Duties
The Director of Governmental Affairs and Oversight serves as the principal counselor, oversight official, and representative to the Under Secretary and the Deputy Under Secretary, and other senior United States Patent and Trademark (USPTO) officials on all legislative matters and policies that affect substantive programs or interests of the Agency. The incumbent ensures proper oversight of governmental activities and inquiries, and maintains effective communication between the Congress, the USPTO, other government agencies and the Department of Commerce (DOC) that is fully reflective of the Under Secretary's programs, priorities and perspectives.
Other duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:
- Conferring with Members of Congress and their constituents and represents the USPTO before Congress and with officials of OMB, DOC, and other governmental entities and before public and private stakeholders who have interests in key legislative issues. This requires the ability to relate policy and priorities to a very broad and complex range of specific activities.
- Developing and maintaining effective relationships with senior USPTO officials to become and remain thoroughly conversant with the operational needs of the agency's programs, problems of a sensitive and controversial nature, and areas of special or urgent congressional, intergovernmental, and stakeholder interest and any developing problems of unusual magnitude.
- Communicating with the Under Secretary and Deputy Under Secretary and senior USPTO officials on controversial issues to recommend or seek changes for better public and Congressional program acceptance. This requires the ability to convey and advance the Administration's views in an advocacy manner and develop and direct communication and outreach plans with Congress, other governmental entities, and internal and external stakeholders.
- Establishing and maintaining effective liaison with intellectual property bar associations, industry, and other stakeholders concerned with pending intellectual property or agency related legislation.
- Providing guidance and executive level leadership to staff members, including setting goals, strategic planning, setting performance standards, conducting performance evaluations, and ensuring that staff members are held accountable for their performance.
- Providing expert legal advice to Under Secretary, Deputy Under Secretary and USPTO senior officials on all legislative and Congressional matters and policies that may affect the substantive programs or interests of the Agency.
Requirements
Conditions of employment
- Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
- Subject to a 1-year supervisory probationary period (unless already completed).
- Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.
- 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.
- File a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report OGE-278e within 30 days of appointment and annually from then on.
- You may be required to obtain and maintain an interim and/or final security clearance prior to entrance on duty. Failure to obtain and maintain the required level of clearance may result in the withdrawal of a job offer or removal.
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 (ECQs) and Professional/Technical Qualifications (PTQs) related to this position within your resume - NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES. Resumes over the 2-page limit, will not be considered. 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.
There is NO requirement to prepare a narrative statement specifically addressing the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) or the Professional/Technical Qualifications (PTQs).
PROFESSIONAL/TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs): Your resume should demonstrate accomplishments that would satisfy the technical qualifications.
PTQ 1: Knowledge of and demonstrated experience in the principles and practices of the legislative and committee processes from proposal to enactment, in the House and Senate of the United States Congress. Recent experience in the House or Senate Judiciary Committee is particularly welcome.
PTQ 2: Demonstrated skill and experience in communicating complex legal matters, both orally and in writing, in a clear, concise and logical manner. Must be able to present and advocate for the agency's views on matters of interest and concern and respond to Congressional inquiries, as well as to prepare a variety of written documents, e.g., legislative proposals, agency decisions, position papers, policies, and testimonies.
EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): In addition to the Professional/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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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 do not need to respond to the ECQs. Instead, you should attach proof (e.g., SF-50, Certification by OPM's SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB)) of your eligibility for noncompetitive appointment to the SES.
Education
The minimum educational requirement is a law degree and membership in good standing of the bar of a state or territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico is required. Incumbent must maintain membership of the bar of a state or territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico to uphold this position. In the alternative, 5-10 years of recent committee experience in the House and/or the Senate of the United States Congress is preferred.
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.
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. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. For further information, visit: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov).
Additional information
Veterans Preference: Veterans' preference is not applicable to the SES.
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 Department/Agency structures its SES positions into categories (i.e. 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/Agency.
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Statement: http://www.eeoc.gov/federal/index.cfm
Employment Information Resources - Resource Center: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to
Males born after 12-31-1959 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfRegistration.aspx)
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.
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.
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. Learn 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 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 (ECQs) and Professional/Technical Qualifications (PTQs) listed above. ECQs and PTQs 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, 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
1. RESUME: All applicants are required to submit a resume limited to two (2) pages (i.e., 1 page that is double-sided or 2 pages that are one-sided each) showing all relevant experience. Applicants seeking initial career appointment to the Senior Executive Service (SES) must include evidence of the ECQs and TQs. PLEASE DO NOT USE USAJOBS RESUME BUILDER.
2. VACANCY QUESTION/ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONSES: Responses are automatically submitted through USA Jobs when you apply to this vacancy.
3. ADDITIONAL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS: Applicants are required to submit the following supporting documentation if applicable:
- 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.
4. EDUCATION DOCUMENTATION: For positions with an education requirement, submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. An official transcript will be required if you are selected and not already on file. See "Education" for more details.
STRONGLY RECOMMENDED: Most recent performance evaluation
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.