The Ethics Law and Program (ELP's) primary mission, to prevent conflicts of interest for Commerce personnel, is achieved through rigorous training, financial disclosure reviews, and advice and counsel activities. ELP supports Departmental risk mitigation and provides support related to guidance on the Hatch Act. Common guidance areas include financial and personal conflicts of interest, outside activities, gifts, and post-employment restrictions.

Duties

The Assistant General Counsel (AGC) for Ethics Law and Program (ELP) is accountable to the Secretary and the Designated Agency Ethics Official for the administration of Commerce's government ethics program, encompassing all Department bureaus and offices. Specific responsibilities include: Exercises executive leadership in particular complex legal issues in one of the major operating units. Is responsible for analysis of the legal issue in question, the development of the strategy to deal with legal issues, and the content and means of delivering the completed analysis of the legal issue. The position contemplates dealing with the top management of the Department as well as the top management and attorneys representing both individual and corporate clients outside the government. Provides leadership at the Departmental level in the yearly development of the ethics training program required of every high-level official in the Department whose activities have a substantial effect on members of the public. Is ultimately responsible for the content of the programs to ensure that all issues of significance are covered, and all written materials provided are well-written and accurate. Is responsible for the design and implementation of major administrative programs in the collection and review of all financial disclosure reports by all Presidential appointees and all other senior managers and employees in policy management positions. In administering the program, represents the office in coordination and communications with other offices of the Department, the White House, outside regulatory agencies, and representatives of the United States Congress. Conducts and supervises extensive legal research and prepares legal memoranda concerning complex and difficult legal questions involving the interpretation and laws related to administration of the Department, where there are implications of ethical conduct, including accurate analysis of risks associated with alternative courses of action available to the Department's senior policy and program officials. Represents the office when coordination and communication are necessary and useful with representatives from other Departments on issues of significance government-wide. Participates in interagency groups and task forces. In order to carry out this function, official must have in- depth knowledge of the Department's operations, the mission and the policies of the various operating units, and the sensitivities and current policies of the Department's leaders.

Requirements

Qualifications

All candidates for SES positions with the Federal Government must demonstrate leadership experience indicative of senior executive level management capability. To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, your resume should demonstrate that you possess the five Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs), and the Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQ's), listed below. It is recommended that your resume emphasize levels of responsibility, scope and complexity of programs managed, and program accomplishments and results. Typically, experience of this nature will have been gained at or above the equivalent of the GS-15 grade level in the Federal service or its equivalent with state and local government, the private sector, or non-governmental organizations. Failure to meet all executive and technical qualification factors will automatically exclude you from further consideration. Executive Core Qualifications: The following are the five ECQs and their competencies. The ECQs were developed to assess executive experience and potential, not to evaluate technical experience. ECQs measure whether an individual has the broad experience needed to succeed in a variety of SES positions. ECQ 1 - LEADING CHANGE: This core qualification involves the ability to bring about strategic change, both within and outside the organization, to meet organizational goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to establish an organizational vision and to implement it in a continuously changing environment. (Competencies: creativity and innovation, external awareness, flexibility, resilience, strategic thinking, vision). ECQ 2 - LEADING PEOPLE: This core qualification involves the ability to lead people toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to provide an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others, facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports constructive resolution of conflicts.(Competencies: conflict management, leveraging diversity, developing others, team building). ECQ 3 - RESULTS DRIVEN: This core qualification involves the ability to meet organizational goals and customer expectations. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to make decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks. (Competencies: accountability, customer service, decisiveness, entrepreneurship, problem solving, technical credibility). ECQ 4 - BUSINESS ACUMEN: This core qualification involves the ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically.(Competencies: financial management, human capital management, technology management). ECQ 5 - BUILDING COALITIONS: This core qualification involves the ability to build coalitions internally and with other Federal agencies, State and local governments, nonprofit and private sector organizations, foreign governments, or international organizations to achieve common goals. (Competencies: partnering, political savvy, influencing/negotiating). For detailed guidance on ECQs, applicants are strongly encouraged to review the Office of Personnel Management's Guide to Executive Qualifications at http://www.opm.gov/ses/recruitment/ecq.asp Example of ECQ statements are available at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/reference-materials/guidetosesquals_2012.pdf Professional/Technical Qualifications: Experience that demonstrates the ability to make legally sound interpretations and decisions with respect to statutes and regulations in the areas of ethics in government and financial disclosure. Experience that demonstrates the ability to supervise and manage a significant legal staff. Experience that demonstrates the ability to run a Department-wide ethics law training program and large financial disclosure program. IF SELECTED, you will be required to complete an ECQ package by drafting narratives for each of the ECQs and be certified by an OPM Qualifications Review Board (QRB) in order to be placed in this position. If you are currently serving in a career SES appointment, are eligible for reinstatement into the SES, or have successfully completed an SES Candidate Development Program and your ECQs were certified by an OPM QRB, you WILL NOT need to draft the ECQs.

Education

Incumbent must have a law degree and an active bar membership in good standing in the bar of a U.S. State, the District of Columbia, or U.S. Territory.

Contacts

• Address Office of General Counsel 1401 Constitution Ave NW Washington, DC 20230 US
• Name: Shannon Thompson
• Phone: 202-482-3988
• Email: [email protected]