The incumbent of this position serves as a Senior Advisor to the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) for the Office of Evaluations and Special Projects (ESP). The incumbent provides recommendations, guidance, and advice to the AIG regarding all of ESP’s work, including its scope and ultimate presentation. The incumbent is specifically responsible for providing guidance to ensure that ESP’s written work products are clear, well-supported, well-organized, and persuasive.
Summary
The incumbent of this position serves as a Senior Advisor to the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) for the Office of Evaluations and Special Projects (ESP). The incumbent provides recommendations, guidance, and advice to the AIG regarding all of ESP’s work, including its scope and ultimate presentation. The incumbent is specifically responsible for providing guidance to ensure that ESP’s written work products are clear, well-supported, well-organized, and persuasive.
All groups of qualified individuals -- THIS IS AN EXCEPTED SERVICE POSITION WITH NO PROMOTION POTENTIAL.
"You are encouraged to read the entire announcement before you submit your application package. Your application may not get full consideration if you do not follow the instructions as outlined."
"More than one selection may be made from this announcement if additional identical vacancies in the same title, series, grade and unit occur."
The incumbent is responsible for leading a range of high-profile and sensitive investigations related to misconduct by senior officials, whistleblower retaliation, and other issues with significant public or congressional interest. The incumbent reviews allegations received by OIG, plans and designs investigations, prepares for and conducts interviews of witnesses, and drafts extensive detailed investigatory reports for distribution to high-level officials. The incumbent performs a variety of complex and sensitive writing and editing functions to ensure that ESP’s work sets forth OIG’s analysis clearly, concisely, accurately, and persuasively.
During the scoping or preliminary phase of ESP’s work, the incumbent provides guidance to the AIG regarding potential approaches to the project in question, including identifying potential legal or other challenges and proposing solutions to those challenges. Similarly, while ESP’s work is in progress, the incumbent provides suggestions and guidance regarding collection and analysis of relevant information, potential legal or policy questions, and resolution of factual concerns.
The incumbent reviews all ESP work products—including whistleblower investigation reports, evaluations, and responses to congressional inquiries—and proposes substantive, organizational, and editorial recommendations before materials are submitted to the IG and the DIG for their review.
The incumbent assesses legal, factual, and policy conclusions that arise in ESP’s evaluations and investigations. Issues typically involve the interpretation and application of complex Federal statutes and substantive and procedural regulations in diversified Department operations, including wide-ranging areas of the law.
The incumbent provides guidance and recommendations to the AIG to develop and implement strategies for presenting ESP’s conclusions and work to Congress on an ongoing basis, including in testimony and other specialized hearings as requested.
The incumbent must take into account the unique relationship of the Inspector General with other elements of the Department and with Congress and the sensitive nature of IG functions.
Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.
Incumbent will be subject to random drug testing.
Requires a financial disclosure statement, SF-278.
Copy of license to practice law.
This position has no promotion potential.
U.S. Citizenship is required.
Qualifications
Applicants applying for this position must meet the following requirements to be eligible for further consideration:
Law Degree: Applicants must be a graduate of an accredited law school with a J.D., LL.M., or LL.B.
Bar Membership: Applicants must be a current member of a bar in good standing in any state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
These documents must be uploaded to your application and will serve as proof of you possessing the minimum qualifications required for this position.
IN ADDITION to meeting the basic entry qualifications requirements listed above, applicants must demonstrate at least 1 year of experience that is indicative of senior level capability and that is directly related to the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Typically, experience of this nature will have been gained at or above the equivalent of the GS-15 grade level in the Federal service or its equivalent.
YOU MUST RESPOND TO THE MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS IN ORDER TO BE FURTHER EVALUATED.
Qualifying experience must demonstrate that you possess the mandatory technical qualifications (MTQs) listed below.
Mandatory Technical Qualifications:
1) Demonstrated experience conducting original legal and policy research and drafting original material on, among other things, agency matters.
2) Demonstrated experience in staff management and working on multiple competing projects where frequent changes, delays or unexpected events/situations arise that cause major shifts in priorities, timetables or work assignments.
3) Demonstrated experience contributing to the preparation of reports and other OIG products, briefings and responses on other OIG-related matters.
