Paralegal Specialist

Washington, District of Columbia


Employer: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Industry: Paralegal Specialist
Salary: Competitive
Job type: Full-Time

Summary

This position is located at Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, LEGAL DIVISION. The incumbent will provide legal support on complex professional legal-related work connected with the work of the office.

This job is open to

  • Internal to an agency

    Current federal employees of this agency.


Clarification from the agency

All candidates who are: Current Consumer Financial Protection Bureau internal agency employees who are qualifying as Status Eligibles or currently serving on a V.R.A appointment, or possess eligibility to be considered under Schedule A(u) disability; OR CTAP eligible.

Duties

The following are the duties of this position at the CN-52, broadly equivalent to the GS-12. If you are selected at a lower grade level, you will have the opportunity to learn to perform all these duties, and will receive training to help you grow in this position.

  • Research legislation, regulations, and cases involving Federal consumer financial, administrative and general law.
  • Manage the Legal Division's review of documents, including regulations, supervisory and enforcement documents, memos, reports, speeches, consumer education materials, and other documents (including but not limited to the "Clearance process").
  • Gather, organize, and assemble legal documents requiring attachments, enclosures, and authorities in highly sensitive matters.
  • Maintain assignment management, knowledge management, work tracking systems, and meeting agendas for work of the Legal Division.
  • Examine case files and determine issues and sufficiency of evidence or documentation; search for legal precedents and analyze their applicability to include the preparation of digest of points on law involved.


Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Key Requirements:

  • Must be U.S. Citizen or U.S. National
  • A one year probationary period may be required.
  • Public Trust - Background Investigation will be required.
  • Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.
  • Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer.
  • If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so.
  • Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form i-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S.
  • Obtain and use a Government-issued charge card for business-related travel.


Qualifications

You must meet the following requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

For the CN-52

Specialized experience for the CN-52 is defined as one year of experience at the CN-51 (GS-11 level), or equivalent that is directly related to the position and which has equipped the candidate with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience for this position is conducting legal research in support of staff attorneys, including:
  • Experience creating or maintaining knowledge management and tracking systems to manage and maintain record copies of legal opinions, directives, guides, instructions, and other resources, and accessing them electronically; and
  • Experience checking legal citations using one or more of the commonly used computerized legal reference systems such as Lexis Nexis, Lexis Advance, Westlaw, and/or Westlaw Next; and
  • Experience gathering, organizing, and assembling legal documents and preparing reports, summaries, briefs and other legal correspondence for review/approval by attorneys.

For the CN-51:

Specialized experience for the CN-51 is defined as one year of experience at the CN-40 (GS-9 level), or equivalent that is directly related to the position and which has equipped the candidate with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience for this position is conducting legal research in support of staff attorneys, including:
  • Experience maintaining knowledge management and tracking systems to manage and maintain record copies of legal opinions, directives, guides, instructions, and other resources, and accessing them electronically; and
  • Experience using one or more of the following computerized legal reference systems: Lexis Nexis, Lexis Advance, Westlaw, and/or Westlaw Next to conduct searches for legal precedents; and
  • Experience checking legal citations; and
  • Experience assisting Attorneys in the preparation of reports, summaries, briefs and other legal correspondence for review/approval by attorneys.

OR

Education: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related.

OR

Combining Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. To combine education and experience, the total percentage of experience at the required grade level compared to the specialized experience requirement, as well as the percentage of completed education compared to the educational requirement must equal at least 100 percent. Only graduate level education in excess of 36 semester hours (54 quarter hours), may be used to combine education and experience.

