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SUPERVISORY ATTORNEY-ADVISER

Securities and Exchange Commission
Division of Investment Management - Rulemaking

Summary

The Division of Investment Management (IM) Rulemaking Office is seeking a Supervisory Attorney-Adviser (Assistant Director) position in the Investment Adviser Regulation Office in Washington, DC. As an Assistant Director, you will lead a staff of dynamic attorneys that are responsible for evaluating the operation of the Investment Advisers Act and the Commission rules.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
01/20/2026 to 02/03/2026
This job will close when we have received 100 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$183,515 to - $289,400 per year

Starting salary is based on experience. The range is listed for informational purposes. Initial pay will be set below the maximum. See more below.

Pay scale & grade
SK 17
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Washington, DC
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
17
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
High Risk (HR)
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
Yes
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
26-EX-12862437-VM
Control number
854860500

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

US Citizens

Duties

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Typical Duties Include:

  • Reviewing the laws and rules that regulate investment advisers and investment companies to determine whether to recommend the Commission revise or adopt certain rules or amendments; developing recommendations to the Commission for rules that codify certain repetitive administrative actions such as exemptive orders or interpretive positions; and drafting proposed rules, regulations, and amendments.
  • Managing and overseeing rulemaking projects, from the initial, formative stages through the Commission's consideration and issuance of proposing and adopting releases; and applying the Administrative Procedures Act.
  • Writing and reviewing the work of other staff in drafting work product, including recommended Commission rulemakings, staff guidance, and other written materials.
  • Representing the Commission in various matters and advising other Commission programs related to the regulation of investment advisers, such as enforcement and examination matters, and disclosure of information by registrants.
  • Carrying out supervisory duties, such as performance management, training, awards, and recruitment; keeping employees informed regarding the policies, procedures, and goals of the Commission as they relate to their work on assigned projects.
  • Communicating with the Division's Director, Associate Directors, and with others inside and outside the Division and Commission, about progress and developments in rulemaking matters.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • CITIZENSHIP: This position is open to US Citizens.
  • You must possess a J.D. or LL.B Degree.
  • You must be an active member of the bar in good standing
  • 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 SK-17.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • SUPERVISORY TRIAL PERIOD: This appointment may require completion of a two-year supervisory 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.

Applicants are responsible for confirming all required materials are submitted by the deadline. Please check the 'How You Will Be Evaluated' and 'Required Documents' sections carefully, as missing documents will render the application incomplete and ineligible for review.

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.

SK-17: Applicant must have at least four (4) years of post J.D. work experience identifying legal issues, providing legal analyses, providing legal solutions/recommendations, and preparing legal documents, such as contracts, dispositions, pleadings, and motions, which also included at least three (3) years:

  1. Providing legal advice and interpretations of statutes and regulations and their implementation; AND
  2. Interpreting the provisions of the Investment Advisers Act or Investment Company Act, as well as the federal securities laws; AND
  3. Applying the provisions of the Investment Advisers Act or Investment Company Act, as well as the federal securities laws

Education

ARE YOU USING YOUR EDUCATION TO QUALIFY? You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement. If you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, submit a copy of your unofficial transcripts or equivalent. An official transcript will be required if you are selected.

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

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 to participate in the SEC application process due to a medical disability, please contact reasonableaccommodation@sec.gov. For religious-based accommodations, please contact religiousaccommodation@sec.gov . 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.

Your resume and application package will be reviewed to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements outlined in this announcement.

If you are found minimally qualified, a rating panel will review your resume and Accomplishment Record narratives. Accomplishment Record narrative should clearly demonstrate your proficiency in the following competencies: Developing and Managing Others, Legal and Regulatory Analysis, Rule Development, and Critical Thinking.

Developing and Managing Others - Ability to recruit, develop and manage the workforce to meet organizational goals, with little or no guidance

Legal and Regulatory Analysis - Conducts analysis and prepares documents and reports in compliance with Federal law that governs the rulemaking process.

Rule Development - Prepares recommendations for rules that meet desired policy objectives within the Commission's
statutory authority or that implement legislation.

Critical Thinking - Considers a variety of factors, general and subject matter-specific, when making decisions and
determining next steps in a case.

Your resume must provide evidence that supports the claims made in your Accomplishment Record narratives; both documents must effectively showcase your qualifications. Each competency narrative should detail one specific, relevant example from your training or experience. Please limit each response to a maximum of 300 words, as any text beyond this limit will not be considered during the evaluation. You will upload one pdf or Word document with your narrative responses to each of the four competencies. Your responses must be in the below format:

Competency Title
Position title and dates from your resume that this experience was obtained

  • Describe the situation (i.e., the challenged faced, the problem solved)
  • Describe the specific actions you took
  • State the outcome, results, or long-term impact of your accomplishment
  • Name and email address of someone who can verify this information
Failure to provide the Accomplishment Record will result in a rating of IFFM: You were not considered because you did not submit all required documents and/or they were not in English as specified in the announcement. For more information on the Accomplishment Record, see the Required Documents section.

The rating panel will place applicants in three categories: Highly Qualified, Well Qualified and Qualified. Top ranked applicants will be referred to the hiring office for further review and consideration. The hiring office may directly contact recommended candidates for interview(s). When the selection is made, applicants will be sent a referral status notification and a final disposition notification.

To preview the Questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12862437

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