Which of the following statements about the senior executive service is least accurate?

About the Office: 

The Office of Legal Counsel provides legal advice to the President and all executive branch agencies. The Office drafts legal opinions of the Attorney General and provides its own written opinions and other advice in response to requests from the Counsel to the President, the various agencies of the Executive Branch, and other components of the Department of Justice. The Office is also responsible for reviewing and commenting on the constitutionality of pending legislation.

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.

Job Description: 

This position is located in the Office of Legal Counsel. As a Senior Executive, the incumbent provides legal advice and staff assistance to the Assistant Attorney General and has responsibility for handling a number of matters of ongoing concern to the Office, as well as special projects, subject to the general direction of the Assistant Attorney General.

Specifically, the incumbent will:

1. Prepare formal written legal opinions for the signature of the Assistant Attorney General and as requested by the Assistant Attorney General, and under his direction, provide informal legal advice to other components of the Department and to other executive agencies.
2. Assist the Assistant Attorney General in supervising the Office's counseling function in specific areas as assigned and advise the Assistant Attorney General and Deputy Assistant Attorneys General on legal issues within assigned areas of responsibility.
3. Review executive orders, presidential proclamations, and Attorney General orders for form and legality, including ensuring documents do not pose constitutional, statutory, or other legal problems.
4. Participate in the supervision and management of the Office's practice involving executive orders, presidential proclamations, and Attorney General orders and communicate with the White House Counsel Office, the Office of Management and Budget, senior leadership of the Department, and other officials with respect to these matters.
5. Advise on legal issues regarding appointments and removals, acting officers, delegations, and related matters.
6. Provide supervisory assistance to Attorney-Advisers and review their written work, as assigned by the Assistant Attorney General.
7. Represent the Office at conferences and meetings within and outside the Department, as assigned.

Qualifications: 

The application process used to recruit for this position is TRADITIONAL METHOD. The applicant must address the Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) as separate narrative statements not to exceed 2 pages per MTQ. Applications without separate narrative statements will not be considered.

We recommend that your application emphasize your level of responsibilities, the scope and complexity of the programs 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 Special Counsel. Please be sure to give concrete examples of your experience and demonstrate the complexity of the knowledge you possess.

MTQ 1: Demonstrated experience and expertise in interpreting constitutional provisions and Federal statutes, rendering authoritative opinions on a wide variety of complex legal issues, and ensuring legal documents do not pose constitutional, statutory, or other legal problems.

MTQ 2: Demonstrated experience advising and interacting with a wide range of lawyers and policymakers to help them achieve and implement policy initiatives in a manner that comports with all applicable legal requirements.

MTQ 3: Demonstrated experience in providing leadership and guidance to other organizational leadership and other attorneys, including to ensure final work products are accurate, precise, and legal.

Additionally, your demonstrated leadership ability and the evidence of the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) must be addressed as separate narrative statements not to exceed ten (10) pages. 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.

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.

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

In order to qualify, you must meet the basic educational requirements.

A. Law degree (J.D. or LL. B) from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association.

AND

B. Bar Membership: Be active member in good standing of a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or territory of the United States.

IMPORTANT: Applicants are responsible for citing J.D. and bar membership information (institution name, state(s) for bar, and dates) on their respective resumes. Applicants who possess an equivalent degree rather than J.D., may be subject to additional review by the Office of Attorney Recruitment and Management.

Salary: 

ES 00; $135,468 - $203,700 per year

Application Process: 

You must apply for this position through USAJobs at https://www.usajobs.gov/job/644221300

Agency Contact:

Luis Figueroa

Phone

(202) 532-5022

Email

Address

Office of Legal Counsel
2 Constitution Square
145 N Street NE
Room 9W.300
Washington, DC 20530

Applicants should familiarize themselves and comply with the relevant rules of professional conduct regarding any possible conflicts of interest in connection with their applications. In particular, please notify this Office if you currently represent clients or adjudicate matters in which this Office is involved and/or you have a family member who is representing clients or adjudicating matters in which this Office is involved so that we can evaluate any potential conflict of interest or disqualification issue that may need to be addressed under those circumstances.

Updated April 25, 2022