Summary The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) is the legal team for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), providing quality representation and legal advice on a wide range of highly visible national issues. OGC supports the development and implementation of the Department's programs by providing the highest quality legal services to the Secretary of HHS and the organization's various agencies and divisions. Responsibilities Supervises and coordinates the activities in the Regional Offices, participating in and/or directing the resolution of important Regional legal problems. Serves as representative and agent of the General Counsel with respect to legal matters arising in, or related to, the Regions. Serves as major contact between Chief Counsels and the General Counsel. Advises Regional Attorneys on all questions, which raise legal issues of first impression within the Office of the General Counsel, determining when it is necessary to bring to the personal attention of the General Counsel Regional matters of special concern. Resolves differences between the Chief Counsels and the Associate General Counsels on the substance of legal advice. Positions on legal issues taken by both the divisions and the Regions are precedent setting and have nationwide impact. Serve as focal point to bring together the conflicting points of view and attempt to reconcile the differences. Participates in the review of the merits of cases and the preparation of cases for trial. Reviews cases of national importance or those cases of first impression being handled by the Regions. This review includes not only the merits of such cases, but also the methods, timing, and quality of preparation of cases for trial, in coordination with the Department of Justice (DOJ). Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications Open to all groups of qualified individuals from the public. Current employees within the Federal Excepted Service. Current Career SES and SES reinstatement eligibles. SESCDP graduates may also apply for noncompetitive consideration. As a basic requirement, applicants must demonstrate progressively responsible leadership experience that is indicative of senior executive level managerial capability and directly related to the skills and abilities outlined under the Professional/Technical Qualifications and Executive Core Qualifications listed below. Typically, experience of this nature will have been gained at or above the equivalent of the GS-15 grade level in the Federal service or its equivalent with state and local government, the private sector, or non-governmental organizations. Failure to meet this basic qualification requirement and all executive and technical qualification factors will automatically exclude you from further consideration. All candidates for SES positions with the Federal Government must demonstrate leadership experience indicative of senior executive level management capability. To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show in your resume that you possess the Fundamental Competencies, five Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs), and the Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQs) listed below. It is recommended that your resume emphasize levels of responsibility, scope and complexity of programs managed, and program accomplishments and results. Fundamental Competencies: Interpersonal Skills, Oral Communication, Integrity/Honesty, Written Communication, Continual Learning, and Public Service Motivation. Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs): 1. Leading Change: 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. 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. 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. 4. Business Acumen: The ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically. 5. Building Coalitions: 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. Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQs): This position also requires that you possess PTQ's that represent knowledge, skills, and abilities essential for success in this role. The following PTQ's must be evident in your resume. It is STRONGLY recommended that you visit the following Office of Personnel Management (OPM) webpage for more information regarding the Fundamental Competencies and ECQs. Candidate should have a high level of litigation experience and expertise; trial experience, including experience serving as first chair in complex civil trials; familiarity and experience in working in or with DOJ; executive judgment, initiative, and decision making. Candidate should have significant experience dealing with all stages of litigation, including investigation, negotiation, discovery, expert-witness discovery, and trial. The candidate should also have significant experience in developing litigation strategy. Candidate should have sound knowledge of the policies, regulations, and legislation that govern the DHHS legal program. The candidate should have experience dealing with litigation including, by way of example, Administrative Procedure Act, First Amendment issues, civil rights and freedom of conscience issues and health care finance issues. https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/executive-core-qualifications/#url=Overview IF SELECTED, the agency will determine if ECQ narratives or a Structured Interview is used to certify the candidate by an OPM Qualifications Review Board (QRB) prior to October 1, 2025. If you are currently serving in a career SES appointment, are eligible for reinstatement into the SES, or have successfully completed an SES Candidate Development Program approved by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), you WILL NOT need to draft the ECQs or Structured Interview. Education Must possess J.D. or LL.B degree. and Licensure Applicants must be licensed and authorized to practice law under the laws of a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any territorial court established under the United States Constitution. Judicial status is acceptable in lieu of "active" status in States that prohibit sitting judges from maintaining "active" status to practice law. Being in "good standing" is acceptable in lieu of "active" status in States where the licensing authority considers "good standing" as having a current license to practice law. Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that 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. Additional Information HHS has a critical preparedness and response mission: HHS protects the American people from health threats, research emerging diseases, and mobilizes public health programs with domestic and international partners. In support of this mission, HHS offers its employees the opportunity to volunteer to become Federal Civilian Detailees and contribute their unique skills through voluntary temporary assignments to humanitarian emergencies or Departmental priorities countering new and emerging health, safety, and security threats. Salary: Salary for Senior Executive Service positions varies depending on qualifications. The annual salary range may be found at the top of this announcement. This position may be eligible for performance bonuses and performance based pay adjustments. Probationary Period: An individual's initial SES career appointment becomes final only after the individual successfully completes a one year probationary period. Standards of Conduct/Financial Disclosure HHS inspires public confidence by maintaining high ethical principles, and all Federal Government employees are subject to the conflict of interest statutes and regulations, including the Standards of Ethical Conduct, that govern activities with outside organizations and reporting financial holdings. The Ethics in Government Act, PL 95-521 also requires the applicant selected for this position to submit a Public Financial Disclosure Report, OGE-278, prior to assuming the SES position, annually, and upon termination of employment. Security and Background Requirements If not previously completed, a background security investigation will be required for all appointees. Equal Opportunity Employment Equality is held as one of the most important values at HHS. Selection for this, and any other position, will be based solely on merit. HHS does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, age or membership or non-membership in an employee organization, or any other non-merit factors. If applying online poses a hardship to you, you may submit your application by contacting . Reasonable Accommodation Policy Statement Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact: . Requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Veteran's Preference Veteran's Preference does not apply to the SES. Selective Service As a condition of employment, all male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must have registered for the selective service. If selected for this position, the applicant must sign a statement certifying his registration, or the applicant must demonstrate exempt status under the Selective Service Law.
