Summary
This position is in the Administrative Law and Legal Review Group (Group), which provides legal analysis and advice on federal securities laws, administrative procedure, and other applicable laws to the SEC. The Group analyzes rulemakings and other recommendations to the Commission prepared by SEC divisions and offices, including the Divisions of Corporation Finance, Investment Management, and Trading and Markets.
Duties
The Special Counsel will report initially to the Deputy General Counsel for Administrative Law and Legal Review but will work closely with the Group leadership toward completion of all duties. This position will serve as coordinator for the agency's interactions with the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) within the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and assist with responding to legislation, executive orders and other directives related to the agency's rulemaking activities. The ideal candidate for this position will be able to work independently across multiple subject matter areas and exhibit strong judgment, effective communication skills, and the ability to manage multiple workstreams with overlapping deadlines.
Primary duties include:
- Develop primary expertise with respect to the requirements of executive orders related to the Commission's rulemaking activities, including Executive Orders 14192, 14215, and 12866, and associated OIRA processes and requirements.
- Manage and coordinate submissions to OIRA, including rulemakings, and the agency's biannual Unified Agenda, demonstrating general knowledge of the agency's regulatory actions and taking an active role in ensuring that the submissions are timely and accurate.
- Develop strategies for ensuring compliance with relevant legislation, executive orders and related OMB guidance, identifying potential issues and advising staff on how to address them.
- Foster a close collaborative relationship with OIRA, other government stakeholders, and agency leadership, including the Chairman's office, to advance agency rulemaking priorities, anticipating potential challenges and making recommendations for their resolution.
- Brief OGC and agency senior leadership on developments in the law and administrative practice related to the Commission's rulemaking activities.
- Assist with other rulemaking-related functions or special projects as needed.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- CITIZENSHIP: You must be a US Citizen.
- You must possess a J.D. or LL.B Degree and you must be an active member of the bar in good standing.
- This position is open to current SEC employees.
- Application procedures are specific to this vacancy announcement. Please read all the instructions carefully. Failure to follow the instructions may result in you not being considered for this position.
- Supplementary vacancies may be filled in addition to the number stated in this announcement.
- This position has promotion potential to the SK-16.
- Consistent with 5 U.S.C. § 7511, you will be required to serve a two-year trial period (one year for preference eligible veterans) if the position to which you have applied is not the same or similar to your current position of record.
- SECURITY CLEARANCE: Entrance on duty is contingent upon completion of a pre-employment security investigation. Favorable results on a Background Investigation may be a condition of employment or selection to another position.
- DRUG TESTING: This position may be subjected to drug testing requirements.
- PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION (PCS): Moving/Relocation expenses are not authorized.
- DIRECT DEPOSIT: All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
- This position is in the collective bargaining unit NTEU Chapter 293.
Qualifications
All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
Qualifying experience may be obtained in the private or public sector. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Qualifying education must have been obtained from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
BASIC REQUIREMENT: All applicants must possess the following
- J.D. or LL.B. degree --AND--
- Active membership of the bar in good standing in any state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the commonwealth of Puerto Rico. (Note: proof of bar membership will be required before entry on duty.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: In addition to meeting the basic requirement, applicants must also meet the minimum qualification requirement.
SK-16: Applicant must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS/SK-14 level. Specialized experience includes:
- Interpreting and advising on the administrative law statutes, and other regulatory processes that govern the agency's rulemaking activities; AND
- Providing comprehensive legal research and analysis of complex issues including rulemakings, and other recommendations from various divisions and offices; AND
- Conveying analysis and information orally through briefings, consultations and other presentations involving federal securities laws and administrative procedures.
Education
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
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.
All applicants will be notified of their application status once the vacancy announcement has closed. Applicants that have a tentative eligible rating will be referred to the hiring office for review.
The resume review panel, designated by the hiring office, will review your application, including the Assessment Questionnaire. Your resume must support your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire and demonstrate your qualifications for the position. Additional application materials submitted outside of the USAJOBs system or after the position is closed will not be accepted, unless requested by the hiring office as part of the evaluation process (e.g. writing sample).
Once the resume review panel has completed their review of all applicants, they will recommend the top candidates for interview. The hiring office will schedule the interview(s) directly with the recommended candidates.
When the selection is made, applicants will be sent a referral status notification and a final disposition notification.
Applicants will be evaluated on the following competencies :
Administrative Law, Communication, Legal Research and Analysis, Manages and Organizes Information, and Securities Laws and Compliance Guidance
The Occupational Questionnaire will take you approximately 10 minutes to complete. To preview the Occupational Questionnaire, click the following link https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12744999.
How to Apply
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
A complete application package must be submitted 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 your resume and/or other supporting 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.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (
https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), 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://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
Next steps
You will be notified of your application status through USAJOBS at four points during the hiring process, as applicable. You can check the status of your application by accessing the USAJOBS website at http://usajobs.gov/ and clicking on "Track Your Online Application."
By submitting your application, you are certifying the accuracy of the information contained in your application. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired, you may be terminated after you begin work, or you may be fined or jailed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. You will be required to submit official documentation before appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., degree, Veterans' Preference, certification of disability, etc.).