Summary

This position is located in the Office of General Counsel of the Department of War. The Deputy General Counsel (International Affairs), a career member of the Senior Executive Service, is principal assistant to the General Counsel and, subject to his or her authority, direction, and control, acts with the full authority of the General Counsel in all matters within the General Counsel's authority and responsibility.

This job is open to

The public

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

Federal employees - Competitive service

Current federal employees whose agencies follow the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's hiring rules and pay scales.

Federal employees - Excepted service

Current federal employees whose agencies have their own hiring rules, pay scales and evaluation criteria.

Senior executives

Individuals looking for an executive-level job and who meet the five Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs).

Clarification from the agency

This job is opened to all qualified U.S. Citizens, Current Federal Employees, and Former Federal Employees.

Duties

Major duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

International Affairs. Personally, and through members of his/her professional staff, the incumbent provides the legal advice and assistance required in the development of policy, the implementation of programs, and the negotiation of agreements concerning or affecting Department of War (DoW) international activities and operations, including those pertaining to U.S. national security including homeland defense and defense support of civilian authorities.
The incumbent serves as the focal point for legal advice to DoW and U.S. delegations to bilateral and multinational negotiations relating to matters affecting DoW. The incumbent provides legal analysis of suggested negotiating positions, inter alia, to ensure that the proposed agreements and arrangements will be legally sufficient under U.S. and international law.
The incumbent is responsible for representing DoW's interests in litigation before international tribunals, such as the International Court of Justice and the Iran -U.S. Claims Tribunal, and for advising on national security and international law and homeland defense-related matters implicating DoW interests in litigation before U.S. Courts.
The incumbent has legal responsibilities in connection with the administration of status of forces and similar agreements and arrangements applicable to DoW personnel and operations in foreign countries. These agreements cover such matters as the apportionment of civil and criminal jurisdiction between foreign and U.S. military courts, taxation, military procurement abroad, customs exemptions, passports, and foreign claims.
The incumbent may be called upon to testify before Congress or to brief members of Congress or their staffs on any of the areas within the office's responsibilities.
The incumbent serves as focal point for resolution of differences among the Military Departments, Defense Agencies, and Field Activities in the area of legal support for DoW operations and activities worldwide, and advises DoW components on relevant international programs, international agreements, and the requirements of national security and international law.
The incumbent renders legal opinions on questions referred by Under Secretaries, Assistant Secretaries, and other Departmental officials on a wide range of matters within the incumbent's areas of responsibility, including but not limited to: legal problems arising out of the negotiations, drafting, and implementation of treaties and other international agreements and arrangements; DoW relationships with multilateral international organizations such as the United Nations and NATO; international tax, patent, procurement, logistics, and claims problems; foreign military sales and security assistance; agreements for industrial and scientific cooperation; humanitarian assistance and relief operations; laws and customs of war; law of the sea; space law; law pertaining to cyberspace; export controls; arms control and disarmament; nuclear matters; and other complex problems concerning worldwide Do W operations.
The incumbent provides legal advice and assistance in the development of policy, the implementation of programs, and the negotiation of international agreements concerning DoW international assistance programs, including with countries in all global regions in the areas of Cooperative Threat Reduction; counterproliferation activities; and international cooperative defense, trade, technology, and research and development; and international cooperative personnel exchanges and security of information matters.
The incumbent reviews papers referred by the Under Secretaries, Assistant Secretaries, and others for legal implications, including matters of international law, and suggests changes to eliminate legal deficiencies and better serve policy goals. The incumbent also serves as focal point for the responsibilities of the General Counsel under DoW Instruction 5530.3, International Agreements, and DoW Directive 5100.77, the DoW Law of War Program.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

You must be a U.S. citizen to qualify for this position.
All newly appointed Career SES leaders must sign the Reassignment Rights Obligations Agreement as a condition of appointment into the SES.
You must submit to a drug test and receive a negative drug test before you can be appointed into this position. Designated and/or Random Drug Testing required.
In order to qualify for this position, you must be able to obtain a Top Secret security clearance and access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI).
Submit resume and all other required documents online by 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time on 03/10/2026
The individual selected will be required to file an 'Executive Branch Personnel Financial Disclosure Report (OGE-278) in accordance with the Ethics in Government Act of 1978.
You will serve a one-year probationary period unless you have previously completed the probationary period in the SES.
Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/Home/Registration).

Qualifications

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. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.

To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ), and Technical Qualifications (TQ) related to this position within your resume - NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES. Resumes over the 2-page limit will be disqualified. Please see "Required Documents" section below for all resume formatting requirements.

Your resume should include examples of experience, education, and accomplishments applicable to the qualification(s). If your resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of these qualifications, you may not receive consideration for the position.

Do NOT submit a separate narrative statement specifically addressing the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) or the Technical Qualifications (TQs).

TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs): Your resume should demonstrate accomplishments that would satisfy the technical qualifications:

TQ 1: Comprehensive knowledge of and demonstrated experience in the following legal practice and program areas: international law, including treaties and customary international law, the laws and customs of war, the law of the sea, the law of outer space, and arms control; and those legal disciplines associated with national security law, including the Constitution and U.S. statutes as they pertain to national security matters, such as the National Security Act, the War Powers Resolution, appropriations law, and foreign relations law.

TQ 2: The ability to work effectively with a diverse, senior client base and to serve as a member of the Agency's executive leadership team in ensuring continued mission success.

EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): In addition to the Technical Qualification Requirements listed above, all new entrants into the Senior Executive Service (SES) under a career appointment will be assessed for executive competency against the following five mandatory ECQs. If your 2-page resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of the ECQs and TQs, you may not receive further consideration for the position.

There are five ECQs:

ECQ 1: Commitment to the Rule of Law and the Principles of the American Founding - This core qualification requires a demonstrated knowledge of the American system of government, commitment to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law, and commitment to serve the American people.
- Sub-Competencies:
  - Knowledge of the American System of Government: Demonstrates understanding and appreciation of the American system of government, including the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, separation of powers, federalism, and the historical development of the American Nation.
  - Commitment to the Rule of Law: Upholds the principles of the American Founding, including equality under the law and democratic self-government. Ensures the law is applied fairly and consistently.
  - Civic-Mindedness: Stays up-to-date on important developments in American government and aligns organizational objectives and practices with presidential and public interests. Demonstrates a commitment to serve the American people.
ECQ 2: Driving Efficiency - This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to strategically and efficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades.
- Sub-Competencies:
  - Fiscal Responsibility: Strategically manages, allocates and monitors financial resources. Aligns priorities and initiatives to justify budget proposals. Monitors expenditures, cuts unnecessary costs, and uses cost-benefit analysis to set priorities.
  - Managing Resources: Manages resources efficiently and effectively based on current and projected organizational goals, skills, budget considerations, and staffing needs.
  - Leveraging Technology: Explores emerging technology and potential applications. Incorporates technology to enhance efficiency and achieve results. Ensures access to and security of technology systems.
ECQ 3: Merit and Competence - This core qualification involves the demonstrated knowledge, ability and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality.
- Sub-Competencies:
  - Technical Skill: Possesses the requisite technical knowledge and subject matter expertise to consistently produce timely, high-quality work. Is considered a strong contributor in his or her domain.
  - Problem Solving: Engages in critical and data-driven thinking when diagnosing root causes and evaluating options. Identifies and promptly addresses the most pressing, high-priority problems.
  - Agility and Resilience: Anticipates and adapts to change, new ideas, new information, and new conditions. Is committed to continuous improvement. Deals effectively with pressure and remains optimistic and persistent, even under adversity.
ECQ 4: Leading People - This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals, and to drive a high-performance, high-accountability culture. This includes, when necessary, the ability to lead people through change and to hold individuals accountable.
- Sub-Competencies:
  - Accountability: Ensures that employees are appropriately recruited, selected, appraised, trained, and retained. Takes swift action to address performance- or conduct-based deficiencies in employees supervised. Holds self and others accountable for measurable high-quality, timely, and cost-effective results.
  - Developing Others: Recognizes and rewards outstanding achievement in others. Develops the ability of others to perform and contribute to the organization by providing opportunities to learn through formal and informal methods. Cultivates a dynamic environment in which employees are not afraid to make mistakes.
  - Executive Judgement: Makes well-reasoned, timely, and effective decisions and considers short- and long-term implications. Communicates effectively with stakeholders across all organizational levels, sharing and guarding information where appropriate.
ECQ 5: Achieving Results - This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors.
- Sub-Competencies:
  - Operational Mindset: Effectively translates strategies into actionable steps and processes. Partners effectively with stakeholders to drive adoption and addresses blockers to ensure successful implementation.
  - Innovation: Applies creativity to improving products and processes, challenges convention, takes measured risks, and considers ways to simplify and remove unnecessary requirements.
  - Strategic Thinking: Formulates objectives and priorities and implements plans consistent with the long-term interests of the organization by evaluating conditions, resources, capabilities, constraints, and organizational goals and values.

Note: If you are a member of the SES or have been certified through successful participation in an OPM approved SES Candidate Development Program (SESCDP), or have SES reinstatement eligibility, you must attach proof (e.g., SF-50, Certification by OPM's SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB)) of your eligibility for noncompetitive appointment to the SES. See "Required Documents" section for additional information.

Education

Candidates must meet the following education requirement for career series 0905:

Must be a graduate of law school. You must have a current license to practice law from at least one state, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. commonwealth or U.S. territory, and be able to demonstrate that in a least one state or jurisdiction in which you are licensed you are permitted to engage in the active practice of law. Active status must be maintained in at least one state or jurisdiction during the course of employment in the Office of the General Counsel.

