This position is located in the Office of the Legal Adviser (L). The Office's core mission is to provide guidance on domestic and international legal issues arising in the course of the Department's work. This includes assisting in the formulation and implementation of U.S. foreign policy and promoting development of International law and institutions as fundamental to our foreign policy; and advising on relevant authorities with respect to the day-to-day operations of the Department.
Summary
This position is located in the Office of the Legal Adviser (L). The Office's core mission is to provide guidance on domestic and international legal issues arising in the course of the Department's work. This includes assisting in the formulation and implementation of U.S. foreign policy and promoting development of International law and institutions as fundamental to our foreign policy; and advising on relevant authorities with respect to the day-to-day operations of the Department.
The person selected for this opportunity will serve as the Senior Level (SL) Attorney-Adviser on internal Department Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) issues. This incumbent provides legal advice to the Department on a wide range of DEIA related issues, works closely with and supports the Secretary’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion (S/ODI), on the Department’s varied lines of effort developed to support Executive Branch initiatives, including Executive Order 14035, “Advancing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility in The Federal Workforce.” Responsibilities of the Attorney Adviser (DEIA) include but are not limited to the following:
Leads coordination and advises on legal policy on all DEIA matters. Primarily advises the Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer (CDIO) and S/ODI on DEIA-related legal matters and equities on behalf of the Office of the Legal Adviser, and coordinates legal research and analysis to prepare arguments, briefing materials, and analytical documents on areas of law pertinent to S/ODI's responsibility.
Coordinates legal advice with her/his supervisor and the Assistant Legal Adviser for Employment Law (L/EMP) and provides legal services related to DEIA to Department principals and senior officers as well as other internal stakeholders of the client bureaus and offices;
Represents the Office of the Legal Adviser and the Department at intra-departmental and interagency and international meetings and conferences, and maintains contacts with other agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Office of Personnel Management, and the White House Office of Management and Budget; and provides legal advice on inquiries from Congress and the press, as requested.
Promotes DEIA policies and seeks to promote professional development through varied work assignments, continuing legal education, and executive and other training.
Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.
Incumbent will be subject to random drug testing.
Requires a financial disclosure statement, OGE-278.
Verification of employment eligibility in the United States is required.
This position is a drug-testing designated position subject to random testing for illegal drug use. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's completion and favorable adjudication of a background security investigation. The Ethics in Government Act, PL 95-521 requires the applicant selected for this position submit a financial disclosure statement, OGE-278, prior to assuming the SL position, annually, and upon termination of employment.
Qualifications
BASIC REQUIREMENT:
A. Must possess a J.D. or higher degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association and be licensed and authorized to practice law as an attorney under the laws of a state or territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Must be an active member of the bar and in good standing.
Note: All applicants WILL BE required to submit transcripts as verification of educational requirement by the closing date of this announcement. If you fail to provide requested information, or the information you submit is insufficient to verify your eligibility, you WILL lose consideration for this position.
IN ADDITION TO meeting the basic requirements listed above, applicant's must have:
A minimum of 3 years of legal experience (ideally not less than five years) in practicing employment law and international law at the GS-15 level or equivalent
substantial experience in employment law with a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion (preferred, but not required)
strong oral and written advocacy skills
superior legal research and analytical skills
demonstrated ability to function with minimal guidance in a highly demanding environment
There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the SL position.
Applicants must also submit separate narrative statements covering the Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) listed below in order to receive consideration for the position. Your narrative responses to the MTQs should be clear and emphasize your level of responsibility, scope and complexity of programs managed, program accomplishments with results of your actions, policy initiatives, and level of contacts. Include in your responses all efforts/accomplishments related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) initiatives. Your narrative response is limited to two (2) pages per MTQ.
For this position, applicants' experience and resume should explicitly demonstrate the following:
MTQ 1: Demonstrated experience providing sound legal advice and representation involving the application of international, foreign, and domestic law to legal, policy and management issues involving multiple stakeholders and the activities of large public or private organizations.
