This position is located in the Office of the General Counsel (OGC) of the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM) an independent Federal Agency of the U.S. Government. The attorney incumbent serves as an Assistant General Counsel in the Litigation Practice Group which handles the Employment Law, Labor Law, and Litigation practice within the OGC.
Summary
This position is located in the Office of the General Counsel (OGC) of the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM) an independent Federal Agency of the U.S. Government. The attorney incumbent serves as an Assistant General Counsel in the Litigation Practice Group which handles the Employment Law, Labor Law, and Litigation practice within the OGC.
PRACTICE OF LAW AT THE USAGM (IN GENERAL): The practice of law at USAGM is unique within the federal government. The USAGM is primarily a news organization, meaning that all USAGM OGC attorneys gain expertise in providing legal support to an international media organization, supporting journalists operating around the globe. In that regard, OGC deals with those matters that impact all media organizations, including intellectual property and licensing; transmission of our content via terrestrial antenna, satellite, internet, and social media; and press freedom and first amendment issues.
We are also a government agency and so, our practice also handles the multitude of legal issues that most government law offices encounter, including federal employment and labor law; federal contracting; appropriation and fiscal law; grant law; and FOIA and ethics.
DUTIES FOR THIS POSITION: The Litigation and Employment/Labor Law Practice Group provides definitive legal advice on Employment and Labor Law matters impacting the agency, and serves as the Agency lead for all Agency litigation. The Group also advises on litigation risks associated with the many often complex actions the Agency undertakes in its unique role operating and overseeing a major global media organization. Duties include, but are not limited to:
Provide definitive legal counsel on all other litigation or litigation risk facing the agency.
Manage, defend, support and otherwise represent an Agency in cases before MSPB, EEOC, FLRA, and Federal Courts. Work with OGC leadership to help Agency Leadership think strategically about our practices and posture to improve litigation outcomes. Manage cases with minimal or no supervision.
Provide definitive legal counsel on all aspects of federal employment law
Provide definitive legal counsel on all aspects of federal labor law.
Serve as lead lawyer in cases in administrative and judicial hearings.
Apply a customer-service oriented approach to legal practice; think outside of the box on legal questions; and be willing to take on new tasks and responsibilities.
Candidates MUST meet all qualification requirements by the cutoff date. Cutoff dates are every three weeks from the open date of this announcement and are listed in the Additional Information Section.
Applicants must complete online questionnaire.
If you are a male applicant, born after 12/31/59, you are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act. The Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency.
This is a sensitive or national security position. If selected, this position requires the completion of the SF-86.
Suitability Determination: If selected, you will be subject to a background investigation to establish your suitability for federal employment. The background investigation will include, among other aspects, a review of your credit and legal history.
This position is not covered by a Union Agreement
Unofficial transcripts may be required at a later time in the application process.
The full performance grade level for this position is GS-15.
New appointees to the Excepted Service must serve a two-year trial period.
This position requires a Top Secret Clearance.
The Office of General Counsel is at present operating on a 100% Telework Pilot Program and therefore; location may be negotiable after selection anywhere in United States.
Must provide proof of active bar membership.
Qualifications
To qualify for the GS-14, you should have three (3) or more years of post-J.D. legal experience, at least one (1) of which were specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-13 grade level or higher.
To qualify for the GS-15, you should have four (4) or more years of post-J.D. legal experience, at least one (1) of which were specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-14 grade level or higher.
Specialized experience means experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge and ability to successfully perform the duties of the position. Examples include experience demonstrating:
Significant knowledge of federal employment Law, including federal employee relations (Title V) and EEO (Title VII).
Significant knowledge of federal labor law and procedures.
Ability to handle all aspects of representing an Agency in federal litigation (administrative and/or court proceedings), including experience serving as lead attorney (or equivalent) in administrative or judicial hearings.
Significant experience with litigation, including handling witness preparation, depositions, and discovery; preparing affidavits; developing trial strategies; conducting direct and cross examination; and aspects of motion practice.
Significant experience advising or representing an agency in collective bargaining and all matters related to federal labor relations.
Proven ability to manage complex legal tasks, including litigation, independently or with minimal supervision.
Ability to relate well to clients and work collaboratively in a fast paced legal environment.
A customer-service oriented approach to legal practice.
