The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA) is seeking an energetic and dedicated attorney to serve as a Supervisory General Attorney (Deputy Chief) with the Labor and Employment Law Division (LELD) in Washington, D.C. General Schedule locality pay tables may be found under Salaries & Wages.

Duties

ICE OPLA LELD is seeking an attorney for a Supervisory General Attorney (Deputy Chief) position in Washington, D.C. to handle issues relating to federal personnel and labor law. LELD's mission is to serve the agency by fostering best practices in compliance with federal personnel law and to effectively represent the agency in litigation. LELD provides advice and guidance to ICE supervisors and managers on a variety of topics relating to personnel management. This includes employee relations issues, such as conduct and performance; and labor relations issues, such as negotiating with the bargaining units, responding to grievances, and litigating national level arbitrations and unfair labor practice complaints. LELD also assists ICE managers with taking adverse actions; provides advice throughout all stages of an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) complaint, including mediation; and serves as points of contact in matters involving the Office of Special Counsel (OSC). LELD also represents ICE before the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) and the EEO Commission (EEOC). It works with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to defend Title VII, Equal Pay Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, and Rehabilitation Act claims in federal courts; compensation claims pending before the U.S. Court of Federal Claims; and petitions for review of MSPB decisions pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. The duties of the LELD Deputy Chief include: (1) supervising attorneys at ICE Headquarters and assisting the Division Chief in the general management of the division; (2) providing legal advice, guidance and training on substantive labor and employment law topics and policy; (3) reviewing attorney written work product; (4) representing OPLA in meetings with the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Office of the General Counsel and other DHS components; and (5) strategic planning. LELD primarily provides legal advice to program offices within ICE headquarters. They also work with other components within the DHS, the DOJ, and the OSC. LELD's work contributes to significant policy decisions integral to ICE's mission. Assignments within LELD are fast-paced and involve high-profile work. LELD attorneys advise, counsel, and train clients on legal authorities, best practices, and agency policies on a wide array of issues. The selected attorney will immediately be given significant responsibilities and will be expected to craft legally supportable policies to address the needs of agency operational components. The attorney will be expected to routinely provide timely legal opinions to ICE officers, agents, and leadership within OPLA, ICE, and the DHS's Office of the General Counsel Headquarters. The selected attorney will be required to assess litigation risk and provide litigation support to the DOJ. OPLA is the largest legal program in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), employing over 1,000 attorneys nationwide. In addition to Headquarters in Washington, D.C., there are 25 OPLA field locations in more than 60 cities throughout the United States. Pursuant to statute, OPLA serves as the exclusive representative of DHS in removal proceedings before the Executive Office for Immigration Review litigating cases involving criminal noncitizens, terrorists, human rights abusers, and other priority noncitizens. OPLA also provides a full range of legal services to all ICE programs and offices. OPLA provides legal advice and prudential counsel to ICE personnel on their law enforcement authorities, legal liability under the Federal Tort Claims Act and Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents of Fed. Bureau of Narcotics, 403 U.S. 388 (1971), the Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act, ethics, and a range of administrative law issues, such as contract, fiscal and employment law. OPLA represents the agency before the Merit Systems Protection Board, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the Contract Board of Appeals. OPLA attorneys support the Department of Justice in the prosecution of ICE cases and in the defense of civil cases against the ICE. OPLA fosters an environment in which all voices are heard and values the unique perspectives and opinions that inhere among a talented, diverse, and inclusive workforce. Comprising a far more diverse workforce than its private sector counterparts, OPLA is proud to strive to further diversify the experiences, perspectives, and characteristics of its workforce and is committed to celebrating our differences and embracing practices that foster a fair, safe, and inclusive workplace by promoting equitable access to opportunities.

Requirements

• You must successfully pass a background investigation and drug test for federal employment.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31, 1959. Those not registered should have an approved exemption on file.
• You must have relevant experience (see How You Will Be Evaluated and Qualifications tabs).
• You must meet all requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
• You may be required to serve a two-year trial period if the requirement has not been met.
• Current OPLA attorneys must have completed two years of service with OPLA by the announcement closeout to be considered for this position.
• You must be an active member in good standing of the bar of a U.S. state, a territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia.
• You will be required to serve a one-year supervisory probationary period if the requirement has not been met.

Qualifications

Applicants should be able to efficiently produce quality legal analyses of complex and novel issues, exercise sound legal judgment, prioritize competing assignments, and work effectively independently, as part of a team, and across work units. Applicants should be detail-oriented and have a strong interest in supporting and providing stellar client services to diverse program offices, including law enforcement officers, policymakers, attorneys, and agency senior leadership, and must be able to tailor communications to a particular audience. Applicants should be able to take initiative and work in a reliable, decisive, and professional manner. Applicants must possess the following characteristics and competencies: leadership integrity, organizational skills, communication skills, reliability, perseverance, decisiveness, initiative, professionalism, discretion, the ability to function independently and as part of a team, interpersonal relationship skills including managing conflict and fostering productive relationships with internal and external partners, outstanding written and oral advocacy skills, and a superior knowledge of labor and employment law. Prior supervisory experience is preferred but is not required. Bar Membership: You must be an active member in good standing of the bar of a U.S. state, a territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia. Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Qualification claims will be subject to verification. Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last five years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office. The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 C.F.R. § 213.3102(u), and Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 C.F.R. § 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps, VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

Education

Applicants must be a graduate of an American Bar Association accredited law school with a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree. Please see Required Documents for more information.

A student loan repayment incentive may be available; if such an incentive is available and is authorized, a service agreement will be required.

Contacts

• Address OPLA GENERAL AND ADMIN LAW 500 12th Street SW Washington, DC 20536 US
• Name: MSD OPLA Staffing and Benefits
• Email: [email protected]