CFPB uses an experience-based process to set pay for employees. Experience is evaluated and credited using the employee's résumé. To ensure that all of your prior work experience (e.g., internships, volunteer work, details, part-time, self-employment, secondary jobs, etc.) is considered and accounted for, please ensure that your résumé covers the following:

  • your entire work history with specific start and end dates (MM-DD-YYYY) provided for each listed position
  • hours worked per week for each position
  • degrees and the dates conferred (MM-YYYY)


Part-time experience will be credited pro-rata based on a 40-hour work week, while work of 32 hours or more will be rounded up to full-time experience. If you have multiple positions that have overlapping start and/or end dates, only 40 hours of experience will be credited for a given work week. Refer to Resume Tips for more information on how to submit a comprehensive résumé. See information on our base pay ranges and salary structure.

The experience may have been gained in either the public, private sector or volunteer service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/day/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week on your résumé.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

OTHER INFORMATION:
  • We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies.
  • This announcement may be used to fill like positions in other organizations within the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
  • This is a non-bargaining unit position.
  • We offer opportunities for telework.
  • We offer opportunities for flexible work schedules.
  • Bureau employees are subject to government-wide ethical standards of conduct, financial disclosure requirements, and post-employment prohibitions, which applicants may review at www.oge.gov. In addition, employees must comply with the Supplemental Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (5 CFR 9401), which, among other things, prohibit an employee or the employee's spouse or minor child from owning or controlling a debt or equity interest in an entity supervised by the Bureau. Regulations also impose restrictions on the outside activities of certain Bureau employees, including examiners and attorneys. Applicants may review the Bureau ethics regulations and a summary of the regulations at www.consumerfinance.gov. Questions regarding these requirements and prohibitions should be directed to the Bureau Ethics Office at EthicsHelp@cfpb.gov.


Our comprehensive benefits are among the most generous in the federal government. They include:- Challenging and rewarding work benefiting American consumers - Opportunities for development and advancement- Comprehensive Federal health, vision, dental, life, and long-term care insurance programs- Learn more about Federal benefits programs at: http://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/201706_cfpb_benefits.pdf

  • 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.

    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.


How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your application includes your résumé, responses to the online questions, and required supporting documents. Please be sure that your résumé includes detailed information to support your qualifications for this position; failure to provide sufficient evidence in your résumé may result in a "not qualified" determination.

Rating: Your application will be evaluated in the following areas: Work Management, Analytical Thinking, Written Communication, and Building Inclusive Relationships.

Your application will be rated and ranked among others, based on your responses to the online questions, regarding your experience, education, training, performance appraisals and awards relevant to the duties of this position. Your rating may be lowered if your responses to the online questions are not supported by the education and/or experience described in your application.

Referral: If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application may be referred to a selecting official for consideration. You may be required to participate in a selection interview.

If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee (eligible for the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)) you must receive a score of 90 or better to be rated as "well qualified" to receive special selection priority.

  • 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.

    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.
  • Required Documents

    As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.

    A complete application includes 1. A résumé, 2. Vacancy question responses, and 3. Submission of any required documents. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible). Please ensure all required documents, including any required work samples, narratives, or other materials as stated in this announcement, are attached to your application package.

    All applicants are required to submit a résumé either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their own choosing. (Cover letters are optional.) To receive full credit for relevant experience, please list the month/date/year and number of hours worked for experience listed on your résumé. We suggest that you preview the online questions, as you may need to customize your résumé to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions. Please view resume tips.

    CURRENT FEDERAL EMPLOYEES - Documentation Relating to Your Federal Employment: You must submit an SF-50 which confirms both competitive status eligibility as well has highest grade/pay band level achieved. This may require that you submit more than one SF-50.

    • To verify your competitive status: Box 34 must have a "1" and Box 24 must have a "1" or a "2"

    CURRENT CFPB EMPLOYEES: If you are a current Consumer Financial Protection Bureau employee in a permanent, competitive service position you do not need to submit documents to confirm your status.-If you are a current Consumer Financial Protection Bureau employee who is reinstatement eligible based on prior federal competitive service, you must submit documents to confirm your eligibility such as documents described below.