Ability to think outside of the box on legal questions. Ability and willingness to lead legal tasks and take on new tasks and responsibilities
Experience with advising on FOIA matters, including those relating to litigation
Experience with federal ethics law and regulations.
Desirable Experience: These are examples of the types of experience or expertise that may indicate the requisite knowledge and ability for the position. These include:
Experience practicing before the MSPB
Experience practicing before the EEOC
Experience practicing within the Federal Government (or in cases where the Federal Government was a party) and providing advice on Employment Law, including federal employee relations (Title V) and EEO (Title VII).
Experience practicing before the FLRA and federal labor arbitrators.
Experience providing advice on complex legal problems related to the interpretation of labor agreements; handling arbitration and the resolution of labor grievances (e.g., arising from Unfair Labor Practice charges).
Experience actively participating in processing, negotiating, and otherwise resolving discrimination complaints.
Experience providing legal sufficiency review for disciplinary actions and adverse actions; advice on performance and time and attendance issues.
Comprehensive operational knowledge of settlement agreements. Experience providing clear legal advice to executives or senior officials.
Experience in drafting or revising organizational policies, based upon continuing review of case law, appropriate legislation, and regulatory implementation, to minimize organizational legal risk.
Experience demonstrating an ability to provide support to litigation relating to federal contracting, including bid protest.
(Note: The list is instructive; it is not exhaustive, and the successful candidate need not necessarily have all of these experiences).
Education
Attorney positions do have an education requirement. Applicants must be a graduate of an accredited law school with an LL.B. or J.D. For positions with an education requirement, you MUST submit a copy of your unofficial transcripts or equivalent. An official transcript will be required if you are selected.
A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Refer to the OPM instructions.
Applicant cannot substitute education for experience at the GS-14 or GS-15 levels, although educational achievement may be considered when rating applicants, as with any attorney position.
Additional information
1. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.
2. Qualifying applications submitted for any other current or future open position in the Agency OGC may also be considered for this position;
3. Qualifying application submitted for this position may be considered for any other currently open or future opening in OGC.
4. If you are an eligible Inter agency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) applicant, you may apply for special selection over other candidates for this position. To be well-qualified and exercise selection priority for this vacancy, displaced Federal employees must be rated at 85 or above on the rating criteria for this position. ICTAP eligibles must submit one of the following as proof of eligibility for the special selection priority: a separation notice; a "Notice of Personnel Action" (SF-50) documenting separation; an agency certification that you cannot be placed after injury compensation has been terminated; an OPM notification that your disability annuity has been terminated; OR a Military Department or National Guard Bureau notification that you are retired under 5 U.S.C. 8337(h) or 8456.
5. If you are still on active duty, you may submit a statement of service from your Personnel Command which states the date you entered active duty, the date you are separating, and the campaign medals you have received.
6. If you are a male applicant who was born after 12/31/59 and are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act, the Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency.
7. If selected, you will be subject to a security investigation to establish your suitability for federal employment. The security investigation will include, among other aspects, a review of your credit and legal history.
8. All qualification requirements must be met by the application cutoff dates as follows (as listed in the Conditions of Employment in this announcement): 10/18/2022, 11/08/2022, 11/29/2022, 12/27/2022, 01/18/2023, 02/08/2023 and every three weeks thereafter.
9. We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies. This is a non-bargaining unit position. This position is not covered by a union agreement.
10. Additional selections may be made if additional vacancies for this or any similar position(s) occur within a reasonable and thus allowable time of certificate issuance.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies across USAGM.
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.
Once your resume or application is submitted, a review of your qualifications will be made to ensure you meet the job requirements and competencies required for this position.
Competencies:
Legal, Government and Jurisprudence
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. If you are among the best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview. After reviewing your resume and supporting documentation, a determination will be made. You must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement.
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.
All applicants are required to submit the following supporting document type(s):
Resume
Applicants may also submit the following supporting document type(s), which may not be required for all applicants:
Cover Letter
DD-214/ Statement of Service
Disability Letter (VA)
Resume
Separation Notice (RIF)
SF-15
SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
Transcript
Writing Sample
Although the required documents listed in this announcement only indicates that a resume is required, other documents may be required in specific circumstances, as indicated in application requirements in Other Information above.
