Summary You are responsible for the completeness and accuracy of your application package. We encourage you to read the entire announcement before starting the application process. Qualifications and requirements must be met by the announcement closing date. This recruitment is subject to restrictions of the DoD referral system for displaced employees. Responsibilities Serves as the Supervisory Attorney Advisor (General) in a Defense Legal Services Agency (DLSA), and the duty station is in the Office of General Counsel, Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA). The General Counsel of the Department of Defense, who is appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the Chief Legal Officer of the Department of Defense and performs such functions as the Secretary of Defense may prescribe. As such, he or she is the principal legal advisor to the Secretary of Defense and has final authority and responsibility for legal policy and determinations and the delivery of legal services within the Department of Defense and its components. The General Counsel is also dual-hatted as the Director, DLSA, which provides a full range of legal services to the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Defense Agencies, and the Department of Defense Field Activities. The General Counsel, DeCA, and his/her staff, are under the authority, direction, and control of the General Counsel of the Department of Defense, the Principal Deputy General Counsel, and the Deputy General Counsel for Personnel and Health Policy. . Position responsibilities include: The incumbent serves as a principal legal advisor on assigned issues to Agency officials on problems arising from law suits, and other legal proceedings requiring representation. Serves as principal legal counselor for top administrative personnel in the Agency in civilian personnel, labor, equal employment opportunity and litigation matters. Maintains direct, continuing liaison with the DoD General Counsel and the General Counsels of other defense agencies on common legal issues. Renders advice and solves legal problems arising at the award stage of procurement actions and during modifications of contracts; advises top administrative personnel in the Agency on fiscal law matters. Serves as the principal legal representative on and advisor to, the various Agency Contract Review Boards.. Acts as the principal attorney in charge of Agency representation in dealing with Department of Justice personnel on labor law and the preparation and presentation of cases before administrative bodies. Reviews and approves requests for annual leave, establishing vacation schedules, as needed. Keeps abreast of developments, policy issuances, and other guidance relative to DeCA's EEO/ Affirmative Action programs. Fully supports the policies of DeCA and the Office of the General Counsel This position is in the Excepted Service The Defense Commissary Agency is an Equal Employment Opportunity Agency. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications Qualification requirements for Attorney positions can be found in DoD Instruction 1442.02, "Personnel Actions Involving Civilian Attorneys." The minimum qualification requirements must be met before applicants are eligible for further consideration. Applicant must have successfully completed a full course of study in a school of law and have the first professional law degree (LLB or JD) from that institution. Bar Membership: An applicant must currently be an active member of the bar of the highest court of a State, U.S. commonwealth, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia. Applicant must have professional legal experience in excess of 3 years that is commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position. Basis for Rating: Applicants will be evaluated to determine if they meet the minimum qualification requirements and on the extent to which their application shows possession of the knowledge, skills and abilities associated with the position. SELECTIVE FACTORS: Selection will be based on the judgment of the selecting official as to which applicant is best qualified to perform the duties of the position. The breadth and depth of relevant experience and knowledge, and the quality of past performance, will be the primary considerations used for selection. Important selection factors are: demonstrated legal analytical ability, excellence in oral and written communication skills, strong client relations/customer support and interpersonal skills; substantial knowledge and experience pertaining to government contracting & fiscal law; significant litigation experience before boards and courts, including the Government Accountability Office, the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals, and Federal Court; and experience in FOIA, Privacy Act, and administrative & civil law. A selection panel may be used and oral interviews may be conducted with all, with some, or with none of the applicants, solely at the option of the selecting official. You must also meet the following requirements by the announcement closing date: Current and former federal employees in either the competitive or excepted service and current federal employees applying under VEOA eligibility are subject to time-in-grade. You must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade level to be eligible for promotion. See the Required Documents section to learn what documents are necessary to show you meet this requirement. The next lower grade level for this position is GS-14. Current civilian employees must have completed at least 90 days of federal civilian service since their latest nontemporary appointment from a competitive referral certificate, known as time after competitive appointment. For this requirement, a competitive appointment is one where you applied to and were appointed from an announcement open to "All US Citizens." Education To qualify for this position, applicants must have successfully completed a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and have the first professional law degree (LLB or JD) from that institution. You must provide transcripts to verify you meet this requirement. Failure to provide transcripts will result in you being rated ineligible for this position. We accept unofficial transcripts for the application process, as long as they contain your name, the name of the school, the date and degree awarded, and the list of classes and credits earned. Transcripts must be received by this office no later than 11:59 PM EST on the closing date in order to be considered. If selected an official transcript MUST be received before an Entrance of Duty date is set. Education used to qualify for this position must be from an accredited school or educational institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and a copy of your transcript is required as part of your application package. For the application process, unofficial transcripts are acceptable if they contain the applicant's name, the name of the school, the date and degree that was awarded, and the list of classes and credits earned. Failure to provide transcripts will result in you being rated ineligible for this position. If selected, you must provide an official transcript before we set your entrance on duty date. Foreign Education. If using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show a private organization specializing in interpreting foreign education programs has deemed the foreign education equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program or show that a U.S. accredited college or university has given full credit for the foreign courses. You may not use education to qualify. Additional Information Applicants with a Permanent Resident Card (aka Green Card) are authorized to live and work in the U.S. but are not eligible for employment in positions requiring U.S. citizenship. This position requires U.S. citizenship. The minimum age requirement is generally 18 years of age. Employing those under 18 may be possible under certain circumstances. If under 18 years of age, ensure you provide documentation showing how you are eligible. Subject to occasional overtime. Position is Exempt from Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Position is not covered by a bargaining unit. Position is not obligated. Financial Difficulty does not automatically remove you from consideration for a position. Position does not meet the DoD criteria for re-employing former Federal employees who retired under either the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). Deliberate attempts to falsify your application information, such as copying portions of this job announcement into your resume, may result in you being removed from consideration for this position. PCS Is Authorized: Most civilian PCS entitlements are now taxable. The Relocation Income Tax Allowance (RITA) reimburses eligible employees for additional Federal, State, and local income taxes incurred as a result of receiving taxable travel income. More information is available at Civilian Relocation/PCS Tax Changes. COVID19 - To ensure compliance with an applicable preliminary nationwide injunction, which may be supplemented, modified, or vacated, depending on the course of ongoing litigation, the Federal Government will take no action to implement or enforce the COVID-19 vaccination requirement pursuant to Executive Order 14043 on Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees. Therefore, to the extent a Federal job announcement includes the requirement that applicants must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 pursuant to E.O. 14043, that requirement does not currently apply. Federal agencies may request information regarding the vaccination status of selected applicants for the purposes of implementing other workplace safety protocols, such as protocols related to masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine. May be required to travel by military and commercial aircraft in performance of officially assigned duties. Incumbent will be required to file an Office of Government Ethics (OGE) Form 450, Confidential Statement of Affiliations and Financial Interest. The incumbent must be an active member of the bar of the highest court of a State, U.S. Commonwealth, U.S. Territory or the District of Columbia. Assigned duties and responsibilities require exceptional skill in oral and written communications, and indepth experience in federal contract, personnel, and labor law
