General Counsel

Summary

NEH is a grant-making agency of the government dedicated to supporting research, education, preservation, and public programs in the humanities.

Duties

The General Counsel serves Counselor to the Chairman and senior policy advisor responsible for rendering advice to the Chairman, Senior Deputy Chairman, management and staff of NEH. The General Counsel interprets NEH's enabling legislation, conflicts of interests and ethics questions, constitutional issues, appropriations law, civil rights law, administrative law, contracts law, laws relating to grant-making and grant management, and other matters. Major duties include: Serve as the chief legal advisor to NEH leadership, shaping agency policy and strategy. Represent NEH at the highest levels in legal negotiations and external relations. Provide executive oversight of ethics, FOIA, and advisory committee programs. Direct the drafting, review, and approval of critical legal documents and agreements. Lead and develop the Office of General Counsel, managing attorneys and professional staff. Engage with senior federal and private sector stakeholders on complex legal and legislative matters. Qualifications

As a basic requirement for entry into the senior executive service (SES), applicants must provide evidence of progressively responsible executive leadership and supervisory experience that is indicative of senior executive level managerial capability. This experience should be sufficiently broad in scope and at a major management level in a large or complex organization. The ideal candidate will have experience supervising many employees through subordinate supervisors and have experience hiring, developing, and evaluating employees. Typically, experience of this nature is at the GS-15 or equivalent level in the federal service or its equivalent in the private sector. Your application should demonstrate that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully fulfill responsibilities inherent in SES positions such as: Leading the work of an organizational unit Ensuring the success of one or more specific major programs or projects Monitoring progress toward strategic organizational goals, evaluating organizational performance and taking action to improve performance Supervising the work of employees, developing policy and other executive functions If your experience does not include these basic qualifications, you will not be determined qualified for this position. Veterans' preference: Is not applicable to positions in the Senior Executive Service. To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and Technical Qualifications (TQs) related to this position within your resume. RESUME MUST NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES. Narrative statements specifically addressing the ECQs and/or the TQs are not required but must be addressed within your two page resume. Applications received with resumes exceeding the 2-page limit will be disqualified and will not receive further consideration. 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. See Applicant Guidance on the Two-Page Resume Limit here. TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs): Your resume should demonstrate accomplishments that would satisfy these technical qualifications. TQ 1: Executive Legal Analysis and Application Ability to interpret statutes, case law, constitutional provisions, and administrative regulations; translate complex legal requirements into practical guidance; and apply them strategically to an organization's mission, programs, and operations. TQ 2: Strategic Leadership in Federal Legal and Regulatory Matters Comprehensive knowledge of federal legal frameworks affecting NEH, including enabling legislation, ethics requirements, conflicts of interest standards, appropriations law, civil rights law, administrative law, contracts law, First Amendment considerations, and laws governing Federal grant programs, together with the ability to provide authoritative counsel on their application. TQ 3: Executive Legal Representation and Stakeholder Engagement Ability to represent an organization in high - level legal matters, including administrative proceedings, negotiations with federal, foreign, and international entities, and engagement with congressional staff, OMB officials, grantees, and other stakeholders; build trusted relationships; and advance organizational priorities. TQ 4: Executive Decision - Making, Problem - Solving, and Legal Communication Demonstrated decision - making, problem - solving, and legal writing skills, including drafting authoritative legal opinions, agreements, memoranda, and guidance that shape policy, mitigate risk, and support executive decision - making. TQ 5: Executive Leadership and Management of Legal Services Ability to lead and manage a customer - service - oriented legal office, including supervising attorneys and support staff, overseeing ethics, FOIA, and FACA compliance programs, and ensuring the effective, accountable, and strategic delivery of legal services that support organizational goals. 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 two-page resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of the ECQs and TQs, you may not receive further consideration for the position. Review ECQ guidance in OPM Guide to Senior Executive Service Qualifications and the Qualifications Review Board. These are the five ECQs and their competencies: 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 Constitution and the rule of law, and commitment to serve the American people. (Competencies: Knowledge of the American System of Government, Commitment to the Rule of Law, Civic-Mindedness). 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. (Competencies: Fiscal Responsibility, Managing Resources, Leveraging Technology). 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. (Competencies: Technical Skill, Problem Solving, Agility and Resilience). 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. (Competencies: Accountability, Developing Others, Executive Judgement). 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. (Competencies: Operational Mindset, Innovation, Strategic Thinking). 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, please attach proof (e.g., SF-50, Certification by OPM's SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB)) of your eligibility for noncompetitive appointment to the SES. A method to present demonstrated evidence of the ECQs and TQs is to use the C - C - A - R model (Challenge / Context / Action / Results): 1. Challenge - Describe a specific problem or goal. 2. Context - Talk about the individuals and groups you worked with, and/or the environment in which you worked to tackle a particular challenge (e.g., clients, co-workers, members of Congress, shrinking budget, low morale). 3. Action - Discuss the specific actions you took to address a challenge. 4. Results - Give specific examples of the results of your actions. These accomplishments demonstrate the quality and effectiveness of your leadership skills.

Education

Applicants must possess a LL.B. or a J.D. degree. Licensure: Applicants must be an active member of the bar, duly licensed and authorized to practice law as an attorney under the laws of a U.S. state, territory, Puerto Rico or the District of Columbia (include the date of your admission to the bar). How You Will Be Evaluated

Your application will be evaluated and rated under the SES Merit Staffing Selection Procedures. We will review your resume and supporting documentation and compare this information to your responses to determine if you meet the qualifications for this position. You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above. All applicants must submit a two-page resume (not to exceed two-pages) which reflects demonstrated experience for each Executive Core Qualification (ECQ) and Technical Qualification (TQ). Failure to submit a two-page resume WILL DISQUALIFY YOU FROM FURTHER CONSIDERATION. As a result, you will be rated as "INCOMPLETE". 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 ECQs and TQs listed above. ECQs and TQs must be thoroughly addressed within your two (2) page resume. Separate narratives will not be accepted or reviewed. Applicants will be evaluated on the quality and extent of their total accomplishments, experience, the ECQs, and the TQs. Highly Qualified applicants may undergo one or more structured 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/. Other Information

1. If you are a male applicant who was born after 12/31/59 and are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act, the Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency. 2. All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. 3. This position required a 1-year probationary period for initial SES appointment. 4. Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) must be submitted to verify federal status. 5. Additional information on the Executive Core Qualifications is available at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/executive-core-qualifications/