Assistant General Counsel (Fair)

Closing Date: 4th June, 2024

Description:

Summary:
This position is designed as a SES, Career-Reserved. USDA structures its SES positions into position levels. This is a position level one with a salary range of $186,855 to $198,537 per year. Exceptions to the salary cap may be considered in certain circumstances. SES employees are also eligible to receive bonuses and performance-based awards. Visit http://www.opm.gov/ses/ for additional information and benefits for SES employees.
Duties:

• Shares with the Associate General Counsel, General Counsel and Deputy General Counsels the responsibility of the formulation of overall policies with respect to legal activities, organization, budget and personnel within the area of responsibility.
• Provides legal advice to Departmental senior leadership on all legal issues within the Division's portfolio arising from the development and formulation of broad policies and day-to-day program operations.
• Gives administrative and technical advice to subordinate attorneys performing all legal services with respect to the programs of the Rural Development mission area and the Food and Nutrition Service.
• Provides and supervises effective review of regulations and other administrative actions of agencies served by the Division.
• Ensures that pleadings are legally sound, carefully, and persuasively drafted, and timely filed, and that legal presentations at tribunals are carefully prepared and executed.
• Oversees the development of new and novel legal instruments and documents for the operation of programs and for the protection of the Government's interests.
• Prepares and supervises preparation of proposed legislation concerning programs and activities for recommendation to the Congress in accordance with the Secretary's policy and in collaboration with senior leadership.
• Supervises attorneys and support staff that work in the practice areas assigned by the Associate General Counsel.

Requirements:
Conditions of Employment:

• Veterans Preference is not applicable in the Senior Executive Service.
• Initial appointments are required to serve a 1-year probationary period.
• Narrative Statements for the ECQs must not exceed 10 pages.
• Background Investigation required.
• Must maintain an active bar license of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Qualifications:
You Must Upload Your Responses to The Executive Core Qualifications (ec Qs) and Technical Qualifications (t Qs).
As a Basic Requirement for Entry Into the Ses, Applicants Must Provide Evidence of Progressively Responsible Executive Leadership and Supervisory Experience that Is Indicative of Senior Executive Level Management Capability and Directly Related to The Skills and Abilities Outlined Under Executive Core Qualifications and Technical Qualifications Listed Below. Typically, Experience of This Nature Will Have Been Gained at Or Above the Gs-14/15 Grade Level in The Federal Service or Its Equivalent in The Private Sector. as Such, Your Resume Should Demonstrate that You Have the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities to Successfully Fulfill Responsibilities Inherent in Most Ses Positions Such As:

• directing the Work of An Organizational Unit;
• ensuring the Success of One or More Specific Major Programs or Projects;
• monitoring Progress Toward Strategic Organizational Goals, Evaluating Organizational Performance and Taking Action to Improve Performance; And
• supervising the Work of Employees; and Exercising Important Policy-Making, Policy Determining, or Other Executive Functions.

Failure to Meet the Basic Qualification Requirement and Address All Mandatory Technical and Executive Core Qualification Factors Will Result in Your Application Being Disqualified. Executive Core Qualifications (ec Qs): The Ec Qs Were Designed to Assess Executive Experience and Potential Not Technical Expertise. They Measure Whether an Individual Has the Broad Executive Skills Needed to Succeed in A Variety of Ses Positions. All Applicants Must Submit a Written Narrative to Address the Ec Qs. Your Narrative Must Address Each Ecq Separately and Should Contain at Least Two Examples per Ecq Describing Your Experiences and Accomplishments/results. the Narrative Should Be Clear, Concise, and Emphasize Your Level of Responsibilities, Scope and Complexity of Programs Managed, Program Accomplishments, Policy Initiatives Undertaken and The Results of Your Actions. Applicants Should Not Enter "refer to Resume" to Explain Your Answer.
The Narrative Must Not Exceed 10 Pages. Note: Current Career Ses Members, Former Career Ses Members with Reinstatement Eligibility, and Ses Candidate Development Program Graduates Who Have Been Certified by Opm Do Not Need to Address the Ec Qs.
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. (competencies: Creativity and Innovation, External Awareness, Flexibility, Resilience, Strategic Thinking, Vision)
Leading People: This Core Qualification Involves the Ability to Lead People Toward Meeting the Organizations 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. (competencies: Conflict Management, Leveraging Diversity, Developing Others, Team Building)
Results Driven: This Core Qualification Involves the Ability to Meet Organizational Goals and Customer Expectations. Inherent to This Ecq Is the Ability to Make Decisions that Produce High Quality Results by Applying Technical Knowledge, Analyzing Problems, and Calculating Risks. (competencies: Accountability, Customer Service, Decisiveness, Entrepreneurship, Problem Solving, Technical Credibility)
Business Acumen: This Core Qualification Involves the Ability to Manage Human, Financial, and Information Resources Strategically. (competencies: Financial Management, Human Capital Management, Technology Management)