Section Chief Appellate Section

Summary

The Department of Justice's National Fraud Enforcement Division investigates and prosecutes fraud against the American people. The Division uses advanced data-driven investigative techniques, partners with federal, tribal, state, territorial, and local agencies, coordinates with programs administering taxpayer funds, develops efficient fraud detection systems, and equips prosecutors and law enforcement with the tools needed to bring offenders to justice.

Duties

This position is located at the Department of Justice Headquarters in Washington D.C. The Section Chief, Appellate Section, serves as the senior executive responsible for the National Fraud Enforcement Division's appellate litigation program, which comprises nationwide appellate litigation on behalf of the Division. And the incumbent collaborates extensively with other Department components, United States Attorneys' Offices, federal law enforcement agencies, Executive Branch agencies, Inspectors General, and other state, local, Tribal, territorial, and international law enforcement partners. Primary responsibilities include but are not limited to: Leading the National Fraud Enforcement Division's appellate litigation program by establishing national priorities, directing strategic appellate advocacy, and ensuring alignment with Department-wide enforcement objectives. Directing complex appellate litigation strategies before federal courts of appeals and providing executive oversight for cases involving significant fraud, corruption, financial crime, and other high-impact enforcement matters. Advising Department leadership, the Solicitor General, and senior Justice officials on appellate matters involving significant legal, constitutional, policy, and enforcement implications. Overseeing the development of precedent-setting appellate litigation, including recommendations for appeals, rehearing petitions, en banc review, and Supreme Court review. Coordinating with the Office of the Solicitor General, United States Attorneys' Offices, Department components, and federal partners to develop and execute unified appellate strategies. Developing nationwide legal strategies that preserve convictions, protect enforcement authorities, and strengthen the government's ability to combat sophisticated financial crimes. Representing the Department in strategic partnerships with federal law enforcement agencies, Inspectors General, regulatory organizations, and domestic and international enforcement partners on appellate developments affecting fraud enforcement. Analyzing emerging legal issues and appellate trends affecting federal fraud enforcement authorities and developing policy guidance to address evolving challenges. Managing the Section's workforce, resources, litigation quality assurance initiatives, professional development programs, and operational performance to ensure excellence in nationwide appellate advocacy.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment: You must be a United States Citizen or National. Veterans' preference is not applicable to the Senior Executive Service. Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31st, 1959. Those not registered should have an approved exemption on file. You will be required to complete a pre-employment security investigation and background check for the security level designated for this position. You will be required to undergo a drug screening and obtain favorable results prior to being appointed. You may be subject to a one-year probationary period effective from the date in which you are appointed. 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. 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 and evaluation

Only experience obtained by the 11:59pm EST on the closing date (08/14/2026) of this announcement will be considered. Once this announcement closes the following will occur: A review of your resume, clear evidence of the 5 ECQs and MTQs, and supporting documentation will be conducted by the HR Specialist. Applicants deemed minimally qualified will be referred to an Executive Resources Board (ERB) to further evaluate applications. The ERB will further evaluate applications to determine the best qualified applicants for referral to the hiring official. Best qualified applicants will be referred to the hiring official and may be invited to participate in a structured interview. Interviews may be in a virtual setting or in person at DOJ offices. The selectee will receive a tentative offer from the agency; however, before an agency can appoint a new Senior Executive Service member, the selected individual will be subject to further evaluation through a Structured Interview by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualifications Review Board (QRB) as required by law. OPM must review the executive qualifications of each new career appointee to the Senior Executive Service (SES) prior to appointment. NOTE: You MUST address all MTQs as required above, but do not need to address the ECQs if you: Are currently serving under a career SES appointment; Are eligible for reinstatement into the SES; or Have successfully completed a SES Candidate Development Program and been certified by Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Proof of Qualifications Review Board (QRB) certification must be provided in your application.

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.

How to apply

To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Failure to submit a complete application (resume and all supporting documents) by 11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) on 08/14/2026 may result in an ineligible rating and loss of consideration. Please follow all instructions carefully as missing application information will not be requested. It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. If more than one resume is received, only the last resume submitted will be reviewed. Note: To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login select Application Status, and click on the more information link under the application status for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete. Do not email or send hard copy resumes/applications to the Contact Information or Agency Information listed in this vacancy announcement. All resumes/applications received at the addresses listed in the Contact Information or Agency Information will be destroyed and will not be considered for this vacancy announcement.

Required documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes: - Proof of Active Bar Membership - Complete Resume that addresses the MTQs and ECQs. Your resume must not exceed (2) pages. - Recent SF-50 that shows Official Title, Salary, Grade Level, Status and (for current or former federal employees) - Recent Performance Appraisal (for current or former federal employees) - Provide certification of OPM QRB approval (for graduates of SES Candidate Development Programs) - Other supporting documentation as required.

Additional information

EEO Policy Statement: The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factor. The complete DOJ EEO Statement/Policy is found at: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/page/file/1394116/download. Reasonable Accommodation Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. The U.S. Department of Justice fosters an inclusive and diverse workforce, find our EEO statement online at: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/reasonable-accommodation#policy. Legal and Regulatory Guidance Social Security Number - Your Social Security Number may be requested under the authority of Executive Order 9397 to uniquely identify your records from those of other applicants who may have the same name. As allowed by law or Presidential directive, your Social Security Number is used to seek information about you from employers, schools, banks, and others who may know you. Privacy Act - Privacy Act Notice (PL 93-579): The information requested here is used to determine qualifications for employment and is authorized under Title 5 U.S.C. 3302 and 3361. Signature - Before you are hired, you will be required to sign and certify the accuracy of the information in your application. False Statements - If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be fired after you begin work; or you may be subject to fine, imprisonment, or other disciplinary action. Selective Service - If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law.