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Deputy Chief Counsel

Federal Labor Relations Authority
Office of the Chairman

Summary

Serves under the Chief Counsel in a Member's Office at the Federal Labor relations Authority (FLRA) as Deputy Chief Counsel. Responsible for preparing and overseeing decisions in arbitration, representation, unfair labor practice, and negotiability cases under the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute. Conducts complex legal analysis, advises on policy issues, and supervises attorneys and staff to ensure high-quality, timely adjudication of labor-management disputes.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
03/05/2026 to 03/19/2026
Salary
$169,279 to - $197,200 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 15
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Washington, DC
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
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
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
DESTIMP-12896148-26-JP
Control number
859955000

Duties

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The incumbent serves under the general supervision of the Chief Counsel in the Office of the Chairman/Member and functions as the Deputy Chief Counsel. The position manages a broad portfolio of highly complex and sensitive assignments involving all areas of labor-management disputes arising under the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute, including arbitration, representation, unfair labor practice (ULP), and negotiability cases.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Functions as Deputy Chief Counsel, overseeing the adjudication and resolution of cases within the Office and supervising Attorney-Advisors.

  • Assigns, reviews, and edits draft decisions, legal memoranda, and related work products to ensure analytical rigor, legal sufficiency, clarity, and consistency with Authority precedent and the Chairman/Member's adjudicatory philosophy.

  • Independently prepares draft decisions and other legal documents for the Chairman/Member and Chief Counsel, including complex, sensitive, precedent-setting, or high-impact cases.

  • Reviews hearing records, briefs, exhibits, and other case materials; conducts extensive legal research; analyzes statutory, regulatory, and case law; and applies precedent to complex factual and legal issues.

  • Recommends strategic approaches to cases to promote an orderly, consistent body of Authority precedent with minimal supervision.

  • When requested, reviews draft decisions and other work products prepared by other Members' staffs and Authority components, including the Office of Case Intake and Publication and the Office of the Solicitor, and advises the Chairman/Member and Chief Counsel regarding voting positions.

  • Performs and supervises fact-development activities, including conducting hearings or post-petition conferences, and ensures proper development of the record.

  • Assists in developing major policy statements, statutory interpretations, and proposed regulatory revisions affecting the federal labor-management program.

  • Meets regularly with the Chairman/Member and Chief Counsel to plan workflow, prioritize assignments, and manage case processing from initial review through final disposition.

  • Provides ongoing guidance, mentoring, and performance feedback to Attorney-Advisors; prepares performance-appraisal narratives and recommends performance ratings.

  • Assists with administrative management of the Office, including resource allocation, strategic planning, and implementation of case-processing goals and performance measures.

  • Represents the Chairman/Member or Chief Counsel in meetings and internal management discussions, and acts on behalf of the Chief Counsel when delegated.

  • Plans and executes special projects, including assignments involving sensitive information or confidential personnel matters.

This position requires advanced legal expertise, exceptional analytical and writing skills, sound judgment, and strong leadership and managerial capabilities.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

Requirements and Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship: You must be a United States citizen to be eligible for this position.

  • Selective Service Registration: Males born after December 31, 1959 must be registered with the Selective Service System or meet an approved exemption.

  • Background Investigation: You must successfully complete and maintain the appropriate background investigation/security clearance required for the position as a condition of employment.

  • Bar Membership: You must be an active member in good standing of the bar of the highest court of a State, U.S. Commonwealth, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia at the time of application and must maintain good standing throughout your employment.

  • Legal Education: You must have graduated from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA).

  • Application Sharing Authorization: By applying to this announcement, you consent to the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) sharing your application materials with other FLRA offices for consideration for similar positions, if applicable.

Failure to meet any of the above requirements may result in removal from further consideration or, if already appointed, removal from the position.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

  1. The first professional law degree (LL.B. or JD) or the second professional law degree (LL.M.); AND
  2. Specialized professional legal experience in excess of three (3) years that is commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position. The quality of the individual's background may be evidenced by the relatedness of his or her specialization.
Specialized Experience: The skills and experience listed immediately below are of particular importance to the position, and applicants should provide specific detailed information in these areas, where applicable, as part of their application.

For this position, specialized experience includes providing legal advice and support on labor and employment law matters in the federal government or private sector. You qualify for the GS-15 grade level if you possess one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-14 grade level in the federal government.

Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience may not be used for this grade level. All qualifications and eligibility requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement. 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.

Education

Applicants must be a graduate of a law school accredited by the American Bar Association. You must submit a copy of your law school transcript with your application. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted. Official transcripts will be required if you are selected for the position. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications; applicant's resumes and supporting documentation should only reflect education received from schools accredited by such institutions. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following Website: https://ope.ed.gov/dapip/#/home.If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency (a U.S. private organization's interpretation that such education has been deemed at least equivalent to conventional U.S. education programs) with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For more information regarding evaluation of foreign education for federal employment, please visit the U.S. Department of Education webpage on the Recognition of Foreign Qualifications.

Additional information

You will be required to complete an OGE 450, Confidential Financial Disclosure Form. If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration of Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.

Background Investigation: To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, FLRA requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully pass a background investigation as a condition of placement in this Non-Critical Sensitive position. This review may include financial issues such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs.

This is a permanent appointment in the excepted service and will be filled on a full-time permanent basis. Employees hired under an Excepted Service appointment are required to serve a two (2) year trial period, unless already completed. Upon successful completion of the required trial period, this position will be permanent. This position does not confer non-competitive conversion to the competitive service.

Supervisory Probationary Period: The incumbent may be required to be on a supervisory probationary period for 1-year unless already completed.

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.

We will review your resume and supporting documentation to determine whether you meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position. If you are found qualified, your experience, education, and training will be further evaluated through a job-related assessment questionnaire based on the competencies required to successfully perform the duties of this position.

  • Attention to Detail
  • Decision Making
  • Influencing/Negotiating
  • Problem Solving.
  • Self-Management
  • Teaching Others
  • Writing

If you are determined to be among the best qualified candidates, your application may be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration, and you may be contacted for an interview.

To preview the job questionnaire and application requirements, please follow the instructions provided in the announcement.

The FLRA evaluates qualified applicants by comparing each candidate's qualifications to the requirements of the position. This evaluation includes consideration of relevant skills and experience, education and training, performance history, and awards. Please ensure your resume and supporting documentation accurately reflect your qualifications. If it is determined that you have overstated your experience or qualifications, you may be removed from further consideration.

Application of Veterans' Preference:

There is no formal rating or ranking system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service. However, the FLRA considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in the attorney hiring process.

Applicants who are eligible for veterans' preference are encouraged to identify their eligibility in their cover letter or resume and to submit supporting documentation (e.g., DD Form 214 or other appropriate substantiating documents) with their application materials.

Consideration may be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards as indicators of the quality and relevance of your prior experience.

Interviews are required for this position. Failure to participate in a scheduled interview may result in removal from further consideration.

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