Senior Counselor

Summary This is a Senior Level attorney position in the Excepted Service. The Senior Counselor position is located in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of Inspector General (OIG), Immediate Office. This position is located in the Washington D.C. Headquarters Office or any HHS OIG office in the United States. Location determined upon selection. Duties The Senior Counselor provides the Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of Inspector General (OIG), and particularly the Immediate Office (IO), with policy, operational, and legal expertise and coordinates oversight development related to operational issues, such as appropriations, budget, contracting, and human resources issues. MAJOR DUTIES Reviews and analyzes legal, policy and operational documents, including proposed rules, regulations, correspondence, reports, opinions, including products submitted or forwarded to the Inspector General (IG) and Principal Deputy Inspector General (PDIG) on issues affecting OIG under the incumbent's purview, including but not limited to appropriations, budget, contracting, and human resources. Provides expert guidance on OIG contracting, including coordinating on the development of strategic contracting plans, ensuring compliance with contracting requirements (in coordination with components), and forming and advancing intra-agency communications and partnership development. Represents OIG in congressional matters, including engagement with congressional committees, Members of Congress, and their staffs. Responsibilities include providing technical assistance on legislation, providing recommendations to OIG and stakeholders on potential and existing legislation, providing strategic input and feedback on congressional outreach strategies, preparing OIG representatives for congressional interactions, preparing background materials for congressional audiences, briefing congressional audiences, and testifying before Congress. Provides advice and counsel on communications matters, including reviewing strategies, materials, and presentations to ensure accuracy, consistency, legal sufficiency, and completeness of OIG messaging and the preparedness of OIG representatives. Provides advice and counsel on appropriations and budget formulation, including legal research, development of strategic messaging and supporting materials, and forming and advancing intra-and inter-agency communications and partnership development. Requirements Conditions of employment Must be a U.S. Citizen. Must be an active member of the bar in good standing. One-year probationary period required for initial appointment. This is a Top-Secret position. You will be subject to pre-employment and random drug tests. File a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE-278e) within 30 days of appointment and annually from then on. If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so. Suitability for Federal employment determined by background investigation. Qualifications Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin. Bar Membership: Currently an active member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. To qualify for this Senior Level position, you must have experience as an attorney advising agencies, individuals, or entities on matters concerning complex legal and policy analysis of appropriations, contracting, employment issues, health and human services programs, program integrity policies and legal authorities. In addition, highly qualified applicants will have sophisticated analytical skills, superior written and oral communications skills, good judgment, and experience in interacting with government and non-government officials. Finally, highly qualified applicants will have been responsible for planning, directing, and evaluating work, either in a managerial capacity or in another leadership role. This specialized experience includes leadership, direction, management and conduct of a full range of administrative and advisory services including directing the work of others as it pertains to matters of legal sufficiency. At this level, you would have typical responsibility for planning, directing, and evaluating work that included managing and/or supervising other managers not more than 25% of time. In addition, you must show that you possess the mandatory Technical Qualifications (TQs) related to this position within your resume - NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES. Resumes over the 2-page limit, will not be reviewed beyond page 2 or may be disqualified. Your resume should include examples of experience and accomplishments applicable to the below TQs. If your resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of these qualifications, you may not receive consideration for the position. There is NO requirement to prepare a narrative statement specifically addressing the TQs. TQ1: Demonstrated comprehensive knowledge of and expertise in the legal principles and technical subject matter related to Federal appropriations and budget, including the ability to interpret complex legal and policy issues, develop agency positions, and advise senior leadership on strategic, operational, and legal implications. TQ2: Demonstrated experience providing expert legal and policy advice on Federal operational matters-such as contracting, human resources, and agency administrative authorities-including resolving complex or precedent setting issues, coordinating with internal stakeholders, and shaping operational strategies that support the agency's mission. TQ3: Demonstrated experience building and sustaining coalitions with external stakeholders-including Congress and executive branch partners-such as by representing agency positions, negotiating on sensitive or high impact issues, and developing strategic approaches to engagement on appropriations, budget, and other mission critical matters. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., professional philanthropic, religious, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. Note: This position is being filled using the excepted service, Schedule A, hiring authority, 5 CFR 213.3102(d). Education You must possess a professional law degree (J.D. or LL.B.) acquired through graduation from a School of Law accredited by the American Bar Association and be a member in good standing of the Bar of a state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States. Applicants are responsible for citing minimum qualifications such as JD and Bar membership information (institution name, state for bar, and dates) on their respective resumes. Failure to supply details will result in an incomplete application. Additional information Recruitment Incentives: Payment for relocation expenses is not authorized for this position. A recruitment bonus will not be offered. Repayment of student loans will not be offered. Security and Background Requirements: A background security investigation will be required for all appointees. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements may be grounds for appropriate personnel action. In addition, if hired, a background security reinvestigation or supplemental investigation may be required at a later time. Applicants are also advised that all information concerning qualifications is subject to investigation. False representation may be grounds for non-consideration, non-selection and/or appropriate disciplinary action. E-Verify: If you are selected for this position, the documentation that you present for purposes of completing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-Verify" System. Federal law requires DHS to use the E-Verify System to verify employment eligibility of all new hires, and as a condition of continued employment obligates the new hire to take affirmative steps to resolve any discrepancies identified by the system. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is an E-Verify Participant. Direct Deposit: All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing. Financial Disclosure: This position is subject to public financial disclosure requirements. HHS policy requires a pre-appointment review, and your initial report must be filed within 30 days of the effective date of appointment. For more information about Financial Disclosure and OGE Form 278, you may go to the Office of Government Ethics website at www.oge.gov and select Resources for Financial Disclosure Filers. EEO Statement: HHS is an equal opportunity employer. Selection for this position will be based solely on merit without regard to race, color, religion, age, gender, national origin, political affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, marital or family status, or other differences. Veterans' Preference: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, HHS-OIG considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must indicate their preference in response to the appropriate question in their assessment questionnaire and must submit supporting documentation (e.g., DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) which verifies their eligibility for preference). Current or Former Political Appointees: OPM requires agencies to seek prior approval before they can appoint a current or recent political appointee to a competitive or non-political excepted service position at any level. If you are currently or have been within the last five years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, this information must be disclosed to Human Resources. Such applicants must submit a copy of an SF-50 documenting the appointment with all other required application documents. Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. Benefits A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits. Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.