the Treasury Department's Office of the General Counsel. The attorneys in this office provide legal advice and support to Treasury officials on the full range of Treasury domestic finance initiatives, including financial regulation and transactions.

This job is open to

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Clarification from the agency

U.S. citizens or U.S. Nationals; no prior Federal experience is required.

Duties

The following are the duties of this position at the GS-15 level. If you are selected at a lower grade level, you will have the opportunity to learn to perform all these duties and will receive training to help you grow in this position.

Under the supervision of the Assistant General Counsel (Banking & Finance) and the Deputy Assistant General Counsels, the attorney in this position will advise on a variety of high-priority legal matters, such as financial services regulation (including banking, digital assets, insurance, central counterparties, and payments); securities and capital markets regulation; consumer financial protection; cybersecurity policy; federal financial assistance and grant programs; housing finance and the government-sponsored enterprises; the Financial Stability Oversight Council; government and corporate financial transactions; and federal payments and debt collection.
The attorney in this position may conduct legal research and analysis, and draft regulations, guidance, memoranda, legislative proposals, briefing materials, and other documents relating to complex matters considered by Treasury. The attorney will provide written and oral legal advice regarding novel legal questions. The attorney may also engage with representatives of federal and state agencies, Congress, and other stakeholders on matters of importance to Treasury and be responsible for other duties as assigned.
The ideal candidate will have experience working on complex matters with tight deadlines; the ability to conduct fast and accurate legal research; and skills at working with and presenting views to senior lawyers and policymakers. The ideal candidate will also have familiarity with one or more of the areas of law noted above.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

Key Requirements:

Must be U.S. citizen or U.S. national.
All newly appointed employees to the competitive (or excepted) service are subject to a probationary (or trial) period. During this time, your performance, conduct, and suitability for continued employment will be evaluated. You will not automatically convert to permanent status at the end of the probationary (or trial) period. Your supervisor must affirmatively determine that continued employment is in the best interest of the Federal service. If no certification is made before the probationary (or trial) period ends, your appointment will be terminated. You are encouraged to actively engage with your supervisor, seek feedback, and understand role expectations. Additional guidance and support will be provided during onboarding.
Must successfully complete a background investigation.
Public Trust - Background Investigation will be required.
All new hires will be required to comply with federal ethics laws. A review of financial or other interests may be conducted to determine if they create any real or apparent conflicts of interest with official Treasury duties.
Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.
Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer.
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.
File a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report within 30 days of appointment and annually from then on.
Undergo an income tax verification.
Please refer to the "Additional Information" section for additional Conditions of Employment.

Qualifications

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

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE:

Specialized experience for the GS-15: You must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-14 grade level in the federal service. The expectation for selection for grade GS-15 will be at least the following: 12 months of pertinent legal experience at the GS-14 (or equivalent) level. For this position, specialized experience is described as experience at the next lower grade (or equivalent) in the following areas of responsibility:

Providing authoritative legal advice, counsel, and recommendations on financial services regulation; digital assets; securities and capital markets regulation; consumer financial protection; cybersecurity policy; federal financial assistance and grant programs; housing finance; government or corporate financial transactions; and/or federal payments and debt collection.

Specialized experience for the GS-14: You must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in the federal service. The expectation for selection for grade GS-14 will be at least the following: 12 months of pertinent legal experience at the GS-13(or equivalent). For this position, specialized experience is described as experience at the next lower grade (or equivalent) in the following areas of responsibility:

Providing legal advice, analysis, and recommendations on financial services regulation; digital assets; securities and capital markets regulation; consumer financial protection; cybersecurity policy; federal financial assistance and grant programs; housing finance; government or corporate financial transactions; and/or federal payments and debt collection.

The experience may have been gained in the public sector, private sector or volunteer service One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/day/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week on your resumé.

Education

Applicants must
(1) be a graduate of an accredited law school with an LL.B., J.D. or equivalent; and
(2) be an active member in good standing of the bar of a state or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia.

The education generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability 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.
A recruitment incentive may be offered.
Relocation expenses will not be paid.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT (CONTINUED):

This position requires that the successful candidate undergo personnel vetting, which includes a background investigation and enrollment upon onboarding into "Continuous Vetting." Enrollment in Continuous Vetting will result in automated record checks being conducted throughout one's employment with Treasury. The successful candidate will also be enrolled into FBI's Rap Back service, which will allow Treasury to receive notification from the FBI of criminal matters (e.g., arrests, charges, convictions) involving enrolled individuals in near real-time. For more information about individual rights, Noncriminal Justice Applicant's Privacy Rights - FBI, FD-258 Privacy Act Statement - FBI, and SEAD-3-Reporting-U.pdf (dni.gov).

