Associate General Counsel

Lead. Innovate. Influence. As an Associate General Counsel in OPM's Office of the General Counsel, you'll steer a Division within OGC that advises OPM leadership on mission critical matters-from internal operations to governmentwide programs serving 8 million+ Federal employees, retirees, and families. Openings: General Law; Policy and Rulemaking; Litigation, Employment and Labor Relations.

As outlined in the Qualifications section, applicants must have earned a professional law degree (Juris Doctor) from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association.

A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page.

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 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. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. For further information, visit: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov) As an Associate General Counsel, you will be part of the senior leadership team in the Office of the General Counsel (OGC) and serve as an advisor to senior agency leaders on high-risk, high-visibility matters. You will lead one of OGC's three Divisions, supporting OGC strategic planning, resource allocation, and organizational accountability and effectiveness. You will drive high-impact legal strategy, oversee significant matters on behalf of OGC, and lead multidisciplinary legal teams delivering timely, high-quality counsel on issues spanning OPM's internal operations and its governmentwide programs affecting more than 8 million Federal employees, retirees, and family members. The role demands exceptional judgment, agility, integrity, and strategic problem-solving, as well as the ability to collaborate with Federal partners and other stakeholders.

As an Associate General Counsel, you will lead one of the following three Divisions and drive execution of its mission:

Policy and Rulemaking Division - Advises on OPM's governmentwide functions and authorities, including workforce policy and oversight, healthcare and insurance programs, and retirement systems. Supports all agency rulemaking and ensures it is legally sufficient, clear, and aligned with Administration priorities. Partners with the Department of Justice (DOJ) on litigation involving matters within the Division's portfolio, including litigation involving major workforce policy initiatives.

General Law Division - Advises on OPM's internal operations and agency-level administrative functions, including contracts and procurement, appropriations, information law, and information technology and artificial intelligence; oversees the agency's ethics program. Adjudicates administrative claims and appeals including tort claims, FOIA appeals, and Privacy Act appeals. Supports the agency in matters involving oversight entities including the Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), and Congress. Represents the agency in administrative litigation before the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals and GAO. Supports DOJ in litigation involving the General Law portfolio.

Litigation, Employment and Labor Relations Division - Represents OPM and client agencies before the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and Federal Labor Relations Authority. Advises the Director in the exercise of OPM's special statutory authority over intervention, reconsideration, and appellate review of MSPB decisions. Supports DOJ in Federal litigation involving the Division portfolio. Advises the Chief Human Capital Officer and program offices on labor and employee relations matters.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.

APPLICANTS MUST MEET ALL OF THE FOLLOWING MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR THE POSITION.

Applicants must have earned a professional law degree (Juris Doctor) from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association AND must be an active member of the Bar Association of a State, U.S. Territory, or the District of Columbia.

To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) related to this position within your resume - NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES. Resumes over the 2-page limit, will not be reviewed beyond page 2 or may be disqualified. Your resume should include examples of experience, education, and accomplishments applicable to the qualification(s). If your resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of these qualifications, you may not receive consideration for the position.

There is NO requirement to prepare a narrative statement specifically addressing the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs)

EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): All new entrants into the Senior Executive Service (SES) under a career appointment will be assessed for executive competency against the following five mandatory ECQs. If your 2-page resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of the ECQs, you may not receive further consideration for the position.

There are five ECQs:

• ECQ 1: Commitment to the Rule of Law and the Principles of the American Founding - This core qualification requires a demonstrated knowledge of the American system of government, commitment to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law, and commitment to serve the American people.
• ECQ 2: Driving Efficiency - This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to strategically and efficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades.
• ECQ 3: Merit and Competence - This core qualification involves the demonstrated knowledge, ability and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality.
• ECQ 4: Leading People - This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals, and to drive a high-performance, high-accountability culture. This includes, when necessary, the ability to lead people through change and to hold individuals accountable.
• ECQ 5: Achieving Results - This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors.

Note: If you are a member of the SES or have been certified through successful participation in an OPM approved SES Candidate Development Program (SESCDP), or have SES reinstatement eligibility, you do not need to respond to the ECQs. Instead, you should attach proof (e.g., SF-50, Certification by OPM's SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB)) of your eligibility for noncompetitive appointment to the SES. For more information regarding the ECQs, refer to Hiring and Talent Development for the Senior Executive Service.