Executive Deputy Principal Legal Advisor

⁠​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌⁠The Executive Deputy Principal Legal Advisor is the senior career deputy to the Principal Legal Advisor for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The Office of the Principal Legal Advisor is the legal arm of ICE, providing mission-critical legal services, counsel, and training to support ICE initiatives and programs vital to protecting U.S. national security, public safety, and the integrity of the immigration system. You must possess a professional law degree (e.g., J.D., LL.B.) acquired through graduation from an accredited School of Law and be a member in good standing of the Bar of a state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States. You must submit documentation supporting that you meet this qualification when applying to this job opportunity announcement.

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for it to be credited towards qualifications; applicant's resumes and supporting documentation should only reflect education received from schools accredited by such institutions. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html.

If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency (a U.S. private organization's interpretation that such education has been deemed at least equivalent to conventional U.S. education programs) with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For more information regarding evaluation of foreign education for federal employment, please visit the U.S. Department of Education webpage.

The Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA) protects the homeland by diligently litigating cases while adhering to the highest standards of professional conduct, providing timely and accurate legal advice, and optimizing resources to advance the missions of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE. OPLA is part of the Office of the General Counsel within DHS. The General Counsel, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, serves as the Department's chief legal officer and principal legal advisor to the Secretary of Homeland Security. As such, the General Counsel is responsible for all of the Department's legal determinations and for overseeing all of its attorneys.

As the Executive Deputy Principal Legal Advisor (EDPLA), the incumbent serves as the senior career deputy to the Principal Legal Advisor (PLA) for ICE. The incumbent is primarily responsible for assisting the PLA in executing the OPLA mission, fulfilling the statutory obligations of representing the United States in immigration court proceedings, and providing a full range of legal counsel, advice, and services to ICE offices and programs. The work requires the ability to conceptualize, develop, and recommend legal options to ICE and DHS leadership, as well as the ability to explain and defend decisions based on those options to Congress, professional groups, other federal agencies, and high-ranking officials in the private sector.

Specific duties and responsibilities include:

• Serving as the senior advisor to the PLA on all matters affecting the program's operations.
• Identifying and resolving broad technical and managerial problems.
• Ensuring the proper interpretation of, and adherence to, program policies and procedures, and establishing new policies and procedures as required.
• Solving complex problems that resist solutions at subordinate levels and that have broad policy implications or involve large commitments of funds or personnel.
• Providing legal advice to the General Counsel, the ICE Director, and other ICE senior leaders, and overseeing the preparation of legal memoranda and briefing materials in complex and novel matters.
• Overseeing the provision of legal advice and assistance to ICE officers and agents on matters involving violations of criminal and customs laws.
• Working closely with the Department of Justice on the prosecution of criminal cases brought by ICE agents and officers, and the defense of civil cases involving ICE before the U.S. District Courts, the U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals, and the Supreme Court of the United States.
• Overseeing the provision of legal advice and assistance to ICE managers on administrative, fiscal, procurement, information disclosure, and labor and employment laws.
• Overseeing litigation by OPLA attorneys before tribunals such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Merit Systems Protection Board, the Federal Labor Relations Authority, and the Boards of Contract Appeals.
• Providing guidance and support in connection with matters that may include highly controversial or sensitive issues, or previously undecided questions where adverse decisions would negatively affect ICE operations.
• Overseeing the implementation of OPLA's strategic plan. Planning, directing, managing, supervising, and coordinating program objectives, and establishing priorities and policies for the effective accomplishment of OPLA's mission. Initiating and recommending the adoption of new policies and procedures designed to improve operations.
• Evaluating and improving administrative methods and procedures, and effectively using human resources, funds, and materials to accomplish the program's work. Developing budget estimates and ensuring that resources are appropriately utilized. Promoting the development of alternative solutions to problems impacting the program's operations.
• Overseeing and managing the execution of the program's human capital efforts relating to personnel selections, promotions, performance management, discipline, and all other personnel functions to ensure actions are taken in accordance with merit systems principles and all other applicable federal laws, rules, regulations, and DHS/ICE guidelines and procedures.
• Personally complying with, and ensuring the compliance of subordinates with, integrity standards and applicable laws, regulations, and instructions governing employee standards of conduct.

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.

To meet the minimum qualifications requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and Technical Qualifications (TQs) 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 ECQs or TQs.

TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs): Your resume should demonstrate accomplishments that would satisfy the TQs.

• TQ 1: Candidate must have experience that demonstrates (1) an expert knowledge of immigration law and procedures; (2) a strong litigation background, particularly with regard to immigration, national security, and criminal prosecution; (3) service-minded leadership; (4) a demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with operational elements in implementing, coordinating, and prosecuting enforcement initiatives; (5) a demonstrated ability to structure and lead major projects and initiatives, and to coordinate teams effectively; (6) a demonstrated ability to operate effectively during transition, and to master the changing structure and functions of a legal program, the agency, and the DHS; and (7) a demonstrated ability to work independently and decisively.
• TQ 2: Demonstrated management abilities involving both legal and logistical matters in an agency, law firm, or other organization. Candidates should have an ability to work with legal and policy professionals to evaluate and develop agency objectives, authorities and programs and have excellent legal writing skills that demonstrate clear and concise analysis.

EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): In addition to the TQs listed above, 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 and TQs, you may not receive further consideration for the position.

• 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 a U.S. Office of Personnel Management (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 or certification by OPM's SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB)) of your eligibility for noncompetitive appointment to the SES.