Senior Special Counsel

Summary

The Office of the Chief Accountant is seeking an Attorney Adviser (Senior Special Counsel) in its Office of the Chief Counsel. As a Senior Special Counsel, you will have an opportunity to work on significant enforcement and legal policy matters at the intersection of the federal securities laws and the accounting profession.

Duties

In this role as a Senior Special Counsel, you will be responsible for: Serving as an expert legal adviser and consultant for OCA programs. Performing legal research, preparing high-quality legal memoranda, formulating advice and recommending legal courses of action that fulfill the SEC's mission and contribute to SEC compliance with existing laws and regulations. Consulting or liaising with the Division of Enforcement to provide legal support in matters pertaining to accounting, auditing, and internal controls. Advising on legal and policy aspects of a broad spectrum of matters that come before OCA, including interpretation and analysis of existing and proposed rules, regulations, and policies of the Commission, other government entities, and private organizations such as self-regulatory organizations and third-party standard-setters. Preparing and presenting briefings to various parties on legal issues, including to Commissioners and their counsels when they have questions regarding OCA matters. Qualifications

Applicants are responsible for confirming all required materials are submitted by the closing date of the announcement. 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. 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. All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. 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 at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS/SK-14 level. Specialized experience includes: 1) Interpreting and applying the provisions of the laws, rules, and regulations that govern the securities industry (e.g. the Securities Act of 1933, Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002); and 2) Providing guidance and expertise in the evaluation of legal and policy issues; and 3) Developing recommendations or conclusions related to the Federal securities laws. ACCOMPLISHMENT RECORD COMPETENCIES: Your Accomplishment Record narratives should address the following competencies. See the How You Will Be Evaluated section below for more information: Competency 1: Legal and Regulatory Compliance - Conducts analysis and prepares documents relating to compliance with Federal securities laws. Competency 2: Legal Analysis - Utilizes expert legal knowledge to apply relevant law to the facts of each case. Competency 3: Information Gathering - Ability to gather and process large amounts of information and make connections to understand possible deficiencies. Competency 4: Written and oral advocacy - Applies legal expertise and knowledge to the facts of a case to produce persuasive written work products (e.g., briefs, legal memoranda) and/or oral presentations (e.g., arguments).

Education

You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. If you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, you must submit a copy of your unofficial transcripts or equivalent by the closing date of the announcement. Qualifying education must have been obtained from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Internal Applicants: OHR will verify education qualifications for internal applicants using documents in the Electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF). If required transcripts or certificates are not present in your eOPF, you will be required to provide them to OHR. If selected, a start date will not be established until official transcripts are received. 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. For more information, click here. Applicants may also find the following helpful: National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) is an association of 19 credential evaluation services with admission standards and an enforced code of good practice. Association of International Credentials Evaluators (AICE) is an association of 10 credential evaluation services with a board of advisors and an enforced code of ethics. How You Will Be Evaluated

Your resume and application package will first be reviewed to determine whether you meet the minimum qualification requirements outlined in the announcement. Please do not submit an Accomplishment Record at this time. If you are found minimally qualified, you will be invited to participate in an Accomplishment Record Interview that functions as a skills-based assessment review of the competencies listed in the Qualifications section. This is a screening step, not the final job interview. Basis for Rating: The rating panel will evaluate applicants' accomplishment records interview responses and resume, then place them into one of the following categories: Highly Qualified - Meets the minimum qualification requirements and has extensive skills and experience in most of the job related competencies. Well Qualified - Meets the minimum qualification requirements and has a moderate amount of skills and experience in most of the job related competencies. Qualified - Meets the minimum qualification requirements, but may have a limited amount of experience in several of the job related competencies. 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). To preview the Questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13093404 Other Information

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. SEC COMPENSATION PROGRAM: Total salary (base pay + locality) is dependent upon duty location. The overall salary range listed above is provided for informational purposes. The pay for current SEC employees will be determined according to the procedures specified in the agency's policy. If your selection results in a change in grade from an SK-15 to an SK-16, you will maintain your current salary. IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR SURPLUS OR DISPLACED FEDERAL EMPLOYEES: Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) is available to individuals who have special priority selection rights under this plan. Individuals must be minimally qualified for this position to receive consideration for special priority selection. CTAP eligibles will be considered minimally qualified if they meet the minimum requirements for this position. Reasonable Accommodation: If you are an applicant who needs a reasonable accommodation to participate in the SEC application process due to a medical disability, please contact [email protected]. For religious-based accommodations, please contact [email protected] . Please be sure to submit your request at least 5 business days in advance of the date you need the requested accommodation. Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Information for SEC Job Applicants: For more information, please click here. The Fair Chance Act prohibits specific inquiries concerning an applicant's criminal or credit background unless the hiring agency has made a conditional offer of employment to the applicant. An applicant may submit a complaint, or any other information, to the agency within 30 calendar days of the date of alleged non-compliance by contacting the Legal and Policy Office in the Office of Human Resources at [email protected].