Legal Careers
Director
Washington, DC 20005 - United States
The incumbent serves as the Senior Executive Service (SES) Director of the Office of Foreign Litigation (OFL) in the Commercial Litigation Branch, Civil Division, Department of Justice. The incumbent manages both the litigative and administrative responsibilities of the Office.
The Civil Division is the largest litigating division in the Department of Justice. Each year, the Civil Division’s 1,100 lawyers represent some 200 client agencies in approximately 50,000 different matters. The Commercial Litigation Branch, one of the largest branches in the Division, handles cases that involve billions of dollars in claims both by and against the Government. OFL is responsible for handling litigation in foreign courts in which the United States is a party or has an interest.
As the federal agency whose mission is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, the Department of Justice is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. To build and retain a workforce that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of the American people, we welcome applicants from the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, religions, and cultures of the United States who share our commitment to public service.
The incumbent is responsible for overseeing litigation handled by OFL attorneys located in Washington, DC, Rome, London, and Panama. The incumbent personally supervises the most difficult and sensitive litigation handled by OFL, directs assistant directors who review litigation in all areas, and provides expert advice and counsel to the Deputy Assistant Attorney General or the Assistant Attorney General regarding foreign litigation and international legal matters. Duties include:
- Supervises attorneys and support staff, including three foreign offices, who represent the United States in litigation before foreign courts. The incumbent assigns and distributes work among personnel, monitors performance, consults regularly with staff in Washington and overseas, designs and implements controls, and oversees both retention and payment of foreign counsel. The incumbent reviews and approves significant pleadings, briefs, and other papers filed in foreign courts and ensures that positions taken by the Department in domestic courts accurately reflect foreign and international law.
- Oversees the Office of International Judicial Assistance, the U.S. Central Authority for responsibilities under the Hague Conventions on Evidence and Service. The incumbent manages staff who fulfill the U.S. obligations under the Service Convention and who respond to hundreds of annual requests for evidence from foreign courts.
- Advises and consults with staff on new program orientations or directives and ensures that adequate resources will be available for implementation within OFL. The incumbent evaluates organizational structure and makes necessary changes based on new directions or caseload requirements.
- Analyzes and reviews proposed and pending legislation and international documents that may affect the work of OFL. The incumbent comments on and makes recommendations to revise, support, or oppose such legislation, and assists in formulating the Department's position concerning proposed legislation and international policy and legal documents.
- Represents the Department of Justice on interagency task forces, study groups, or litigation teams dealing with foreign litigation issues. The incumbent maintains close contact with and guides and directs key officials of other Departmental components or agencies with an interest in the cases OFL handles.
- Makes decisions involving the management of personnel, budget resources, and operational issues of concern to OFL and ensures that personnel management activities (including the selection, development, assessment, and promotion of employees) are performed in accordance with the provisions of Merit Promotion and Equal Opportunity.
Applicants must be a graduate from a full course of study in a School of Law accredited by the American Bar Association and be a member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
We recommend that your application emphasize your level of responsibilities, the scope and complexity of foreign litigation managed, and your program accomplishments, including the results of your actions. You will be evaluated to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications required of the position and on the extent your application demonstrates that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of the position. Please be sure to give concrete examples of your experience and demonstrate the complexity of the knowledge you possess.
YOU WILL BE EVALUATED ON ALL OF THE FOLLOWING MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (MTQs): Your responses to the MTQs should be submitted in one document that includes separate narrative statements addressing each of the 2 Mandatory Technical Qualifications (NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES PER MTQ).
MTQ1. Demonstrated experience and expertise in handling litigation in foreign courts in which the United States is a party or has an interest.
MTQ2. Demonstrated experience in planning and oversight of the activities of a legal organization, including developing legal strategies for the United States before foreign courts and providing sound and timely legal counsel in matters.
IN ADDITION, YOU MUST CLEARLY DOCUMENT AND DEMONSTRATE THE FOLLOWING EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQ) EVIDENCE BY ADDRESSING EACH OF THE (5) ECQs IN A SEPARATE RESPONSE FOR EACH (not to exceed 2 pages per ECQ, total of 10 pages):
ECQ1 - LEADING CHANGE. This core qualification involves the ability to bring about strategic change, both within and outside the organization, to meet organizational goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to establish an organizational vision and to implement it in a continuously changing environment.
ECQ2 - LEADING PEOPLE. This core qualification involves the ability to lead people toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to provide an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others, facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports constructive resolution of conflicts.
ECQ3 - RESULTS DRIVEN. This core qualification involves the ability to meet organizational goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to make decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks.
ECQ4 - BUSINESS ACUMEN. This core qualification involves the ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically.
ECQ5 - BUILDING COALITIONS. This core qualification involves the ability to build coalitions internally and with other Federal agencies, State and local governments, nonprofit and private sector organizations, foreign governments, or international organizations to achieve common goals.
