Chief Counsel (Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau)

Summary

Serves as Chief Legal Officer of the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) and Chief Executive Officer of TTB's Office of Chief Counsel within Treasury's Legal Division. Directs the Office of Chief Counsel and ensures legal matters arising from TTB's mission are handled professionally and consistently with the standards established by Treasury's Legal Division.

Duties

As the TTB Chief Counsel, you will: Serve as a principal legal advisor to the Administrator of TTB (hereafter Administrator) and the Administrator's executive staff. The incumbent routinely consults with and assists the Administrator with a view to furthering the policies and programs of the Department of the Treasury and those of TTB. Render legal advice and counsel to the Administrator and the Administrator's executive staff. The incumbent furnishes legal opinions and memoranda and assists the Administrator in the preparation and review of publications and correspondence relating to the laws enforced and administered by TTB. Prepare, review, or assist in the preparation of proposed legislation, regulations, and rulings relating to the laws enforced and administered by TTB, including advising on all matters relating to TTB's regulated entities in the alcohol, tobacco, and firearms industries. Advise senior leadership on the interpretation and enforcement of TTB regulations on the labeling and advertising of beer, wine, and distilled spirits to protect the public and prevent consumer deception. Manage and supervise all employees in TTB's Office of Chief Counsel. Oversee coordination with the Department of Justice on all litigation matters involving the laws administered by TTB, including making recommendations to the Department of Justice regarding initiating and defending claims and other strategic litigation matters and providing assistance to the Department of Justice as necessary in the conduct of both civil and criminal litigation in the courts involving TTB or the laws TTB enforces or administers. Determine which court decisions involving TTB or the laws TTB enforces or administers should be appealed or further reviewed and makes recommendations to the Department of Treasury's General Counsel and the Department of Justice. Perform the functions prescribed for the General Counsel by Title 26, United States Code, section 7122, relating to the compromise of tax liability. Serve as the Deputy Ethics Official (DEO) for TTB and therefore is responsible for the management of TTB's Ethics program. As the agency DEO, the incumbent is responsible for all ethics advice, training and administration of the confidential financial disclosure program. Serve as a member of TTB's Strategic Leadership Team and provide advice on matters pertaining to the long-term strategic planning, vision, and management of TTB. Establish and maintain the appropriate standards of practice and for the professional competence, recruitment, and evaluation of the work of the employees of the Chief Counsel's office.

Requirements

U.S. Citizenship is required. Must have graduated from an accredited law school. Must be an active member in good standing of the bar of a U.S. state, territory, or the District of Columbia. A one-year SES probationary period is required, if not previously completed. An initial SES career appointment becomes final only after the individual successfully completes a 1-year probationary period. Must successfully complete personnel security vetting (e.g., investigation, evaluation, and adjudication). Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency. Must have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer. If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so. Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form I-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S. File a Public Financial Disclosure Report within 30 days of appointment and annually from then on. Disclosure of Political Appointments. Veterans' preference is not applicable to the Senior Executive Service. All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. There are three key documents that contain important information about your rights and obligations. Please read and retain these documents: Noncriminal Justice Applicant's Privacy Rights, for those who undergo an FBI fingerprint-based criminal history record check for personnel vetting, which includes Rap Back, FD-258 Privacy Act Statement - FBI (this is the same statement used when your fingerprints are submitted as part of your background investigation), and SEAD-3-Reporting-U.pdf (dni.gov), (applicable to those who hold a sensitive position or have eligibility for access to classified information)"

Qualifications and evaluation

Following the close of this announcement, applications will be reviewed in accordance with the process outlined below: Initial Qualification Review: Applications will undergo an initial review by a Human Resources Specialist to determine applicant eligibility and verify that minimum qualification requirements for the position are met. Qualification Assessment: Applicants who meet eligibility and minimum qualification requirements will be evaluated by a rating and ranking panel to identify those candidates deemed best qualified. This assessment will be based on the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and Technical Qualifications (TQs) outlined in the Job Opportunity Announcement (JOA). As required, ECQs and any Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) must be fully addressed within the applicant's two-page resume. Separate narrative statements or supplemental documentation will not be accepted. Referral and Selection: Applicants determined to be among the best qualified will be referred to the selecting official for further consideration. Referral does not guarantee selection or an interview. Executive Review Board (ERB): Final selection recommendations are subject to approval by the Department of the Treasury's Executive Review Board prior to the extension of a tentative offer. Qualification Review Board (QRB): Individuals selected for initial career appointment to the Senior Executive Service must receive approval from the Office of Personnel Management's Qualification Review Board. QRB certification is not required for non-competitive candidates, including current or former career SES members and SES Candidate Development Program (CDP) graduates.