Our comprehensive benefits are very generous. Our benefits package includes:

Challenging work, opportunities for advancement, competitive salaries, bonuses and incentive awards.
Eleven paid holidays, 13 days of sick leave, and 13 to 26 days of vacation time each year.
Access to insurance programs that may be continued after you retire.
A wide choice of health insurance plans, coverage for pre-existing conditions, and no waiting periods. We pay a substantial amount (up to 75%) of the health insurance premiums.
A retirement program which includes employer-matching contributions.
Learn more about Federal benefits programs at: USAJOBS Help Center - Benefits

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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.

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

Rating: You will be rated on the extent and quality of experience, education, and training relevant to the duties of the position. All candidates who meet the basic requirements listed above will be considered best qualified applicants and may be sent forward to the selecting official. All application materials and interviews, if conducted, will be used in the final evaluation and selection process.

Since this is an Excepted Service position, a non-rated method of evaluation will be used. We will evaluate your application by comparing your description of your work experience, level of responsibility, and accomplishments to the requirements of the position to determine whether you meet all the qualification requirements. Competitive examining rules for rating and ranking do not apply.

Application of Veterans' Preference:There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service, but the Office of General 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 the dates of service and type of discharge.

Referral: If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application may be referred to a selecting official for consideration.

Required Documents

A complete application includes:
1. A resume: All applicants are required to submit a resume either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their own choosing. (Cover letters are optional but encouraged.)

Please limit your resume to two-pages. Applicants with resumes exceeding two-pages will be removed from consideration.
To receive full credit for relevant experience, please list the month/date/year and number of hours worked for experience listed on your resume.
It is suggested that you preview the online questionnaire, to ensure that your resume thoroughly describes how your skills and experience align with the criteria defined in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement and support your responses to the online questionnaire.
For resume writing guidance, please visit How do I write a resume for a federal job?

2. Vacancy question responses: All applicants are required to complete vacancy question responses by clicking the apply online button of this vacancy announcement.

3. Submission of any required documents identified below, if applicable: 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).

VETERANS' PREFERENCE DOCUMENTATION: If you are claiming veterans preference, please see applicant guide for required documentation. In order to be considered for veterans preference, you must submit all required documentation as outlined in the applicant guide.
EDUCATION DOCUMENTATION:
- You are not required to submit transcripts for this initial phase of the application process. Candidates will be referred for consideration based on their self-certification. If you are selected for a position which has a positive education requirement (as described in the vacancy announcement) and/or you are qualifying solely on your education, you will be required to submit official transcripts verifying your qualifications prior to a job offer being issued.
- A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Refer to the OPM instructions.
CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (CTAP) DOCUMENTATION: If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee, click CTAP/ICTAP for eligibility and a detailed list of required documents you must submit in order to be eligible.
RECOMMENDED DOCUMENTS: In addition, we recommend that you submit copies of the following:
- If you have worked in the Federal government within the previous 52 weeks, submit a copy of your SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, which shows your current (or most recent) grade.

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

The following instructions outline our application process. You must complete this application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET, Monday - Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, please contact us by noon ET on the announcement's closing date.

Are you unsure how to write your federal resume? We are here to help. The Treasury Recruitment Service regularly offers Writing Your Federal Resume training sessions, and other career-related information sessions, to assist you in your career search journey. To register for a session, click here to go to our Career Information Sessions webpage.

Departmental Offices provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us if you require this for any part of the application and hiring process.

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 (USAJOBS Login). A list of announcements to which you have applied is at the Welcome screen.
-Under "Application status," click "Track this application" and you will be taken to the agency website where you can check your application status.

For more information regarding the job and applicant status, please refer to USAJOBS Help Center - How to see your application and job status

If you wish to make changes/updates to your application and the vacancy is still open, you can click on the job announcement and "Update Application" to be taken back to your application. No updates can be made once the announcement has closed.

Please notify us if your contact information changes after the closing date of the announcement. Also, note that if you provide an email address that is inaccurate or if your mailbox is full or blocked (e.g., spam-blocker), you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.

For additional information on how to apply, please visit the Partnership for Public Service's Go Government website.

The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of the Treasury and its bureaus from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Treasury by email at, FairChanceAct@treasury.gov.

To learn more, please visit our page at: Treasury.gov/fairchanceact.

To preview the questionnaire: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12966483

Agency contact information

Applicant Call Center

Phone: 304-480-7300
Email: doinquiries@fiscal.treasury.gov

Address: Office of the General Counsel
Treasury Common Services Center
Parkersburg, WV 26101
US

Next steps

Once the online questionnaire is received, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. We will review your résumé and transcript(s) (if appropriate) to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications on the information provided and may interview the best-qualified applicants. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct any required suitability and/or security background investigation.

Attorney-Adviser (Finance) Job in Washington, DC