If you are a veteran with preference eligibility and you are claiming 5-point veterans' preference, you must attach the member copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, you must also attach an Application of 10-Point Veterans' Preference (SF-15) plus the proof required by that form. If you are still on active duty, you may submit a statement of service from your Personnel Command which states the date you entered active duty, the date you are separating, and the campaign medals you have received.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application. If you cannot complete the Application Package online, please contact the Human Resource office.
To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents and any appropriate Accepted Documents.
To begin, click Apply in the announcement; then, choose to create a new USAJOBS account or Sign-in into your existing account.
Follow the prompts to select your resume 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 submitting it. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
Click the following link to pre-view and print the occupational questionnaire.
After completing the questionnaire and uploading appropriate documents, click the Submit Application to submit your application package.
It is applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and uploaded, (i.e., resume, veteran's documentation, completed assessment questionnaire, and SF-50's) are accurate and were submitted before 11:59 PM (EST) on of the announcement to receive consideration.
Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application. If a document is not in legible format, applicant will not be able to view it in Application Manager which means applicant must again upload or fax the documentation by the closing date of this announcement.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account. The page will display the positions for which you've applied as well as the status of each application.
To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click on the plus sign (+) next to the job title to expand information about the job. Next click on Update Application to complete the application process.
Note: Submission of a resume alone IS NOT a complete application. This position requires the completion of additional forms and/or supplemental materials as described previously. Please carefully review the complete job announcement, including the Required Documents, Other Information, and How to Apply sections of the announcement.
Application packages will NOT be accepted via mail or e-mail. All resumes/applications received at the addresses listed in the Contact Information or Agency Information will be destroyed and will not be considered for this vacancy announcement.
Office of the General Counsel
330 Independence Avenue SW
Room 4700 Cohen Building
Washington, DC 20237
US
Next steps
Once the online questionnaire is received, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. After a review of your complete application is made, you will be notified of your rating and/or referral to the hiring official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
All applicants are required to submit the following supporting document type(s):
Resume
Applicants may also submit the following supporting document type(s), which may not be required for all applicants:
Cover Letter
DD-214/ Statement of Service
Disability Letter (VA)
Resume
Separation Notice (RIF)
SF-15
SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
Transcript
Writing Sample
Although the required documents listed in this announcement only indicates that a resume is required, other documents may be required in specific circumstances, as indicated in application requirements in Other Information above.
If you are a veteran with preference eligibility and you are claiming 5-point veterans' preference, you must attach the member copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, you must also attach an Application of 10-Point Veterans' Preference (SF-15) plus the proof required by that form. If you are still on active duty, you may submit a statement of service from your Personnel Command which states the date you entered active duty, the date you are separating, and the campaign medals you have received.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application. If you cannot complete the Application Package online, please contact the Human Resource office.
To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents and any appropriate Accepted Documents.
To begin, click Apply in the announcement; then, choose to create a new USAJOBS account or Sign-in into your existing account.
Follow the prompts to select your resume 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 submitting it. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
Click the following link to pre-view and print the occupational questionnaire.
After completing the questionnaire and uploading appropriate documents, click the Submit Application to submit your application package.
It is applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and uploaded, (i.e., resume, veteran's documentation, completed assessment questionnaire, and SF-50's) are accurate and were submitted before 11:59 PM (EST) on of the announcement to receive consideration.
Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application. If a document is not in legible format, applicant will not be able to view it in Application Manager which means applicant must again upload or fax the documentation by the closing date of this announcement.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account. The page will display the positions for which you've applied as well as the status of each application.
To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click on the plus sign (+) next to the job title to expand information about the job. Next click on Update Application to complete the application process.
Note: Submission of a resume alone IS NOT a complete application. This position requires the completion of additional forms and/or supplemental materials as described previously. Please carefully review the complete job announcement, including the Required Documents, Other Information, and How to Apply sections of the announcement.
Application packages will NOT be accepted via mail or e-mail. All resumes/applications received at the addresses listed in the Contact Information or Agency Information will be destroyed and will not be considered for this vacancy announcement.
Office of the General Counsel
330 Independence Avenue SW
Room 4700 Cohen Building
Washington, DC 20237
US
Next steps
Once the online questionnaire is received, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. After a review of your complete application is made, you will be notified of your rating and/or referral to the hiring official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
