Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted from all U.S. Citizens.

At the Architect of the Capitol, we are proud to be ranked as one of the Best Places to Work in the Federal Government. Our employees are passionate about AOC’s mission to serve Congress and the Supreme Court, preserve America’s Capitol and inspire memorable experiences. AOC is a legislative branch agency, the recognized authority for the preservation, maintenance and construction of the world’s most iconic treasures and buildings on Capitol Hill. As a global destination for thousands of visitors every day, Capitol Hill intersects history, architecture and art with the birthplace of our nation’s laws.

Major Duties

Supervisory and Managerial Responsibilities

• Assists the Director in performing administrative and technical supervisory functions for subordinates. Assigns duties and evaluates performance. Manages the organizational unit’s budget and workload. Develops performance requirements for subordinates and ensures a mutual understanding of the performance standards. Resolves complaints and grievances.
• Provides leadership to ensure support for equal employment opportunity (EEO) goals and requirements. Practices non-discriminatory and non-retaliatory employment actions and prevents unlawful discrimination or harassment based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity, age or disability. Provides for employee skills enrichment through job related coaching, mentoring and training. Will foster a culture of learning, sharing, cooperation and teamwork that improves efficiency and effectiveness throughout the organization.

Legal Advice and Guidance

• Serves as an Attorney-Advisor to the Director of the ODI/DR and provides daily guidance and advice on a range of issues including EEO-related matters, Congressional responses, investigation-related issues and personnel and business process-related concerns.
• Will review and receive final approval for all written products issued under the Director’s signature and/or for publication.
• Advises the ODI/DR and outside entities on interpretations of specialized areas of law and assists in planning policies affecting the agency's position; analyzes the facts and legal concerns presented and determines what additional facts are needed and the appropriate legal sources to apply; examines policies, processes, guidelines, technical handbooks and other AOC publications; studies industry and trade practices; researches other government agencies or businesses’ technical, professional written works or other reliable sources of information; delivers briefings and presentations at seminars and other outreach programs for the AOC.
• Facilitates meetings and post-meeting question and answer sessions; acts as attorney in charge of reviewing and recommending policies and developing procedures and regulations to implement new or amended legislation for the agency; reviews new and amended legislation for the agency; ensures policies, procedures, regulations and legislation (guidance) are consistent with the intent of current laws; and ensures agency guidance is administratively sound, efficient and economical in operation.
• Advises on the applicability of Civil Rights law under the provisions of the rules of the CAA and on all aspects of employment and labor law as applied under the CAA.
• Conducts investigations of fact on behalf of the AOC. Attempts to mediate and reconcile disagreements between AOC managers and employees complaining of civil rights or employment violations.

Equal Employment Opportunity Program Management

• Serves as technical expert for ODI/DR on all Conciliation Program, Dispute Resolution (DR) and EEO-related issues, claims, contacts, etc. Oversees all DR activities (e.g., claims, investigations, mediations, climate assessments, etc.,) to ensure that they are fully vetted for accuracy, scope, issues/bases, action plan, etc.
• Reviews all case analysis and attendant correspondence in response to claims and management referrals. Advises ODI/DR Director, staff and AOC management of potential problems and recommends solutions.
• Serves as technical expert on AOC’s EEO and Reasonable Accommodation policies, the CAA and other applicable EEO law.

Policy Development

• Is responsible for assisting in the formulation and administration of policies affecting the mission of the AOC. Specifically assists in the development, evaluation and implementation policy for AOC-wide programs; performs legal research to prepare in-depth analyses, arguments, briefs and analytical documents on a variety of areas of law; provides legal opinions and final advisory statements; provides advice on policies and assists in developing the procedures and regulations implementing new or amended legislation for the AOC; ensures that the policies, procedures and regulations are consistent with the intent of the law and are administratively sound, efficient and economical in operation.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen.
• You must be able to pass a drug test.
• You must possess an active State Bar membership.
• You must meet the definition of specialized experience.
• Must possess a J.D. or LL.B. degree from a law school accredited by the ABA

This position requires active membership in good standing of the Bar of the highest court of any State or the District of Columbia.

Qualifications

You must meet the United States Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements (including specialized experience and educational requirements) for the advertised position.  You must meet all eligibility and qualifications requirements by the closing date of the job announcement.  Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions.  It is available for your review on the OPM web site at: OPM qualification standards

Minimum Federal Qualification Requirements:

Must possess a J.D. or LL.B. degree and be an active member in good standing of the bar of a State, Territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

In addition, the following Specialized Experience is required:

Specialized experience: is experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level. 

Candidates for the GS-14 grade level must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower GS-13 grade level in the Federal service.  

Examples of specialized experience include the following: (1) Leading professional, technical and administrative team members to foster a culture of learning, sharing, cooperation and teamwork; (2) Experience with a dispute resolution program which included services such as conflict coaching, mediation and group facilitation; (3) Facilitating meetings, discussions and leading formal presentations; (4) Serving as technical expert on EEO and Reasonable Accommodation policies, the Congressional Accountability Act (CAA) and other applicable EEO law; and (5) Conducting investigations of fact to mediate and reconcile disagreements between managers and employees complaining of civil rights or employment violations.

How you will be evaluated

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

Review your resume and responses carefully. Your eligibility for consideration and qualifications for the position will be determined based upon a review of your detailed resume and your responses to job specific self-assessment questions. 

Your resume will be evaluated based on evidence of your ability to demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) for this position, possession of any specialized experience, and how well your background and experience relates to the self-assessment questions in the job announcement. The self-assessment questions relate to the following knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies:

-- Ability to supervise and lead people toward meeting the agency's and division's vision, mission and goals.

-- Ability to perform legal research to prepare in-depth analyses, arguments, briefs and analytical documents on a variety of areas of law.

-- Skill in developing and delivering oral and written presentations as well as making recommendations on management issues in concise and convincing language.

-- Ability to facilitate meetings and post-meeting question and answer sessions.

-- Ability to review and recommend policies and develop procedures and regulations that are consistent with the intent of the law.

-- Ability to interact with AOC staff, senior staff, officials from other agencies and the general public.

Your responses to the self-assessment questions serve as the basis for your initial rating. You will receive a numerical score based on your responses to these questions.  Next, your responses will be evaluated by a Human Resources Specialist and/or a subject matter expert against the information provided in your resume and optional cover letter. Your resume must support your answers to the self-assessment questions. Falsifying your background, education and/or experience is cause for non-selection or disqualification from further consideration.

Please note that a complete application is required for consideration. (Please review the “Required Documents” section of this job announcement to see what must be included in a complete application).