Summary This position is located in the Federal Student Aid, Borrower Defense Branch, in Washington, DC, and in other locations. The branch is responsible for conducting investigations and projects that significantly affect students, higher education institutions, and the public interest. Responsibilities APPLICATION LIMIT: This vacancy announcement will close at 11:59PM Eastern Time on the listed closing date. We encourage you to read this entire vacancy announcement prior to submitting your application. As a Supervisory Attorney Advisor, GS-0905-15, you will be responsible for: - Supervising teams of employees. Providing professional leadership and guidance to subordinate supervisors and staff in planning, developing, and carrying out program objectives. - Overseeing legal research and analysis, including novel factual issues, and overseeing the resolution of borrower defense claims. Rendering legal advice resulting in the formulation and implementation of decisions by the Branch Chief of Borrower Defense. - Supervising the preparation of memoranda, protocols, and reports that clearly and succinctly outline the relevant facts and legal issues, explain the application of legal principles and precedents to the relevant facts, and justify the recommendations or conclusions. - Providing guidance to the Branch Chief of Borrower Defense on borrower defense matters. Assisting in the development of status reporting and data metrics reporting of the services, deliverables, and performance of the Borrower Defense Branch. -Assisting the Branch Chief of Borrower Defense at meetings and in coordination with enforcement divisions of other federal and state agencies, on matters relating to borrower defense issues and initiatives. Communicating with third parties, including Institutions of Higher Education and advocacy groups, concerning borrower defense claims. Requirements Conditions of Employment Relocation will not be paid. Males 18 and over must be registered with the Selective Service. Must be a US Citizen Background Investigation is required. You may be subject to serve a one-year supervisory probationary period. Condition of Employment: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a probationary period or trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: - your performance and conduct; - the needs and interests of the agency; - whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and - whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period OR trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this vacancy announcement. If you are a current federal employee, you must meet all time-in-grade and time-after competitive appointment qualifications within 30 days of the closing date of this vacancy announcement. To verify that you meet these requirements, we will review your responses to the core eligibility questions on the occupational questionnaire, as well as your submitted resume and required documents. To make an accurate determination, you will need to include on your resume your federal position title, pay plan, occupational series, grade level, agency, dates for which you held the grade level (stated as MM/YYYY to MM/YYYY, OR MM/YYYY to PRESENT), and total hours worked per week. 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). Qualifications Minimum Qualification Requirements You may meet the minimum qualifications for the GS-15, if you possess specialized experience and education. 1. You must be a graduate of a law school accredited by the American Bar Association, AND 2. Proof of admission to the Bar of the highest court of a state, territory, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and current membership in such Bar as would permit the practice of law. You must be a member in good standing of a state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico bar. AND 3. Has five years of professional legal experience, at least one of the five years MUST be at the level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to that of an attorney at the grade immediately below the one being filled. OR Has four years of professional legal experience, at least one of the four years MUST be at the level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to that of an attorney at the grade immediately below the one being filled, PLUS a second professional law degree (LL.M.), which requires one full year of graduate study OR Has four years of professional legal experience, at least one of the four years MUST be at the level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to that of an attorney at the grade immediately below the one being filled, PLUS a record showing superior law schoolwork or activities as demonstrated by one of the following: Academic standing in the upper third of the law school graduating class. Work or achievement of significance on his/her law school's official law review. Special high-level honors for academic excellence in law school, such as election to the Order of the Coif. Winning a moot court competition or membership on the moot court team that represents the law school in competition with other law schools. Full-time or continuous participation, for one year or two semesters of law school, in a legal aid program (as opposed to one-time, intermittent, or casual participation). Significant summer law office clerk experience after beginning law school. Other equivalent evidence of clearly superior achievement. AND Specialized Experience for the GS-15 One year of experience in either federal or non-federal service that is equivalent to at least a GS-14 performing two (2) out of three (3) of the following duties or work assignments: 1. Experience leading teams of attorneys and support staff on complex legal matters, such as school investigations and adjudication of borrower defense to repayment applications. 2. Experience communicating legal analysis related to borrower defense regulations or substantial misrepresentations orally through briefings, hearings, and presentations. 3. Experience with personnel management, including planning, organizing, and leading teams. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) The quality of your experience will be measured by the extent to which you possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs). You do not need to provide separate narrative responses to these KSAs, as they will be measured by your responses to the occupational questionnaire (you may preview the occupational questionnaire by clicking the link at the end of the Evaluations section of this vacancy announcement). 1. Ability to supervise a diverse staff of attorneys and support personnel. 2. Skilled in legal analysis. 3. Skilled in legal writing and editing. 4. Skilled in strategy formulation, critical thinking and multi-tasking under pressure. 5. Skilled in written and oral communication. Education Education cannot be substituted for experience for this position and grade level. Foreign Education: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must submit a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, please click Foreign Education. Additional Information Veterans' Career Counseling: If you are a veteran interested in receiving tips on preparing a federal resume and/or how to prepare for an interview, you may email sro_recruiting@ed.gov to schedule a session with a career counselor ("Veterans Counseling Session" should be placed in the subject line of the email). Student Loan Default: If selected for this position, we will verify that you have not defaulted on any loan funded or guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Education. If you are found to be in default, we will contact you to make arrangements for repayment prior to making an official offer of employment. Suitability and Investigation: If selected for this position, you will be required to complete the Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) to determine your suitability for federal employment and successfully complete a pre-appointment investigation/background check. Essential: This position is considered essential for purposes of reporting to work during federal government closures. Financial Disclosure: This position requires financial disclosure. Bargaining Unit: This position is not included in the bargaining unit. Selections: Agencies have broad authority under law to hire from any appropriate source of eligibles and may fill a vacancy in the competitive service by any method authorized. We may make additional selections from this vacancy announcement within 90 days from the date the selection certificates are issued, should vacancies occur. We may also share selection certificates amongst program offices across the agency.
