Chief Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. 25-SES-DRS-001 Department Offices, Boards and Divisions
Salary $150,160.00 to $225,700.00 Grade 00 to 00
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 6/13/2025 Close Date 7/17/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

The Civil Rights Division (CRT or Division) is seeking an experienced attorney to serve as the Chief of its Disability Rights Section.

Duties

This position is located in the Civil Rights Division (CRT) in Washington, DC. The Disability Rights Section protects the rights of persons with disabilities under Titles I, II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act ("ADA"). The ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in over seven million places of public accommodation, including all hotels, restaurants, retail stores, theaters, health care facilities, convention centers, parks, and places of recreation (Title III), in all activities of over 80,000 state and local governments (Title II), and in all employment practices of state and local government employers with 15 or more employees (Title I).In addition, under Executive Order 12250, the Section coordinates and ensures consistent and effective enforcement of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibits discrimination based on disability in federally assisted and federally conducted programs and activities. Enforcement of the ADA requires the Section to perform complaint investigations and compliance reviews. It is also responsible for the design and implementation of litigation under Titles I, II and III of the ADA.

As the Chief of the Disability Rights Section, the successful candidate will lead the enforcement of Titles I, II, and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504), and associated federal civil rights statutes. The incumbent directs high-impact civil rights litigation, regulatory work, policy development, investigations, and outreach activities nationwide.

The Chief's core responsibilities include:

  • Leading investigations and litigation under Titles II and III of the ADA, and litigation against public employers under Title I based on referrals from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or the Attorney General's independent authority.

  • Managing review and certification of state and local building codes for compliance with ADA Standards for Accessible Design.

  • Coordinating enforcement of Title II across federal agencies and providing legal advice and counsel to federal partners on disability-related matters.

  • Directing investigations and compliance reviews involving law enforcement, corrections, courts, public safety, and access to public services and programs.

  • Overseeing issuance of regulations to implement Titles II and III of the ADA, including those related to architectural accessibility and reasonable modifications.

  • Supervising the ADA Mediation Program, enabling efficient resolution of complaints from individuals with disabilities across the U.S.

  • Managing the ADA Information Line and overseeing public education initiatives, including development of accessible resources and publications.

  • Representing DOJ as a voting member of the Architectural Transportation Barriers Compliance Board, contributing to federal regulatory changes under Section 504.

  • Reviewing and approving legal briefs, reports, and arguments to ensure alignment with Departmental policy and applicable precedent.

  • Collaborating with senior DOJ officials, including the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, on major litigation, enforcement strategy, and policy development.

  • Consulting with the Attorney General, Deputy Attorney General, and Associate Attorney General on complex legal and programmatic matters impacting civil rights.

  • Supervising case development including complaint review, pre-trial litigation, discovery, motions practice, and appeals; and overseeing requests for FBI investigatory support when necessary.

  • Establishing Section policy, determining enforcement priorities, developing internal processes, and overseeing budget and personnel planning.

  • Ensuring consistent training for Section attorneys and non-attorney staff on evolving disability rights law, litigation strategy, and agency priorities.

  • Leading outreach and education efforts with law enforcement, public entities, advocacy organizations, and other stakeholders to promote ADA compliance and systemic reform.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen to qualify for this position.
  • You must provide the Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) and Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs).
  • You must complete a background investigation, to include pre-employment drug testing. Continued employment is contingent upon successful completion and adjudication of your background investigation and award of a Top-Secret security clearance.
  • You must have a Juris Doctorate degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association and be an active member in good standing of the bar of a state or territory of the US, the District of Columbia or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
  • Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
  • Applicants seeking initial career appointment to the Senior Executive Service are subject to a one-year probationary period.
  • Veterans' preference is not applicable to the Senior Executive Service.
  • 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.
  • A public Financial Disclosure report will be required on entry into the Senior Executive Service and annually thereafter.
  • Resume cannot exceed two (2) pages.

Qualifications

***READ THIS JOB OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT CAREFULLY AND IN ITS ENTIRETY. It contains detailed information regarding the necessary format and content of documents required to ensure you are appropriately considered for the position.***

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is required by law to review the executive qualifications of each new career appointee to the Senior Executive Service (SES) prior to appointment.

