Summary

This Assistant General Counsel for Relief, Response and Resilience (AGC/R3), position is located in the Office of the General Counsel, at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) headquarters in Washington, DC.

This job is open to

• Senior executives
  
  Those who meet the five Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs).
• Federal employees - Competitive service
  
  Current or former competitive service federal employees.

Clarification from the agency

U.S Citizens who meet the five Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) to include current SES employees, SES reinstatement eligible, or Candidate Development Program Graduates.

Duties

GC supports USAID's mission by providing timely legal advice and by representing the Agency in all legal matters. GC attorneys partner with USAID leadership and staff to develop innovative solutions and provide actionable legal advice to advance the Agency mission, further U.S. foreign policy and national security interests, and deliver best value for the American people.

The Assistant General Counsel for Relief, Response and Resilience performs the following:

- Leads, supervises, and oversees the Relief, Resilience and Response Division (GC/R3) (comprised of 7-10 individuals (attorney and non-attorney)) in the provision of legal advice with respect to activities undertaken by the Bureaus for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), Conflict, Prevention and Stabilization (CPS), and Resilience, Environment and Food Security (REFS).

- Serves as an expert on all legal and factual matters concerning laws relating to conflict stabilization, food aid, disaster assistance, transition initiatives, conflict management and mitigation, civil/military coordination, complex crises, environmental matters, as well as grants and other agreements with foreign governments, international organizations, federal agencies and non-governmental organizations pertinent to disaster and other assistance where complex and difficult legal questions or factual issues are involved.

- Provides advice on novel questions/responds to substantive procedural questions concerning violations of/compliance with applicable law or other areas of legal expertise.

- Prepares probing and innovative written legal analyses, arguments, briefs, or other analytical documents for Congressional committees, members, and staff that relate to R3 Division's comprehensive knowledge of a range of specialized areas of the law to the development, interpretation, or implementation of sensitive public policies that have long-range national or international significance.

- Conducts extensive legal research on highly intricate and exceedingly complex and novel questions of law and policy relating to all aspects of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, the Food for Peace Act, and other complex legislation pertaining to conflict stabilization, food aid, disaster assistance, transition initiatives, conflict management and mitigation, civil/military coordination, complex crises, trafficking in persons, and the Feed the Future initiative Performs analyses on the interpretation and application of laws and regulations, or court rulings that impact upon USAID.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Must be a U.S. Citizen.

Must be able to obtain/maintain a Top Secret/SCI Clearance.

Position requires incumbent to file OGE-278, Executive Financial Disclosure.

Most recent SF-50 showing tenure code "1" or "2" (see Required Documents).

May be required to serve a one-year probationary period.

As a basic requirement for entry into the Senior Executive Service (SES), applicants MUST possess progressively responsible leadership experience that is indicative of senior executive level managerial capabilities directly related to the competencies outlined under the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and Technical Qualifications (TQs) below. Typically, experience of this nature will have been gained at or above the GS-15 grade level in the Federal service, or its equivalent with state or local government, the private sector, or nongovernmental organizations. Applicants must provide detailed evidence of experience for each of the ECQs and TQs listed below. These ECQ and TQ statements will assist reviewing officials in determining the best qualified candidates to refer to the selecting official. Qualifications and experience determinations will be based only on the information you submit. FAILURE TO MEET OR FULLY ADDRESS ANY ONE OF THE MANDATORY ECQS AND TQS WILL ELIMINATE A CANDIDATE FROM FURTHER CONSIDERATION.

**If you can claim Noncompetitive status-you are a current or reinstatement eligible Career SES or a graduate of an Office of Personnel Management (OPM) approved SES Candidate Development Program (CDP) and your ECQs have been certified by OPM's Qualifications Review Board (QRB)-you are not required to respond to the ECQs. However, you MUST submit supplemental statements addressing all mandatory TQs. Current and reinstatement eligible SES must include with your application a copy of your SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, documenting your SES Career Appointment. CDP graduates must include a copy of your OPM CDP graduation certificate or other proof that your ECQs have been QRB certified.**

Qualifications

To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the five Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs), the two Mandatory Technical Qualifications (TQs), and other qualifications, if applicable, listed below.

EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS - MANDATORY

You will be evaluated on the following Executive Core Qualifications:

ECQ 1 - LEADING CHANGE

This core qualification involves the ability to bring about strategic change, both within and outside the organization, to meet organizational goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to establish an organizational vision and to implement it in a continuously changing environment. Core Competencies: Creativity and Innovation, External Awareness, Flexibility, Resilience, Strategic Thinking, and Vision.

