Duties
Serves as an Attorney Advisor, responsible for providing legal support and advice to Corporation for National and Community Service (AmeriCorps) national service programs, offices, and functions, on a range of legal matters in a collaborative, fast-paced and complex environment.
- Provides expert legal counsel and advice to AmeriCorps staff on enterprise-wide questions of law and policy, frequently on complex and time-sensitive matters.
- With minimum supervision, serves as legal counsel for AmeriCorps major programmatic and/or functional segments (offices), providing advice and counsel on questions of law and administrative policy.
- Plans and carries out legal research, and prepares written memoranda, advisory opinions, correspondence, and litigation reports, and represents the agency in administrative litigation.
- Counsels and advises on AmeriCorps policies concerning program and operational activities, decisions and/or actions to ensure that they are legally sufficient and do not exceed AmeriCorps discretionary parameters.
- Works on mission-critical projects, including complex legal matters and agency top priorities, under limited supervision. Monitors the implementation of the legal policies and procedures.
- Analyzes and researches the implications of laws, regulations, and policies, that may affect the organization.
Requirements
Conditions of employment
- You must be a United States Citizen
- Merit Promotion and internal applicants must submit a SF-50 to verify Status and grade
- Satisfactory completion of a background investigation.
- A financial disclosure may be required for this position.
Qualifications
Applicants must have one year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to at least the mid/high range of the NY-03 pay band, which would be at or equivalent to the GS 12/13 level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is that which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience includes, but is not limited to:
- Knowledge of federal administrative law.
- Ability to advise program staff, preparing written materials (including memoranda, correspondence, regulations, policies, and other written work product).
- Ability to advise the organization on matters in administrative proceedings, or before other agencies or before Congress.
- Experience providing advice on legal issues related to the interpretation of statutes and regulations.
- Experience working with organizational leadership and providing clear legal advice to executives and senior officials to help improve outcomes for the organization.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps VISTA) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Such experience must be clearly documented in the applicant's resume.
Education
Education for this position is a requirement and applicants must possess a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree or equivalent degree from an American Bar Association accredited law school.
NOTE: You must submit an unofficial copy of your law school transcript. You must submit evidence that any education completed in a foreign institution is equivalent to U.S. educational standards. Failure to provide this material or evidence will result in your receiving no further consideration. Documentation required to validate qualifications received by the closing date of this announcement. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications (particularly positions with a positive education requirement.) Therefore, applicants must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html. All education claimed by applicants will be verified.
Please reference General Schedule Qualification Standards (opm.gov)
FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.
Additional information
Additional Selections: Additional selections may be made from this announcement or for similar positions across AmeriCorps. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with interested selecting official(s) at AmeriCorps.
Military Selective Service Act: If you are a male applicant who was born after 12/31/59 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.
Veteran's Preference: If you are claiming 5-point or 10-point veteran's preference, you must submit documentation described below in "Required Documents."
Special Employment Consideration: Persons with disabilities, disabled veterans who have a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more, certain other veterans, spouses of certain members of the Armed Forces, VISTA volunteers, some Peace Corps employees and returning Peace Corps volunteers are examples of individuals who are potentially eligible for noncompetitive appointment. If you are eligible and would like to be considered for one of these noncompetitive appointments, applicable documentation that supports your eligibility must be submitted with your application package.
Ethics Requirement: Our Agency is committed to the highest ethical standards and, as an employee you will be covered by the criminal conflict of interest statutes (18 U.S.C. 201-209) and the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch (5 C.F.R. part 2635). Additionally, you may be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) or Public Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 278e) within 30 days of your appointment date and on an annual basis thereafter.
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.
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.
Your application will be evaluated first for the basic qualifications described above. The applications that meet the basic qualifications will be evaluated further against the following criteria:
- Oral Communication
- Reasoning
- Self - Management
- Writing
Important Note: Your resume must support your answers to the job specific questions. High self-assessment on the Occupational Questionnaire that is not supported by the information in your resume or supporting documents can/will result in elimination from further consideration. If you do not answer all of the job specific questions you will not be considered. Incomplete applications (resume and required supporting documents) will be considered ineligible.
Qualified applicants will be placed in one of the following three categories:
1 - Qualified Category - Meets the minimum qualification requirements as described in the Qualifications section of this announcement.
2 - Well Qualified Category - Meets the minimum qualification requirements and demonstrates proficiency based on the answers to the job specific questions.
3 - Best Qualified Category - Meets the minimum qualification requirements and demonstrates high level proficiency based on the answers to the job specific questions.
NOTE: Status candidates will be considered under the provisions of the agency's Human Resources system which allows for:
1) Non-competitive referral of lateral candidates; and
2) The separation of status and non-status applicants for referral purposes.
Status candidates will be referred on one selection list only, i.e., either merit promotion or non-competitive. Non-status candidates who are eligible for Noncompetitive referral, e.g. Peace Corps, VRA, etc., will be referred under Noncompetitive procedures only. For Noncompetitive categories, See "Special Employment Consideration" below under "Other Information."