Applicants are not required to provide an official certificate demonstrating this active status, but must provide such a certificate to the selecting official if selected.

A certified copy of a law school transcript is required as proof that you meet the educational requirement for this position (unofficial transcripts are acceptable at application stage) and must be provided to the selecting official if selected. Failure to provide a copy of your transcript for this announcement will result in a rating of "ineligible."

Additional information

DoW Joint Enterprise-Wide Experience Statement: In addition, DoW requires an Enterprise Perspective. This individual must have the ability to apply a broad point of view and an awareness and understanding of individual or organizational responsibilities in relation to DoW or government-wide strategic priorities is required. Executives must demonstrate ability to work with internal and external partners to support national security objectives. This perspective is typically gained through a variety of diverse work experiences. This information should be embedded within the resume.

Veterans preference is not applicable to the Senior Executive Service.

Applications MUST be submitted through USAJobs.

Mobility: Organizational and geographical mobility is essential in developing and managing SES leaders. Individuals selected for SES positions members may be subject to reassignment across geographical, organizational, and functional lines, and may be required to sign a Reassignment Rights and Obligation Agreement.

Tiering: The Office of the Secretary of War structures its SES positions into tiers to determine the pay range for each position. The categories are based on the position scope, breadth, functions, and placement within the structure of organizational levels across the Department.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Statement: http://www.eeoc.gov/federal/index.cfm

Employment Information Resources - Resource Center: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to

OPM must authorize any employment offers made to current or former (within the last 5 years) political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employees in the executive branch. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Noncareer SES employee in the executive branch, you must disclose that to the Human Resources Office.

Submit resume and all other required documents online by 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time on 03/10/2026

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 application process is complete, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be conducted. If you meet minimum qualifications, your Application Package will be further reviewed to determine if you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) and Technical Qualifications (MTQ) listed above. ECQs and TQs must be thoroughly addressed within your two (2) page resume. Separate narratives will not be accepted or reviewed. Highly Qualified applicants may undergo one or more interviews and may be referred to the selecting official for further consideration.

Upon selection, if not already a member of the SES serving under a career appointment, the individual selected must have his/her executive qualifications certified by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB) before appointment to this position. The selected individual's application will be forwarded to the OPM for review and certification by the QRB through a Structured Interview process, unless the selectee provides evidence of their noncompetitive status (i.e., a current SES, OPM QRB certified SESCDP graduate, or SES reinstatement eligible). Upon QRB certification, the selected individual will be required to serve a one-year probationary period. For more information regarding the SES, go to https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/.

Required Documents

A complete application includes items described below. 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).

Please carefully review the following list to determine what documentation you need to submit. Some documents may not apply to all applicants.

1. RESUME: All applicants are required to submit a resume limited to two (2) pages showing all relevant experience. Your resume must address your technical and executive core qualifications for the position, and it may not exceed two (2) pages. Your 2-page (or less) resume must be in PDF format, with no smaller than a 1" margin and no smaller than a 10-point font. If you submit a resume that exceeds the two-page limit and/or does not meet the margin or font limitations stated herein, you will immediately be deemed ineligible for this position and will receive no further consideration.

2. ADDITIONAL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

CURRENT OR FORMER SES MEBERS: Must provide your SES appointment SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action), and an SF-50 showing current career SES status or career SES reinstatement eligibility.
SES CANDIDATE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (SESCDP) GRADUATES: Verification of successful completion of an OPM-approved SESCDP and OPM SES QRB certification.
CURRENT FEDERAL CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEE: Must provide a copy of your Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form reflecting you are a current Federal Civil Service employee.

3. TRANSCRIPTS: Must provide a copy of law school transcripts in your application package. 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 transcripts from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency. If selected, an official/sealed transcript may be required prior to appointment.

DO NOT SUBMIT ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Extraneous materials such as award certificates will not be considered.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete this application and submit any required documents specified in the Required Documents section and submit 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 and upload your résumé and/or other required 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.

It is applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and uploaded, (i.e., resume and other required documents) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application.

Application packages will NOT be accepted via mail. Due to security processes, mail delivery takes approximately 2-3 weeks to process at which time the vacancy announcement will be closed, and no further consideration will be given to additional application packages.

Agency contact information

Senior Executive Services

Email: whs.pentagon.hrd.mbx.semo-job-application-assistant@mail.mil

Address: General Counsel of the Department of Defense
Human Resources Directorate
4800 Mark Center Drive
Alexandria, VA 22350
US

Next steps

To verify the status of your application, sign in to your USAJOBS account (https://www.usajobs.gov/), 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://help.usajobs.gov/how-to.

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.

Deputy General Counsel (International Affairs) Job in Pentagon, Arlington, VA