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SENIOR OFFICER-ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

Securities and Exchange Commission
Division of Examinations
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The Division of Examinations (Exams) is seeking to fill the position of Associate Director in the Office of Investment Advisers and Investment Company Examinations (IA/IC). This position is located in Philadelphia, PA and is open to current SEC employees in the Division of Examinations with a Philadelphia, PA duty station.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
09/11/2025 to 09/25/2025
Salary
$205,772 to - $312,357 per year
Pay scale & grade
SO 1
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Philadelphia, PA
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
2
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
High Risk (HR)
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
Yes
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
25-IN-12798141-TMP
Control number
845628400

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

This position is open to current SEC employees in the Division of Examinations with a Philadelphia, PA duty station. This position is open to: Well-qualified surplus/displaced Federal employees (i.e., CTAP) in the local area and current U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission employees

Duties

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The Associate Director (Exams) supervises and directs Exams' IA/IC Examination Program under the immediate supervision of the National Associate Directors(s). The incumbent advises the Exams National Associate Directors(s) and/or the Exams Director with regard to the Exams priorities and strategies and examinations, particularly those of off-shore registrants.

Typical duties include:

  1. Developing, conceiving, planning and implementing policies and guidelines affecting the risk assessment and examination of registrants.
  2. Implementing examination goals and addressing the impact of extraterritorial law and policy on implementation.
  3. Actively participating in meetings involving all aspects of examination responsibilities.
  4. Overseeing and administering professional legal work involved in examinations; and rendering legal advice and services with respect to questions, regulations, practices, or other matters falling within the purview of a Federal Government agency.
  5. Participating as a panelist on behalf of the Division of Examination and the Commission in collaborative law enforcement programs, bar association presentations, industry conferences and meetings, law school conferences held by similar groups and associations.
  6. Counseling senior management staff and officials at multiple levels of SEC; senior staff of other Federal, state, local and government agencies; and private sector clients and vendors on agency matters.
  7. Serving as an agency authority on examinations, particularly of investment advisers and investment companies.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must possess a J.D. or LL.B Degree.
  • You must be an active member of the bar in good standing.
  • CITIZENSHIP: You must be a US Citizen..
  • Application procedures are specific to this vacancy announcement. Please read all the instructions carefully. Failure to follow the instructions may result in you not being considered for this position.
  • Supplementary vacancies may be filled in addition to the number stated in this announcement and may be filled from any division or office within the agency.
  • This position has promotion potential to the SO-02.
  • SECURITY CLEARANCE: Entrance on duty is contingent upon completion of a pre-employment security investigation. Favorable results on a Background Investigation may be a condition of employment or selection to another position.
  • DRUG TESTING: This position may be subjected to drug testing requirements.
  • PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION (PCS): Moving/Relocation expenses are not authorized.
  • DIRECT DEPOSIT: All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
  • This position is not in the collective bargaining unit.
  • For consideration at the SO-2 level, you must currently hold a SO-2 position within the SEC.
  • Consistent with 5 U.S.C. § 7511, you will be required to serve a two-year trial period (one year for preference eligible veterans) if the position to which you have applied is not the same or similar to your current position of record.
  • This position is open to current SEC employees in the Division of Examinations only.
  • TRIAL PERIOD: This appointment may require completion of a two year supervisory/managerial trial period.

Qualifications

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Qualifying experience may be obtained in the private or public sector. 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. Qualifying education must have been obtained from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

BASIC REQUIREMENT: All applicants must possess the following

  • J.D. or LL.B. degree --AND--
  • Active membership of the bar in good standing in any state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the commonwealth of Puerto Rico. (Note: proof of bar membership will be required before entry on duty.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: In addition to meeting the basic requirement, applicants must also meet the minimum qualification requirement.

