Program Coordinator

Summary

The United States Sentencing Commission is seeking a Staff Attorney to participate in the substantive policy development of the Commission and provide legal support for the Commission's training, research, data, legislative, and administrative functions.

Duties

The staff attorney participates in the substantive policy development of the Commission and provides legal support for the Commission's training, research, data, legislative, and administrative functions. Responsibilities include, but are not be limited to: (1) Analyzing federal case law, circuit conflicts, and crime and sentencing legislation; (2) Conducting in-depth legal research related to the application of the federal sentencing guidelines, administrative law, and federal agency practice; (3) Preparing correspondence, legal memoranda, and analytical reports; and, (4) Participating in staff working groups that focus on new legislation, guideline amendments, or other sentencing issues.

Qualifications

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS Preference will be given to applicants who have one or more of the following qualifications: Federal criminal trial or appellate experience. Experience as a federal judicial law clerk. Outstanding academic credentials and/or law review or moot court experience. BENEFITS The Commission participates in the following federal benefits: The Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program; the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP), the Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) program, federal retirement, the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), and the federal leave program. In addition, the Commission participates in the Judiciary's Flexible Spending Program for dependent care, health care, and commuter reimbursement, the government-wide Long Term Care Insurance Program, unemployment, and workers' compensation benefits. The Commission offers a monthly transit subsidy to employees who use mass transit to commute to and from work, subject to the availability of funds. The Commission offers alternative work schedules (AWS), which are fixed work schedules that enable full-time employees to complete the basic 80-hour biweekly work requirement in less than 10 workdays. The position is eligible for regular telework (not full-time) at home or at an approved telework site for employees who meet the requirements of an approved telework arrangement. The Commission also offers training opportunities to employees through LinkedIn Learning, and the Judiciary's Online University, which offers academic credit and professional credit programs through web-based learning. These training tools assist Commission employees with taking online courses in a flexible way, by offering training courses in the areas of: staff training and development; credit toward undergraduate degree programs; continuing education and non-credit certificate programs; executive education; contract training; credit credentials courses for continuing professional education and credit for individuals who hold credentials and achieve certifications associated with several globally-recognized sponsored organizations. The Commission is conveniently located next to Union Station on Capitol Hill, and is easily accessible by public transportation, including the Metro, and the MARC and VRE commuter trains. In addition to the federal benefits package, the Commission's location in the Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building offers various amenities such as a health unit, credit union, day care center, food services, and free on-site fitness center.

Education

Applicants must possess a law degree (JD) from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association.

How You Will Be Evaluated

The Commission evaluates applicants through a structured interview process. Applicants may also be screened for some jobs through a narrative/application review, and/or a preliminary remote interview. Applicants who do not address the mandatory and preferred qualification requirements in their application materials as stated in the "How to Apply" section of this vacancy announcement will be disqualified from consideration and must re-apply before the closing date to be considered for employment. A candidate may be considered even if they do not meet the preferred qualifications, so long as those qualifications are addressed in their application materials. The Office of Human Resources: Reviews the applicant's application to ensure the proper materials are submitted. Ensures that the application addresses all qualification requirements stated in the vacancy announcement (mandatory and preferred). Determines whether the applicant meets the qualification requirements for the position, and notifies the applicant of the status of their application. Application materials for those applicants who meet the mandatory qualification requirements will be forwarded to the screening panel for review.

Required Documents

Resume (limited to 2 pages) Cover Letter: To be considered for this position, applicants must submit a resume and cover letter or separate narrative statement that addresses each KSA factor listed below. Each factor should be addressed separately and include a description of the demonstrated experience that is directly related to the duties, responsibilities, and KSA factors for this position. Knowledge of federal sentencing and criminal law. Experience conducting in-depth legal research involving analysis of case law, statutes, and legislation. Excellent legal analysis, writing, and editing skills. Ability to express, orally and in writing, complex legal issues in clear and succinct language so that the concepts are understood by both lawyers and non-lawyers. Skill in planning, organizing, setting priorities, and completing multiple tasks of varying complexity. If available, college transcripts If available, a recent job performance evaluation

How to Apply

In order to be considered, all applicants must submit an electronic resume (limited to 2 pages) and cover letter that together address all of the mandatory and preferred qualification requirements listed in this announcement, and if available, provide a recent job performance evaluation. Applicants are responsible for citing mandatory qualifications such as J.D. degree, bar membership, and experience to include institution name, state(s) for bar, and date(s) on their respective resumes. Failure to supply details will constitute incomplete applications. All mandatory qualifications requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Applicants will also need to complete the online occupational questionnaire. All applications must be submitted at www.usajobs.gov.

What to Expect Next

Applicants who meet the mandatory qualification requirements will be considered and their application materials will be forwarded to the screening panel for review. Applicants who do not meet the mandatory qualification requirements for the position are automatically disqualified from consideration. In addition, some applicants may be tested using various assessment tools not listed on the vacancy announcement to verify an applicant's experience, knowledge, and training directly related to the job in order to identify the best qualified applicants for consideration and selection.

