Clarification from the agency

All U.S. Citizens

The position serves as one of two Deputy Directors for the Office of Policy Planning and is responsible for developing, implementing, and advancing the policy initiatives of the FTC's Chair and the Commission as a whole, in support of the Agency's competition and consumer protection missions. The Deputy Directors play a critical role in supervising and managing a team of over twenty talented OPP attorney advisors.
More specifically, the Deputy will perform some, or all, of the following duties:

• Work closely with the Director in providing significant legal advice to the Chair, the Commissioners, senior management, and FTC staff on matters of Commission direction and policy, focusing on both the competition and consumer protection missions of the FTC.
• Develop, analyze, and evaluate opportunities for advocacy comments, policy statements, potential 6(b) studies, and other policy and enforcement initiatives. Advise the Director and the Chair on the potential impact of new initiatives and their prioritization.
• Manage the execution of significant policy and enforcement initiatives, including supervising OPP staff attorneys working on policy and enforcement initiatives. This includes reviewing and editing attorney advisors' work product, providing directional guidance to attorney advisors, and ensuring sound project management.
• Provide oversight over the work of a staff of attorneys and administrative support, including workshop design; 6(b) study design, drafting, and implementation; and drafting of advocacy comments. This oversight includes providing guidance and training to staff, as needed in the performance of their assigned duties.
• Shepherd key initiatives through cross-agency processes, including working closely with leaders of other Offices and Bureaus and collaborating with Chair and Commissioners' staff.
• Work closely with counterparts at other federal and state agencies on efforts to promote policies of mutual interest with respect to competition or consumer protection priorities.
• Perform policy analysis of federal and state competition and consumer protection activities. Review legislative and regulatory activity at the federal, state, and local level to assess the possible competition and consumer protection implications of new or proposed laws and regulations.
• Review and analyze reports, cases, memoranda, complaints, briefs, and statements presented to OPP for action by other Bureaus or Offices within the Agency. Provide comments and suggestions for Agency action and for drafting or revisions of documents.
• Prepare analytical papers on policies and litigation activities vital to advancing the agenda of the Chair and the Commission as a whole.
• Prepare speeches, written testimony, and responses to congressional inquiries concerning various FTC policies and programs for the Director, the Chair, the Commissioners, and the Commission as a whole.
• Supervise and manage OPP staff, including establishing and applying performance standards, recommending employees for promotions and performance awards, correcting performance deficiencies, and initiating disciplinary actions; ensuring EEO and merit principles are met; and other duties expected of a front-line supervisor.

Conditions of employment

• U.S. citizenship requirement must be met by the closing date of this vacancy.
• This position is subject to a background investigation.
• Males born after December 31, 1959 must register with Selective Service.
• Possess a J.D. or LL.B. degree from an accredited law school.
• Member in good standing of the Bar of a state or territory - US, PR, DC.
• The position may be subject to completion of a two-year trial period.
• This position is not in the bargaining unit.
• The position may be subject to a one-year supervisory probation period.

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements

Applicants must have attained the first professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.) from an accredited law school and be an active member in good standing of the bar of a state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or a U.S. territory. Applicants must demonstrate excellent writing skills and be able to work effectively with other people, exercise sound judgment, and exhibit a strong interest in the work of the agency.


Additional Requirements

GS-15 PositionsFor attorney appointments: active member of the bar in good standing and 60 months of legal experience after graduation from law school.

To qualify for the GS-15 level: In addition to a law degree and active bar membership, you must have 60 months of legal experience after graduation from law school to qualify for the GS-15 level. At least 18 months of your legal experience after graduation from law school must be comparable to the GS-14 level.

Qualifying experience at the GS-15 level include examples such as conducting excellent legal research and writing abilities, strong organizational and analytical skills in presenting written arguments and excellent oral communication skills. They must also exercise sound judgment, supervise, work well with, and motivate others, and make decided contributions to the work of the office. They must function independently and their work should not require close supervision or substantive review. The supervisor must have complete confidence in their judgment. At this level, they should be recognized for their competence. They should be able to represent the agency before any group or in any setting, and to effectively manage the preparation and trial of virtually any major case, all stages in the appeal of such a case, or conduct evaluation and analysis of the most complex cases of major significance for which little if any precedent exists.

Note: Legal and nonlegal experience gained in the Federal Government before completing law school does not satisfy post law school experience requirements.

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

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 the overall strength of your credentials as demonstrated by your cover letter, resume, writing sample, and experience. The most qualified candidates will be selected for interviews, which will also be considered in making the final decision.

Application of Veterans' Preference: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Federal Trade Commission considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. If you are eligible for veterans' preference, you are encouraged to include that information in your cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., DD Form 214 or other substantiating documents) to your submission.