Summary This position is in the Office of General Counsel (OGC). The OGC provides legal advice to the Inspector General, senior staff, and others in OIG on the full range of activities within OIG, including inspections, investigations and audits. OGC is responsible for managing OIG's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Privacy Act programs. The Counsel to the Inspector General reports to the Inspector General and is independent from the State Department's Legal Adviser and USAGM's General Counsel. Responsibilities This position serves as an Attorney-Adviser (General) and provides analysis, research, and guidance to ensure that the OIG has considered the legislative and regulatory requirements and implications applicable to the various activities. The duties of the Attorney Adviser GS-0905-13: Assists with the analysis and provision of cogent and concise verbal and written legal counsel, advice, recommendations, and reviews on a variety of issues of law relevant to (1) general Office of Inspector General operations (e.g., HR, IT, Procurement, Appropriations, Ethics, Financial Disclosure, and other areas) and (2) to particular Office of Inspector General work products such as reports of audits, investigations, inspections, special projects and evaluations. Reviews Office of Inspector General audit, evaluation, investigation, inspection and other review reports for legal sufficiency, which includes ensuring that any sensitive information is properly marked and withheld in accordance with the law, with supervisory oversight. Supports litigation activities, to include assisting with drafting agreements and agency responses. Conducts ethics, independence, and financial disclosure reviews, with supervisory oversight. Assists with reviews and responses to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Privacy Act requests, appeals, and litigation. The duties of the Attorney Adviser GS-0905-14: Analyzes and provides cogent and concise verbal and written legal counsel, advice, recommendations, and reviews on a variety of issues of law relevant to (1) general Office of Inspector General operations (e.g., HR, IT, Procurement, Appropriations, Ethics, Financial Disclosure, and other areas) and (2) to particular Office of Inspector General work products such as reports of audits, investigations, inspections, special projects and evaluations, with minimal supervision. Reviews Office of Inspector General audit, evaluation, investigation, inspection and other review reports for legal sufficiency, which includes ensuring that any sensitive information is properly marked and withheld in accordance with the law, with minimal supervision. Supports litigation activities, to include drafting agreements and agency responses, with minimal supervision. Conducts ethics, independence, and financial disclosure reviews, with minimal supervision. Reviews and responds to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Privacy Act requests, appeals, and litigation, with minimal supervision. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. BASIC REQUIREMENTS (applicable to ALL grade levels): Education: Must be a graduate of a law school possessing the first professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.) Bar Membership: Attorney positions require current active bar membership. Admission to the bar of any State, territory, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, District of Columbia, or Federal Court is acceptable. Active bar membership is verified prior to appointment. Employees must maintain active bar membership while employed as an attorney. All applicants must verify completion of this basic requirement by submitting both proof of professional law degree and proof of bar membership within US jurisdiction. Please see the "Required Documents" section of this announcement for additional information. For the GS-13 position, applicants must have specialized experience with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal Service, which provided you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of this position. Qualifying specialized experience for the GS-13 position must demonstrate the following: Knowledge of various federal practice legal disciplines, including fiscal/procurement laws, ethics, federal grants or assistance, administrative law, personnel law, criminal law and procedures, and privacy law. Experience assisting with sensitive or highly visible/high level official matters. Experience assisting with the provision of clear and concise verbal and written legal guidance, including persuasive memoranda, advisory opinions, and other legal documents. Experience assisting with various aspects of litigation. For the GS-14 position, applicants must have specialized experience with at least one year equivalent to the GS-13 level in the Federal Service, which provided you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of this position. Qualifying specialized experience for the GS-14 position must demonstrate the following: Experience in a broad range of federal practice legal disciplines, including fiscal/procurement laws, ethics, federal grants or assistance, administrative law, personnel law, criminal law and procedures, and privacy law. Experience independently handling sensitive or highly visible/high level official matters, with minimal supervision. Experience providing clear and concise verbal and written legal guidance, including persuasive memoranda, advisory opinions, and other legal documents, with minimal supervision. Experience handling various aspects of litigation, with minimal supervision. There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the GS-13 or GS-14 position. Education A LL.B. or J.D. is a requirement for this position. If you do not submit sufficient academic documentation necessary to demonstrate that you meet the eligibility and minimum qualification requirements described in this announcement, your application will be deemed incomplete, and you will be ineligible for further consideration for this vacancy. 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; applicant's resumes and supporting documentation should only reflect education received from schools accredited by such institutions. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following Website: https://ope.ed.gov/dapip/#/home. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the 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. For a list of accredited organizations recognized as specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials, visit: NACES - National Association of Credential Evaluation Services. Additional Information This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. Acceptance of an excepted service appointment from applicants in the competitive service will require a written statement of understanding when voluntarily leaving the competitive service. Merit promotion procedures do not apply.