  • SO-01: Applicant must have four year(s) of post J.D. work experience as a practicing attorney, three years of which includes the following:
    1. Conducting examinations of broker-dealers, transfer agents, investment companies, investment advisers and self-regulatory organizations;
    2. Assessing the compliance, activities and risks of registered securities firms;
    3. Providing assistance and information to securities firms and to investors;
    4. Managing a team or group that conducts examinations or audits of financial or securities firms; and
    5. Providing information and/or assistance to enforcement staff with respect to possible violations of federal securities laws and regulations.

Education

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Official Transcripts will be required at the time of appointment to verify educational eligibility.

Additional information

SEC COMPENSATION PROGRAM: The overall salary range listed above is provided for informational purposes as it represents the full range that is applicable to current employees in this occupation/grade; however, a selectee's initial pay is always set below the maximum rate of the range. Please click here for additional information.

Disability Employment: For information on disability appointments, please visit http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/disability-employment/

Reasonable Accommodation: If you are an applicant who needs a reasonable accommodation for disability to participate in the application process at the SEC, submit the form for Reasonable Accommodation for Participation in Job Application Process here. Please be sure to submit your request at least 5 business days in advance of the date you need the requested accommodation.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Information for SEC Job Applicants: Federal EEO laws protect all applicants from discrimination on the following bases: race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, 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. Applicants who believe they have been discriminated against on any EEO basis can seek recourse through the SEC's administrative complaints process. To be timely, an individual must enter the EEO process within 45 days from when they know (or should have known) of the alleged discrimination. Click here for additional information.

The Fair Chance Act prohibits specific inquiries concerning an applicant's criminal or credit background unless the hiring agency has made a conditional offer of employment to the applicant. An applicant may submit a complaint, or any other information, to the agency within 30 calendar days of the date of alleged non-compliance by contacting the Legal and Policy Office in the Office of Human Resources at ElliottT@sec.gov.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

After the vacancy announcement closes, all applicants will be notified of their application status.

Applicants who receive a tentative eligible rating will first be reviewed to confirm they meet the basic qualification and eligibility requirements. Those who meet these requirements will be referred to a resume review panel, designated by the hiring office. The panel will evaluate applications and rate candidates based on how well the resume shows the required qualifications and competencies for the position. Your resume must clearly demonstrate that you meet the qualifications for the position.

Additional application materials submitted outside of the USAJOBs system or after the position is closed will not be accepted, unless requested by the hiring office as part of the evaluation process (e.g. writing sample).

Once the resume review panel has completed their review of all applicants, they will recommend the top candidates for referral to the hiring manager. The hiring office will schedule the interview(s) directly with the recommended candidates.

When the selection is made, applicants will be sent a referral status notification and a final disposition notification.

You will be rated on the following Leadership/Technical Competencies:

  1. Leading the Organization: Building and supporting the organization's vision, creating strategies to achieve the vision, supporting and leading innovative and creative initiatives to meet organizational goals.
  2. Leading and Developing People: Ability to recruit, lead, develop and manage the workforce, constructively manages differences and potential conflicts between employees, building teams that meet and exceed an organization's mission, strategic plan, and goals.
  3. Results Orientation: Ability to meet organizational goals by effectively managing program area, identifying and solving important problems, making sound and timely decisions, and effectively managing and sharing information.
  4. Building Coalitions: Ability to build coalitions by partnering with others to build strategic relationships, influencing and negotiating with those in sphere of influence to achieve favorable outcomes for an organization.
  5. Analysis and Risk Assessment: Analyzes information to assess an entity's level of risk for deficiencies in various focus areas.
  6. Exam work: Effectively conducts exam work activities (whether onsite, correspondence, etc.) in a professional manner to procure information from an entity under examination.
  7. Critical Thinking: Considers a variety of factors, general and subject matter-specific, when making decisions and determining next steps in a case.
The Eligibility Questionnaire will take you approximately 20 minutes to complete. To preview the Eligibility Questionnaire, click the following linkhttps://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12798141

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