MTQ 2: Demonstrated experience providing sound legal advice and representation through effective written and oral counsel and advocacy on legal, management and policy issues relating to large public or private organizations, including with respect to international organizations and the conduct of U.S. diplomacy.
MTQ narrative statements should include one or two notable examples (within last 10 years) using the Challenge-Context-Action-Result (CCAR) model:
Challenge: Describe a specific problem or goal.
Context: Talk about the individuals and groups you worked with, and/or the environment in which you worked, to tackle a particular challenge (e.g., clients, co-workers, members of Congress, shrinking budget, low morale).
Action: Discuss the specific actions you took to address a challenge.
Result: Give specific examples of the results of your actions. These accomplishments demonstrate the quality and effectiveness of your leadership skills.
Applicants must meet all the qualification requirements and submit any supporting documentation by the closing date of this announcement. Your application package must contain sufficient information to make a valid determination that you fully meet the basic/specialized experience requirements as stated in this job opportunity announcement for each grade level(s) for which you are applying.
Applicants who do not possess the MTQs described above will not receive consideration for this position.
Applicants who use "see resume" as a response to the MTQs will not receive consideration for the position.
Application packages that do not include MTQs will be marked “ineligible” and will not receive consideration for this position.
Education
See the qualifications section of this vacancy announcement for education requirements.
Additional information
SELECTIVE SERVICE - If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify at the time of appointment that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under Selective Service law.
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION - 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 the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations at (202) 663-3474 or OAA@state.gov. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis.
TELEWORK ELIGIBILITY - If eligible, telework agreements may be permitted with supervisory approval.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY - The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.
EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION PROGRAM (E-Verify) - U.S. law requires organizations to employ only individuals who may legally work in the United States - either U.S. citizens, or foreign citizens who have the necessary authorization. This agency utilizes E-Verify to compare information from the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration (SSA) records to confirm employment eligibility. If the employee’s information does not match DHS and/or SSA records, the employee is given an opportunity to resolve the problem. If eligibility cannot be verified, employment will be terminated.
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.
There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of State considers veterans' preference eligibility a positive factor in the hiring process. For this announcement, all applicants will be reviewed to determine if they meet the qualifications for this position, specifically, the education and specialized experience requirements. Applicants will not be rated or ranked. All applicants that are verified to meet the required qualifications will be referred to the selecting official.
Your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations and must highlight your most relevant and significant work experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to this job opportunity. 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). Your resume should include the dates of all qualifying experience (from month/year to month/year) and the number of hours worked/volunteered per week. For assistance with creating a resume, please click here.
Your resume will be evaluated to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications required; and on the extent to which your application shows that you possess the mandatory technical qualifications (MTQs), and other characteristics that are relevant to the duties of this position as defined in the Qualifications 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 required documents listed below, that are applicable to you, must be submitted to our automated system "Gateway to State" by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.
Resume – your resume or any other written format you choose should contain the required information as specified in the "How You Will Be Evaluated" section (not to exceed 5 pages). Insufficient information will result in an ineligible rating.
A completed online questionnaire through the Department's automated system "Gateway to State".
Transcripts – you must submit a copy of your college transcript(s) from an accredited law school with your application. If selected, an official/sealed college transcript(s) will be required to verify education prior to employment.
Proof of bar membership – you must submit proof of bar membership from any state or territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico with your application.
If you are qualifying based on other criteria listed under the Qualification Section of this announcement, you MUST submit the required supporting documentation (certificates, certifications, etc.) with your application.
References – you must submit three professional references with your application.
Veterans Preference – There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of State considers veterans' preference eligibility a positive factor in the hiring process. If claiming 5-point veteran's preference, you must provide a copy of your DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (Member Copy 4 is preferred), which must show the type of discharge and dates of active duty.
