Clarification from the agency

This position is open to current SEC employees.

The Office of Analytics and Research (OAR) provides the Commission with detailed and sophisticated data analyses on market microstructure to inform critical policy decisions. This work demands deep expertise in the structure and functioning of secondary markets for equities, equity options, exchange-traded products, corporate bonds, fixed income instruments, and derivatives, including swaps. Given the data-intensive nature of these markets, OAR staff routinely apply advanced programming and analytical skills to fulfill their responsibilities. The individual in this role will research efforts on market structure and operations to support policymaking, identify emerging trends, innovations, potential areas of concern, and assess significant market events.

Duties:

• Serves as a senior technical authority in financial analysis, addressing a broad spectrum of highly complex and often sensitive issues with significant implications for the industry and Commission actions. Leads the development of rigorous, objective financial analyses on matters such as proposed regulations, public policy initiatives, compliance frameworks, and oversight of industry professionals. Provides strategic leadership and direction to a team of analysts, ensuring the delivery of expert analytical and evidentiary support for the agency's regulatory actions.
• Provides executive leadership and strategic oversight of staff and work products by demonstrating deep expertise in a specialized segment of the assigned program. Responsibilities include monitoring emerging and unconventional market and financial developments that influence SEC decision-making; leveraging and enhancing data systems and technological tools; anticipating market trends and practices; cultivating effective partnerships with domestic and international agencies; and participating in public outreach and representational engagements to advance the Commission's mission and strategic vision.
• Prepares technically rigorous responses to a wide range of complex market issues stemming from the interpretation and application of statutes administered by the SEC. These matters are typically referred due to their complexity, sensitivity, potential to set precedent, urgency, deviation from established regulations, or other exceptional circumstances. The individual applies expert judgment and analytical skills to address novel challenges and provide timely, high-impact guidance.
• Represents the agency in meetings, conferences, and public forums, serving as a knowledgeable and authoritative voice on specialized segments of the financial markets. Demonstrates current expertise in assigned market areas, leverages technological advancements to enhance analytical capabilities, and fosters strong collaborative relationships with federal and state agencies as well as industry stakeholders.

Conditions of employment

• You must possess a J.D. or LL.B Degree.
• You must be an active member of the bar in good standing.
• CITIZENSHIP: This position is open to US Citizens.
• 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 and may be filled from any division or office within the agency.
• This position has promotion potential to the SO-02.
• TRIAL PERIOD: This appointment may require completion of a two year supervisory/managerial trial period.
• 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 not in the collective bargaining unit.
• 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.

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.

Applicants are responsible for confirming all required materials are submitted by the deadline. Please check the 'How You Will Be Evaluated' and 'Required Documents' sections carefully, as missing documents will render the application incomplete and ineligible for review.


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.

• SO-01: Applicant must have four year(s) of post J.D. experience identifying legal issues, providing legal analyses, providing legal solutions/recommendations, and preparing legal documents, which also includes at least three years of specialized experience:
  1. Providing legal analytical support and contextual insight to inform broad policy decisions and rulemaking initiatives;
  2. Leading a market data analysis initiative within a major organization, enabling comprehensive monitoring and evaluation of market activity across multiple asset classes, including equities, options, exchange-traded products, fixed income instruments, and/or derivatives;
  3. Designing and executing ongoing research programs focused on continuous monitoring of equity and options markets, incorporating analysis of market data related to fixed income and/or security-based swaps; and
  4. Developing and maintaining robust data collection and analytical frameworks to support effective oversight of the securities markets.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your resume and application package will be reviewed to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements outlined in this announcement.

