Associate General Counsel
Office of the General Counsel
Posted: March 19, 2026 (0 days ago)
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Internal Revenue Service
Department of the Treasury
Location
Salary
$150,160 - $225,700
per year
Type
Full-Time
More Finance & Accounting jobs →Closes
Base salary range: $123,041 - $159,950
Typical requirements: 1 year specialized experience at GS-14. Senior leader or top expert.
Note: Actual salary includes locality pay (15-40%+ depending on location).
This senior leadership role in the IRS's tax law office involves overseeing the creation of guidance on income tax and accounting rules, managing teams of attorneys, and ensuring fair application of tax laws.
It suits experienced tax lawyers with strong management skills who have led large groups and handled complex legal projects.
Ideal candidates are committed to public service and efficient government operations.
With nearly 1,700 attorneys, IRS Chief Counsel is the largest tax law firm nationwide. Our attorneys are among top tax law practitioners and some of the very best legal minds found anywhere.
Together with the IRS, we serve the public by applying the tax code with fairness and integrity.
To learn more, click the links below: IRS Office of Chief Counsel Careers Site Meet Our People Learn about our Legal Divisions To qualify for this position of Deputy Associate Chief Counsel (Guidance) (IT&A) you must meet the following requirements: Possess at least the first professional law degree (LL.B.
or J.D.) from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association; AND Applicants must be an active member in good standing of the bar of a State, U.S. Commonwealth, U.S.
territory, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; Desired Education/Experience: An LL.M. in Taxation is desired but not required.
Seven (7) years of professional legal tax experience is desired.
As a basic requirement for entry into the SES, applicants must provide evidence of progressively responsible executive leadership and supervisory experience that is indicative of senior executive level managerial capability.
The ideal candidate will have experience supervising many employees through subordinate supervisors and have experience hiring, developing, and evaluating employees.
Typically, experience of this nature is at the GS-15 or equivalent level in the federal service or its equivalent in the private sector.
To meet the minimum qualifications, you must submit a two-page resume that shows you possess the five Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs).
To be considered, the resume must not exceed two pages.
If selected for this position you will be required to address each ECQ during a structured interview with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualifications Review Board (QRB).
Written narratives for the ECQs are not required. Current and former career SES employees, and OPM Candidate Development Program (CDP) graduates are exempt to address the ECQs.
By statute, OPM prescribes Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) for the appointment of career SES members. The ECQs were designed to evaluate executive experience and not technical expertise.
The following ECQs provide the focus for certification of executive core qualifications for initial appointment to the Senior Executive Service.
Your two-page resume should show that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications listed below: 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Additional information on ECQs is in OPM's Guide to SES Qualifications.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to follow the Challenge, Context, Action and Results model outlined in the guide, to prepare for the structured interview.
Written narratives for the ECQs are not required; however, applicants must be prepared to address each of the five ECQs in a structured interview with the QRB.
In addition to the ECQs, candidates must address Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs). MTQs are designed to assess an applicant's experience relevant to the specific position requirements.
All applicants must clearly demonstrate in their two-page resume, experience and accomplishments related to the MTQs below: MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (MTQs): Comprehensive, professional knowledge of and experience in applying tax laws affecting IT&A activities (i.e., issues involving gross income, personal deductions, business expenses, like-kind exchanges, tax penalties, and tax procedure).
Demonstrated ability to develop nationwide strategies and provide dedicated support and legal advice to high profile significant IRS top ranking officials and provide effective quality legal services to both internal and external customers.
Desirable: A thorough understanding of the operations and organization of the Internal Revenue Service and Office of Chief Counsel.
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).
You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis.
To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week, on your resume. Major Duties:
The Office of the Associate Chief Counsel, Income Tax and Accounting (IT&A), provides legal advisory services that support uniform interpretation, application, enforcement, and litigation of federal tax laws applicable to tax accounting and a wide variety of issues relating to corporate and individual income taxation.
The Deputy Associate Chief Counsel (Guidance) (IT&A), assists the Associate Chief Counsel (IT&A) in implementing and overseeing guidance as it pertains to gross income issues, including income from discharge of indebtedness; personal deductions, including alimony payments and charitable contributions; business expenses, including home office expenses; like-kind exchanges; tax penalties; tax procedure; proper year for inclusion of income, including issues relating to installment sales and long-term contracts; proper year for deductions, including economic performance concepts, uniform capitalization, and inventory issues; provides executive leadership and management of the issuance of published and other technical guidance on such issues; and shares responsibility with the Associate and Division Counsel for the direction and oversight of the Counsel-wide litigation program involving IT&A matters.
The Deputy works closely with Treasury officials and IRS Division Commissioners and other Associate and Division Counsel on program matters.
Major duties and responsibilities include yet are not limited to: Assists and acts for the Associate Chief Counsel (IT&A) in the overall executive direction and coordination of the organization's activities related to interpretation and application of tax laws involving income tax and accounting.
collaborates closely with the Associate and with the other Deputy Associate Chief Counsel (IT&A), and when acting for the Associate, has full authority to make decisions on any problems and issues arising in the Office of the Associate Chief Counsel (IT&A).
Assists and participates with the Associate in planning, directing, and coordinating the policies, programs, and goals of the Office pertaining to the laws administered by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
In this regard, assists or acts for the Associate in the overall executive direction and coordination of the organization's activities related to the coordination of litigation and compliance activities.
Assists and may act for the Associate Chief Counsel (IT&A) in the overall executive direction and coordination of the organization's activities related to drafting revenue rulings, revenue procedures, announcements, and news releases to be published for the guidance of taxpayers and IRS personnel; issuing technical advice memoranda responding to questions raised by IRS examiners; issuing private letter rulings and general technical information letters in response to requests from taxpayers; and preparing legal opinions for Chief Counsel and IRS functions with respect to legal questions within the jurisdiction of the Associate Chief Counsel (IT&A).
Assists and participates with the Associate in working with Treasury officials to coordinate recommendations for legislation that particularly affects IT&A activities; directs IRS participation in this aspect of the legislative process, including the furnishing of advice and guidance with respect to the development of new or revised legislative proposals; and oversees IRS participation with legislative staffs in the drafting of such legislation and committee reports.
Represents the IRS and Treasury on sensitive and controversial issues related to gross income issues.
May serve as a principal liaison officer for the Chief Counsel with congressional committees, the Department of the Treasury, the Commissioner's Office, other Chief Counsel officials, and other departments and agencies of the government on matters within the jurisdiction of the Office of the Associate Chief Counsel (IT&A).
Provides direct leadership to subordinate managers and assures that they operate as an effective management team, and that all management functions are handled equitably and in a manner that is responsive to the needs of all programs that IT&A supports.
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