Deputy General Counsel for Business Affairs

There is no OPM qualification standard established for positions in the General Attorney 0905 series, and agencies may establish their own standards for these Excepted Service positions. The Office of Human Resources, Office of General Counsel, Office of the Inspector General, and Office of Contracting and Personal Property Management established the following qualifications criteria for Smithsonian attorney positions:

A. Qualified candidates must (1) possess a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from a law school accredited by the American Association of Law Schools, and (2) be a member in good standing of the Bar of a State or the District of Columbia.

B. In addition to the requirements above: 

Applicants must have at least one year of specialized experience at the GS-15 grade level or equivalent. This experience may include working as a licensed attorney with relevant responsibilities in the areas of transactional matters with an emphasis on business transactions, intellectual property, revenue generation, advancement, digitization, nonprofit tax, and sponsored projects.

Applicants must demonstrate skill in analyzing substantive legal, administrative and policy issues necessary to evaluate and advise on transactional matters including complex business agreements, intellectual property, gift agreements, and other revenue-generating transactions.

Applicants must also demonstrate skill in drafting, reviewing, and negotiating agreements, deal memos, term sheets, advice memoranda, solicitations for outside counsel and other materials necessary to enable the Smithsonian to successfully undertake complex transactions, research activities, and international projects.

Applicants must demonstrate experience in leading and managing staff and in serving as an advisor to senior decisionmakers.

Applicants must also demonstrate the ability to evaluate legal, ethical and administrative issues associated with research activities, including international projects, with emphasis on analyzing and applying relevant laws and navigating governance issues. Experience coordinating with outside counsel is valuable, as is experience handling export control issues.