Summary

This position is located in Section One of the Financial Requirements Branch of the Market Participants Division (MPD). MPD oversees the registration and compliance of futures and swap market intermediaries, and futures industry self-regulatory organizations (including registered derivatives exchanges and the National Futures Association).

This job is open to

• Federal employees - Excepted service
  
  Current excepted service federal employees.
• Internal to an agency
  
  Current federal employees of this agency.

Clarification from the agency

Open to CFTC employees only.

Duties

The Supervisory Attorney-Advisor of Section One will work with team members to address capital, segregation of customer funds, financial reporting and general customer protection issues raised by members of the derivatives industry, including futures commission merchants, swap dealers, self-regulatory organizations, and others. Such issues often involve a detailed analysis of the regulatory and legal framework regarding the segregation and investment of customer funds by futures commission merchants and derivatives clearing organizations, as well as the regulatory requirements for futures commission merchants holding funds with non-U.S. depositories.

The Supervisory Attorney-Advisor of Section One also will supervise team members with respect to the administration and interpretation of the Commission's capital requirements for futures commission merchants, introducing brokers, swap dealers and major swap participants. The Supervisory Attorney-Advisor will assess futures commission merchants' compliance with Commission capital and financial reporting requirements as well as the capital and financial reporting requirements imposed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for dually-registered futures commission merchants and securities brokers or dealers. With respect to swap dealers, the Supervisory Attorney-Advisor will supervise team members in assessing compliance with applicable capital, margin, and financial reporting requirements. Swap dealer capital requirements are based upon bank holding company requirements established by the Federal Reserve Board and the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, or security-based swap dealer capital rules adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

The Supervisory Attorney-Advisor will also supervise Section One's role in providing assistance to other sections of the Division. In this regard, Section One assists the Division's Examinations Branch with its review of self-regulatory organization examination programs. Section One's assistance includes an assessment of whether the examination programs are consistent with applicable audit requirements established by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. Section One also provides assistance with the review of commodity pool annual reports for compliance with generally accepted auditing standards and international financial reporting standards. The Supervisory Attorney-Advisor will also supervise Section One's role in reviewing proposed Commission orders designating contract market or registering derivatives clearing organizations for issues relevant to futures commission merchants and customer funds.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship
• Favorable Background/Security Investigation
• Males born after 12-31-1959 must be registered for Selective Service
• You may be subject to a one-year supervisory trial period, if applicable.
• You must be an active member of the bar in good standing.
• Open to CFTC employees only.

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.

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.

Qualifications

BASIC REQUIREMENT: All applicants must possess the following:

• J.D.; or LL.M. and
• Active membership of the bar in good standing in any state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the commonwealth of Puerto Rico. (Note: proof of bar membership will be required before entry on duty)

AND

CT-15 Level: To qualify for the CT-15 level you must have at least 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS/CT-14 level). Specialized experience is defined that through which one has gained experience: clearly demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform the duties to deal with the most difficult cases characterized by extremely complex legal or factural issues which require a "high order" of original and creative legal endeavor.

Desired Qualifications include:

Extensive knowledge and work experience with the relevant provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act and Commission Regulations as they relate to customer protection, capital, segregation of customer funds, and financial reporting. The applicant should also have extensive knowledge and work experience with the broker-dealer capital, segregation, and financial reporting provisions of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

In addition, the applicant should have an understanding of the relevant capital rules of the U.S. banking regulators and the capital framework established by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision; an understanding of U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles as such principles relate to derivatives transactions and the accounting implications for swap dealers and futures commission merchants.

Education

Successful completion of a full course of study (J.D. or LL.M.) in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA).

To be creditable, education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. You must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions that are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criterion, see www.ed.gov.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

All employees are required to follow the Agency's telework policy. If selected, you will be required to report to your assigned duty station to complete all onboarding procedures.

Relocation: Relocation expenses will not be paid.

Trial Period: You may be subject to a one-year supervisory trial period, if applicable.

This is position is not located in the National Treasury Employee Union (NTEU) Chapter 337.

This vacancy may be used to fill additional positions.

The law prohibits public officials from appointing, promoting, or recommending their relatives. The law prohibits requesting, making, transmitting, accepting, or considering political recommendations for employment or other personnel actions for non-political positions. This includes recommendations from Members of Congress, Congressional employees, elected state or local officials, and political party officials and any recommendation based on party affiliation.

Veterans' Preference: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission 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 (it is also recommended that information is included in their cover letter or resume) and they 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. Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/sf15.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service-connected disabilities or receipt of non-service-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that his or her retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that he/she was transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more).

