This position is located in the Plan Benefits Security Division (PBSD), which is one of the ten national divisions reporting to the Solicitor of Labor. PBSD provides legal services to the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), the agency within the Department of Labor that administers the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). The Associate Solicitor directs the work of PBSD, including the provision of legal advice, the development of regulations, and the conduct of-litigation, and is ultimately responsible for the performance of the division's approximately 40 lawyers and support personnel.
Subject to the general direction and control of the Solicitor, the Associate Solicitor is responsible for (1) supervising litigation in the U.S. District Courts and Courts of Appeals in the name of the Secretary and the preparation of legal analyses, pleadings and briefs at all levels of the federal judicial system, (2) overseeing PBSD’s role in the preparation, review, and coordination of rules, Advisory Opinions, Field Assistance Bulletins, exemptions, and other public guidance documents, (3) directing the provision of legal advice to EBSA leadership and other senior Department officials and providing technical advice to other federal agencies and Congress, (4) overseeing the preparation and filing of briefs and participation in oral argument as amicus curiae in the Courts of Appeals and assisting the Office of the Solicitor General in the preparation of briefs in the Supreme Court, (5) providing legal support to the Department of Justice in litigation brought against the Department, (6) coordinating with Regional Solicitors in providing legal services to EBSA (7) coordinating work between the Department of Labor and numerous other federal agencies and entities, including the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, Treasury, Health and Human Services, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and others.
The Associate has ongoing responsibility for the proper organization, staffing, direction, and training of approximately 40 subordinate attorneys and support staff, as well as the preparation of budget justifications, estimates, and long range legal and policy issues. The Associate is additionally responsible for any other legal work assigned by the Solicitor of Labor, as appropriate.
Appointment to this position may require a background investigation.
Subject to financial disclosure requirements.
Must meet Mandatory Technical and Executive Core Qualifications.
Requires a probationary period if the requirement has not been met.
Must be a U.S. Citizen.
You must have one year of specialized experience at a level close to the work of this job (typically equivalent to the GS-15 level) that has given you the particular subject-matter knowledge, skills, and abilities required to successfully perform. Typically, we would find this experience in work within the field or a field that is closely related. You must demonstrate possession of specialized experience in the described duties.
Notification Concerning COVID-19 Vaccinations. As required by Executive Order 14043, Federal executive branch employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 regardless of the employee's duty location or work arrangement (e.g., telework, remote work, etc.), subject to such exceptions as required by law. If selected, you will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and to submit documentation of proof of vaccination or to be in the process of requesting an exception to the vaccination requirement before appointment or onboarding with the agency. The agency will provide additional information regarding which forms of documentation can be accepted and how you can request to be considered for a legally required exception from this requirement.
Currently, implementation and enforcement of Executive Order 14043 has been suspended pursuant to an injunction pending further litigation.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position, all applicants must write a narrative in the spaces provided detailing accomplishments that would satisfy each of the ECQs and MTQs. You must address each ECQ and MTQ separately. If you fail to do so, your application will be rated ineligible.
In writing your responses to the ECQs, your narrative must address each ECQ separately in the spaces provided. Each ECQ should contain at least two examples describing your experiences and accomplishments/results. Responses to ECQ's must not exceed 10 pages. It is recommended that applicants draft their ECQs in a Word document first, then cut and paste into the spaces provided following each ECQ to ensure length requirements. For additional guidance, applicants may visit the Office of Personnel Management's Guide to Senior Executive Qualifications. Applicants are encouraged to follow the Challenge, Context, Action, and Result model outlined in the guide.
MANDATORY EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): 1. Leading Change: This core qualification 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. 2. Leading People: This core qualification 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 constructive resolution of conflicts. 3. Results Driven: This core qualification 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. 4. Business Acumen: This core qualification involves the ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically. 5. Building Coalitions: This core qualification 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.
MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (MTQs): In writing your narrative responses to the MTQs, please give examples and explain how often you used your skills, the complexity of the knowledge possessed, the level of people you interacted with, the sensitivity of the issues you handled, etc. APPLICANTS SHOULD LIMIT THEIR RESPONSES TO ONE (1) SINGLE SPACED PAGE PER EACH MTQ WITH THE FONT SIZE NO SMALLER THAN POINT 12. It is recommended that applicants draft their MTQs in a Word document first, then cut and paste into the spaces provided following each MTQ to ensure length requirements.
