Skip to main content
U.S. flag
Back to results

Research Manager - American Law

Legislative Branch
Library of Congress
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The Research Manager leads a section of attorneys in the development of research and legal analysis on issues of American law of interest to Congress, including, but not limited to, those related to constitutional law, statutory interpretation, administrative law, and appropriations.

Duties include:

  • Ensuring that the work results in objective, authoritative analysis with which the Congress can assess the consequences of legislative/policy options;
  • Critically reviewing written analyses produced by legislative attorneys to ensure accuracy, authoritativeness, objectivity, and overall quality;
  • Identifying and coordinating legal research and analysis by the Section and, as directed by the Assistant/Deputy Assistant Director (AD/DAD), the American Law Division, on matters of legislative importance;
  • Proactively establishing relationships with committees of jurisdiction, building long-term relationships with clients, and taking initiative to seek out new congressional contacts for CRS;
  • Managing congressional requests in areas in the research management responsibility of the section;
  • Collaborating with other managers to ensure an integrative approach to the work by fully identifying significant issues facing Congress, developing legal analytical approaches to address them, and applying appropriate resources;
  • Managing and supervising legislative attorneys, communicating performance standards/expectations to staff, assessing performance and giving feedback; and
  • Performing special assignments as directed by the AD/DAD.
Candidates with research and research management experience in American law issues (e.g., matters of constitutional law, administrative law, and statutory interpretation), who have strong interpersonal skills, and are capable of leading a highly motivated, talented research staff committed to providing Congress the highest level of nonpartisan, authoritative, objective legal analysis are encouraged to apply.

CRS works exclusively for the Congress, providing policy and legal analysis to committees and Members of the House and Senate, regardless of party affiliation. As a legislative branch agency in the Library of Congress, CRS has been a valued and respected resource for nearly a century.

CRS is well known for analysis that is authoritative, confidential, objective and nonpartisan. Its highest priority is to ensure that Congress has immediate access to the nation's best thinking on public policy issues of interest to its Members and Committees.

Overview

Help
Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
08/11/2017 to 09/11/2017
Salary
$131,767 to - $161,900 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 15
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Washington DC, DC
1 vacancy
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Promotion potential
15
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Not Required
Announcement number
VAR000175
Control number
476792300

This job is open to

Help

Duties

Help

Manages research, leads staff, and advises the Assistant Director and Deputy Assistant Director. Ensures that research and analysis is conducted in a fully collaborative manner both within and outside the section, reflects the congressional agenda, and is relevant to congressional policy making. Leads, plans, organizes and coordinates research, including major research projects related to sensitive or complex public policies of national or international significance, which are often multidisciplinary in nature, and may include research performed by outside consultants. Ensures that research and analysis undertaken is of the highest quality and meets CRS' standards of objectivity, responsiveness, non-partisanship, balance, timeliness, legislative relevance, authoritativeness, and accessibility. Critically reviews research and analysis to ensure that it complements other Service research and analyses; is accurate, well-organized, and cogent; meets professional and service standards; adheres to CRS policy guidelines; and is responsive to the legislative needs of Members and committees of Congress. Establishes and maintains relationships with Members and committees of Congress.

Directly supervises staff members in the Section and may, as directed by the Assistant/Deputy Assistant Director, coordinate legal research and analysis on other projects and initiatives involving members of the American Law Division. Leads his/her staff toward meeting the Library’s and CRS’s vision, mission, and goals by managing performance, communicating effectively, fostering continuous improvement and innovation, building and maintaining relationships, leveraging diversity and inclusiveness, thinking systematically and inspiring change. Exhibits commitment to the Library’s Supervisor Core Competencies.

Contributes to and assists in developing CRS-wide strategic goals and priorities. Communicates those goals and priorities to staff. Oversees the implementation of CRS-wide policies, procedures, standards and guidelines by staff. Effectively communicates management initiatives to staff and ensures that staff are able to acclimate to the changing needs of Congress and the CRS research community. Conveys to senior management information and concerns from staff. Performs supervisory functions relative to section staff.