• 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.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

This job is being filled under a Schedule A hiring authority 5 C.F.R. § 213.3102 and is excepted from the competitive civil service. You will be evaluated and deemed either eligible or ineligible based on the relevance and quality of your experience and education, bar membership, and desired qualifications described above. These positions are not covered by the usual civil service hiring procedures. There is no numerical rating system through which to apply veterans' preference; however, CFTC considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference are encouraged to include that information in their cover letter or resume, and to attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD Form-214 or other substantiating documents) to their submissions. All eligible applicants will be further evaluated by subject-matter experts.

Your resume will be referred to the selecting official for the initial review of qualifications. This does not mean you are considered qualified for the position. A qualification analysis will be conducted by the HR Specialist to ensure the selectee meets all requirements, including education and minimum qualifications listed on the vacancy announcement. Additional information may be requested later in the recruitment process.

You may preview questions for this vacancy.

• 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.
• 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.
  
  
  • Resume showing all relevant and related experience (cover letter optional). If selected, your resume will be used to determine your initial pay setting decision;
  • Bar membership details (Note: proof of bar membership will be required before entry on duty);
  • Writing sample demonstrating analysis of complex legal issues (optional)
  
  
  EDUCATION DOCUMENTATION:
  
  You are not required to submit transcripts for this initial phase of the application process. Candidates will be referred for consideration based on their self-certification. If you are selected for this position which has a positive education requirement (as described in the vacancy announcement), you will be required to submit official transcripts verifying your qualifications prior to a job offer being issued.
  
  
  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
  
  YOU MUST APPLY ONLINE: Your complete application, including required documents, must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (EST) on the closing date of this announcement. You must complete and submit an application by accessing the USAJOBS website at USAJOBS.GOV. To begin, click the Apply Online button within the vacancy announcement and follow the prompts to create an account using LOGIN.GOV, if you have not done so already. LOGIN.GOV will walk you through each step of the account set-up and will automatically link your USAJOBS profile to LOGIN.GOV. Once you have established an account using LOGIN.GOV, you will then go back to USAJOBS.GOV using your LOGIN.GOV username and password to answer the questions and submit all required documents. If you already have established an LOGIN.GOV account or want to return to your saved application, go to USAJOBS.GOV using your LOGIN.GOV username and password to apply or view your profile. If you have problems completing your on-line application, including problems submitting your supporting documents, please contact the Help Desk by e-mail at mgshelp@monster.com or phone at 1-866.656.6831. The help desk is available Monday-Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. EST.
  
  To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
  
  Agency contact information
  
  Jenna Giles
  
  Phone
  
  202-418-5625
  
  Email
  
  jgiles@cftc.gov
  
  Address
  
  Commodity Futures Trading Commission
  
  CFTC
  
  Three Lafayette Centre
  
  1155 21 Street, NW
  
  Washington, District of Columbia 200581
  
  United States
  
  Next steps
  
  For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
  
  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.
• 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

• Resume showing all relevant and related experience (cover letter optional). If selected, your resume will be used to determine your initial pay setting decision;
• Bar membership details (Note: proof of bar membership will be required before entry on duty);
• Writing sample demonstrating analysis of complex legal issues (optional)

EDUCATION DOCUMENTATION:

You are not required to submit transcripts for this initial phase of the application process. Candidates will be referred for consideration based on their self-certification. If you are selected for this position which has a positive education requirement (as described in the vacancy announcement), you will be required to submit official transcripts verifying your qualifications prior to a job offer being issued.


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

YOU MUST APPLY ONLINE: Your complete application, including required documents, must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (EST) on the closing date of this announcement. You must complete and submit an application by accessing the USAJOBS website at USAJOBS.GOV. To begin, click the Apply Online button within the vacancy announcement and follow the prompts to create an account using LOGIN.GOV, if you have not done so already. LOGIN.GOV will walk you through each step of the account set-up and will automatically link your USAJOBS profile to LOGIN.GOV. Once you have established an account using LOGIN.GOV, you will then go back to USAJOBS.GOV using your LOGIN.GOV username and password to answer the questions and submit all required documents. If you already have established an LOGIN.GOV account or want to return to your saved application, go to USAJOBS.GOV using your LOGIN.GOV username and password to apply or view your profile. If you have problems completing your on-line application, including problems submitting your supporting documents, please contact the Help Desk by e-mail at mgshelp@monster.com or phone at 1-866.656.6831. The help desk is available Monday-Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. EST.

To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

Agency contact information

Jenna Giles

Phone

202-418-5625

Email

jgiles@cftc.gov

Address

Commodity Futures Trading Commission

CFTC

Three Lafayette Centre

1155 21 Street, NW

Washington, District of Columbia 200581

United States

Next steps

For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

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.

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