Senior Counsel-Investment Management

Summary

The Division of Investment Management is seeking Attorney-Advisers (Senior Counsel-Investment Management). As a Senior Counsel, you will provide legal analysis and guidance on matters affecting investment companies and investment advisers, review complex filings and regulatory submissions, and support policy development and rulemaking initiatives. We are looking to fill roles in the Rulemaking Office, Chief Counsel's Office (Legal and Liaison), and Disclosure Review Office.

Duties

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For clarity, duties are grouped by office. Applicants may indicate interest in any combination of the offices-RMO, CCO-Legal, CCO-Liaison, or DRO-during the application process.

Rulemaking Office (RMO)

• Analyzing policy and regulatory issues under the federal securities laws as they relate to investment advisers and investment companies; preparing rulemaking recommendations under the Investment Advisers Act and Investment Company Act; and drafting substantive legal documents-including releases, memoranda, Federal Register notices, and other materials-to explain proposed and final rulemaking initiatives.
• Researching, analyzing, and developing rule text to implement regulatory initiatives, and consulting and coordinating with staff across the Division, the Commission, and public and industry representatives on regulatory policy.

Chief Counsel's Office-Legal (CCO-Legal)

• Providing formal and informal legal guidance on the Investment Company Act, the Investment Advisers Act, and related securities laws-including reviewing and evaluating no-action and interpretive requests-and reviewing and analyzing applications for exemptive relief under these statutes.
• Contributing to rulemaking, guidance, legislative, and policy initiatives related to investment companies, investment advisers, business development companies, and private funds.

Chief Counsel's Office-Liaison (CCO-Liaison)

• Providing legal and interpretive guidance on examinations, investigations, and proposed enforcement actions involving investment advisers, investment companies, and private funds.
• Reviewing enforcement-related materials, including recommendation memoranda and adviser registration filings, and preparing substantive legal comments supporting Enforcement and Examinations matters.

Disclosure Review Office (DRO)

• Reviewing, analyzing, and providing comments on investment company, business development company, and insurance company filings-including registration statements, merger materials, proxy filings, tender offers, and other submissions-to ensure compliance with applicable disclosure and regulatory requirements.
• Providing formal and informal guidance on disclosure-related issues arising under the Investment Company Act, Investment Advisers Act, and other applicable laws.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• CITIZENSHIP: You must be a US citizen.
• SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/).
• SECURITY CLEARANCE: Entrance on duty is contingent upon completion of a pre-employment security investigation. Favorable results on a Background Investigation may be a condition of employment or selection to another position.
• DRUG TESTING: This position may be subjected to drug testing requirements.
• PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION (PCS): Moving/Relocation expenses are not authorized.
• DIRECT DEPOSIT: All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
• TRIAL PERIOD: Consistent with 5 U.S.C. a7 7511, you will be required to serve a two-year trial period (one year for preference eligible veterans) if the position to which you have applied is not the same or similar to your current position of record.
• You must possess a J.D. or LL.B Degree and you must be an active member of the bar in good standing.
• The selectee is required to report to the duty station(s) listed.

Qualifications

Applicants are responsible for confirming all required materials are submitted by the closing date of the announcement. Please check the HowYou Will Be Evaluated and Required Documents sections carefully, as missing documents will render the application incomplete and ineligible for review.

Qualifying experience may be obtained in the private or public sector. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

BASIC REQUIREMENT: All applicants must possess the following:

• J.D. or LL.B. degree AND
• Active membership of the bar in good standing in any state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the commonwealth of Puerto Rico. (Note: proof of bar membership will be required before entry on duty.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: In addition to meeting the basic requirement, applicants must also meet the minimum qualification requirement.

SK-14: Applicant must have at least 3 years of post J.D. work experience independently identifying legal issues, providing legal analyses, providing legal solutions/recommendations, and preparing legal documents such as contracts memoranda, briefs, and disclosure documents, 2 years of which includes:

1. Providing advice on issues and policies related to Federal securities laws, statutes, rules and regulations; AND
2. Conducting in-depth reviews and analyses of matters to ensure the legal adequacy, sufficiency, and soundness of recommended or taken actions; AND
3. Identifying legal risks, evaluating alternative approaches, and developing well-supported recommendations that inform decision-makers; AND
4. Coordinating with stakeholders to resolve legal questions and ensure consistent application of Federal securities law requirements

ACCOMPLISHMENT RECORD COMPETENCIES: Your Accomplishment Record narratives should address the following competencies. See the How You Will Be Evaluated section below for more information:

Competency 1: Legal and Regulatory Analysis - Conducts analysis and prepares documents relating to compliance with Federal securities laws.

Competency 2: Teamwork and Collaboration - Interacts with internal and external stakeholders to support organizational goals and objectives.

Competency 3: Workload Management - Effectively prioritizes workload in a way that accommodates unforeseen developments and achieves successful outcomes.

Competency 4: Critical Thinking - Considers a variety of factors, general and subject matter-specific, when making decisions and determining next steps.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. All applicants are required to submit a complete application package by the specified cutoff dates. Incomplete submissions by the bi-weekly cutoff will not move forward in the hiring process. Certificates will be issued on a bi-weekly basis until the announcement's closing date.

Education

You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. If you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, you must submit a copy of your unofficial transcripts or equivalent by the closing date of the announcement. Qualifying education must have been obtained from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Internal Applicants: OHR will verify education qualifications for internal applicants using documents in the Electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF). If required transcripts or certificates are not present in your eOPF, you will be required to provide them to OHR. If selected, a start date will not be established until official transcripts are received.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs. For more information, click here.

Applicants may also find the following helpful:

National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) is an association of 19 credential evaluation services with admission standards and an enforced code of good practice.

Association of International Credentials Evaluators (AICE) is an association of 10 credential evaluation services with a board of advisors and an enforced code of ethics.

Additional information

Supplementary vacancies may be filled in addition to the number stated in this announcement and may be filled from any division or office within the agency.

SEC COMPENSATION PROGRAM: Total salary (base pay + locality) is dependent upon duty location. The overall salary range listed above is provided for informational purposes; a selectee's initial pay will be established below the maximum rate of the range. The pay for current SEC employees will be determined according to the procedures specified in the agency's policy. Please click here for a compensation overview.

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.