U.S. Access Board Seeks Deputy General Counsel

 

Job Title: Supervisory Attorney Advisor (Deputy General Counsel)
Agency: United States Access Board
Job Announcement Number: 19-AB-03

OPENING & CLOSING DATES: July 22, 2019 to August 5, 2019
SALARY RANGE: $137,849 - $166,500 per year
SERIES & GRADE: GS-0905-15
POSITION INFORMATION: Full Time - Permanent
PROMOTION POTENTIAL: 15
SUPERVISORY STATUS: Yes

SUMMARY:

The United States Access Board (Access Board) is an independent Federal agency devoted to advancing accessibility and inclusion for all. The Board promotes accessibility through development of accessibility standards and guidelines, education, enforcement, and outreach. It operates with about 30 staff and a governing Board of representatives from Federal departments and public members appointed by the President. Please visit http://www.access-board.gov to learn more about the Access Board.

The Deputy General Counsel serves as a supervisory attorney within the Office of General Counsel (OGC) and reports to the General Counsel. Within the agency, OGC has three primary roles: (1) providing legal support on mission-related matters (e.g., promulgation of accessibility guidelines and standards, technical assistance); (2) affording legal advice and counsel on matters arising from agency operations (e.g., ethics, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), equal employment opportunity); and (3) overseeing enforcement of the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA).

RESPONSIBILITIES/DUTIES:

• Serving as an integral member of the Access Board’s legal team, the Deputy General Counsel is expected to:

• Provide expert legal advice on, and help guide the development of, regulatory and guidance documents issued under the Access Board’s statutory authorities, including those related to: the built environment, transportation vehicles, medical diagnostic equipment, information and communication technology, and telecommunications equipment;

• Provide legal counsel to the Access Board, Executive Director, General Counsel, or other staff on the full range of matters relating to agency operations, including: ethics, Freedom of Information Act, Privacy Act, Paperwork Reduction Act, Federal Advisory Committee Act, human resources management, equal employment opportunity, and contracts;

• Proactively ensure that agency operations, internal policies and procedures, and non-substantive agency regulations (e.g., FOIA, Section 504/508), are legally sound, effective, and consistent with current federal requirements;

• Manage the Access Board’s compliance and enforcement program under the ABA;

• Supervise OGC line staff (which currently includes two Attorney Advisors, two Compliance Specialists, and a Program Analyst);

• Perform special projects at the direction of the Board, Executive Director, or General Counsel; and

• Serve as Acting General Counsel in the absence of the General Counsel.

TRAVEL REQUIRED

Occasional Travel within the United States may be required.

WHO MAY APPLY

Applications will be accepted from all U.S. citizens.

REQUIREMENTS

Conditions of Employment:

• U.S. Citizenship

• Law degree from an ABA-accredited law school

• Active membership in good standing of the bar of any State or other U.S. jurisdiction

• Suitability for federal employment as determined by background investigation.

• Submission of financial disclosure statement (OGE Form 450) within 30 days of appointment and annually thereafter.

• Selective Service registration, if applicable.

• For first-time supervisors/managers, successful completion of a one-year probationary period may be required.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Basic Requirements:

Applicants must hold a law degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association and be an active member of the bar in good standing (any U.S. jurisdiction).

Specialized Experience:

Applicants must have at least five years of specialized experience as a practicing attorney, one year of which must be equivalent to the GS-14 level in the Federal Service.

Specialized experience is defined as experience that is in or directly related to the line of work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.

Specialized experience for this position includes:

• Experience applying, implementing, enforcing, or litigating matters arising under federal disability-rights laws, including the Architectural Barriers Act, Rehabilitation Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, and Telecommunications Act of 1996 (Section 255);

• Experience with federal regulatory processes, including: drafting rulemaking-related documents (e.g., notices, rules, preambles, and cost-benefit analyses), reviewing regulatory materials for legal sufficiency under the Administrative Procedure Act and other federal authorities; coordinating agency positions or comments during inter-agency or Office of Management and Budget review;

• Provision of legal counsel on novel or complex legal matters involving federal statutes or regulations, especially those relating to accessibility issues for persons with disabilities;

• Litigation experience, particularly representation of federal agencies before federal courts or in administrative fora;

• Supervision and mentoring of subordinate legal staff or service as team lead.

In addition, applicants must possess superior oral and written communication skills, sound professional judgment, and a demonstrated ability to work cooperatively on project-focused teams in a highly demanding environment. Given the nature of the work at the Access Board, applicants must also have a thorough knowledge of statutory and other legal requirements governing federal regulatory processes (e.g., Administrative Procedure Act, Executive Order 12866, OMB Circular A-4, Regulatory Flexibility Act, and Paperwork Reduction Act).

You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Professional experience may have been gained in either the public or private sectors or through volunteer service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate on your resume the dates of employment (by month and year) and provide the number of hours worked per week.

HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:

Once the announcement closes, your application package will be reviewed to ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications for this position. If you meet the minimum qualifications, your application will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. You will be notified if selected for an interview.

Since this is an Excepted Service position, a non-rated method of evaluation will be used. You will be evaluated based on the quality, breadth, and depth of your qualifications for this position as evidenced by your education, job-related experience, academic record, training, and accomplishments, as well as the extent to which your application demonstrates that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with this position.

BENEFITS:

The Access Board offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part: paid vacation; sick leave; holidays; telework; life insurance; health benefits; and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. This link provides an overview of the benefits currently offered to Federal employees.

OTHER INFORMATION:

• The Access Board fosters a diverse and inclusive workplace and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

• Persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please contact the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

• This is a public trust position that requires successful completion of a background investigation.

• Payment of relocation expenses is not authorized.

• Additional selections may be made through this vacancy announcement.

HOW TO APPLY:

You are strongly encouraged to apply online. To apply online, you must submit a complete application package (preferably as a single PDF file) so that it is received via electronic mail by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of the announcement.

Online applications must be emailed to: vacancies@access-board.gov. Please reference vacancy announcement number 19-AB-03 in the subject line of your email.
If you cannot submit an application online, you may mail a hard copy of your complete application package. Applications submitted by mail must be post-marked by the closing date of this announcement. Please reference vacancy announcement number 19-AB-03. Applications should be mailed to: U.S. Access Board, Attn: Sherrice Macklin, 1331 F Street, NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC, 20004-1111.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

• A complete application package includes:

• Cover letter (highlighting interest and relevant background, not to exceed 2 pages)

• Resume

• Legal writing sample (not to exceed 15 pages)

• Recent SF-50 Notification of Personnel Action that identifies current agency, position, and grade level (current federal employees only)

• Performance appraisal issued within the past 12 months, or if none exists, a statement to that effect (if applicable)

If you are selected for this position, you will also be required to provide the following documentation before entering on duty: (1) law school transcript (official or unofficial); and 
(2) proof of bar membership (any U.S. jurisdiction).

If an applicant does not submit a complete application package, the Access Board will evaluate the applicant solely on the information available, which may result in the applicant not receiving full consideration or not being considered eligible. Application materials will not be returned.

AGENCY CONTACT INFO:

SHERRICE MACKLIN
Phone: (202) 272-0004
Email: MACKLIN@ACCESS-BOARD.GOV 
Agency Information:
ARCHIT TRANSP BARRIER COMPL BOARD (US ACCESS BOARD)
1331 F STREET NW STE 1000
WASHINGTON, DC 20004

WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT:

You will receive an acknowledgment of receipt when your application is received. The Access Board will review all applications to see if they meet the requirements for this position. You will be notified if selected for an interview.