1. Substantial trial litigation, appellate litigation, or rulemaking experience with regards to the Employee Retirement and Income Security Act (ERISA), the Affordable Care Act (ACA), or Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA).
2. Successful experience in leading and managing legal offices, components, or significant teams engaged in a broad range of client services.
3. Demonstrated ability to develop and implement long range strategies within an organization and/or its components.
Education
The Department of Labor does not recognize academic degrees from schools that are not accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U. S. Department of Education. Any applicant falsely claiming an academic degree from an accredited school will be subject to actions ranging from disqualification from Federal employment to removal from Federal service.
Education for this position is a requirement and applicants must possess a J.D. You will be required to provide an original copy of your transcripts at a later time. Applicants are required to be active members of the Bar in any US State or US Territory Court under the U.S. Constitution. Documentation of Bar License will be required before selection.
Additional information
The Department of Labor (DOL) seeks to foster, promote and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers, and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights. This position is an opportunity for a mission-driven senior executive seeking a collaborative, fast-paced, and collegial work setting to achieve far-reaching impacts across the nation. DOL seeks to be a model employer, and offers flexible work schedules, Employee Assistance Programs (which provide counseling and/or referral services for a variety of life events), and a comprehensive and competitive benefits package, including for retirement, dependent care, and transit benefits.
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.
You will be evaluated based on your experience and your responses to the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and the Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs). It is essential that your resume provide sufficient information to substantiate your responses in the self-assessment vacancy questions. If your responses are not adequately substantiated by your resume, your application will be rated ineligible.
Current/Former Career SES or SES Candidate Development graduates who have been certified by OPM must provide a narrative response to address each of the MTQ's, but need not address the ECQs. In order to successfully complete the online application process you must input the term, "noncompetitive eligible" in the text boxes for each of the ECQs. You must submit a Standard Form 50 that documents your SES Career appointment or a copy of your OPM approved SES Candidate Development Program certificate.
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.
1. SF-50 documentation of career SES appointment or other Federal appointment (if applicable). 2. Certificate of completion of OPM certified SES candidate program (if applicable). 3. Copy of most recent performance appraisal (optional). Should you be selected for this position, you will be required to submit documentation verifying that you are an active member of the Bar in any US State or US Territory Court under the U.S. Constitution. You will also be required to submit an original copy of your transcripts.
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.
To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, including submission of the required documentation specified in the "Required Documents" section.
Follow the steps below to apply. Your application and ALL required supplemental documents MUST be received by 11:59 pm Eastern Time (ET) on the vacancy closing date to receive consideration. Paper applications and supplemental documents submitted in any other manner without prior approval from the vacancy contact will not be considered. Click here for information on Reasonable Accommodations.
SAVE your information before the 30 MINUTE TIMEOUT! For help, go to USAJOBS Help Center.
STEP 1 - Create USAJOBS Account on www.usajobs.gov, including Resume and Saved Documents Your resume must provide sufficient information to substantiate your responses to the self-assessment vacancy questions. If not, HR may amend your responses to more accurately reflect the competency indicated by resume content. FOR EACH EMPLOYMENT PERIOD, include: start/end month & year and note full-time or part-time (if part-time, include # of hours worked per week); otherwise, your application may be considered incomplete.
STEP 2 - Complete the 1st part of the application process (USAJOBS) Once you have identified a job on USAJOBS that you wish to apply for, click on the title and click the "Apply" button. For questions about the vacancy, contact the Agency Contact at the bottom of the announcement. Click “Start Application” and proceed through the 5 steps noted at the top of the USAJOBS page. You will be able to select a resume and documents from your USAJOBS Account that you can submit as a package as part of your DOL application. At Step 5, click “Continue to Agency Site”.
STEP 3 – Complete the 2nd part of the application process (DOL) On the Department of Labor (DOL) page, create a DOL Account if you have not already and click “APPLY TO THIS VACANCY”. Continue through the 7 progress steps indicated by circles at the top of the DOL page. The 3rd progress step is where you answer the vacancy specific questions. The 4th progress step "Documents" is where you submit required documents (only if applicable to you) specified in the "Required Documents" section of this vacancy. If you submit a document using the same document title, the 2nd submission will OVERWRITE the 1st submission.