To be considered for this position, you must submit a written statement addressing each of the five (5) Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and three (3) Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) listed below. Written statements that include any form of "see resume" in an effort to satisfy the MTQ or ECQ requirement will result in removal from consideration for the position. Further, failure to address both the ECQs (as applicable) and MTQs separately as set forth below will also remove you from consideration for this position.

If you are a current Senior Executive Service (SES) career appointee, a former SES member having reinstatement eligibility, or an OPM-certified graduate of an approved SES Candidate Development Program you are not required to submit the ECQ narratives; however, you must submit the appropriate SF50 (showing SES status) or an OPM Qualifications Review Board certificate.

The ECQ narrative must have one-inch margins on all sides, using Times New Roman, 12 font, and is limited to no more than two pages per ECQ (the page limit includes any headers; therefore, it is recommended to use the Header/Footer section (in Word) for name, page number, ECQ title, etc.). If any ECQ(s) exceed the two-page limit, you WILL NOT receive consideration for this position. It is recommended you save files in Adobe Acrobat and upload pdf files to ensure Word files are not altered during the upload process. You must address how you have demonstrated progressively responsible leadership experience that is indicative of senior executive level managerial capability and directly related to the skills and abilities outlined in this job announcement. Qualified candidates typically gain experience of this nature at or above the GS-15 grade level in the Federal service or its equivalent with state or local government, the private sector, or nongovernmental organizations. For examples and guidance on writing effective ECQ narrative statements that comply with the requirements above, you are strongly encouraged to review the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Guide to Senior Executive Service Qualifications. You must use the Challenge - Context - Action - Result (CCAR) model when describing your accomplishments.

You must also submit a separate narrative statement that summarizes your relevant and technical experience for each of the Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) specifically described in this job announcement. To ensure fairness and equality for all applicants, responses are limited to no more than one page for each MTQ. The page limit includes Name, any headers, spelling out the MTQ, etc. It is recommended you upload pdf files to ensure formatting is not changed during the upload process. MTQs must be written using Times New Roman, 12 font, with one-inch margins on all sides. If the MTQs do not comply with these instructions, you WILL NOT receive consideration for this position.

Mandatory Technical Qualifications:
MTQ 1 - Demonstrated expert-level knowledge of and experience with federal disability rights laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Must have a proven record of success in developing, directing, and managing complex civil rights enforcement strategies, litigation, or legal policy initiatives related to disability rights. This includes leading teams of attorneys and support staff, advising senior leadership, and coordinating with federal, state, or local agencies and stakeholders. The candidate must show the ability to apply legal and policy expertise to achieve systemic impact, uphold civil rights protections, and ensure compliance across varied sectors such as education, employment, health care, housing, and public accommodations.
MTQ 2 - Demonstrated experience managing a complex organization, a diverse workforce (including lawyers, non-lawyer professionals, and support staff), and challenging organizational issues while enforcing the law.
MTQ 3 - Demonstrated experience communicating effectively on complex legal and technical issues through oral and written communication, including the ability to advocate successfully with diverse stakeholders, external partners and individuals or groups having differing and often conflicting interests, on matters related to the successful execution of a large-scale organization's mission, programs and projects.

Executive Core Qualifications:
  • 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.
    • Leadership Competencies for ECQ-1: creativity and innovation, external awareness, flexibility, resilience, strategic thinking, vision.
  • 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.
    • Leadership Competencies for ECQ-2: conflict management, leveraging diversity, developing others, team building.
  • 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.
    • Leadership Competencies for ECQ-3: accountability, customer service, decisiveness, entrepreneurship, problem solving, technical credibility.
  • Business Acumen: This core qualification involves the ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically.
    • Leadership Competencies for ECQ-4: financial management, human capital management, technology management.
  • 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.
    • Leadership Competencies for ECQ-5: partnering, political savvy, influencing/negotiating.

Education

Applicants must possess a J.D. degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association and be a member in good standing of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico bar. (Include in your resume the month and year in which you obtained your degree and the name of the College or University from which it was conferred/awarded.)

Additional information

Only experience obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.

EEO Policy Statement: The Department of Justice does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability (physical or mental), genetic information, status as a parent, political affiliation, or any other impermissible factor. The complete DOJ EEO Statement/Policy is found at: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/page/file/1394116/dl?inline

Reasonable Accommodation: Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. DOJ offers a comprehensive benefits package. Please see the "Benefits" area below for details.