ECQ 2 - LEADING PEOPLE

This core qualification involves the ability to lead people toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to provide an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others, facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports constructive resolution of conflicts. Core Competencies: Conflict Management, Leveraging Diversity, Developing Others, and Team Building.

ECQ 3 - RESULTS DRIVEN

This core qualification involves the ability to meet organizational goals and customer expectations. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to make decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks. Core Competencies: Accountability, Customer Service, Decisiveness, Entrepreneurship, Problem Solving, and Technical Credibility.

ECQ 4 - BUSINESS ACUMEN

This core qualification involves the ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically. Core Competencies: Financial Management, Human Capital Management, and Technology Management.

ECQ 5 - BUILDING COALITIONS

This core qualification involves the ability to build coalitions internally and with other Federal agencies, State and local governments, nonprofit and private sector organizations, foreign governments, or international organizations to achieve common goals. Core Competencies: Partnering, Political Savvy, and Influencing/Negotiating.

The following competencies are the foundation for success in each of the Executive Core Qualifications: Interpersonal Skills, Oral Communication, Integrity/Honesty, Written Communication, Continual Learning, and Public Service Motivation.

TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS - MANDATORY

You will be evaluated on the following Technical Qualifications:

TQ1 - Demonstrated professional mastery of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and other applicable laws, regulations, and policies relating to the provision of U.S. Government foreign (inc. humanitarian) assistance.

TQ2 - Demonstrated experience advising U.S. Government executive branch agencies, leadership, and staff on complex, sensitive, and high-profile legal issues directly related to humanitarian assistance, conflict prevention, resilience, the environment, and food security. Highly preferred: Minimum of 5

years of relevant legal experience within the Federal government and at least 2 years involved in the provision of legal advice to staff implementing U.S. Government foreign assistance programs.

Education

There is no education requirement for this position.

Additional information

USAID is an independent Federal Government agency that receives foreign policy guidance from the Secretary of State. Headquartered in the District of Columbia, we operate in more than 100 countries and play a critical role in promoting U.S. foreign policy interests. When crisis strikes, when rights are repressed, or when hunger, disease, and poverty rob people of opportunity, USAID acts on behalf of the American people to expand the reach of prosperity and dignity to the world's most vulnerable people. USAID employees must commit to maintaining a workplace free of sexual misconduct, including harassment, exploitation, and abuse, and adhere to USAID's Counter-Trafficking in Persons Code of Conduct. For information on the effort to counter all forms of human trafficking, including the procurement of commercial sex acts and the use of forced labor, visit Human Trafficking. For more information about USAID, visit USAID.

Veteran's Preference: Veterans preference does not apply to positions within the SES. OPM FAQ

Selective Service: Male applicants born after 12/31/59 who are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act, must be registered or they are not eligible for appointment to this position.

EEO Policy Statement: The Federal Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factor.

Reasonable Accommodation: USAID provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate.

• Benefits
  
  Review our benefits

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above. A preliminary review of applications will be made to determine if minimum qualifications as defined in this announcement are met. Those meeting minimum qualifications will then be evaluated by a Rating and Ranking Panel to determine the "Highly Qualified" applicants, based on the degree to which the ECQs and TQs are met. The Rating and Ranking Panel will refer the "Highly Qualified" applicants for initial consideration and possible interview by the Hiring Office. As a prerequisite for an initial career appointment to the SES, the selectee's ECQs must be certified by OPM's Qualifications Review Board. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or eliminate you from consideration. Failure to submit a complete application package will cause your application to be rated "ineligible."

To preview the application click here https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12437269

• Benefits
  
  Review our benefits
• 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.
  
  1. Resume
  
  2. ECQ Narrative Statements
  
  3. TQ Narrative Statements
  
  4. Complete online Eligibility Questions
  
  5. If claiming Noncompetitive status, SF-50 showing SES Career Appointment or CDP Graduation Certificate from OPM
  
  
  If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
  
  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. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
  schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
  
  Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
• How to Apply
  
  PLEASE NOTE: ALL OF THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTS MUST BE SUBMITTED ONLINE BY 11:59 PM Eastern Time (ET) ON THE CLOSING DATE OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. USA Jobs Resume Builder resumes will not be accepted for this position. You must upload all of the required documents. To apply, click the "Apply Online" button in the announcement and follow the prompts to the Career Connector website. If you are unable to apply online, call the Agency Contact listed in this announcement before noon ET on the closing date.
  