STEP 4 – On the “Review and Submit” step, click “Submit Application” The last “Confirmation” step will turn green noting that your application was submitted successfully.
STEP 5 - Edit Application as needed by 11:59 pm ET of Closing Date by returning to USAJOBS, clicking the vacancy, then “Update Application”.
Labor, Office of the Solicitor
200 Constitution Ave., NW
Room N2453
Washington, District of Columbia 20210
United States
Next steps
The Office of Executive Resources will review all applications to determine if applicants meet the mandatory technical qualifications of this position and the SES ECQs. Those who meet the qualifications will be referred to a panel of SES members for rating and ranking to determine the "best qualified" candidates. The panel will make a recommendation to the selecting official about the top candidates that s/he should interview. Once a selection is made, the selectee's application will be forwarded to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for approval by an OPM independent Qualifications Review Board (QRB), unless the selectee is a current/former SES executive or has successfully participated in an OPM approval SES Candidate Development Program.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
1. SF-50 documentation of career SES appointment or other Federal appointment (if applicable). 2. Certificate of completion of OPM certified SES candidate program (if applicable). 3. Copy of most recent performance appraisal (optional). Should you be selected for this position, you will be required to submit documentation verifying that you are an active member of the Bar in any US State or US Territory Court under the U.S. Constitution. You will also be required to submit an original copy of your transcripts.
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.
To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, including submission of the required documentation specified in the "Required Documents" section.
Follow the steps below to apply. Your application and ALL required supplemental documents MUST be received by 11:59 pm Eastern Time (ET) on the vacancy closing date to receive consideration. Paper applications and supplemental documents submitted in any other manner without prior approval from the vacancy contact will not be considered. Click here for information on Reasonable Accommodations.
SAVE your information before the 30 MINUTE TIMEOUT! For help, go to USAJOBS Help Center.
STEP 1 - Create USAJOBS Account on www.usajobs.gov, including Resume and Saved Documents Your resume must provide sufficient information to substantiate your responses to the self-assessment vacancy questions. If not, HR may amend your responses to more accurately reflect the competency indicated by resume content. FOR EACH EMPLOYMENT PERIOD, include: start/end month & year and note full-time or part-time (if part-time, include # of hours worked per week); otherwise, your application may be considered incomplete.
STEP 2 - Complete the 1st part of the application process (USAJOBS) Once you have identified a job on USAJOBS that you wish to apply for, click on the title and click the "Apply" button. For questions about the vacancy, contact the Agency Contact at the bottom of the announcement. Click “Start Application” and proceed through the 5 steps noted at the top of the USAJOBS page. You will be able to select a resume and documents from your USAJOBS Account that you can submit as a package as part of your DOL application. At Step 5, click “Continue to Agency Site”.
STEP 3 – Complete the 2nd part of the application process (DOL) On the Department of Labor (DOL) page, create a DOL Account if you have not already and click “APPLY TO THIS VACANCY”. Continue through the 7 progress steps indicated by circles at the top of the DOL page. The 3rd progress step is where you answer the vacancy specific questions. The 4th progress step "Documents" is where you submit required documents (only if applicable to you) specified in the "Required Documents" section of this vacancy. If you submit a document using the same document title, the 2nd submission will OVERWRITE the 1st submission.
STEP 4 – On the “Review and Submit” step, click “Submit Application” The last “Confirmation” step will turn green noting that your application was submitted successfully.
STEP 5 - Edit Application as needed by 11:59 pm ET of Closing Date by returning to USAJOBS, clicking the vacancy, then “Update Application”.
Labor, Office of the Solicitor
200 Constitution Ave., NW
Room N2453
Washington, District of Columbia 20210
United States
Next steps
The Office of Executive Resources will review all applications to determine if applicants meet the mandatory technical qualifications of this position and the SES ECQs. Those who meet the qualifications will be referred to a panel of SES members for rating and ranking to determine the "best qualified" candidates. The panel will make a recommendation to the selecting official about the top candidates that s/he should interview. Once a selection is made, the selectee's application will be forwarded to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for approval by an OPM independent Qualifications Review Board (QRB), unless the selectee is a current/former SES executive or has successfully participated in an OPM approval SES Candidate Development Program.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