    If you are currently on a Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA), submit a copy of an SF-50 showing that. Also, you must submit a copy of your DD214 or other documentation showing dates of service and type of discharge and any other applicable documents such as SF-15, VA letters, etc.- Indicate on your application the highest permanent grade you have held; if this grade is different from your current grade, submit a copy of an additional SF-50 showing this grade.

    CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (CTAP) DOCUMENTATION: If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee, click CTAP/ICTAP for eligibility and a detailed list of required documents you must submit in order to be eligible.

    If you are applying under a special hiring authority, please see Applicant Guide. In order to be eligible under one of these authorities, you must submit all required documentation as outlined in the applicant guide.

    EDUCATION DOCUMENTATION: If you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, you MUST submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. An official transcript will be required if you are selected. A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Refer to the OPM instructions.

    See our tips on the application process and printable checklist to ensure each step of the application is completed.
  • How to Apply

    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has partnered with the Treasury's Bureau of the Fiscal Service to provide certain personnel services to its organization. Fiscal Service's responsibilities include advertising vacancies, accepting and handling applications, and extending job offers.

    Please review the entire announcement before applying.

    The following instructions outline our application process. You must complete this application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET, Monday - Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, please contact us by noon ET on the announcement's closing date.

    You may be entitled to a reasonable accommodation as part of the job application process if you need one due to a disability, pregnancy; childbirth; or related medical conditions, or religion. Learn more about reasonable accommodations.

    The Fair Chance Act prohibits specific inquiries concerning an applicant's criminal or credit background unless the hiring agency has made a conditional offer of employment to the applicant. An applicant may submit a complaint, or any other information, to the agency within 30 calendar days of the date of alleged non-compliance by contacting: - Ana.GuzmanEvans@cfpb.gov

    If you applied for a job at CFPB and think you may have been subjected to unlawful discrimination related to your application, you have rights. Learn more about raising an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) issue.
    • To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
    • Follow the prompts to select your résumé and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
    • After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
    • You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.

    To verify the status of your application:

    -Log into your USAJOBS account (USAJOBS Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen

    -Under "application status," click "Track this application" and you will be taken to the agency website where you can check your application status.

    For more information regarding the job and applicant status, please refer to https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/ If you wish to make changes/updates to your application and the vacancy is still open, you can click on the job announcement and "Update Application" to be taken back to your application. No updates can be made once the announcement has closed. Please notify us if your contact information changes after the closing date of the announcement. Also, note that if you provide an email address that is inaccurate or if your mailbox is full or blocked (e.g., spam-blocker), you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.

    For additional information on how to apply, please visit the Partnership for Public Service's Go Government website.

    To preview the assessment questionnaire: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12413275

    Agency contact information



    Applicant Call Center


    Phone

    304-480-7300

    Email

    cfpbinquiries@fiscal.treasury.gov

    Address

    LEGAL DIVISION

    Administrative Resource Center

    Parkersburg, WV 26101

    US

    Next steps

    Once the online application is submitted, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. We will review your résumé and transcript(s) (if appropriate) to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications on the information provided and may interview the best-qualified applicants. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct any required suitability and/or security background investigation.
  • Fair and Transparent

    The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

    • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
    • Criminal history inquiries
    • Reasonable accommodation policy
    • Financial suitability
    • Selective Service
    • New employee probationary period
    • Signature and false statements
    • Privacy Act
    • Social security number request


Required Documents

A complete application includes 1. A résumé, 2. Vacancy question responses, and 3. Submission of any required documents. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible). Please ensure all required documents, including any required work samples, narratives, or other materials as stated in this announcement, are attached to your application package.

All applicants are required to submit a résumé either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their own choosing. (Cover letters are optional.) To receive full credit for relevant experience, please list the month/date/year and number of hours worked for experience listed on your résumé. We suggest that you preview the online questions, as you may need to customize your résumé to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions. Please view resume tips.

CURRENT FEDERAL EMPLOYEES - Documentation Relating to Your Federal Employment: You must submit an SF-50 which confirms both competitive status eligibility as well has highest grade/pay band level achieved. This may require that you submit more than one SF-50.

