Address
Form of work
SalaryDuties
Bank Regulation & Supervision (BRT)
The incumbent will serve on the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLBank) Regulation and Supervision Team (BRT). BRT provides legal support primarily for FHFA's Division of FHLBank Regulation (DBR), but also for other Offices and Divisions as necessary, on issues pertaining to the regulation and supervision of the FHLBanks and the FHLBank System Office of Finance (OF)-in particular, on issues relating to safety and soundness, mission, and legal compliance. Matters addressed may include, but are not limited to, eligibility for FHLBank membership, lending and collateral, mortgage purchase programs, capital standards, liquidity, investments, use of derivatives, corporate governance, prudential management and operations standards, examinations and enforcement, data reporting, and capital markets.
Major Duties & Responsibilities
The duties listed below are at the EL-13 level. Depending on the grade level selected, the incumbent will perform the following duties supporting the BRT with varying levels of supervision and difficulty:
General Duties
- Provides sophisticated legal analysis, advice and assistance on complex issues facing the Agency.
- Develops, drafts, and reviews documents such as legal opinions, regulations and related documents, legislation, contracts and other agreements, correspondence, and other documents of importance to the Agency. Written product is produced at a high level of competence.
- Serves in an advisory and liaison capacity to senior officials of the Office of General Counsel and other FHFA divisions to assure that the legal advice and assistance rendered to such officials is appropriate and consistent with FHFA's policies.
- Formally and informally communicates Agency legal positions to staff of the regulated entities.
- Serves as an expert, providing advice and legal determinations in matters involving the planning, discussion, and coordination of activities related to one or more of the Agency's functions.
- May serve as a legal expert or counsel in front of external parties, including other federal financial regulatory agencies, congressional committees, and outside stakeholders, on behalf of the Agency.
- Conducts complex legal research to apply statutes, regulations, and other guidance governing federal agencies and financial institutions to one or more of the Agency's functions.
- Works independently and takes initiative to identify problems, develop solutions, and make recommendations by applying legal knowledge to Agency functions.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Particular Duties and Responsibilities
- Conducts legal research, analysis, and writing, participates in rulemakings, and provides regulatory interpretations and guidance on matters relating to the Agency's and regulated entities' missions, including but not limited to: safety and soundness supervision of the regulated entities; Enterprise conservatorship activities; Enterprise charter act compliance; legislative activities impacting the regulated entities; regulated entities affordable housing goals; Enterprise duty to serve underserved markets; Enterprise credit risk transfer transactions; FHLBank affordable housing and community investment programs; Enterprise resolution planning, and Agency reports on the regulated entities' mission activities.
- Drafts regulations, memoranda of law, legal opinions, agreements and other similar written work product on one or more areas of law related to the Agency's mission.
- Applies knowledge of relevant statutes, regulations, and precedents to legal issues facing FHFA. Applicable statutes include the Federal Home Loan Bank Act of 1932 (as amended), the Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and Soundness Act of 1992 (as amended), and the Administrative Procedure Act (as amended).
- Manages all aspects of assigned legal projects related to relevant Agency mission areas, including the involvement of other legal staff, the relationships with subject matter experts outside of OGC, project planning and tracking, and other relevant duties to ensure complete and prompt legal guidance is provided where necessary.
- Supports other legal areas within OGC as workloads and situations warrant.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- Must be a U.S. Citizen or National
- Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
- Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation
- May be required to successfully complete a probationary period
- Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.
- Resume and supporting documents (See How To Apply)
- If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.
- FHFA participates in e-Verify. All new hires must complete the I-9 Employment Verification form either on or before their first day of employment. If a discrepancy arises, you must take affirmative steps to resolve the matter.
- This position is eligible for inclusion in the bargaining unit. The union that represents employees in this position is the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) Local 343.
- This is NOT a remote position; you MUST live within or be willing to relocate within a commutable distance of the Washington, DC duty location.
- Active Bar Membership
Qualifications
BASIC REQUIREMENTS:
All applicants must possess the following:
- J.D., L.L.B., or L.L.M degree
- Active Bar membership in good standing in any state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
In addition to meeting the above basic education and BAR membership requirements, applicants must also meet the following minimum qualifications for their desired grade level:
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Minimum Qualification EL-12: Applicants must have 52 weeks (one-year) of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level as described below.
