General Counsel_

Washington

Summary OIG is responsible for preventing and detecting fraud, waste, abuse, and violations of law, and for promoting economy, efficiency, and effectiveness of USAID programs. OIG oversees the programs and operations of four U.S. foreign assistance agencies, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF), the Inter-American Foundation (IAF), and Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). Responsibilities The incumbent of this position serves as General Counsel to the Office of Inspector General (OIG) and is responsible for providing the OIG's worldwide staff with expert legal counsel and services needed to carry out the statutory responsibilities of the Inspector General Act of 1978, 5 U.S.C. App. 11, as amended. As General Counsel the incumbent: Manages and leads the Office of General Counsel and is accountable for ensuring a successful legal program that supports OIG audits, investigations, inspections, and evaluations. Provides critical policy guidance and engages in important policy-making determinations that significantly affect OIG operations, the Agency, and members of the public. Evaluates the OIG's position on sensitive issues. Provides specialized training to OIG professionals on the elements of criminal offenses; the collection, evaluation, and preservation of evidence necessary for successful prosecution; and the substantive and procedural rules that govern the conduct of criminal investigations. Reviews, evaluates, and recommends an OIG position on all completed investigative reports before transmission to the Department of Justice, U.S. Attorneys, and top Agency officials. Analyzes legal issues that bear on audit determinations of questioned costs in audits of Agency contracts, grants, and loans. Oversees the interpretation and application of complex Federal statutes and substantive and procedural regulations in diversified Agency operations, including procurement, personnel, and administrative law. Identifies and analyzes existing and proposed legislation and regulations, including Agency directives of interest to the OIG. Oversees the review all OIG Freedom of information and Privacy Act requests, as well as other information and records access requests. Provides advice on personnel, procurement, travel, and other administrative issues, ensuring that all OIG actions comply with legal and regulatory requirements. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the five Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs), the Mandatory Technical Qualifications, and other qualifications, if applicable, listed below. MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs): All applicants must submit written statements (narrative format) of accomplishments that would satisfy the technical qualifications. You must address each technical qualification separately. You are required to respond to all of the technical qualifications. If you fail to do so, you will be rated as ineligible. Please limit your written statements to no more than two pages per technical qualification. TQ1. Extensive legal experience with a focus on federal government operations and oversight functions including audits, evaluations, and inspections of federal programs and operations; and legal issues relating to criminal, civil, and administrative investigations of federal programs, employees, contractors, and grantees. Proven track record in providing expert legal counsel in compliance and ethics matters, particularly related to foreign aid and international development programs. TQ2. In-depth knowledge of federal law and regulations, including the Inspector General Act, statutes governing the conduct of foreign affairs agencies, the legal aspects of investigative techniques, evidence collection and enforcement actions, and other relevant statutes and policies. TQ3. Strong skills in litigation, negotiation, and dispute resolution, particularly in matters related to government contracts (i.e., procurement, appropriations), litigation procedures, employee relations, whistleblower retaliation, Freedom of Information Act, and the Privacy Act. EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS: All applicants* must submit written statements (narrative format) describing accomplishments that would satisfy the ECQs. You must address each ECQ separately, not to exceed 10 pages. You are required to respond to all ECQs. If you fail to do so will result in a rating of "ineligible". *Applicants that are either Career SES members, or graduates of the Office of Personnel Management Certified Development Program are not required to address the ECQs. When responding to the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs), you must clearly show that you possess the experience, knowledge, skills and ability to perform the duties of this position by submitting narrative responses in which you detail your experience in each of the ECQs. Your examples should be clear and emphasize your level of responsibilities, scope and complexity of programs managed, program accomplishments with results of your actions, policy initiatives and level of contacts. You should limit your narrative to two pages per ECQ, and address each ECQ separately. OPM's Guide to Senior Executive Service Qualifications can assist you in writing an effective SES application. In particular, please note the Challenge-Context-Action-Result Model that is recommended and very helpful when drafting ECQ narrative responses. The Guide is available on OPM's