Fundamental Competencies: These competencies are the foundation for success in each of the Executive Core Qualifications: Interpersonal Skills, Oral Communication, Continual Learning, Written Communication, Integrity/Honesty, and Public Service Motivation. The Fundamental Competencies are crosscutting and should be addressed over the course of each ECQ narratives. It is not necessary for you to address the Fundamental Competencies directly as long as the narrative, in its totality, shows mastery of these competencies on the whole.
Qualifications include both general management skills and characteristics that are applicable to all SES positions and technical or program responsibilities specific to this position. Applicants must have a substantive general experience that provides a good basic or general knowledge of the principles of organization, management, and administration; and substantive specialized (operating, administrative or managerial) experience in a type of work or a combination of functions directly related to this position.
Applications without separate narrative statements will not be considered.
Note: Applicants who have completed the SES Candidate Development Program (CDP) and have had their ECQs certified by OPM must provide a copy of their certificate as part of their application. Candidates must still satisfy the MTQs of the position.
Please refer to OPM's Guide to the Senior Executive Service Qualifications for more detailed information.
http://www.opm.gov/ses/recruitment/ecq.asp
Copies of the Office of Personnel Management's "Guide to Senior Executive Service Qualifications" may be obtained via the Internet at
http://www.opm.gov/ses/references/GuidetoSESQuals_2012.pdf
Education
All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, see www.ed.gov.
OR
Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to timely provide such evidence by submitting proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency with your application materials.
More information may be found at
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html
All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html
Conditions of Employment
- You must be a United States Citizen or National.
- Veterans' preference is not applicable to the Senior Executive Service.
- Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31, 1959. Those not registered should have an approved exemption on file.
- You will be required to complete a pre-employment security investigation and background check for the security level designated for this position.
- You may be required to undergo a drug screening and obtain favorable results prior to being appointed.
- You will be required to obtain and maintain a final Sensitive Compartmented Information Clearance. Failure to obtain and maintain the required level of clearance may result in withdrawal of the job offer or removal.
- You may be subject to a one-year probationary period effective from the date in which you are appointed.
- This position requires you to submit a Public Financial Disclosure Report (OGE 278) upon entry, and annually thereafter in accordance with DOJ and Federal ethics guidelines.
- You must meet all minimum qualifications to be deemed eligible. Only experience obtained by closing date of this announcement will be considered.
As a basic requirement for entry into the SES, applicants must provide evidence of progressively responsible leadership experience that is indicative of senior executive level management capability and directly related to the skills and abilities outlined under the Mandatory Technical Qualifications and Executive Core Qualifications.
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application questionnaire and submit your supporting documentation through USAJobs: https://www.usajobs.gov/job/757698300
Your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of this announcement to receive consideration.
$141,022.00 to $212,100.00/year
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Department Policies
Equal Employment Opportunity: The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex - including gender identity, sexual orientation, or pregnancy status - or because of age (over 40), physical or mental disability, protected genetic information, parental status, marital status, political affiliation, or any other non-merit based factor. The Department of Justice welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities. The Department is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department of Justice. For more information, please review our full EEO Statement.
Reasonable Accommodations: This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Outreach and Recruitment for Qualified Applicants with Disabilities: The Department encourages qualified applicants with disabilities, including individuals with targeted/severe disabilities to apply in response to posted vacancy announcements. Qualified applicants with targeted/severe disabilities may be eligible for direct hire, non-competitive appointment under Schedule A (5 C.F.R. § 213.3102(u)) hiring authority. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to contact one of the Department’s Disability Points of Contact (DPOC) to express an interest in being considered for a position. See list of DPOCs.
Suitability and Citizenship: It is the policy of the Department to achieve a drug-free workplace and persons selected for employment will be required to pass a drug test which screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment. Employment is also contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation. Congress generally prohibits agencies from employing non-citizens within the United States, except for a few narrow exceptions as set forth in the annual Appropriations Act (see, https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/non-citizens/). Pursuant to DOJ component policies, only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review, U.S. Trustee’s Offices, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, qualifying non-U.S. citizens meeting immigration and appropriations law criteria may apply for employment with other DOJ organizations. However, please be advised that the appointment of non-U.S. citizens is extremely rare; such appointments would be possible only if necessary to accomplish the Department's mission and would be subject to strict security requirements. Applicants who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis. All DOJ employees are subject to a residency requirement. Candidates must have lived in the United States for at least three of the past five years. The three-year period is cumulative, not necessarily consecutive. Federal or military employees, or dependents of federal or military employees serving overseas, are excepted from this requirement. This is a Department security requirement which is waived only for extreme circumstances and handled on a case-by-case basis.
Veterans: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service- connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that their retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that they were transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more).
USAO Residency Requirement: Assistant United States Attorneys must reside in the district to which appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district specific information.
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This and other vacancy announcements can be found under Attorney Vacancies and Volunteer Legal Internships. The Department of Justice cannot control further dissemination and/or posting of information contained in this vacancy announcement. Such posting and/or dissemination is not an endorsement by the Department of the organization or group disseminating and/or posting the information.