Principal Deputy Chief Counsel

⁠​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌⁠This position is located in the Office of the Chief Counsel for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), in Camp Springs, MD.

As Principal Deputy Chief Counsel you will serve as the alter ego for the USCIS Chief Counsel responsible for assisting with the direction, control, & performance of a nationwide legal program & is responsible for planning, coordinating & ensuring consistent implementation of legal approaches that address the nationwide strategic & operational objectives. To meet the minimum requirements for this position, you must possess a Juris Doctor (J.D.) or Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree from a full course of study in a School of Law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and be an active and licensed member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory of the US, the District of Columbia or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. You must provide proof of receipt of law degree and proof of active bar membership as outlined in the "Required Documents" section of this vacancy announcement. USCIS is an agency within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). We lawfully administer immigration and naturalization adjudication functions and establish immigration services policies and priorities. The operations of the USCIS OCC Headquarters and Field legal teams, manages USCIS OCC's budget, and serves as the agency's primary legal point person on substantive legal immigration issues involving all USCIS operational clients. The incumbent will be responsible for managing day-to-day operations in the USCIS legal program.

Major Duties

Legal advice will involve complex, novel or precedent-setting issues. Additional duties to be assigned may include providing legal advice and support to the other government agencies and DHS components and providing litigation support to the Department of Justice in matters in the federal courts.

Assist the USCIS Director, USCIS Chief Counsel, USCIS components, and the DHS General Counsel in managing a full range of legal advice and services for all program offices in USCIS.

Direct research and analysis on a wide variety of court decisions, legislation, regulations and policies and provide legal counsel in the development, negotiation, and execution of legal agreements or contracts in support of the USCIS mission.

Participate on various panels and committees, ensure that USCIS issues are considered in appropriate departmental planning and policy development.

Coordinate with the Deputy Chief Counsel for Headquarters and Deputy Chief Counsel for Field Management, and subdivisions in OCC to drive and guide comprehensive legal services support to USCIS.

Participate with the USCIS Director, the USCIS Chief Counsel, and the General Counsel in making recommendations on overall office programs.

Represent USCIS with senior management, other Federal agencies, business representatives and others on legal issues involving USCIS.

Responsible for coordinating adjudications-related legal advice and litigation for all USCIS OCC personnel nationwide. The incumbent will also oversee both USCIS OCC headquarters and field divisions to ensure consistency in support of USCIS's mission.

Manage day-to-day USCIS OCC operations and oversee the USCIS OCC budget.

Provide legal advice and guidance to the USCIS Director, USCIS Chief Counsel, and components on policy and operational issues involving naturalization, derivative citizenship, nonimmigrant, immigrant and special immigrant categories, legalization, visa petitions, adjustment of status, employment authorization, international adoptions, asylum, refugee, and other international protection issues.

Provide legal advice and guidance to the USCIS Director, USCIS Chief Counsel, and components on policy and operational issues involving procurement, employee and labor relations, FOIA and Privacy Act, fiscal law, Federal Torts Claims Act, and Bivens cases, as well as the legal development and review of legislation and regulations relating to all areas of USCIS Operations.

Provide legal advice and guidance to the USCIS Director, the USCIS Chief Counsel, and components on policy and operational issues involving training, knowledge management, ethics advice, conflicts of interest, gifts from outside sources, gifts between employees, questions of maintaining impartiality in the workplace, seeking private sector employment while still employed in the Government, misuse of official position, teaching, speaking, and writing, postemployment restrictions, and professional responsibility issues relating to the federal practice of law.

As a member of the agency's executive team, you will implement the President's Management Agenda within your specific area of responsibility. For an overview of the various responsibilities USCIS carries out within the Government, visit our website at http://www.uscis.gov. 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 qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) and Technical Qualifications (TQ) 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.For a sample resume, see Appendix 2 of OPM's Guide to Senior Executive Service Qualifications and the Qualifications Review Board.

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.

There is NO requirement to prepare a narrative statement specifically addressing the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) or the Technical Qualifications (TQs). The ECQs and TQs should be evident in the 2-page resume.

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

• TQ 1: Expert-level knowledge of U.S. immigration laws, regulations, and policies, as well as a proven ability to advise agency leadership on litigation risk mitigation, complex policy considerations, and compliance with immigration-related statutes, regulations, and policies.

EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): In addition to the Technical Qualification Requirements 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 effectively demonstrate evidence of the ECQs and TQs, 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.