Website at: pm.gov/ses/references/guidetoSESQuals\_2012.pdf Applicants must utilize the Challenge-Context-Action-Result (CCAR) Model when writing Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ). Use two examples of relevant experience for each ECQ being sure your experience matches the ECQ criteria. Challenge - Describe a specific problem or goal. Context - Describe the individuals and groups you worked with, and/or the environment in which you worked, to address a particular challenge (e.g., clients, co-workers, members of Congress, shrinking budget, low morale). Action - Discuss the specific actions you took to address a challenge. Result - Give specific examples of measures/outcomes that had some impact on the organization. These accomplishments demonstrate the quality and effectiveness of your leadership skills. Each accomplishment should be clear, concise, and emphasize your level of responsibilities; the scope and complexity of the programs, activities, or services you managed; program accomplishments; policy initiatives undertaken; level of contacts; the sensitivity and criticality of the issues you addressed; and the results of your actions. You should use action oriented leadership words to describe your experience and accomplishments (e.g., Led the development and implementation of....) and quantify your experience wherever possible to demonstrate your accomplishments (e.g., number of employees supervised; size of budget managed; amount of money saved, etc.). ECQ 1 - 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. Leadership Competencies: Creativity & Innovation, External Awareness, Flexibility, Resilience, Strategic Thinking and Vision. ECQ 2- Leading People: 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. Leadership Competencies: Conflict Management, Leveraging Diversity, Developing Others, and Team Building. ECQ 3 - Results Driven: 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. Leadership Competencies: Accountability, Customer Service, Decisiveness, Entrepreneurship, Problem Solving and Technical Credibility. ECQ 4 - Business Acumen: The ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically. Leadership Competencies: Financial Management, Technology Management and Human Capital Management. ECQ 5 - Building Coalitions/Communications: 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. Leadership Competencies: Influencing/Negotiating, Oral Communication, Partnering, and Political Savvy. Qualifications Approval and Probationary Period: Persons newly selected for a career appointment to the Senior Executive Service must have their executive core qualifications approved by an Office of Personnel Management Qualifications Review Board and will be required to serve a one-year probationary period. Education This position has a positive education requirement, copy of official transcripts indicating degree conferred and Bar membership and certification must be provided at time of application. Official transcripts must be provided prior to appointment. Eligible applicants must have successfully completed a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and have the first professional law degree (LL. B or JD). Bar Membership and Certification. Applicants must be an active member of the Bar in good standing of any state, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or any Territorial court under the US constitution. Your active BAR license must reference BAR number and indicate the status of good standing. Additional Information This is a position with the Office of Inspector General (OIG), characterized by excellence and professionalism, and responsible for assisting the OIG in its efforts to increase accountability and promote good stewardship of foreign assistance funds.Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the OIG maintains international investigative and audit offices throughout the world with offices in Cairo, Egypt; Dakar, Senegal; Manila, Philippines; Pretoria, South Africa; San Salvador, El Salvador; Port au Prince, Haiti; Islamabad, Pakistan; Tel Aviv, Israel; Frankfurt, Germany; Kampala, Uganda and Bangkok, Thailand. The OIG is centrally located in downtown Washington, D.C. at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center on 14th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW (Federal Triangle Metro - Blue, Orange and Silver Lines). These are Testing Designated Positions (TDP's) under the Agency's approved Drug-Free Work Place Program. All applicants selected for this position will be subject to random drug testing once they begin working for the Agency. Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer is required. Moving and relocation expenses may be authorized. Mythbuster on Federal Hiring Policies: ov/Studio\_Recruitment/tools/Mythbuster\_on\_Federal\_Hiring\_Policies.pdf. EEO Policy: EEO Policy Statement. Veterans' Information: Veterans Information. Telework: elework.gov/. Selective Service Registration: ss.gov/. Reasonable Accommodation Policy: USAID is committed to equal employment opportunity; therefore, reasonable accommodations are available to applicants and employees with disabilities. If you need an accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the Reasonable Accommodation Division in the Office of Civil Rights at [email protected]. Reasonable accommodation decisions are made on a case-by-case basis. To learn more about the Reasonable Accommodation Division, please visit our website at: said.gov/careers/reasonableaccommodations.