Director, Office of Foreign Litigation Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. DE-13029694-26-AST Department Offices, Boards and Divisions
Salary $151,661.00 to $228,000.00 Grade 00 to 00
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 8/7/2026 Close Date 9/7/2026
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Director, Office of Foreign Litigation

Department of Justice
Offices, Boards and Divisions
Commercial Litigation Branch, Office of Foreign Litigation

Summary

The Civil Division (Division) of the U.S. Department of Justice is seeking an individual to serve as the Senior Executive Service (SES) Director in its Commercial Litigation Branch, Office of Foreign Litigation Section.

To learn more about the Office of Foreign Litigation, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/civil/office-foreign-litigation.

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

All U.S. Citizens, Senior Executive Service, and those Federal Employees in an Excepted or Competitive Service Status

Duties

The Director carries out significant executive leadership and management responsibilities overseeing the work of the Office of Foreign Litigation Section (OFL).

Major duties include:

  • Serving as the primary representative for the United States in foreign litigation. Personally supervising and/or litigating the most difficult, complex, and sensitive cases handled by the Office.
  • Overseeing the Office of International Judicial Assistance, the U.S. Central Authority for responsibilities under the Hague Conventions on Evidence and Service.
  • Supervising attorneys and support staff, including three foreign offices, who represent the United States in litigation before foreign courts. OFL responds to hundreds of annual requests for evidence from foreign courts.
  • Analyzing and reviewing proposed and pending legislation and international documents related to OFL's work. Commenting on and making recommendations to revise, support, or oppose such legislation, and assisting in formulating the Department's position concerning proposed legislation and international policy and legal documents.
  • Representing the Department on interagency task forces, working groups, and litigation teams dealing with foreign litigation issues. Maintaining close contact with key officials of other Department components or agencies with an interest in the cases OFL handles. Consulting with and advising officials of these agencies about the effects of court decisions and other developments on agency policies and procedures to enhance the government's ability to handle litigation in foreign courts in which the United States is a party or has an interest. Advising agencies on litigation risk, as well as on relevant foreign and international legal principles.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

  • You must be a United States Citizen or National.
  • Veterans' preference is not applicable to the Senior Executive Service.
  • Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31st, 1959. Those not registered should have an approved exemption on file.
  • You will be required to complete a pre-employment security investigation and background check for the security level designated for this position.
  • You will be required to undergo a drug screening and obtain favorable results prior to being appointed.
  • You may be subject to a one-year probationary period effective from the date on which you are appointed.
  • This position requires you to submit a Public Financial Disclosure Report (OGE 278) upon entry, and annually thereafter in accordance with DOJ and Federal ethics guidelines.
  • As a basic requirement for entry into the SES, applicants must provide evidence of progressively responsible leadership experience that is indicative of senior executive level management capability and directly related to the skills and abilities outlined under the Mandatory Technical Qualifications and Executive Core Qualifications.
  • You must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Qualifications

The application process used to recruit for this position is RESUME-ONLY. Applicants must show clear evidence of their demonstrated leadership ability by addressing the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) embedded within their resume. The resume-based application must not exceed 2 pages (1-sheet double-sided or 2 sheets one-sided).

**Note: Applicants who have completed the SES Candidate Development Program (CDP) and have had their ECQs certified by OPM must provide a copy of their certificate as part of their application. Candidates must still satisfy the MTQs of the position.

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. You will be evaluated to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications required of the position and to the extent your application demonstrates that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of the Director position. Please be sure to give concrete examples of your experience and demonstrate the complexity of the knowledge you possess.

ECQ1 - COMMITMENT TO THE RULE OF LAW AND THE PRINCIPLES OF THE AMERICAN FOUNDING. 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.

ECQ2 - DRIVING EFFICIENCY. Demonstrated ability to strategically and sufficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades.

ECQ3 - MERIT AND COMPETENCE. Demonstrated knowledge, ability and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality.

ECQ4 - LEADING PEOPLE. Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals; To drive a high-performance, high-accountability culture.

ECQ5 - ACHIEVING RESULTS. Demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to state goals from superiors.

For this position, the following Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) have been established and should be addressed within the resume application.

MTQ1. Demonstrated significant legal experience and expertise in foreign litigation and international legal matters involving the interests of the United States.
MTQ2. Demonstrated executive leadership experience managing complex legal organizations and programs supporting litigation and governmental operations.
MTQ3. Demonstrated experience providing strategic legal counsel and representing organizations on complex interagency, international, and policy matters.

Education

The incumbent must be a graduate from a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association and be a member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. IMPORTANT: Applicants are responsible for citing J.D. and bar membership information (institution name, state(s) for bar, and dates) on their respective resumes.

Additional information

Equal Employment Opportunity

The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. To learn more, please visit the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Reasonable Accommodations

This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Legal and Regulatory Guidance

  • Social Security Number - Your Social Security Number may be 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.
  • 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.

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.

Once this announcement closes the following will occur:
  1. A review of your resume, clear evidence of the 5 ECQs and 2 MTQs, and supporting documentation will be conducted by the HR Specialist.
  2. Applicants deemed minimally qualified will be referred to an Executive Resources Board (ERB) to further evaluate applications.
  3. The ERB will further evaluate applications to determine the best qualified applicants for referral to the hiring official.
  4. Best qualified applicants will be referred to the hiring official and may be invited to participate in a structured interview. Interviews may be in a virtual setting or in person at DOJ offices.
  5. The selectee will receive a tentative offer from the agency however before an agency can appoint a new Senior Executive Service member, The selected individual will be subject further evaluation through a Structured Interview by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualifications Review Board (QRB) as required by law. OPM must review the executive qualifications of each new career appointee to the Senior Executive Service (SES) prior to appointment.
NOTE: You MUST address all MTQs as required above, but do not need to address the ECQs if you:
  1. Are currently serving under a career SES appointment.
  2. Are eligible for reinstatement into the SES; or
  3. Have successfully completed a SES Candidate Development Program and been certified by Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Proof of Qualifications Review Board (QRB) certification must be provided in your application.

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
    • Complete resume that addresses the MTQs and ECQs. Your resume must not exceed 2 pages.
    • Recent SF-50 that shows Official Title, Grade Level
    • Recent Performance Appraisal (for current or former federal employees)
    • Proof of active bar membership
    • Provide certification of OPM QRB approval (for graduates of SES Candidate Development Programs)
    • Other supporting documentation as required.

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 Daylight Savings Time (EDT) on 09/07/2026 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:// my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login 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.

Agency contact information

Amy Thomason

Next steps

Next Steps

Once your complete application is received, we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications and determine your ranking. The most highly qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. You will be notified of the outcome.

Offices, Boards and Divisions

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Mission

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Values

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Agency contact information

Amy Thomason

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