Mandatory Technical Qualification (MTQ) statements - Applicants must submit written narrative statements describing your accomplishments against each of the MTQs. You must address each MTQ separately and are required to respond to all MTQs. When addressing the MTQs, applicants should include one or two notable examples (within last 10 years) using the Challenge-Context-Action-Result (CCAR) model (see How You Will Be Evaluated)
If you are currently on active duty, you must provide a certification on letterhead from your military branch which contains your military service dates, expected date of discharge or release, and the character of service to show that your military service was performed under honorable conditions. The expected date of discharge or release must be no later than 120 days after the certification is submitted for consideration for this vacancy announcement. If the appropriate information is not submitted to confirm your current or expected discharge status, dates of service, etc., you will not receive credit for the claimed active duty military service.
If claiming 10-point veteran's preference (i.e., preference eligibles with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more), you must submit the documentation required by the SF-15 (Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference) to support your claim (e.g., DD-214, official statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs). If we cannot verify your 10-point preference status, you will receive 5-point preference if veterans' preference requirements have been met. For further information regarding Veterans, click here.
For applicants claiming 10-point derivedveterans’ preference (i.e., spouses, widows, widowers or mothers of veterans), a completed SF-15must be submitted with the application with all required supporting documents listed on the form.
For Sole Survivorship preference, you must provide a copy of your DD-214 (Member Copy 4 is preferred) or another form of official documentation which shows your discharge or release from active duty occurred on or after August 29, 2008 and was based on a sole survivorship discharge.
Please carefully read all the instructions before you begin the application process.
To apply for this job opportunity, you must submit a resume and an on-line application through the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) application system, USAJOBS. This information will be transferred to the Department of State's Gateway to State Automated Application System.
You have until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement to complete the following four-step application process:
STEP 1: Select the "Apply On-line" button and follow the instructions to register or sign into USAJOBS.
STEP 2: Submit a detailed resume or any other written format you choose documenting your job-related qualifications, experience, and education (if applicable). Cover letter is optional. If you submit a cover letter, you must also submit a resume. Please see the “How You Will Be Evaluated” section for specific information that should be outlined in your resume.
STEP 3: Answer the job-specific self-assessment questions on-line through the Gateway to State automated application system. These questions will be used to evaluate your qualifications and experience for this job opportunity.
STEP 4: Submit all required documentation, applicable to you, listed in the Required Documents section of this job opportunity to the Department’s automated application system "Gateway to State" prior to the closing date of this announcement. For instructions on how to view the status of your supporting documentation, please click here.
Technical assistance with your on-line application can be obtained by contacting the Help Desk at mgshelp@monster.com OR by calling (866) 656-6830 or (703) 269-4944 between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. ET
ALTERNATE APPLICATION PROCEDURES
NOTE: If applying online poses an extreme hardship, you may request alternate application procedures to submit your application package by fax. Contact the Human Resources office listed on the announcement between the business hours of 8:15 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. ET, at least two working days prior to the closing date of this announcement. The application package for alternate application procedures must be submitted and received in the Human Resources office no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on the closing date of this announcement.
NOTE: Paper applications and information sent by mail WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
U.S. Department of State
2401 E Street, N.W.
Room H-1104
Washington, District of Columbia 20520
United States
Next steps
After all application packages have been received, we will review your resume to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. After we review and evaluate all applications, the most highly qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interviews. After a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability and or security background investigation.
You will be notified up to four times during the hiring process:
1. Upon receipt of your application. 2. Upon minimum qualification determinations. 3. After the certificate is issued. 4. After final selection is made.
For instructions on how to view the status of your application, please click here.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
All required documents listed below, that are applicable to you, must be submitted to our automated system "Gateway to State" by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.
Resume – your resume or any other written format you choose should contain the required information as specified in the "How You Will Be Evaluated" section (not to exceed 5 pages). Insufficient information will result in an ineligible rating.
A completed online questionnaire through the Department's automated system "Gateway to State".
Transcripts – you must submit a copy of your college transcript(s) from an accredited law school with your application. If selected, an official/sealed college transcript(s) will be required to verify education prior to employment.
Proof of bar membership – you must submit proof of bar membership from any state or territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico with your application.