  Along with a resume, provide narrative statements individually addressing each of the ECQs and TQs, not to exceed two pages for each ECQ and no more than two pages for each TQ. The narrative statements should demonstrate the necessary level of management skills, characteristics, qualities, specialized knowledge, and technical competence that would indicate successful performance in the SES. Keep in mind that each ECQ and TQ represents unique qualifications. Applications directing the reviewer to search within the application or to "See Resume" will be rated as incomplete. Additionally, applications that do not include narrative statements addressing each ECQ and TQ separately will be rated incomplete. ECQ and TQ narrative statements should be written in the Challenge, Context, Action, Results (CCAR) model format, as provided by OPM's Guide to SES Qualifications. ECQs and TQs should focus on relevant experience, education, and training accomplishments gained within the last 10 years. Each accomplishment should be clear, concise, and emphasize your level of responsibilities, the scope and complexity of programs managed, and results of your actions. For specific information and guidance on the ECQ requirements, the CCAR model, and examples of good qualifications statements, refer to OPM's Guide to SES Qualifications at SES Qualifications.
  
  Additional information on ECQs is available at OPM ECQs
  
  Agency contact information
  
  USAID HR Help Desk
  
  Phone
  
  202-712-1234 X2
  
  Email
  
  hr-helpdesk@usaid.gov
  
  Address
  
  United States Agency for International Development
  
  1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW
  
  Washington, DC 20523
  
  US
  
  Next steps
  
  After a review of your application materials, your applicant status will be updated online at www.usajobs.gov. If you are moved forward to the next stage of the applicant process, you may be contacted by the hiring office.
• Fair and Transparent
  
  The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
  
  
  • Criminal history inquiries
  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
  • Financial suitability
  • New employee probationary period
  • Privacy Act
  • Reasonable accommodation policy
  • Selective Service
  • Signature and false statements
  • Social security number request

Required Documents

1. Resume

2. ECQ Narrative Statements

3. TQ Narrative Statements

4. Complete online Eligibility Questions

5. If claiming Noncompetitive status, SF-50 showing SES Career Appointment or CDP Graduation Certificate from OPM


If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

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. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

PLEASE NOTE: ALL OF THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTS MUST BE SUBMITTED ONLINE BY 11:59 PM Eastern Time (ET) ON THE CLOSING DATE OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. USA Jobs Resume Builder resumes will not be accepted for this position. You must upload all of the required documents. To apply, click the "Apply Online" button in the announcement and follow the prompts to the Career Connector website. If you are unable to apply online, call the Agency Contact listed in this announcement before noon ET on the closing date.

Along with a resume, provide narrative statements individually addressing each of the ECQs and TQs, not to exceed two pages for each ECQ and no more than two pages for each TQ. The narrative statements should demonstrate the necessary level of management skills, characteristics, qualities, specialized knowledge, and technical competence that would indicate successful performance in the SES. Keep in mind that each ECQ and TQ represents unique qualifications. Applications directing the reviewer to search within the application or to "See Resume" will be rated as incomplete. Additionally, applications that do not include narrative statements addressing each ECQ and TQ separately will be rated incomplete. ECQ and TQ narrative statements should be written in the Challenge, Context, Action, Results (CCAR) model format, as provided by OPM's Guide to SES Qualifications. ECQs and TQs should focus on relevant experience, education, and training accomplishments gained within the last 10 years. Each accomplishment should be clear, concise, and emphasize your level of responsibilities, the scope and complexity of programs managed, and results of your actions. For specific information and guidance on the ECQ requirements, the CCAR model, and examples of good qualifications statements, refer to OPM's Guide to SES Qualifications at SES Qualifications.

Additional information on ECQs is available at OPM ECQs

Agency contact information

USAID HR Help Desk

Phone

202-712-1234 X2

Email

hr-helpdesk@usaid.gov

Address

United States Agency for International Development

1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW

Washington, DC 20523

US

Next steps

After a review of your application materials, your applicant status will be updated online at www.usajobs.gov. If you are moved forward to the next stage of the applicant process, you may be contacted by the hiring office.

Fair & Transparent

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

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