Senior Officer-Deputy Chief Litigation Counsel

Summary

The Division of Enforcement is seeking applicants for temporary promotions for the Senior Officer-Deputy Chief Litigation Counsel. These positions may be located in Atlanta, GA, Boston, MA, Chicago, IL, Denver, CO, Fort Worth, TX, Los Angeles, CA, Miami, FL, New York, NY, Philadelphia, PA, San Francisco, CA, or Washington, DC. These positions are open to current SEC Employees within the Division of Enforcement.

Duties

The Division of Enforcement investigates possible violations of securities laws, recommends Commission action when appropriate, either in federal court or before an administrative law judge, and negotiates settlements. The successful candidate will work with the Senior Officers in Division's Trial Unit and will be responsible for managing designated Supervisory Trial Counsel and the trial attorneys under their supervision in the home office and regional offices. Duties: Working closely with the Chief Litigation Counsel and Principal Deputy Chief Litigation Counsel in Supervising and directing the Division of Enforcement's litigation program. Overseeing the supervision of cases in litigation or under review for possible litigation, which are directly supervised by designated Supervisory Trial Counsel in Headquarters and specified regional offices of the Commission. Ensuring consistency in the Division's approach to legal and policy issues in both settled and litigated matters. Establishing and monitoring standards of quality control for the preparation of legal papers and documents used in administrative and court proceedings. Working closely with the Division Director, Deputy Directors, Chief Litigation Counsel, Principal Deputy Chief Litigation Counsel and other senior personnel on matters in investigation that may or may not result in actual litigation. Providing formal and informal guidance and advice to Enforcement staff on policy and legal issues. Helping develop Division guidance and policy in response to legal and policy developments, in consultation with Division leadership and other Commission stakeholders. Providing advice to the Commission on legal strategy and legal developments. Supervising and managing a staff comprised of Supervisory Trial Attorneys and Trial Attorneys to ensure that resources are being utilized in the most effective manner. Counseling employees on administrative and technical matters. Assigning work based on program priorities and subordinates' capability. Evaluating employee performance, resolving employee complaints, and effecting disciplinary measures as required. Recommending promotions and reassignments. Providing guidance and advice to attorneys and other staff within the Division of Enforcement and other divisions and offices with regard to litigation-related issues.

Qualifications

Applicants are responsible for confirming all required materials are submitted by the closing date of the announcement. Please check the How You Will Be Evaluated and Required Documents sections carefully, as missing documents will render the application incomplete and ineligible for review. Qualifying experience may be obtained in the private or public sector. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Qualifying education must have been obtained from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. BASIC REQUIREMENT: All applicants must possess the following J.D. or LL.B. degree --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. MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: In addition to meeting the basic requirement, applicants must also meet the minimum qualification requirement. SO-01: Applicants must have four year(s) of post J.D. work experience identifying legal issues, providing legal analyses, recommendations, and preparing complex legal documents, which also includes at least three years of specialized experience Interpreting Federal securities laws; and Conducting investigations or litigations and enforcement activities under the Federal securities Acts relating to the anti-fraud, anti-manipulative, and other provisions of the Acts. ACCOMPLISHMENT RECORD COMPETENCIES: Your Accomplishment Record narratives should address the following competencies. See the How You Will Be Evaluated section below for more information: Leading the Organization: Building and supporting the organization's vision, creating strategies to achieve the vision, supporting and leading innovative and creative initiatives to meet organizational goals. Leading and Developing People: Ability to recruit, lead, develop and manage the workforce, constructively manages differences and potential conflicts between employees, building teams that meet and exceed SEC's mission, strategic plan, and goals. Results Orientation: Ability to meet organizational goals by effectively managing program area, identifying and solving important problems, making sound and timely decisions, and effectively managing and sharing information. Building Coalitions: Ability to build coalitions by partnering with others to build strategic relationships, influencing and negotiating with those in sphere of influence to achieve favorable outcomes for SEC. General Legal Guidance: Apply and explain the provisions of the laws, rules, and regulations that govern the securities industry. Civil Pre-Trial Litigation: Implements trial strategies and represents the Commission in court or administrative proceedings. Creativity and Innovation: Ability to imagine or conceive of something new and original, and balances the creative idea against the status quo, to recommend which creative ideas to fully develop into new or cutting-edge programs/ processes.

Education

You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. If you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, you must submit a copy of your unofficial transcripts or equivalent by the closing date of the announcement. Qualifying education must have been obtained from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Internal Applicants: OHR will verify education qualifications for internal applicants using documents in the Electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF). If required transcripts or certificates are not present in your eOPF, you will be required to provide them to OHR. If selected, a start date will not be established until official transcripts are received. FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs. For more information, click here. Applicants may also find the following helpful: National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) is an association of 19 credential evaluation services with admission standards and an enforced code of good practice. Association of International Credentials Evaluators (AICE) is an association of 10 credential evaluation services with a board of advisors and an enforced code of ethics.