Experience: I qualify for the EL/GS-12 because I have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience at the EL/GS-11 or equivalent demonstrating work experience with one or more of the statements described below. Examples of specialized experience include:
- Conducting legal research and analysis and providing legal advice related to administrative law, housing finance, or regulation of the financial sector.
- Drafting and developing complex legal documents.
Minimum Qualification EL-13: Applicants must have 52 weeks (one-year) of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level as described below.
Experience: I qualify for the EL/GS-13 because I have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience at the EL/GS-12 or equivalent demonstrating work experience with one or more of the statements described below. Examples of specialized experience include:
- Conducting legal research and analysis and providing legal advice related to administrative law, housing finance, or regulation of the financial sector.
- Drafting regulations or participating in the management of regulatory projects.
**Failure to provide your transcripts or Bar membership will remove you from the hiring process.**
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
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.
GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.
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
An Overview of FHFA's Benefits for Fiscal Year 2023 provides a summary of benefits for the current fiscal year.
FHFA may select from this announcement or any other source to fill vacancies.
Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfRegistration.aspx).
FHFA is an Equal Opportunity Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment regardless of race, color, religion, gender (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), national origin, disability (physical or mental), age (40 years of age or over), genetic information, parental status, marital status, prior protected EEO activity, political affiliation, or other non-merit factors.
REASONABLE ACCOMODATION:FHFA provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, except when doing so would pose an undue hardship on the Agency. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify FHFA. The Agency's decision on granting a reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
- (202) 649-3984
- 7-1-1 TTY
- reasonableaccommodations@fhfa.gov
Ethics: FHFA employees are subject to government-wide ethical standards of conduct, financial disclosure requirements, and post-employment prohibitions. In addition, certain FHFA employees are prohibited from accepting compensation from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for a two-year period after terminating employment with FHFA. Furthermore, to avoid financial conflicts-of interest or the appearance of conflicts-of-interest, FHFA employees may need to divest or sell certain assets they, their spouse, or minor children own or control, including securities issued by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or the Federal Home Loan Banks. Employees who work on Federal Home Loan Bank issues may need to sell or divest financial interests with any of the Federal Home Loan Bank members, which may include stock in bank holding companies, insurance companies, and other financial services firms. Questions regarding these requirements and prohibitions should be directed to the Office of General Counsel at (202) 649-3088.
In accordance with the Fair Chance Act, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) may not request, in oral or written form, that an applicant for an appointment to (FHFA) disclose criminal history record information before the appointing authority extends a tentative offer to the applicant. Allegations of FHFA violations of this Act may be submitted to fairchanceactcomplaints@fhfa.gov or to Fair Chance Act Complaints, Office of Human Resources Management, Employee Relations Branch, FHFA 400 7th Street, SW Washington DC 20219 within 30 days from the agency employee's alleged non-compliance with the law.
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
This position is in the excepted service. All applicants meeting the basic qualification requirements will be forwarded to the selecting official for consideration.
We recommend that you preview the online questions for this announcement before you start the application process. To preview the assessment questionnaire: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12362465
**Applicants interviewed may be asked for writing samples and references during the process**
All of the information you provide will be verified by a review of the work experience and/or education as shown on your application forms, by checking references or through other means, such as the interview process. This verification could occur at any stage of the application process. Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempts to conceal information may be grounds for rating you ineligible.
In accordance with the Fair Chance Act, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) may not request, in oral or written form, that an applicant for an appointment to (FHFA) disclose criminal history record information before the appointing authority extends a tentative offer to the applicant. Allegations of FHFA violations of this Act may be submitted to fairchanceactcomplaints@fhfa.gov or to Fair Chance Act Complaints, Office of Human Resources Management, Employee Relations Branch, FHFA 400 7th Street, SW Washington DC 20219 within 30 days from the agency employee's alleged non-compliance with the law.
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Required Documents
As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
FHFA's application process has been specifically developed to ensure that we only ask you for the information we absolutely need to evaluate your qualifications and eligibility. All applicants are required to submit the following supportive documents:
1. Your Resume: If you have not written a federal resume before, you may want to watch this Resume Writing Tutorial video on the USAJOBS YouTube channel, or read through a helpful Resume Writing FAQ on the USAJOBS Help Site to learn what details you should, and should not, include in your resume. A CV (curriculum vitae) may not contain enough information to meet these resume requirements.
