Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted from all groups of qualified individuals.

The Assistant Director (AD) is a member of the Bureau Director's senior management team and makes program and policy decisions. The AD exercises wide discretion in long-term planning, as well as directing investigative and litigation proceedings to enforce the statutory provisions discussed above.

The AD provides counsel and guidance for staff members on policy questions and matters of legal strategy and reviews important legal documents prepared by the staff (e.g., proposed complaints, recommendations that cases be closed, trial briefs, motions, proposed findings and orders) for consistency with agency policy, soundness of judgement, and legal sufficiency.

Additionally, the AD performs or supervises other functions as may be delegated in the light of the Bureau's overall workload requirements. The work performed under the incumbent's supervision generally involves coordinating the most complex and difficult antitrust investigations and proceedings in both unregulated and partially regulated industries. Occasionally, the incumbent is summoned before the Commission, congressional committees, industry regulators, industry representatives, and various forums to discuss the work in the Division, trends in the competitive economy, emerging problems of law violations, proposed legislation and regulation, and other matters. On behalf of the Bureau, the AD has contact with a wide range of public, private, and international groups with diverse interests in competition matters. The incumbent may represent the Commission or the Bureau in ongoing liaison and may give speeches and briefings before government agencies, as well as public, private, and international groups.

The incumbent has frequent conferences with parties to proceedings, their counsel, parties who claim to be injured by the restraint of trade laws or acts or practices alleged to be in violation of the Commission's final orders, and with others interested in Commission proceedings either as amicus curiae or as businessmen seeking a better understanding of the laws administered by the Commission. The questions raised in such conferences are often controversial in nature, requiring the exercise of a high degree of tact, persuasiveness, and legal skill on the part of the incumbent. This position also involves the maintenance of continuing contacts with the heads of other operating units within the Commission on issues of mutual concern.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to qualify for this position.
• You must possess a J.D. or LL.B. degree from an accredited law school.
• Background investigation (Public Trust) is required.
• You will serve a one-year probationary period unless you have previously completed the probationary period in the Senior Executive Service (SES).
• The individual selected will be required to file an Executive Branch Personnel Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 278) in accordance with the Ethics in Government Act of 1978.

Qualifications

As a basic requirement, applicants must demonstrate technical and professional competence as described in the Mandatory Professional Credentials/Technical Qualifications section below and executive leadership capabilities as described in the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) of the SES listed below. Typically, experiences of this nature will have been gained at or above the GS-15 grade level or its equivalent in federal service, or with state or local government, private industry, or nongovernmental organizations.

If you are a current career member of the SES, are eligible for reinstatement into the SES, or have completed an SES Candidate Development Program and have been certified by the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Qualifications Review Board (QRB), you can apply for competitive and/or noncompetitive consideration. For competitive consideration, you must submit a resume and written statements addressing the Mandatory Professional Credentials/Technical Qualifications, ECQs, and other applicable qualifications. For noncompetitive consideration, you must submit your resume, written statements addressing the Mandatory Professional Credentials/Technical Qualifications, and other applicable qualifications. Written statements addressing the ECQs are not necessary for noncompetitive consideration. You must also provide documentation of QRB certification (i.e., SF-50 showing career SES status or OPM-issued SES qualification certificate).



MANDATORY PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS AND TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS:

Mandatory Professional Credentials: Graduation from an accredited law school and current possession of a bar membership, which permits the practice of law in the United States, are required.

Mandatory Technical Qualifications (should not exceed two pages per qualification):

1. Knowledge and experience in legal areas relevant to the Commission's work, including antitrust law, merger, and competition matters. Thorough understanding of the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act, as well as how it influences the agency's operations.

2. Experience in the management of complex legal issues. Experience includes analyzing complex legal issues and questions of litigation strategy, reviewing pleadings, briefs, and legal memoranda, and providing oral and written legal advice and recommendations.

3. Ability to analyze economic evidence surrounding antitrust, merger, and competition matters.

4. Experience in supervising and reviewing the work product of attorneys and other staff in a legal office with a focus on achieving high-quality organizational results.


EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS: All applicants must submit written statements describing accomplishments that would satisfy the ECQs. You must respond to all ECQs and address each one separately, as failure to do so will result in a rating of 'ineligible' for the position. You can find additional information on the ECQs in the Guide to Senior Executive Service Qualifications. A good competency-based qualifications statement should address the following elements for each ECQ: (a) the goal, problem, or activity and its challenge, (b) the context or environment in which the activity took place, (c) specific actions you took to address the challenge, and (d) the results or impact of the activity. Each accomplishment should be clear, concise, and emphasize your level of responsibilities, the scope and complexity of the programs you managed, and the results of your actions. You are strongly encouraged to review the Guide to Senior Executive Service Qualifications. The ECQ statement, addressing all five ECQs, may be no longer than ten pages.

ECQ 1 - Leading Change: This ECQ involves the ability to bring about strategic change, both within and outside the organization, to meet organizational goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to establish an organizational vision and to implement it in a continuously changing environment.

ECQ 2 - Leading People: This ECQ involves the ability to lead people toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to provide an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others, facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports the constructive resolution of conflicts.

ECQ 3 - Results Driven: This ECQ involves the ability to meet organizational goals and customer expectations. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to make decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks.

ECQ 4 - Business Acumen: This ECQ involves the ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically.

ECQ 5 - Building Coalitions: This ECQ involves the ability to build coalitions internally and with other federal agencies, state and local governments, nonprofit and private sector organizations, foreign governments, or international organizations to achieve common goals.

How you will be evaluated

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

You will be evaluated for this position based on how well you meet the Mandatory Professional Credentials/Technical Qualifications and ECQs stated in this vacancy announcement.

You will be evaluated on the quality and extent of your total accomplishments, including experience, education, awards, self-development, and training. This information will be obtained from the application package, including the required narrative statements for the Mandatory Professional Credentials/Technical Qualifications and ECQs described in this vacancy announcement.

Your application package will be evaluated by a rating and ranking panel consisting of SES members. This evaluation will determine which applicants are Best Qualified. Highly qualified candidates may undergo an interview and a reference check.

The selecting official will review results and make recommendations on final selections to the Appointing Authority. Unless the OPM QRB has already certified you, your ECQs must be forwarded to the OPM QRB for certification before your appointment can occur.

Note: Veterans' preference does not apply to SES positions. This is in accordance with 5 USC 2108(3), which defines the term "preference eligible" and provides that this term does not include applicants for, or members of, the SES.