The Division is seeking an attorney with expertise in the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Privacy Act (PA) to serve as the FOIA/PA Unit Chief.
Summary
The Division is seeking an attorney with expertise in the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Privacy Act (PA) to serve as the FOIA/PA Unit Chief.
The Chief of the FOIA/PA Unit is responsible for directing and supervising the operations of the FOIA/PA Unit and implementing procedures relating to the processing of FOIA/PA requests. The FOIA/PA Unit typically consists of 2-3 attorneys and several administrative support staff. The FOIA/PA Chief serves as the technical expert and primary legal advisor to CRT'S leadership, management, and employees on FOIA/PA policy, processes, legislation, and regulations, stays abreast of developments in FOIA/PA law, and makes recommendations regarding legislative or policy changes. The FOIA Officer/Unit Chief has delegated authority to grant or deny access to CRT records, reviews and coordinates all FOIA/PA requests and determines the appropriate clearance of information in response to the FOIA/PA requests. The FOIA/PA Chief coordinates with other DOJ offices. The FOIA/PA Unit Chief serves as CRT's liaison on FOIA/PA matters with other Department components, federal agencies, and the public. The FOIA/PA Unit Chief coordinates with and provides support to the Civil Division, United States Attorneys' Offices and other DOJ components in defending the Department in FOIA/PA-related litigation that involves CRT records or data. As manager of the FOI/PA Unit, the FOIA/PA Unit Chief directs its operation, and is responsible for the selection, training, and supervision of its employees, including attorneys, paralegals and clerical employees. The FOIA/PA Unit Chief prepares annual reports to the OIP, OPCL, the Office of Management and Budget, and Congress. The Unit Chief also serves as the Senior Component Official for Privacy (SCOP) as part of the OPCL duties. In addition, the Chief/SCOP prepares regulatory publications for the Federal Register or the Code of Federal Regulations, which includes Privacy Act Notices of Systems of Records, reviews Privacy Impact Assessments, and other rules and notices that the regulations may require.
All male applicants born after 12/31/1959 must have registered for the selective service. If selected, the applicant must sign a statement certifying his registration, or the applicant must demonstrate exempt status under the Selective Service Law.
You will need to successfully complete a pre-employment background security process pending completion and adjudication of the background investigation before you can be appointed into an attorney position.
You must have a Juris Doctorate degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association and be a member in good standing of the bar of a state or territory of the United States, the District of Columbia or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications:
Applicants must possess a J.D. from an American Bar Association accredited law school, been an active member of the bar in good standing (any jurisdiction), and possess a minimum of five (5) years of post-professional law degree experience. Applicants also must have strong, demonstrated qualifications in the following areas: academic achievement; significant substantive knowledge and expertise in FOIA/PA policy, laws, rules and regulations; experience coordinating with governmental offices and requesters regarding FOIA/PA requests; civil litigation experience; written and oral communication skills; the ability to analyze complex issues; skill and experience working collaboratively and productively with others; organizational skills; professional judgment; initiative; and the ability to excel in a fast-paced, demanding environment. Applicants must have the ability to motivate and engage employees; the skill to build relationships that create trust, open dialogue, and full transparency; the assertiveness to drive outcomes and overcome adversity; the capacity to create a culture of clear accountability; and the integrity to make decisions based solely on merit. In addition, applicants must have outstanding professional references.
Preferred Qualifications:
The following qualifications are preferred: experience managing a FOIA/PA Unit or staff; experience handling or managing FOIA/PA litigation; experience supervising attorneys and support staff. Judicial clerkships (especially in federal court), law review, moot court, clinical experience, and skill and experience working cooperatively and productively with a range of people, such as charging parties, witnesses, respondents, disadvantaged or disenfranchised groups, opposing counsel, judicial or administrative officials, advocacy groups, law enforcement personnel, and the staff of other federal or state governmental agencies are also preferred.
E-Verify - The Civil Rights Division uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify.
Division offices are near metro transportation systems or other public transportation, and are conveniently accessible to restaurants, museums and other D.C. area attractions. Most jobs in the Division offer alternative work schedules and other family friendly opportunities are available.
Additional selections may be made from this vacancy announcement to fill vacancies that occur subsequent to this announcement.
The Department of Justice cannot control further dissemination and/or posting of information contained in this vacancy announcement. Such posting and/or dissemination is not an endorsement by the Department of the organization or group disseminating and/or posting the information.
