Deputy Director

Summary

The Civil Division (Division) of the U.S. Department of Justice (Department) is seeking an individual to serve as Deputy Director in its National Courts Section. Organizationally, the position is known as the Deputy Director, Court of Federal Claims. The Section is responsible for litigation filed in the Court of Federal Claims, the Court of International Trade, and the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

Duties

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The Deputy Director of the National Courts Section:

• As delegated by the Director, directs and primarily supervises the work of attorneys and other personnel who are assigned to trial court-level work in the Court of Federal Claims, and in the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in all appeals taken from the Court of Federal Claims, as well as his or her other organizational and functional areas, either directly or by providing guidance to Assistant Directors or Senior Trial Counsel.
• Assists in the assignment and distribution of this work among the attorneys, reviews and approves of pleadings, briefs, and other papers filed with this court and acts as the legal advisor and counsel to attorneys about approaches and strategies to be followed in preparing for or presenting a case or an appeal.
• Provides guidance and direction on all aspects of work performance and provides input to the Director for the preparation of performance appraisals and other personnel actions.
• Advises and consults with the staff on new program orientations or directives.
• Evaluates organizational structure and makes necessary changes based on new caseload requirements or policy directives.
• Oversees the Assistant Directors, who directly manage the complex assignment, handling, and defense of the voluminous expedited court challenges made to agencies' decisions in multi-million and multi-billion-dollar procurement contracts.
• Manages the Section's staffing of these matters and, where necessary, incorporates detailees from within the Commercial Litigation Branch and other Department components.
• Ensures proper training and support for Section attorneys and detailees, and consistency in the Government's positions taken in bid protest and other fast-paced litigation.
• Oversees coordination with the court, client agencies, and bid protester's counsel to ensure the most optimal and efficient resolution of these disputes is obtained that it is in the government's best interests.
• Personally leads cases and argues difficult and precedent-setting cases of unusual complexity.
• Analyzes and reviews proposed and pending legislation to determine whether it may affect the work of the Section, particularly with respect to whether the proposed legislation could create significant breach of contract claims, procurement challenges, civilian or military pay claims, or monetary constitutional claims against the United States.
• Assists the Director in responding to budgetary, operational, and other requests from the Assistant Attorney General.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

1. You must be a United States Citizen or National.
2. Veterans' preference is not applicable to the Senior Executive Service.
3. Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31st, 1959. Those not registered should have an approved exemption on file.
4. You will be required to complete a pre-employment security investigation and background check for the security level designated for this position.
5. You will be required to undergo a drug screening and obtain favorable results prior to being appointed.
6. You may be subject to a one-year probationary period effective from the date in which you are appointed.
7. This position requires you to submit a Public Financial Disclosure Report (OGE 278) upon entry, and annually thereafter in accordance with DOJ and Federal ethics guidelines.
8. You must meet all minimum qualifications to be deemed eligible. Only experience obtained by closing date of this announcement will be considered.

As a basic requirement for entry into the SES, applicants must provide evidence of progressively responsible leadership experience that is indicative of senior executive level management capability and directly related to the skills and abilities outlined under the Mandatory Technical Qualifications and Executive Core Qualifications.

Qualifications

The application process used to recruit for this position is RESUME-ONLY. Applicants must show clear evidence of their demonstrated leadership ability by addressing the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) embedded within their resume. The resume-based application should not exceed 2 pages (1-sheet double-sided or 2 sheets one-sided)

**Note: Applicants who have completed the SES Candidate Development Program (CDP) and have had their ECQs certified by OPM must provide a copy of their certificate as part of their application. Candidates must still satisfy the MTQs of the position.

We recommend that your resume emphasize your level of responsibilities, the scope and complexity of the programs managed, and your program accomplishments, including the results of your actions. You will be evaluated to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications required of the position and on the extent your application demonstrates that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of the Deputy Director of the National Courts Section. Please be sure to give concrete examples of your experience and demonstrate the complexity of the knowledge you possess.

ECQ1 - COMMITMENT TO THE RULE OF LAW AND THE PRINCIPLES OF THE AMERICAN FOUNDING. 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.

ECQ2 - DRIVING EFFICIENCY. Demonstrated ability to strategically and sufficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades.

ECQ3 - MERIT AND COMPETENCE. Demonstrated knowledge, ability and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality.

ECQ4 - LEADING PEOPLE. Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals; To drive a high-performance, high-accountability culture.

ECQ5 - ACHIEVING RESULTS. Demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to state goals from superiors.

For this position, the following Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) have been established and should be addressed within the resume application.

MTQ 1. Complex Litigation and Trial and Appellate Advocacy

MTQ2. Leadership and Management of a Complex Litigation Docket

MTQ3. Legal Strategy, Client and Stakeholder Coordination, and Dispute Resolution

Education

Applicants must possess a J.D. degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association, have at least 5 years of relevant post-J.D. experience, and be an active member of the bar in good standing a state, U.S. territory, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. IMPORTANT: Applicants are responsible for citing J.D. and bar membership information (institution name, state(s) for bar, and dates) on their respective resumes.

Additional information

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.

Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.