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

The Supervisor leads his/her staff toward meeting the Library’s vision, mission, and goals by acting decisively, leveraging diversity and inclusiveness, demonstrating flexibility and resilience, fostering continuous improvement and innovation, and fostering integrity and honesty. To view the Library’s Supervisory Core Competencies click the following link: http://www.loc.gov/hr/employment/uploads/loc_supervisor_core_competencies.pdf.

Qualifications

BASIC REQUIREMENT: Applicant must be a graduate from a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association and be a member in good standing of the bar of a state, the District of Columbia, a territory of the United States, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Applicants must have had progressively responsible experience and training sufficient in scope and quality to furnish them with an acceptable level of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the position without more than normal supervision.

Knowledge of American law**

Ability to manage research**

Ability to review the analysis of others**

Ability to lead and manage staff

Ability to collaborate

Ability to build relationships

Knowledge of congressional decision-making

Ability to exercise judgment and discretion

Ability to convey information orally through briefings, consultations, and other presentations

Ability to communicate in writing

Ability to communicate effectively other than in writing

Additional information

The Congressional Research Service, within the Library of Congress, is part of the Legislative Branch of the federal government. As such, all positions are in the excepted service.

The salary range indicated reflects the locality pay adjustment for the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.

The selected applicant may be required to file a financial disclosure statement with the House of Representatives, U.S. Congress, in accordance with the provisions of Public Law 95-521, Ethics in Government Act of 1978.

This is a supervisory, non-bargaining unit position.

The tour of duty for this position is full-time.

The position description number for this position is 111994.

The incumbent of this position may elect to work a flextime work schedule.

RELOCATION EXPENSES ARE NOT AUTHORIZED FOR THE PERSON(S) SELECTED UNDER THIS VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT.

The Library reserves the right to fill a lesser or greater number of vacancies indicated during the life of this vacancy announcement.

Appointment/retention is subject to a favorable evaluation of an appropriate personnel security/suitability investigation.

Applicants who are referred for interview will be required to submit a completed OF-306, Declaration for Federal Employment.

Initial appointments, permanent or indefinite, to the Library of Congress require completion of a one-year probationary period. In addition, per Library of Congress Regulation 2010-12, an appointee is subject to a one-year supervisory probationary period, if this is his/her first supervisory/managerial position at the Library.

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 this agency. The decision on granting reasonable accommodations will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Applicants with disabilities may be considered under special hiring procedures and must submit an appropriate certificate of eligibility when applying for this position. The certificate of disability may be issued by a State Vocational Rehabilitation Office, Disability Services or Career Services office of an applicant's college or university, or the Department of Veterans Affairs. The date of certification must be within one year of the vacancy closing date and must be submitted with your application. For more information view the directive on the Library's Selective Placement Program and/or contact the Library's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity Programs at 202-707-6024 (voice or TTY) or email spp@loc.gov. FAILURE TO SUBMIT YOUR CERTIFICATION WILL CAUSE YOUR APPLICATION TO NOT BE CONSIDERED UNDER THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT PROGRAM.

Are you a veteran? Please indicate the type of Veterans' Preference you are claiming in your application materials and/or applicant profile and provide the appropriate supporting documentation to validate your claim. Those applying for 5-point preference must submit Member Copy 4 of your DD 214. Those applying for 10-point preference must fill out an SF-15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and provide the required documentation listed on the back of the form. For more information regarding eligibility requirements, please see the Library's Merit Selection Plan, Section X.D. IF REQUIRED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION IS NOT ATTACHED, VETERANS' PREFERENCE WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED IN THE APPLICATION PROCESS.

How you will be evaluated

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

The Library of Congress evaluates applicants through an applicant questionnaire and a structured interview. Applicants may also be screened for some jobs through licensing, certification, and/or education requirements, a narrative/application review, and/or a preliminary telephone interview.

The knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) that are marked with a double asterisk (**) in the vacancy announcement and the applicant questionnaire are considered the most critical for a position. To be considered for final selection, applicants must demonstrate fully acceptable experience in these designated KSAs in the narrative/application review, preliminary telephone and/or full structured interview.

The various assessment tools listed above are designed to verify or explore applicants' experience, knowledge, and training directly related to the job in order to identify the best qualified applicants for selection.
To preview questions please click here.

Your session is about to expire!

Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in 8 minutes. Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire. Click the button below to continue your session.