If you are qualifying based on other criteria listed under the Qualification Section of this announcement, you MUST submit the required supporting documentation (certificates, certifications, etc.) with your application.
References – you must submit three professional references with your application.
Veterans Preference – There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of State considers veterans' preference eligibility a positive factor in the hiring process. If claiming 5-point veteran's preference, you must provide a copy of your DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (Member Copy 4 is preferred), which must show the type of discharge and dates of active duty.
Mandatory Technical Qualification (MTQ) statements - Applicants must submit written narrative statements describing your accomplishments against each of the MTQs. You must address each MTQ separately and are required to respond to all MTQs. When addressing the MTQs, applicants should include one or two notable examples (within last 10 years) using the Challenge-Context-Action-Result (CCAR) model (see How You Will Be Evaluated)
If you are currently on active duty, you must provide a certification on letterhead from your military branch which contains your military service dates, expected date of discharge or release, and the character of service to show that your military service was performed under honorable conditions. The expected date of discharge or release must be no later than 120 days after the certification is submitted for consideration for this vacancy announcement. If the appropriate information is not submitted to confirm your current or expected discharge status, dates of service, etc., you will not receive credit for the claimed active duty military service.
If claiming 10-point veteran's preference (i.e., preference eligibles with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more), you must submit the documentation required by the SF-15 (Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference) to support your claim (e.g., DD-214, official statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs). If we cannot verify your 10-point preference status, you will receive 5-point preference if veterans' preference requirements have been met. For further information regarding Veterans, click here.
For applicants claiming 10-point derivedveterans’ preference (i.e., spouses, widows, widowers or mothers of veterans), a completed SF-15must be submitted with the application with all required supporting documents listed on the form.
For Sole Survivorship preference, you must provide a copy of your DD-214 (Member Copy 4 is preferred) or another form of official documentation which shows your discharge or release from active duty occurred on or after August 29, 2008 and was based on a sole survivorship discharge.
Please carefully read all the instructions before you begin the application process.
To apply for this job opportunity, you must submit a resume and an on-line application through the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) application system, USAJOBS. This information will be transferred to the Department of State's Gateway to State Automated Application System.
You have until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement to complete the following four-step application process:
STEP 1: Select the "Apply On-line" button and follow the instructions to register or sign into USAJOBS.
STEP 2: Submit a detailed resume or any other written format you choose documenting your job-related qualifications, experience, and education (if applicable). Cover letter is optional. If you submit a cover letter, you must also submit a resume. Please see the “How You Will Be Evaluated” section for specific information that should be outlined in your resume.
STEP 3: Answer the job-specific self-assessment questions on-line through the Gateway to State automated application system. These questions will be used to evaluate your qualifications and experience for this job opportunity.
STEP 4: Submit all required documentation, applicable to you, listed in the Required Documents section of this job opportunity to the Department’s automated application system "Gateway to State" prior to the closing date of this announcement. For instructions on how to view the status of your supporting documentation, please click here.
Technical assistance with your on-line application can be obtained by contacting the Help Desk at mgshelp@monster.com OR by calling (866) 656-6830 or (703) 269-4944 between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. ET
ALTERNATE APPLICATION PROCEDURES
NOTE: If applying online poses an extreme hardship, you may request alternate application procedures to submit your application package by fax. Contact the Human Resources office listed on the announcement between the business hours of 8:15 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. ET, at least two working days prior to the closing date of this announcement. The application package for alternate application procedures must be submitted and received in the Human Resources office no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on the closing date of this announcement.
NOTE: Paper applications and information sent by mail WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
U.S. Department of State
2401 E Street, N.W.
Room H-1104
Washington, District of Columbia 20520
United States
Next steps
After all application packages have been received, we will review your resume to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. After we review and evaluate all applications, the most highly qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interviews. After a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability and or security background investigation.
You will be notified up to four times during the hiring process:
1. Upon receipt of your application. 2. Upon minimum qualification determinations. 3. After the certificate is issued. 4. After final selection is made.
For instructions on how to view the status of your application, please click here.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