  • To verify your competitive status: Box 34 must have a "1" and Box 24 must have a "1" or a "2"

CURRENT CFPB EMPLOYEES: If you are a current Consumer Financial Protection Bureau employee in a permanent, competitive service position you do not need to submit documents to confirm your status.-If you are a current Consumer Financial Protection Bureau employee who is reinstatement eligible based on prior federal competitive service, you must submit documents to confirm your eligibility such as documents described below.

If you are currently on a Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA), submit a copy of an SF-50 showing that. Also, you must submit a copy of your DD214 or other documentation showing dates of service and type of discharge and any other applicable documents such as SF-15, VA letters, etc.- Indicate on your application the highest permanent grade you have held; if this grade is different from your current grade, submit a copy of an additional SF-50 showing this grade.

CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (CTAP) DOCUMENTATION: If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee, click CTAP/ICTAP for eligibility and a detailed list of required documents you must submit in order to be eligible.

If you are applying under a special hiring authority, please see Applicant Guide. In order to be eligible under one of these authorities, you must submit all required documentation as outlined in the applicant guide.

EDUCATION DOCUMENTATION: If you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, you MUST submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. An official transcript will be required if you are selected. A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Refer to the OPM instructions.

See our tips on the application process and printable checklist to ensure each step of the application is completed.

How to Apply

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has partnered with the Treasury's Bureau of the Fiscal Service to provide certain personnel services to its organization. Fiscal Service's responsibilities include advertising vacancies, accepting and handling applications, and extending job offers.

Please review the entire announcement before applying.

The following instructions outline our application process. You must complete this application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET, Monday - Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, please contact us by noon ET on the announcement's closing date.

You may be entitled to a reasonable accommodation as part of the job application process if you need one due to a disability, pregnancy; childbirth; or related medical conditions, or religion. Learn more about reasonable accommodations.

The Fair Chance Act prohibits specific inquiries concerning an applicant's criminal or credit background unless the hiring agency has made a conditional offer of employment to the applicant. An applicant may submit a complaint, or any other information, to the agency within 30 calendar days of the date of alleged non-compliance by contacting: - Ana.GuzmanEvans@cfpb.gov

If you applied for a job at CFPB and think you may have been subjected to unlawful discrimination related to your application, you have rights. Learn more about raising an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) issue.
  • To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
  • Follow the prompts to select your résumé and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
  • After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
  • You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.

To verify the status of your application:

-Log into your USAJOBS account (USAJOBS Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen

-Under "application status," click "Track this application" and you will be taken to the agency website where you can check your application status.

For more information regarding the job and applicant status, please refer to https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/ If you wish to make changes/updates to your application and the vacancy is still open, you can click on the job announcement and "Update Application" to be taken back to your application. No updates can be made once the announcement has closed. Please notify us if your contact information changes after the closing date of the announcement. Also, note that if you provide an email address that is inaccurate or if your mailbox is full or blocked (e.g., spam-blocker), you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.

For additional information on how to apply, please visit the Partnership for Public Service's Go Government website.

To preview the assessment questionnaire: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12413275

Agency contact information



Applicant Call Center


Phone

304-480-7300

Email

cfpbinquiries@fiscal.treasury.gov

Address

LEGAL DIVISION

Administrative Resource Center

Parkersburg, WV 26101

US

Next steps

Once the online application is submitted, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. We will review your résumé and transcript(s) (if appropriate) to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications on the information provided and may interview the best-qualified applicants. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct any required suitability and/or security background investigation.

Fair & Transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
  • Reasonable accommodation policy
  • Criminal history inquiries
  • Financial suitability
  • Selective Service
  • New employee probationary period
  • Signature and false statements
  • Privacy Act
  • Social security number request

Created: 2024-05-18
Reference: 791694600
Country: United States
State: District of Columbia
City: Washington
ZIP: 20010


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