How You Will Be Evaluated

Your resume and application package will first be reviewed to determine whether you meet the minimum qualification requirements outlined in the announcement. If you are found minimally qualified, the Office of Human Resources will contact you to request an Accomplishment Record. You will have 3 business days from the date of the request to submit it. Failure to submit the Accomplishment Record on time will remove you from further consideration. Because of the short turnaround time, you are strongly encouraged to begin preparing your Accomplishment Record in advance. Once your Accomplishment Record is received, a rating panel will review both your resume and your narrative responses. Your Accomplishment Record must clearly demonstrate your proficiency in the competencies listed in the Qualifications section. Click here for guidance on writing your Accomplishment Record. Your resume must provide evidence that supports the claims in your Accomplishment Record. Each narrative must describe one specific, relevant example from your experience or training. Responses are limited to 300 words per competency; any text beyond this limit will not be reviewed. You must upload one document containing your narrative responses for all seven competencies. Failure to address each competency annotated on the announcement or failure to provide the correct document will result in loss of further consideration. Please note: A Performance Appraisal does not satisfy the requirement for an Accomplishment Record. Required Accomplishment Record Format: Applicant First Name and Last Name Competency Title Position title and dates from your resume that this experience was obtained Describe the situation (i.e., the challenged faced, the problem solved) Describe the specific actions you took State the outcome, results, or long-term impact of your accomplishment Name and email address of someone who can verify this information Reference checks may be conducted as part of the final selection process, and you will be notified before any contacts are made. Basis for Rating: The rating panel will evaluate applicants' accomplishment records and resume, then place them into one of the following categories: Highly Qualified - Meets the minimum qualification requirements and has extensive skills and experience in most of the job related competencies. Well Qualified - Meets the minimum qualification requirements and has a moderate amount of skills and experience in most of the job related competencies. Qualified - Meets the minimum qualification requirements, but may have a limited amount of experience in several of the job related competencies. Top ranked applicants will be referred to the hiring office for further review and consideration. The hiring office may directly contact recommended candidates for interview(s). To preview the Questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12992007

Required Documents

You must provide a complete Application Package, which includes: Required: Your responses to the Questionnaire. Required: Resume - Resumes should include relevant work experience, with specific employment dates, that demonstrates qualifications for the specialized experience and competencies as outlined above. If your resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of these qualifications, you may not receive consideration for the position. Resumes that exceed two pages will be deemed ineligible and receive no further consideration. For resume writing tips, visit USAJOBS and the SEC careers page. SEC EMPLOYEES: OHR will verify your competitive service eligibility via the SEC's personnel database.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. No additional documentation will be accepted after the closing date of the announcement. 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 resume 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 (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/.

What to Expect Next

You will be notified of your application status through USAJOBS at four points during the hiring process, as applicable. You can check the status of your application by accessing the USAJOBS website at http://usajobs.gov/ and clicking on "Track Your Online Application." By submitting your application, you are certifying the accuracy of the information contained in your application. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired, you may be terminated after you begin work, or you may be fined or jailed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. You will be required to submit official documentation before appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., degree, Veterans' Preference, certification of disability, etc.).

Additional Information

Supplementary vacancies may be filled in addition to the number stated in this announcement and may be filled from any division or office within the agency. SEC COMPENSATION PROGRAM: The overall salary range listed above is provided for informational purposes. The pay for current SEC employees will be determined according to the procedures specified in the agency's policy. IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR SURPLUS OR DISPLACED FEDERAL EMPLOYEES: Career Transition Assistance P...

Applicants are responsible for confirming all required materials are submitted by the closing date of the announcement. Please check the How You Will Be Evaluated and Required Documents sections carefully, as missing documents will render the application incomplete and ineligible for review. Qualifying experience may be obtained in the private or public sector. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Qualifying education must have been obtained from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. BASIC REQUIREMENT: All applicants must possess the following J.D. or LL.B. degree --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. MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: In addition to meeting the basic requirement, applicants must also meet the minimum qualification requirement. SO-01: Applicants must have four year(s) of post J.D. work experience identifying legal issues, providing legal analyses, recommendations, and preparing complex legal documents, which also includes at least three years of specialized experience Interpreting Federal securities laws; and Conducting investigations or litigations and enforcement activities under the Federal securities Acts relating to the anti-fraud, anti-manipulative, and other provisions of the Acts. ACCOMPLISHMENT RECORD COMPETENCIES: Your Accomplishment Record narratives should address the following competencies. See the How You Will Be Evaluated section below for more information: Leading the Organization: Building and supporting the organization's vision, creating strategies to achieve the vision, supporting and leading innovative and creative initiatives to meet organizational goals. Leading and Developing People: Ability to recruit, lead, develop and manage the workforce, constructively manages differences and potential conflicts between employees, building teams that meet and exceed SEC's mission, strategic plan, and goals. Results Orientation: Ability to meet organizational goals by effectively managing program area, identifying and solving important problems, making sound and timely decisions, and effectively managing and sharing information. Building Coalitions: Ability to build coalitions by partnering with others to build strategic relationships, influencing and negotiating with those in sphere of influence to achieve favorable outcomes for SEC. General Legal Guidance: Apply and explain the provisions of the laws, rules, and regulations that govern the securities industry. Civil Pre-Trial Litigation: Implements trial strategies and represents the Commission in court or administrative proceedings. Creativity and Innovation: Ability to imagine or conceive of something new and original, and balances the creative idea against the status quo, to recommend which creative ideas to fully develop into new or cutting-edge programs/ processes.