If you are found minimally qualified, a rating panel will review your resume and Accomplishment Record narratives. Accomplishment Record narratives should demonstrate your proficiency in the following competencies:

1. Leading the Organization: Building and supporting the organization's vision, creating strategies to achieve the vision, supporting and leading innovative and creative initiatives to meet organizational goals.
2. Leading and Developing People: Ability to recruit, lead, develop and manage the workforce, constructively manages differences and potential conflicts between employees, building teams that meet and exceed an organizations' mission, strategic plan, and goals.
3. Results Orientation: Ability to meet organizational goals by effectively managing program area, identifying and solving important problems, making sound and timely decisions, and effectively managing and sharing information.
4. Building Coalitions: Ability to build coalitions by partnering with others to build strategic relationships, influencing and negotiating with those in sphere of influence to achieve favorable outcomes for an organization.
5. Market Analysis: Advises on emerging markets, through extensive research that require understanding of the marketplace landscape to inform and support policy development.
6. Legal and Regulatory Analysis: Conducts analysis and prepares documents and reports in compliance with Federal law that governs the rulemaking process.

Your resume must provide evidence that supports the claims made in your Accomplishment Record narratives; both documents must effectively showcase your qualifications. Each competency narrative should detail one specific, relevant example from your training or experience. Please limit each response to a maximum of 300 words, as any text beyond this limit will not be considered during the evaluation. You will upload one pdf or Word document with your narrative responses to each of the six competencies. Your responses must be in the below format:

Competency Title
Position title and dates from your resume that this experience was obtained

• Describe the situation (i.e., the challenged faced, the problem solved)
• Describe the specific actions you took
• State the outcome, results, or long-term impact of your accomplishment
• Name and email address of someone who can verify this information

Failure to provide the Accomplishment Record will result in a rating of IFFM: You were not considered because you did not submit all required documents and/or they were not in English as specified in the announcement. For more information on the Accomplishment Record, see the Required Documents section.

The rating panel will place applicants in three categories: Highly Qualified, Well Qualified and Qualified. Top ranked applicants will be referred to the hiring office for further review and consideration. The hiring office may directly contact recommended candidates for interview(s). When the selection is made, applicants will be sent a referral status notification and a final disposition notification.

To preview the Questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12854090

You must provide a complete Application Package, which includes:

• Required: Your responses to the Questionnaire.
• Required: Resume - To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the specialized experience related to this position within your two-page resume - NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES. Resumes over the 2-page limit, will not be reviewed beyond page 2. Your resume should highlight the competencies required for the position and include examples of experience, education, and accomplishments applicable to the qualification(s) and include specific employment dates (month and year and start and ends dates) and differentiate between full-time and part-time work. To help ensure the resume review fully credits your relevant experience, we recommend clearly referencing the competency and specialized experience demonstrated in each position or example you include in your resume. If your resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of these qualifications, you may not receive consideration for the position. Candidates external to the SEC will be allowed to submit a comprehensive resume for pay setting purposes after a tentative offer is made. If the applicant fails to provide the comprehensive resume by the specified deadline, the resume submitted at the time of application will be used to determine pay. No additional documentation will be accepted after the deadline. Note: Your resume must NOT contain pictures. For external candidates: Information on how your resume will be used for pay setting purposes can be found here. If you are a current SEC employee selected for this position, the standard percentage increases will be applied (i.e., 6% for non-supervisory and 10% for supervisory positions) if your selection results in a promotion. If your selection results in lateral movement (i.e. no change in grade) you will maintain your current salary. If your selection results in a change in grade from an SK-15 to an SK-16 you will maintain your current salary. For helpful guidance for writing a two-page resume, click here.
• Required: Accomplishment Record - For each competency, applicants must provide a 300 word or less written narrative describing one example of competency-related experience. Each example should document the position title and dates when the experience was obtained, detailed information about the problem or situation, the specific actions taken by the applicant, and the results or outcomes achieved by those actions. The applicant will also provide the name and contact information of an individual who can verify the provided information. This document must be uploaded to the application under Accomplishment Record. An accomplishment record submitted outside the USA Staffing system will not be accepted.
• Required, if applicable: Veteran's documentation (DD-214, member 4 copy or other documentation containing dates of service and character of discharge.)

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