Additional Information

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT The selected applicant must relocate to the Washington DC Metropolitan area. This position is in the excepted service and does not carry the tenure rights of positions in the competitive Civil Service. All information is subject to verification. Applicants are advised that false answers or omissions of information on application materials or inability to meet the following conditions may be grounds for non-selection, withdrawal of an offer of employment, or dismissal after being employed. Selection for this position is contingent upon completion of OF-306, Declaration for Federal Employment during the pre-employment process and proof of U.S. citizenship or, for noncitizens, proof of authorization to work in the United States and proof of entitlement to receive compensation. Additional information on the employment of non-citizens can be found at: https://help.usajobs.gov/working-in-government/non-citizensFor a list of documents that may be used to provide proof of citizenship or authorization to work in the United States, please refer to http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-9.pdf. The Commission participates in E-Verify and will confirm your authorization to work in the United States. A background security investigation is required for all selectees. Appointment will be subject to a selectee's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements may be grounds for appropriate personnel action. A background security reinvestigation or supplemental investigation may be required at a later time. All new Commission employees must identify a financial institution for direct deposit of pay before appointment, mandated by the Federal Compensation Act. All new Commission employees, those converted from a temporary appointment to a permanent appointment, and all rehired former Commission employees are required to serve a one-year probationary period. The probationary period begins on the effective date of the employee's appointment, conversion, or rehire.

MANDATORY QUALIFICATIONS: A minimum of four years of related work experience or a Bachelor's degree Proficiency with computer systems, databases, and technology tools, including Microsoft Office Suite Excellent financial, organizational, administrative, and problem-solving skills Excellent interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills Demonstrated attention to detail High level of motivation, initiative, and reliability Ability to work both independently and collaboratively Ability to prioritize tasks and manage responsibilities across multiple programs and projects Demonstrated ethics and integrity, including the ability to handle confidential information, financial processes, and sensitive responsibilities with discretion and respect for a variety of viewpoints DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS: Experience coordinating conferences, seminars, or similar events at hotels or other event venues Experience setting up and operating distance-learning platforms, such as Teams, Zoom, Adobe Connect, Webex, or similar systems Experience working in a federal agency Familiarity with federal hotel contracting and travel policies, regulations, and processes The Center has openings in its Education Division for two Program Coordinators to serve the Executive Education (EE) and Judicial and Legal Education (JLE) teams, respectively. Under the direction of the designated assistant division director, program coordinators are responsible for the financial, administrative, technological, logistical, and support functions associated with various educational programs that take place in person, online, and in a hybrid format. Program coordinator positions require occasional overnight travel for periods of up to a week at a time, and advance notice is provided when travel is required. The Center does not pay relocation expenses; however, Center employees are reimbursed for all official business trips. WHO WE ARE: The Education Division's mission is to improve the administration of justice by providing learning experiences and resources for the federal judicial branch. We are a group of almost 50 experienced professionals who have worked at the FJC for an average of 10 years, ranging from less than one year to as many as 35 years' tenure. We are organized into six teams, four of which specialize in education for a particular subset of our judiciary audience, such as judges and court attorneys, court executives, supervisors and managers, or probation and pretrial services officers. The work of the fifth team spans all audiences and involves creating multimedia products (such as videos, webinars, podcasts, webcasts, e-learning, and microlearning) in support of our educational objectives. The sixth team provides division-wide administration and hotel logistics. Teams are generally led by assistant division directors. Within each team, some members are educators (i.e., education specialists/attorneys/producers) responsible for managing the educational aspects of our programming, including needs assessment, design, development, and evaluation. Some members work as program coordinators responsible for the administrative, financial, and logistical aspects that underpin all of our educational programs. Program coordinators work with a wide range of internal and external people to see that all programmatic details are handled effectively and efficiently. Within each team, educators and program coordinators partner to deliver specific programs or educational products, which range from podcasts, webinars, and online resources to in-person, multi-day skill-building seminars and conferences for up to 250 people. We are an agile division that matches deliberative decision making with a fast-paced operational tempo to serve busy, discerning, high-level customers. We prioritize these seven values: Respect-being patient with others' perspectives; honoring others' time, energy, and boundaries, while being aware of our own boundaries; and addressing issues, concerns, and disagreements constructively while practicing self-awareness and accountability. Trust-believing in others' reliability and integrity; assuming positive intent while working toward completing shared goals; and building on dependability, accountability, and effective communication. Teamwork (Collaboration)-supporting and assisting one another through mutual respect and collective effort toward a common goal. Excellence-consistently producing innovative, high-quality, educationally sound work; conducting ourselves with integrity and professionalism. Communication-applying emotional intelligence, patience, and awareness of cultural and generational differences; ensuring clear, consistent, timely, and respectful communication; and valuing feedback. Health and Wellness-nurturing self-care and the well-being of ourselves and our colleagues; respecting boundaries and fostering mutual support. Dependability-being consistently reliable, showing up in all manners, and providing proactive communication when we need support. We believe people come to the FJC and stay because the mission is vital to our nation, the work is challenging and meaningful, the clients are supportive, and the culture is positive. WHO YOU ARE: You are adept at managing logistics for educational events and resources, such as in-person seminars and conferences, online programs, videos, podcasts, and e-learning. You have demonstrated success managing multiple projects from start to finish simultaneously. You enjoy digging into the details, navigating complex processes, and orchestrating the behind-the-scenes work required to make programs go off without a hitch. You understand that the little things make a big difference in how participants experience a learning event, and you have operated-and perhaps even created-systems and processes for making sure that every element comes together properly. You are highly motivated, and you prioritize clear and frequent communication, close collaboration, timeliness, and service to the judiciary. You collaborate skillfully with multiple internal and external customers to coordinate details and support a program or project's success. You might have worked in a training academy or department within an organization, a college setting, an entity that hosts conferences and events, or a radio or television station. You use technology to manage and execute your work. You are careful and methodical, while also able to distinguish essential details from distractions and shift to a results-focused approach when appropriate. You're comfortable with numbers, detailed processes, and managing the production side of online learning. You demonstrate a strong customer-service orientation, consistently ensuring that participants, faculty, and colleagues receive the support they need in a positive and productive environment.