- Your resume should list all work experience (paid and unpaid); you must list the full name of each employer.
- For all types of work experience, you should indicate the start and end date (include month and year); you must also list the average number of hours per week that your worked.
- Your resume should also include any education and training you have completed (list the program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion date).
3. Required: Active Bar Membership documentation showing you are in good standing in any state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
4. Other Supporting Documents:- Cover letter, optional
- SF-50, optional
Important Notes:- Utilize the preview feature of USA Jobs to view your documents and ensure the formatting remains and all documents are legible.
- Additional materials will not be accepted after the announcement closes (e.g. updated grades, updated resume, etc.).
- Your full name must be clearly visible on all documents.
- Do not submit encrypted documents.
- Tips: Encrypted documents do not transmit properly through USA Jobs. We recommend, you save the document as a new PDF, or Print to PDF to ensure the document comes through properly and is displayed properly using the USA Jobs preview feature.
- If the position has an education requirement or you are qualifying on the basis of education, you need to list your education history including the type of degree and your major of study. If the position requires a certain number of credit hours, you are strongly encouraged to list the relevant courses in your resume. Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) on your resume or cover letter. We will not access web pages linked on your resume or cover letter to determine your qualification.
Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 04/11/2024 to receive consideration.
- To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
- Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
- After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
- You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To view the announcement status or your application status: Click on this: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.
If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Human Resources Office. Please contact Devin Hinkle at devin.hinkle@fhfa.gov or (202) 649-3777 to obtain an alternative application.
Agency contact information
Devin Hinkle
Phone
(202) 649-3777
Email
devin.hinkle@fhfa.gov
Next steps
After receiving all application packages, we will review your materials to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications on the information provided in their resume and the completed Occupational Questionnaire. Applicants deemed best qualified may be contacted for an interview. We anticipate making a final job offer for this position within 45 days after the application deadline. All candidates will be notified of the final disposition.
***There is currently one vacancy available. However, should additional vacancies become available within three months from the opening date of this announcement, eligible applicants for this position may be referred for consideration for the additional position(s).
FHFA may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies. This announcement may be used to fill like positions in other organizations within the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for FHFA to share your application with others in FHFA for similar positions.Fair and Transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
- Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
- Reasonable accommodation policy
- Financial suitability
- Selective Service
- New employee probationary period
- Signature and false statements
- Privacy Act
- Social security number request
Required Documents
FHFA's application process has been specifically developed to ensure that we only ask you for the information we absolutely need to evaluate your qualifications and eligibility. All applicants are required to submit the following supportive documents:
1. Your Resume: If you have not written a federal resume before, you may want to watch this Resume Writing Tutorial video on the USAJOBS YouTube channel, or read through a helpful Resume Writing FAQ on the USAJOBS Help Site to learn what details you should, and should not, include in your resume. A CV (curriculum vitae) may not contain enough information to meet these resume requirements.
- Your resume should list all work experience (paid and unpaid); you must list the full name of each employer.
- For all types of work experience, you should indicate the start and end date (include month and year); you must also list the average number of hours per week that your worked.
- Your resume should also include any education and training you have completed (list the program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion date).
3. Required: Active Bar Membership documentation showing you are in good standing in any state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
4. Other Supporting Documents:
- Cover letter, optional
- SF-50, optional
Important Notes:
- Utilize the preview feature of USA Jobs to view your documents and ensure the formatting remains and all documents are legible.
- Additional materials will not be accepted after the announcement closes (e.g. updated grades, updated resume, etc.).
- Your full name must be clearly visible on all documents.
- Do not submit encrypted documents.
- Tips: Encrypted documents do not transmit properly through USA Jobs. We recommend, you save the document as a new PDF, or Print to PDF to ensure the document comes through properly and is displayed properly using the USA Jobs preview feature.
- If the position has an education requirement or you are qualifying on the basis of education, you need to list your education history including the type of degree and your major of study. If the position requires a certain number of credit hours, you are strongly encouraged to list the relevant courses in your resume. Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) on your resume or cover letter. We will not access web pages linked on your resume or cover letter to determine your qualification.
Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
This job is open to
The public
U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
Clarification from the agency
All U.S. Citizens
