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ATTORNEY-ADVISER

Securities and Exchange Commission
Division of Examinations - Denver Regional Office and San Francisco Regional Office
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The Division of Examinations administers the SEC's nationwide examination and inspection program for investment advisers, investment companies, broker-dealers, transfer agents, clearing agencies, registered self-regulatory organizations, and nationally recognized statistical rating organizations.

The Attorney-Adviser position is in the investment adviser/investment company examination program of the Division of Examinations.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
07/07/2021 to 07/21/2021
Salary
$93,018 to - $208,504 per year

For detailed salary ranges, please see the Additional Information section of this announcement.

Pay scale & grade
SK 12 - 13
Locations
San Francisco, CA
1 vacancy
Denver, CO
1 vacancy
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Travel averages 5 days a month.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
14
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
High Risk (HR)
Trust determination process
Announcement number
21-EX-11127602-DMQ
Control number
606813400

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

US Citizens

Duties

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These positions are in the Denver Regional Office located in Denver, CO and the San Francisco Regional Office located in San Francisco, CA.

If selected, you will join a well-respected team as an Attorney-Adviser responsible for conducting examinations of investment advisers and investment companies, which involves the interpretation and application of securities laws, regulations, and policies.

Typical duties include:

  • Participating in and providing technical assistance and support to examination or inspection activities for investment advisers and investment companies.
  • Working as a member of a team with other staff members engaged in conducting examinations; responding to trends in the market; identifying areas of the market that merit special attention; and developing new inspection/examination procedures and processes.
  • Conducting research, reviews and analysis of a variety of documents related to compliance; conducting reviews of customer trading and securities holdings; reviewing firm marketing; and developing recommendations to resolve problems in assigned areas of specialization.
  • Preparing reports, correspondence, memoranda and other documents summarizing reviews, research and analysis related to registered entities' compliance with the federal securities laws.
  • Initiating and conducting consultations with staff of the Division of Examinations and other SEC divisions and offices on issues which present difficult questions of fact and law or policy that require review and consultation before being presented for final action.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • CITIZENSHIP: This position is open to US Citizens.
  • You must possess a J.D. or LL.B Degree
  • You must be an active member of the bar in good standing
  • Application procedures are specific to this vacancy announcement. Please read all the instructions carefully. Failure to follow the instructions may result in you not being considered for this position.
  • Supplementary vacancies may be filled in addition to the number stated in this announcement.
  • This position has promotion potential to the SK-14 level.
  • TRIAL PERIOD: This appointment may require completion of a two-year trial period.
  • SECURITY CLEARANCE: Entrance on duty is contingent upon completion of a pre-employment security investigation. Favorable results on a Background Investigation may be a condition of employment or selection to another position.
  • DRUG TESTING: This position may be subjected to drug testing requirements.
  • PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION (PCS): Moving/Relocation expenses are not authorized.
  • DIRECT DEPOSIT: All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
  • This position is in the collective bargaining unit.
  • Due to COVID-19, the SEC is currently in a mandatory telework posture through September 7, 2021. If selected, you will be permitted to temporarily telework from a location outside the local commuting area.

Qualifications

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Qualifying experience may be obtained in the private or public sector. 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). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Qualifying education must have been obtained from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

BASIC REQUIREMENT: All applicants must possess the following

  • J.D. or LL.B. degree --AND--
  • Active membership of the bar in good standing in any state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the commonwealth of Puerto Rico. (Note: proof of bar membership will be required before entry on duty.)

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: In addition to meeting the basic requirement, applicants must also meet the minimum qualification requirement.

SK-12: Applicant must possess atleast one year of post-J.D. experience defining legal issues, conducting legal research, and drafting legal documents such as contracts, dispositions, pleadings, and motions. OR one of the following below:
  • A second professional law degree (Master of Law/LL.M.);
  • Membership on a law school's journal or law review;
  • Membership in the Order of the Coif;
  • Graduation in the top 33 percent of law school class;
  • One year of significant non-legal work experience in a field related to the position for which the applicant is being considered (e.g., work experience with FINRA or other financial regulatory authority, or other work experience directly applicable to the work of the position for which the attorney is being hired);
  • A judicial clerkship following law school graduation; or
  • Law Clerk and Legal Intern Appointments
SK-13: Applicant must possess at least two years of post-J.D experience identifying legal issues,
conducting legal research, providing legal analyses, providing legal solutions/recommendations, and preparing legal documents, such as contracts, dispositions, pleadings, and motions, which also includes at least one year of specialized experience:
  1. Providing interpretative advice and guidance on matters related to Federal securities laws, regulations, and policies, that also may include experience on matters related to the Federal securities laws involving municipal securities; and
  2. Conducting briefings for management and/or representing organizations at briefings, meetings or conferences, conveying complex and technical information to address the concerns of the intended audience.

Additional information

Salary Ranges:
Denver Regional Office
SK-12- $93,018-$157,603
SK-13- $110,618-$187,409

San Francisco Regional Office
SK-12- $103,489-$175,343
SK-13- $123,070-$208,504

Disability Employment:
For information on disability appointments, please visit http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/disability-employment/

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR SURPLUS OR DISPLACED FEDERAL EMPLOYEES: Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) is available to individuals who have special priority selection rights under this plan. Individuals must be minimally qualified for this position to receive consideration for special priority selection. CTAP eligibles will be considered minimally qualified if they meet the minimum requirements for this position.

Reasonable Accommodation: If you are an applicant who needs a reasonable accommodation for disability to participate in the application process at the SEC, submit the form for Reasonable Accommodation for Participation in Job Application Process here. Please be sure to submit your request at least 5 business days in advance of the date you need the requested accommodation.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Information for SEC Job Applicants: Federal EEO laws protect all applicants from discrimination on the following bases: race, color, sex (not limited to conduct which is sexual in nature, includes pregnancy, gender identity, sexual orientation, transgender status), age (40 and over), religion, national origin, disability, genetic information, retaliation for participating in the EEO process or opposing discrimination. Applicants who believe they have been discriminated against on any EEO basis can seek recourse through the SEC's administrative complaints process. To be timely, an individual must enter the EEO process within 45 days from when they know (or should have known) of the alleged discrimination. Click here for additional information.

TTY/ASCII: Video Relay Service users are welcome to contact the appropriate SEC office or employee via the contact information listed above. If you do not otherwise have access to a Video Phone or Video Relay service, you may send us an email or use the Federal Video Relay Service via the internet. For more information about using the Federal Relay Service and to create a new account, please see: https://www.federalrelay.us/

SEC COMPENSATION PROGRAM: For questions regarding SEC pay setting practices, please click here.

How you will be evaluated

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

If you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the vacancy announcement, we will compare your resume and supporting documentation to your responses on the occupational questionnaire. Your resume must support your responses to the occupational questionnaire. After review of your application materials, if you are determined to be minimally qualified, you will be referred to the selecting official.

Applicants will be evaluated on the following competencies:
Legal Guidance, Securities Laws and Compliance Guidance, and Technical Communication

The Occupational Questionnaire will take you approximately 10 minutes to complete. To preview the Occupational Questionnaire, click the following linkhttps://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11127602

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