Education

Applicants must possess a Juris Doctor (J.D.) or Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) at the time the degree was obtained. In addition, applicants must be actively licensed and in good standing to practice law in a State, territory, or the District of Columbia. Proof of current bar membership may be required prior to appointment. Preferred Qualifications: In addition to meeting the minimum education and licensure requirements, highly qualified candidates may demonstrate substantial executive-level experience providing legal and policy guidance related to Federal alcohol and tobacco regulation, excise tax administration, regulatory enforcement, administrative law, or complex civil and criminal litigation involving highly regulated industries, as well as advanced academic preparation in tax law, administrative law, regulatory law, or a related field; however, such experience and education are not required conditions of eligibility or appointment.

How to apply

To apply for this position, you must complete this application and submit any required documents specified in the Required Documents section and submit by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application. Follow the prompts to select and upload your resume and/or other required documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the "Include Personal Information" section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process. You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. It is applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and uploaded, (i.e., resume and other required documents) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application. Application packages will NOT be accepted via mail. Due to security processes, mail delivery takes approximately 2-3 weeks to process at which time the vacancy announcement will be closed, and no further consideration will be given to additional application packages.

Required documents

A complete application includes items described below. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible). Please carefully review the following list to determine what documentation you need to submit. Some documents may not apply to all applicants. 1. RESUME: All applicants are required to submit a resume limited to two (2) pages (i.e., 1 page that is double-sided or 2 pages that are one-sided each) showing all relevant experience. Applicants seeking initial career appointment to the Senior Executive Service (SES) must include evidence of the ECQs and TQs. 2. VACANCY QUESTION/ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONSES: Responses are automatically submitted through USA Jobs when you apply to this vacancy. 3. ADDITIONAL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS: Applicants are required to submit the following supporting documentation if applicable: CURRENT OR FORMER SES MEBERS: Must provide your SES appointment SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action), and an SF-50 showing current career SES status or career SES reinstatement eligibility. SES CANDIDATE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (SESCDP) GRADUATES: Verification of successful completion of an OPM-approved SESCDP and OPM SES QRB certification. CURRENT OR FORMER FEDERAL CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEE: Must provide a copy of your Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form reflecting you are a current Federal Civil Service employee. EDUCATION DOCUMENTATION: You must submit a copy of your law school transcript with your application to document that you meet the education requirement for this position. An unofficial transcript is acceptable at the time of application; however, it must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date of the announcement. If selected, you will be required to provide an official transcript before a final job offer can be issued. Failure to submit the required transcript by the closing date may result in your application being considered incomplete and you will not receive further consideration. Copy of your transcripts or a list of courses showing title, number of credits, grade, and date of completion. A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Refer to the OPM instructions. PROOF OF ACTIVE BAR STATUS: You must be in good standing and eligible to practice law in state, U.S territory, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. STRONGLY RECOMMENDED: Most recent performance evaluation Applicants who fail to submit ALL required documents WILL NOT receive consideration for this position. Application will result in an "Incomplete" rating.

Additional information

Veterans' Preference: Veterans' preference is not applicable to the SES. Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Statement: http://www.eeoc.gov/federal/index.cfm Employment Information Resources - Resource Center: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to OPM must authorize any employment offers made to current or former (within the last 5 years) political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employees in the executive branch. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Noncareer SES employee in the executive branch, you must disclose that to the Human Resources Office. Reasonable Accommodation Policy: Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process should follow the instructions in the job opportunity announcement. For any part of the remaining hiring process, applicants should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. A reasonable accommodation is any change to a job, the work environment, or the way things are usually done that enables an individual with a disability to apply for a job, perform job duties or receive equal access to job benefits. You can request a reasonable accommodation at any time during the application or hiring process or while on the job. Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis. Learn more about disability employment and reasonable accommodations or how to contact an agency. Legal and regulatory guidance Financial suitability Social security number request Privacy Act Signature and false statements Selective Service New employee probationary period