Chief Contract Law Division

Full Job Description

This position is within the Department of Commerce (DOC) and located in the Office of the Secretary, Office of the General Counsel, Office of the Deputy General Counsel for Administration, Office of the Assistant General Counsel for Transactions and Program Management, Contract Law Division.

Contract Law Division (CLD) | U.S.

Department of Commerce 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.

Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.

To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) and Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQ) related to this position within your resume - NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES.

Resumes over the 2-page limit will not be reviewed and will be disqualified. Your resume should be 2 pages or fewer and must not include images or graphics.

Your resumes should include examples of experience, education, and accomplishments applicable to the qualification(s).

If your resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of these qualifications, you may not receive consideration for the position.

There is NO requirement to prepare a narrative statement specifically addressing the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) or the Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQs).

PROFESSIONAL/TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (PTQs): Your resume should demonstrate accomplishments that would satisfy the technical qualifications.

Executive experience overseeing legal operations, delivering strategic counsel on procurement, federal assistance, and related government transactions, and advising senior policy officials on complex legal issues tied to high-profile programs of congressional and public interest.

Executive experience developing strategy for administrative hearings involving procurement and nonprocurement transaction claims and advising senior officials on procurement and nonprocurement transaction related litigation matters in the Government Accountability Office, United States Court of Federal Claims, Circuit Courts of Appeal, and U.S.

District Courts.

EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): In addition to the Technical Qualification Requirements listed above, all new entrants into the Senior Executive Service (SES) under a career appointment will be assessed for executive competency against the following five mandatory ECQs.

If your 2-page resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of the ECQs and TQs, you may not receive further consideration for the position.

ECQ 1: Commitment to the Rule of Law and the Principles of the American Founding - This core qualification requires a 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.

ECQ 2: Driving Efficiency - This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to strategically and efficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades.

ECQ 3: Merit and Competence - This core qualification involves the demonstrated knowledge, ability and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality.

ECQ 4: Leading People - This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals, and to drive a high-performance, high-accountability culture.

This includes, when necessary, the ability to lead people through change and to hold individuals accountable.

ECQ 5: Achieving Results - This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors.

Note: If you are a member of the SES or have been certified through successful participation in an OPM approved SES Candidate Development Program (SESCDP), or have SES reinstatement eligibility, you do not need to respond to the ECQs.

Instead, you should attach proof (e.g., SF-50, Certification by OPM's SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB)) of your eligibility for noncompetitive appointment to the SES. Major Duties:

As Chief of the Contract Law Division, the incumbent serves as a senior leader of the Contract Law Division as the Office of General Counsel's authoritative expert in procurement and non­procurement government transactions, the incumbent: Serves as senior legal advisor providing legal judgment to enhance business efficiency during acquisition planning, solicitation, drafting and of evaluation, contract awards, and contract administration.

Recommends changes in policy and procedure; drafts and reviews final decisions of contracting officers under the Contract Disputes Act; advises on contract claims by the Government; and the demands for relief by contractors, e.g., ratification actions, equitable adjustments, requests for extraordinary relief and breach of contract claims.

Incumbent is expected to remain abreast of activities in all assigned functional areas and exercises authority in any matter, which does not constitute a deviation from, or reversal of, policies previously established.

Assists the Assistant General Counsel for Transactions and Program Management on matters relating to administrative law involving the Assistant Secretary for Administration and the Chief Financial Officer, other secretarial officers and the various units under their supervision.

In this connection, the incumbent: Prepares, advises on, or examines for legal form and legal implications, public and internal orders (including delegations of authority) issued by the Department in connection with its administrative activities and programs which require the approval of the Secretary of Commerce, the Deputy Secretary of Commerce, or the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Chief Financial Officer.

Prepares advises on, or examines for legal form and legal effect, legal instruments of the Department relating to its internal administrative affairs, grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, leases, licenses, environmental and land use matters, research and development, and other government transactions, entered into by the Department.

Provides legal assistance with respect to interpretation of or disputes arising out of such transactions, legal actions to be taken, appeals therefrom, and related court proceedings.

Reviews Executive Orders and Proclamations to determine their general legal effect upon administrative programs and activities of the Department and upon internal administration in general or in relation to specific Department operational units and programs.

Maintains review procedures for all the Department's DOC's procurement contracts and non­procurement transactions for legal issues prior to award, proposed terminations for default and convenience, and all other proposed final decisions by the Department's contracting officers, grants officers and other obligating officials for legal sufficiency, including compliance with the Contracts Disputes Act, the Competition in Contracting Act and other laws and regulations as applicable.

Performs other special duties as assigned by the Assistant General Counsel for Transactions and Program Management, Associate Deputy General Counsel, Deputy General Counsel for Administration, and /or the Deputy General Counsel and General Counsel.