The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination because of color, race, religion, national origin, political affiliation, marital status, disability (physical or mental), age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, status as a parent, membership or non-membership in an employee organization, on the basis of personal favoritism, or any non merit factor.
The Civil Rights Division welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities and is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department. The Civil Rights Division also encourages eligible Schedule A applicants to submit their resumes directly to Beth Maclay at Beth.Maclay@usdoj.gov.
It is the policy of the Department to achieve a drug-free workplace and persons selected for employment will be required to pass a drug test which screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment. Employment is also contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation.
Only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review and the United States Attorneys' Offices. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, non-U.S. Citizens may apply for employment with other organizations, but should be advised that appointments of non-U.S. Citizens are extremely rare; such appointments would be possible only if necessary to accomplish the Department's mission and would be subject to strict security requirements. Applicants who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
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.
Applicants will be evaluated based on interview performance, the qualifications set forth above, and other job-related skills, experience and qualifications consistent with merit system principles applicable to hiring for career positions with the Department of Justice.
There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (see "How To Apply" for required documentation).
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.
The following documents are required for your application to be complete. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, illegible fax transmissions, delays in mail service, your system failure or downtime, etc. Encrypted and digitally signed documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.
Cover Letter (highlighting relevant experience).
Resume - Applicants are encouraged to ensure work experiences clearly show the possession of knowledge of the subject matter pertinent to the position and the technical skills to successfully perform the duties of the position.
Law School Transcripts
Writing Sample - A brief or comparable analytic legal exposition that is your work product. (No more than 10 pages)
Assessment Questionnaire (you will be prompted to complete this when you apply online).
Schedule A Documentation (if applicable) - The Civil Rights Division welcomes and encourages applications from persons with disabilities and is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department. The Division also encourages eligible Schedule A applicants to submit their resumes directly to the Division's disability POC, Beth Maclay at Beth.Maclay@usdoj.gov.
Current or Former Political Appointees (if applicable) - please note on your resume and attach an SF-50. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the HR Office.
If you are a discharged, non-disabled veteran, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing character discharge (Member 4 copy), or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions. If you don't have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the National Archives at www.archives.gov/veterans.
If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, and 6) dated within 120 days of your separation.
If you are a disabled veteran, Purple Heart recipient, or mother or spouse of a disabled or deceased veteran, you must submit a completed SF-15 http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf and all additional proof required by the SF-15, as applicable. If you don't have your Department of Veterans Affairs letter establishing proof of disability, you may request it at http://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ or call 1-800-827-1000.
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section.
A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. To begin, click "Apply" to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
Follow the prompts to select your résumé and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Human Resources Office. Please contact Diane Turner at(202) 514-4366 or Diane.M.Turner@usdoj.gov to obtain an alternative application.
Civil Rights Division
950 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20530
US
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
The following documents are required for your application to be complete. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, illegible fax transmissions, delays in mail service, your system failure or downtime, etc. Encrypted and digitally signed documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.
Cover Letter (highlighting relevant experience).
Resume - Applicants are encouraged to ensure work experiences clearly show the possession of knowledge of the subject matter pertinent to the position and the technical skills to successfully perform the duties of the position.
Law School Transcripts
Writing Sample - A brief or comparable analytic legal exposition that is your work product. (No more than 10 pages)
Assessment Questionnaire (you will be prompted to complete this when you apply online).
Schedule A Documentation (if applicable) - The Civil Rights Division welcomes and encourages applications from persons with disabilities and is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department. The Division also encourages eligible Schedule A applicants to submit their resumes directly to the Division's disability POC, Beth Maclay at Beth.Maclay@usdoj.gov.
Current or Former Political Appointees (if applicable) - please note on your resume and attach an SF-50. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the HR Office.
If you are a discharged, non-disabled veteran, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing character discharge (Member 4 copy), or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions. If you don't have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the National Archives at www.archives.gov/veterans.
If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, and 6) dated within 120 days of your separation.
If you are a disabled veteran, Purple Heart recipient, or mother or spouse of a disabled or deceased veteran, you must submit a completed SF-15 http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf and all additional proof required by the SF-15, as applicable. If you don't have your Department of Veterans Affairs letter establishing proof of disability, you may request it at http://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ or call 1-800-827-1000.
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section.
A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. To begin, click "Apply" to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
Follow the prompts to select your résumé and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Human Resources Office. Please contact Diane Turner at(202) 514-4366 or Diane.M.Turner@usdoj.gov to obtain an alternative application.
Civil Rights Division
950 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20530
US
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