You must provide your narratives to the above MTQs as a separate document that you must upload in the system in the "other documents" upload category area in order to receive consideration for this position. You should limit your narrative responses to 8000 characters (approximately two pages) per Mandatory Technical Qualifications. Applicants who use “see resume” as a response will not receive consideration for this position. When addressing the Mandatory Technical Qualifications, you must clearly show that you possess the experience, knowledge, skills, and ability to perform the duties of this position by submitting narrative responses in which you provide detailed experience examples that are clear and emphasize your level of responsibility, scope, and complexity of programs managed, program accomplishments with results of your actions, policy initiatives, and level of contacts.
There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the SL position.
In addition, the following knowledge, skills, and abilities must be fully demonstrated in your resume:
Knowledge of the organizational and functional interrelationships within the Department of State.
Ability to navigate through various internal and external bureaucracies in managing an organization and/or staff.
Ability to provide both in writing and orally sound legal and policy advice to senior level officials on complex and difficult legal questions or factual issues.
Significant Legal knowledge and experience with the Inspector General Act and other relevant laws, regulations and policies related to the Inspector General community, including GAO and OIG guidelines and CIGIE quality standards.
Education
Law Degree: Applicants must be a graduate of an accredited law school with a J.D., LL.M., or LL.B.
Bar Membership: Applicants must be a current member of a bar in good standing in any state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. Click on the link for a list of accredited organizations recognized as specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials.
Additional information
SELECTIVE SERVICE - If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, and not a current or former Federal employee, you must certify prior to appointment that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under Selective Service law.
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION - This agency provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the Office of Employee Relations, Disability/Reasonable Accommodations Division, at (202) 261-8163 or reasonableaccommodations@state.gov. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY: The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.
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.
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.
There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of State considers veterans' preference eligibility a positive factor in the hiring process.
For this announcement, all applicants will be reviewed to determine if they meet the qualifications for this position, specifically, the education and specialized experience requirements. Applicants will not be rated or ranked. All applicants that are verified to meet the required qualifications will be referred to the selecting official.
Your resume will be evaluated to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications required; and on the extent to which your application shows that you possess the knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs), and other characteristics that are relevant to the duties of this position as defined in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement.
Your resume and your responses to the Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQ) serves as the basis for qualification determinations and must highlight your most relevant and significant work experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to this job opportunity. 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). Your resume must include the dates of all qualifying experience (from month/year to month/year) and the number of hours worked/volunteered per week. For assistance with creating a resume, please click here.
Applicants must meet all the qualification requirements and submit any supporting documentation by the closing date of this announcement. To preview questions please click here.
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.
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.
All required documents listed below, that are applicable to you, must be submitted to our automated system "Gateway to State" by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.
1. Resume - your resume or any other written format you choose should contain the required information as specified in the “How You Will Be Evaluated” section. Insufficient information will result in an ineligible rating.
2. A completed online job specific self-assessment questionnaire which includes narrative responses the KSAs through the Department’s automated system “Gateway to State”.
NOTE: YOU MUST ALSO UPLOAD YOUR NARRATIVES FOR THE THREE MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (MTQs) IN ORDER TO BE FURTHER EVALUATED FOR THIS POSITION.
3. Transcripts - if you are qualifying based on education OR if there are mandatory education requirements listed under the Qualifications and Evaluations section, you MUST submit a copy of your college transcript(s) with your application. If selected, an official/sealed college transcript(s) will be required to verify education prior to employment.
4. If you are qualifying based on other criteria listed under the Qualification Section of this announcement, you MUST submit the required supporting documentation (transcripts, certificates, certifications, etc.) with your application.
5. CTAP/ICTAP eligibles must submit a copy of the appropriate documentation with their application. See links below:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Please carefully read all the instructions before you begin the application process.
To apply for this job opportunity, you must submit a resume and an on-line application through the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) application system, USAJOBS. This information will be transferred to the Department of State's Gateway to State Automated Application System.
You have until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date of this announcement to complete the following four-step application process:
STEP 1: Select the "Apply On-line" button and follow the instructions to register or sign into USAJOBS.
STEP 2: Submit a detailed resume or any other written format you choose documenting your job-related qualifications, experience, and education (if applicable). Cover letter is optional. If you submit a cover letter, you must also submit a resume. Please see the "How You Will Be Evaluated" section for specific information that should be outlined in your resume.
STEP 3: Answer the self-assessment questions on-line through the Gateway to State automated application system.
STEP 4: Submit all required documentation, applicable to you, listed in the Required Documents section of this job opportunity to the Department's automated application system "Gateway to State" prior to the closing date of this announcement (INCLUDING YOUR NARRATIVE TO THE THREE MTQs). For instructions on how to view the status of your supporting documentation, please click here.
