Assistant Legal Adviser

Summary

The Office of the Legal Adviser (L) provides legal advice and services to the Secretary of State and other senior officials, Department offices, diplomatic and consular posts abroad, and other U.S. government agencies on all legal matters, domestic and international, arising in the course of the Department's activities. The incumbent of this position will serve as an Assistant Legal Adviser and reports directly to a Deputy Legal Adviser.

Duties

The Assistant Legal Adviser for Buildings and Acquisitions (L/BA) provides legal advice and services on matters of particular importance to United States foreign policy interests. This includes providing advice on the legal implications of contemplated actions (frequently in international situations that present novel issues), including, for example, the consistency of the action with respect to domestic and international law and the practice of the Department and what consequences might result in relations with other nations. Responsibilities of the Assistant Legal Adviser (L/BA) include but are not limited to the following: Provides timely, effective, and expert legal advice for Department and interagency efforts regarding: the solicitation, award, and administration of Federal acquisition contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements; the acquisition, development, and disposition of real property abroad and domestically, including construction, leasing, and property management matters affecting U.S. diplomatic and consular facilities; the negotiation and mediation of contract claims and agency bid protests; direct representation of the Department in contract appeals before the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals and in bid protests before the Government Accountability Office; the management of Government property both domestically and abroad; the drafting and interpretation of Federal acquisition laws, regulations, and policies, including the Federal Acquisition Regulation and Department-specific acquisition regulations; the oversight and administration of employee associations at posts abroad; and Federal grant and cooperative agreement laws, regulations, policies, and administrative guidance. Assists in drafting related laws, regulations, procedures, and agreements, and handles related litigation, administrative proceedings, and claims, arising from these areas of practice. Directs and supervises the work of 15-18 attorneys and other staff assigned to the office. Reviews their work products to ensure that accurate and timely advice and services are provided. Discharges office management and administrative responsibilities. Promotes the Department's human resources policies and encourages employee development through varied work assignments, continuing legal education, and other means. Requirements

Requirements: This position is a drug-testing designated position subject to random testing for illegal drug use. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's completion and favorable adjudication of a background security investigation. The Ethics in Government Act, PL 95-521 requires the applicant selected for the this position submit a financial disclosure statement, OGE-278, prior to assuming the SES position, annually and upon termination of employment. 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. As a basic requirement for entry into the SES, applicants must provide evidence of progressively responsible executive leadership and supervisory experience that is indicative of senior executive level management capability and directly related to the skills and abilities outlined under Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) listed below. Typically, experience of this nature will have been gained at or above the GS-14/15 grade level in the federal service or its equivalent in the private sector. In order to qualify for the Attorney Advisor position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications: Education: Applicants must possess an LL.B. or a J.D. degree at the time of application and submit proof of your degree with your application. AND Licensure: Applicants must be an active member of the bar, duly licensed and authorized to practice law as an attorney under the laws of any state, territory of the U.S., or the District of Columbia. You must submit proof of licensure with your application. The application process to recruit for this position is the RESUME BASED method. You must show that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and Mandatory Technical Qualifications ( MTQs) related to this position within your resume - NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES. Resumes over the 2-page limit will not be reviewed and will be disqualified. If your resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of these qualifications, you may not receive consideration for the position. Please submit your 2-page resume as an additional attachment. It is strongly recommended that you submit your 2-page resume in PDF format. There is NO requirement to prepare a narrative statement specifically addressing ECQs or MTQs. Separate narratives will not be accepted or reviewed. EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): YOUR RESUME (NOT TO EXCEED TWO PAGES) MUST CLEARLY DOCUMENT AND DEMONSTRATE THE FOLLOWING EVIDENCE OF YOUR ECQs : ECQ 1 – Commitment to 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 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. MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATION (MTQ)s: IN ADDITION, YOU WILL BE EVALUATED ON ALL OF THE FOLLOWING MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATION (MTQ): Your responses to the MTQ should be embedded/addressed within your resume not to exceed two pages. MTQ 1 Demonstrated experience providing sound legal advice and representation involving the interpretation and application of public international law and domestic law to the foreign policy and management activities of large public or private organizations. MTQ 2 Demonstrated experience providing sound legal advice and representation through effective written and oral counsel and advocacy on issues relating to U.S. foreign relations, including with respect to foreign states, international organizations, and the conduct of U.S. diplomacy. NOTE: Your demonstrated leadership ability and the evidence of the ECQs and MTQs must be clearly shown in your resume. A separate narrative statement will not be accepted. A sample 2-page resume that incorporates ECQs and MTQs can be viewed on this link (indexed at page 16 - 17), “Guide to Senior Executive Service Qualifications” and “Senior Executive Service Qualifications & Fundamental-Competencies”. YOU WILL BE ELIMINATED FROM FURTHER CONSIDERATION IF YOU FAIL TO FULLY DEMONSTRATE EACH ECQ AND MTQ AND IF YOUR RESUME EXCEEDS TWO (2) PAGES. Current or Former (within last 5 years) Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize any employment offers made to current or former (within the last 5 years) political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Noncareer 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, please indicate this in your resume. Serving in a Schedule A, Schedule C, or Noncareer SES appointment WILL NOT eliminate you from consideration.

Education

See the qualifications section of this vacancy announcement for education requirements. How You Will Be Evaluated

Veterans' Preference does not apply to the Senior Executive Service. You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications stated in this vacancy announcement. A multi-step process is used to evaluate and refer applicants: 1. Minimum requirements: Your application package must show that you meet all the requirements including the education and/or experience required for this position. You will be rated “not qualified” if you do not possess the qualification requirements for the position. If your application is incomplete, you may be found “ineligible”. 2. Rating and Ranking: A panel of subject matter experts will review your application and evaluate your qualifications for this position based on the information in your application. Your application will be evaluated based on the extent and quality of your experience, education, and training relevant to the duties of this position. 3. Referral: If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application will be referred to the selecting official for consideration for interview. The DOS Executive Resources Board (ERB) will review results and make recommendations on final selections to the appointing authority where final interviews and reference checks may occur. Your supporting documents are an integral part of the process for determining your qualifications for the position. If your responses are not supported by your resume limited to two pages, you will be eliminated from consideration. After reviewing your resume and supporting documentation, if a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Incomplete or late applications will not receive further consideration. The application process to recruit for this position is the RESUME BASED method. You must show that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) related to this position within your resume - NOT TO EXCEED two (2) pages. Resumes exceeding the two (2) page limit will not reviewed and will be disqualified. 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 ECQs or MTQs. Separate narratives will not be accepted or reviewed. Unless you have already been certified by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualifications Review Board (QRB) previously, your Executive Qualifications must be certified by OPM's QRB before an appointment can occur. The selected individual's application will be forwarded to OPM for review and certification by their QRB, unless the selectee provides evidence of their noncompetitive status (i.e., a current SES, OPM QRB certified SES CDP 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/. You may preview questions for this vacancy. Other Information

For reasonable accommodation at the U.S. Department of State, please contact the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations at [email protected]. Background Investigation: To ensure the accomplishment of its mission, the Department of State requires each and every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully complete a background investigation for Top Secret/Sensitive Compartment Information clearance as a condition of placement in this Special Sensitive position. This review includes financial issues such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs. Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.