Legal and Regulatory Guidance

  • Social Security Number - Your Social Security Number is requested under the authority of Executive Order 9397 to uniquely identify your records from those of other applicants who may have the same name. As allowed by law or Presidential directive, your Social Security Number is used to seek information about you from employers, schools, banks, and others who may know you. Failure to provide your Social Security Number on your application materials will result in your application not being processed.
  • 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.

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.

Only experience obtained by the 11:59pm EST on the closing date 06/26/2025 of this announcement will be considered.

After this announcement closes:

  1. An HR Specialist will review your resume, ECQs, MTQs, and supporting (required) documentation.
  2. Applicants found minimally qualified will be referred to an Executive Resources Board (ERB).
  3. The ERB will evaluate applications to determine the best qualified applicants for referral to the hiring official.
  4. The hiring official may contact applicants to participate in an interview. Interviews may be in a virtual setting or in person at DOJ offices.
  5. The hiring official will make a selection, which must be approved by CRT's Assistant Attorney General.
  6. The selected candidate's ECQs and resume will be evaluated by a Quality Review Board (QRB) at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), as required by law. A QRB must review/approve the executive qualifications of each new career appointee to the Senior Executive Service (SES) prior to appointment.

Required Documents

To be considered for this position, you must provide a complete application package in the format outlined in this job announcement. Applications that do not include all of the required documents or meet format requirements will not be considered.

The ECQ and MTQ statements must be formatted using Times New Roman, font 12, with one (1) inch margins. Do not use borders, provide photos, or list a social security number on any documents. Statements must be uploaded as Adobe (PDF) files.

- A comprehensive resume that also indicates the name of the college or university, and month and year, from which you obtained your J.D.

  • Your resume must not exceed two (2) pages and must demonstrate the necessary level of management skills, characteristics, qualities, specialized knowledge, and technical competence that would indicate successful performance in the SES. This evidence must include clear and concise examples that emphasize the applicant's level of responsibilities, scope, and complexity of programs managed, program accomplishments, policy initiatives, and level of contacts.
- ECQ narratives (each ECQ must not exceed two pages)
- MTQ narratives (each MTQ must not exceed 1 page)
- Recent SF-50 that shows Official Title, Grade Level, Status
- Certification of OPM QRB approval (for graduates of SES Candidate Development Programs)
- Other supporting documentation as required.

Applicants who fail to submit all information as described in this job announcement (i.e., page limits on ECQs, page limits on MTQs, etc.) and documents (i.e., resume, and other documents as applicable) WILL NOT receive consideration for this position.

It is highly encouraged that applicants submit their most recent performance appraisal.

DO NOT SUBMIT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Extraneous materials not requested in this job announcement will not be considered.

How to Apply

To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account.

Failure to submit a complete application (resume and all supporting documents) by 11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) on 06/26/2025 may result in an ineligible rating and loss of consideration. Please follow all instructions carefully as missing application information will not be requested. It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.

If more than one resume is received, only the last resume submitted will be reviewed.

Note: To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account: https://secure.login.gov/sign_up/enter_email select Application Status and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.

The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.

Do not email or send hard copy resumes/applications to the Contact Information or Agency Information listed in this vacancy announcement. All resumes/applications received at the addresses listed in the Contact Information or Agency Information will be destroyed and will not be considered for this vacancy announcement.

You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application. If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative method to apply from the Human Resources Office. Please contact Civil Rights Division at Diane.M.Turner@usdoj.gov.

Agency contact information

Diane Turner
Address
Civil Rights Division
950 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20530
US

Next steps

An Executive Resources Board (ERB) will evaluate your application based on your responses to the MTQs and ECQs, as well as the quality and extent to which your application shows that you possess the knowledge, experience and skills required for this position, as defined above. After conducting the initial round of interviews of highly-qualified individuals, the ERB will refer the top applicants to the selecting official for consideration. If selected for this position, you must be certified by an OPM independent Qualifications Review Board (QRB) as a prerequisite for final selection, unless you are a current SES career executive, are eligible for reinstatement based on prior career service in the SES, or have successfully participated in and graduated from an OPM approved SES Candidate Development Program.


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


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