Clarification from the agency

U.S. Citizens; no prior Federal experience required.

As the Assistant Secretary you will:

• Supervise and lead a professional staff performing the full range of supervisory and leadership responsibilities and ensuring the quality and timeliness of work products.
• Support the Secretary with ensuring the integrity of Commission decision-making framework, and with day-to-day management, legal, and administrative functions of the office.
• Provide legal services and advice to the Secretary, including conducting legal research and reviewing documents (e.g., legal orders and notices) submitted to and emanating from the Commission for sufficiency and compliance with laws, the Commission's Rules of Practices and Procedure, local court rules, regulations, and legal precedents.
• Assist the Secretary with strategic plan, budget, procurement, contracting, and staffing matters
• Assist the Secretary in their role as the agency Chief FOIA Officer, FOIA Public Liaison, Privacy Act Officer, and Committee Management Officer under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA).

Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• A 2-year trial period may be required.
• A 2-year supervisory or managerial probationary period may be required.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a background investigation.
• Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.
• If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so.
• Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer.
• FMC participates in E-Verify. E-Verify is an Internet based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA) that enables participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees.
• Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form I-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S.
• May be required to obtain and use a government-issued charge card for business-related travel.
• May be required to file a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report within 30 days of appointment and annually from then on.

Qualifications

Candidates must meet the following by the close of the announcement:

1. Minimum educational requirements include a professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.) from an American Bar Association (ABA)-accredited law school. NOTE: Applicants who have completed part or all of their education outside of the U.S. must have their foreign education evaluated by an accredited organization to ensure that the foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the U.S. An ABA-approved law school may allow students to receive credit for law study or activities at a foreign institution and grant credit for the J.D. degree if those studies or activities are approved in accordance with the Rules of Procedure and Criteria adopted by the ABA's Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar.
2. Current active membership in a bar of any State, territory, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or the District of Columbia. Active bar association and a certificate that the member is in good standing will be verified prior to appointment, and employees must maintain active bar membership in good standing while employed as an attorney with the FMC.
3. Applicants must possess superior legal research, writing, and editing skills, as well as superior oral communication skills. Applicants must also possess demonstrated capacity to function with minimal guidance, to respond to requests on short notice, and to manage multiple tasks and stringent deadlines. Experience in one or more of the following areas is strongly preferred:
   1. Experience preparing pretrial/prehearing motions or orders (including orders of dismissal and orders for extension of time).
   2. Expertise in maritime/ocean transportation industry.
   3. Experience serving as a Clerk of the Court.
   4. Experience that shows leadership ability and results.
   5. Experience in leveraging the use and analysis of data to enhance decision-making and strategic planning.

How you will be evaluated

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 determine that you possess at least one year of professional, specialized law experience. Please ensure your resume includes detailed information to support your qualifications for this position. Failure to provide sufficient evidence in your resume will result in a "not qualified" determination.

Professionallaw experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position being filled equivalent to the next lower grade level in federal service. Law clerk experience (post J.D.) can be considered professional law experience if the candidate performed attorney duties.

Specialized experience is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled and is equivalent to the GS-13 in federal service. Examples of specialized experience include providing authoritative legal advice on regulatory, administrative, or general staff matters to senior leaders, agency heads, and judges; and leading or supervising attorney and legal staff in connection with the preparation of legal orders and notices.

The experience may have been gained in the public sector, private sector, or Volunteer Service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis.

It is your responsibility to ensure your resume states complete information for each job entry. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/year (MM/YYYY), and indicate number of hours worked per week, on your resume. If your resume does not provide enough information regarding your work history for us to make a creditable qualification determination, your application package may be rendered disqualified and you will no longer be considered for this position.