Technical assistance with your on-line application can be obtained by contacting the Help Desk at mgshelp@monster.com OR by calling (866) 656-6830 or (703) 269-4944 between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. ET
ALTERNATE APPLICATION PROCEDURES
NOTE: If applying online poses an extreme hardship, you may request alternate application procedures to submit your application package by fax. Contact the Human Resources office listed on the announcement between the business hours of 8:15 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. ET, at least two working days prior to the closing date of this announcement. The application package for alternate application procedures must be submitted and received in the Human Resources office no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on the closing date of this announcement.
NOTE: Paper applications and information sent by mail WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
U.S. Department of State
1700 N Moore St
SA-39
Attn: OIG
Rosslyn, Virginia 22209
United States
Next steps
After all application packages have been received, we will review your resume to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. After we review and evaluate all applications, the most highly qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration for possible interviews in approximately two weeks after the announcement closes. After a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability review and/or security background investigation, which generally take an average of at least two to six months.
You will be notified up to four times during the hiring process:
1. Upon receipt of your application. 2. Upon minimum qualification determinations. 3. After the certificate is issued. 4. After final selection is made.
For instructions on how to view the status of your application, please click here.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
All required documents listed below, that are applicable to you, must be submitted to our automated system "Gateway to State" by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.
1. Resume - your resume or any other written format you choose should contain the required information as specified in the “How You Will Be Evaluated” section. Insufficient information will result in an ineligible rating.
2. A completed online job specific self-assessment questionnaire which includes narrative responses the KSAs through the Department’s automated system “Gateway to State”.
NOTE: YOU MUST ALSO UPLOAD YOUR NARRATIVES FOR THE THREE MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (MTQs) IN ORDER TO BE FURTHER EVALUATED FOR THIS POSITION.
3. Transcripts - if you are qualifying based on education OR if there are mandatory education requirements listed under the Qualifications and Evaluations section, you MUST submit a copy of your college transcript(s) with your application. If selected, an official/sealed college transcript(s) will be required to verify education prior to employment.
4. If you are qualifying based on other criteria listed under the Qualification Section of this announcement, you MUST submit the required supporting documentation (transcripts, certificates, certifications, etc.) with your application.
5. CTAP/ICTAP eligibles must submit a copy of the appropriate documentation with their application. See links below:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Please carefully read all the instructions before you begin the application process.
To apply for this job opportunity, you must submit a resume and an on-line application through the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) application system, USAJOBS. This information will be transferred to the Department of State's Gateway to State Automated Application System.
You have until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date of this announcement to complete the following four-step application process:
STEP 1: Select the "Apply On-line" button and follow the instructions to register or sign into USAJOBS.
STEP 2: Submit a detailed resume or any other written format you choose documenting your job-related qualifications, experience, and education (if applicable). Cover letter is optional. If you submit a cover letter, you must also submit a resume. Please see the "How You Will Be Evaluated" section for specific information that should be outlined in your resume.
STEP 3: Answer the self-assessment questions on-line through the Gateway to State automated application system.
STEP 4: Submit all required documentation, applicable to you, listed in the Required Documents section of this job opportunity to the Department's automated application system "Gateway to State" prior to the closing date of this announcement (INCLUDING YOUR NARRATIVE TO THE THREE MTQs). For instructions on how to view the status of your supporting documentation, please click here.
Technical assistance with your on-line application can be obtained by contacting the Help Desk at mgshelp@monster.com OR by calling (866) 656-6830 or (703) 269-4944 between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. ET
ALTERNATE APPLICATION PROCEDURES
NOTE: If applying online poses an extreme hardship, you may request alternate application procedures to submit your application package by fax. Contact the Human Resources office listed on the announcement between the business hours of 8:15 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. ET, at least two working days prior to the closing date of this announcement. The application package for alternate application procedures must be submitted and received in the Human Resources office no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on the closing date of this announcement.
NOTE: Paper applications and information sent by mail WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
U.S. Department of State
1700 N Moore St
SA-39
Attn: OIG
Rosslyn, Virginia 22209
United States
Next steps
After all application packages have been received, we will review your resume to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. After we review and evaluate all applications, the most highly qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration for possible interviews in approximately two weeks after the announcement closes. After a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability review and/or security background investigation, which generally take an average of at least two to six months.
You will be notified up to four times during the hiring process:
1. Upon receipt of your application. 2. Upon minimum qualification determinations. 3. After the certificate is issued. 4. After final selection is made.
For instructions on how to view the status of your application, please click here.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
