Executive Deputy Principal Legal Advisor

About the role

The Executive Deputy Principal Legal Advisor is the senior career deputy to the Principal Legal Advisor for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The Office of the Principal Legal Advisor is the legal arm of ICE, providing mission-critical legal services, counsel, and training to support ICE initiatives and programs vital to protecting U.S. national security, public safety, and the integrity of the immigration system.

What you will do

• The Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA) protects the homeland by diligently litigating cases while adhering to the highest standards of professional conduct, providing timely and accurate legal advice, and optimizing resources to advance the missions of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE.
• OPLA is part of the Office of the General Counsel within DHS.
• The General Counsel, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, serves as the Department's chief legal officer and principal legal advisor to the Secretary of Homeland Security.
• As such, the General Counsel is responsible for all of the Department's legal determinations and for overseeing all of its attorneys.
• As the Executive Deputy Principal Legal Advisor (EDPLA), the incumbent serves as the senior career deputy to the Principal Legal Advisor (PLA) for ICE.
• The incumbent is primarily responsible for assisting the PLA in executing the OPLA mission, fulfilling the statutory obligations of representing the United States in immigration court proceedings, and providing a full range of legal counsel, advice, and services to ICE offices and programs.
• The work requires the ability to conceptualize, develop, and recommend legal options to ICE and DHS leadership, as well as the ability to explain and defend decisions based on those options to Congress, professional groups, other federal agencies, and high-ranking officials in the private sector.
• The incumbent of this position oversees OPLA's vast legal program, which includes three Headquarters Directorates in Washington, DC, and nine Regions across 140+ offices nationwide.
• The preferred duty location for this position is Washington, DC.
• However, other duty stations may be considered as deemed appropriate by management with regular travel to Washington, DC.
• Specific duties and responsibilities include: Serving as the senior advisor to the PLA on all matters affecting the program's operations.
• Identifying and resolving broad technical and managerial problems.
• Ensuring the proper interpretation of, and adherence to, program policies and procedures, and establishing new policies and procedures as required.
• Solving complex problems that resist solutions at subordinate levels and that have broad policy implications or involve large commitments of funds or personnel.
• Providing legal advice to the General Counsel, the ICE Director, and other ICE senior leaders, and overseeing the preparation of legal memoranda and briefing materials in complex and novel matters.
• Overseeing the provision of legal advice and assistance to ICE officers and agents on matters involving violations of criminal and customs laws.
• Working closely with the Department of Justice on the prosecution of criminal cases brought by ICE agents and officers, and the defense of civil cases involving ICE before the U.S. District Courts, the U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals, and the Supreme Court of the United States.
• Overseeing the provision of legal advice and assistance to ICE managers on administrative, fiscal, procurement, information disclosure, and labor and employment laws.
• Overseeing litigation by OPLA attorneys before tribunals such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Merit Systems Protection Board, the Federal Labor Relations Authority, and the Boards of Contract Appeals.
• Providing guidance and support in connection with matters that may include highly controversial or sensitive issues, or previously undecided questions where adverse decisions would negatively affect ICE operations.
• Overseeing the implementation of OPLA's strategic plan.
• Planning, directing, managing, supervising, and coordinating program objectives, and establishing priorities and policies for the effective accomplishment of OPLA's mission.
• Initiating and recommending the adoption of new policies and procedures designed to improve operations.
• Evaluating and improving administrative methods and procedures, and effectively using human resources, funds, and materials to accomplish the program's work.
• Developing budget estimates and ensuring that resources are appropriately utilized.
• Promoting the development of alternative solutions to problems impacting the program's operations.
• Overseeing and managing the execution of the program's human capital efforts relating to personnel selections, promotions, performance management, discipline, and all other personnel functions to ensure actions are taken in accordance with merit systems principles and all other applicable federal laws, rules, regulations, and DHS/ICE guidelines and procedures.
• Personally complying with, and ensuring the compliance of subordinates with, integrity standards and applicable laws, regulations, and instructions governing employee standards of conduct.

Education

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for it to be credited toward qualifications. Applicants' resumes and supporting documentation should reflect only education received from schools accredited by such institutions.

Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: ***

If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must submit a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency, which is a U.S. private organization's interpretation that such education has been deemed at least equivalent to conventional U.S. education programs, with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education.

For more information regarding evaluation of foreign education for federal employment, please visit the U.S. Department of Education webpage.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications described above. Once the application process is complete, your resume and supporting documentation will be reviewed. If you meet the minimum qualifications, your application package will be further reviewed to determine whether you possess the ECQs and TQs listed above.

The ECQs and TQs must be thoroughly addressed within your 2-page resume. Separate narratives will not be accepted or reviewed. Highly qualified applicants may undergo one or more interviews and may be referred to the selecting official for further consideration.

Upon selection, if not already a member of the SES serving under a career appointment, the individual selected must have their executive qualifications certified by the OPM SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB) before appointment.

The selected individual's application will be forwarded to OPM for review and certification by the QRB, unless the selectee provides evidence of noncompetitive status, such as current SES status, certification as a QRB-certified Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program (SESCDP) graduate, or SES reinstatement eligibility.

Upon QRB certification, the selected individual will be required to serve a one-year probationary period. For more information regarding the SES, visit ***

Documents you must provide

• A complete application includes the items described below.
• Please carefully review the following list to determine what documentation you need to submit.
• Some documents may not apply to all applicants.
• 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 SPECIAL CONSIDERATION FOR WHICH YOU MAY BE ELIGIBLE.
• RESUME: All applicants are required to submit a resume LIMITED TO 2 PAGES, i.e., 1 double-sided page or 2 single-sided pages, with 1-inch margins at the top and bottom, 1/2-inch margins on the left and right, and a font NO SMALLER THAN 11 POINTS, showing all relevant experience.
• Applicants seeking initial career appointment to the SES must include evidence of the ECQs and TQs.
• Please DO NOT use the USAJOBS Resume Builder.
• Your resume should also include the following information: Your full name, email address, mailing address, and day and evening telephone numbers.
• Educational information, including the name, city, and state of each college or university you attended, as well as the type and year of any degree received.
• If applicable, your current SES or Candidate Development Program (CDP) certification status, or your reinstatement eligibility to the SES and the dates you held a career SES appointment.
• Whether you are currently, or have been within the last five years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Noncareer SES, or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch.
• Information about your paid and unpaid work experience related to this position, including job title, series and grade if it was a federal job, and starting and ending dates of employment by month and year.
• VACANCY QUESTION/ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONSES: Responses are automatically submitted through USAJOBS when you apply to this vacancy.
• ADDITIONAL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS: Applicants are required to submit the following supporting documentation, if applicable: Current or former SES members must provide your 1) SES appointment Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) and 2) an SF-50 showing current career SES status or career SES reinstatement eligibility.
• SESCDP graduates must provide verification of successful completion of an OPM-approved Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program (SESCDP) and OPM SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB) certification.
• Current federal civil service employees must provide a copy of your SF-50 or equivalent personnel action form reflecting that you are a current federal civil service employee.
• You must possess a professional law degree, e.g., J.D. or LL.B., acquired through graduation from an accredited school of law, and be a member in good standing of the bar of a state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States.
• You must submit documentation supporting that you meet this qualification when applying to this job opportunity announcement.
• YOU ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION THAT SUPPORTS THE ELIGIBILITY AND QUALIFICATION CLAIMS MADE IN YOUR RESUME AND ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE.
• DO NOT submit any documents that are not specifically requested in the vacancy announcement, including: Cover letters DD-214s, Statements of Service, or other veterans' preference documents Separate ECQ or TQ narratives, including prior ECQ/QRB packages or previous SES application materials A resume longer than the 2-page limit Certificates from leadership programs, executive development programs, or other training courses, unless specifically required Project management certifications or similar credentials Copies of award certificates, commendations, letters of appreciation, or similar documents Recommendation letters, endorsement letters, or reference letters, unless requested Policy papers, briefing memos, articles, reports, publication lists, or other writing samples Multiple performance plans, work plans, or performance standards; only the most recent performance appraisal is accepted Current or prior position descriptions Organizational charts Briefing decks, decision memoranda, reports, dashboards, budget materials, or other work products A separate list of references Schedule A or other disability-related hiring documentation Security clearance verification, investigation records, or related security documents Sensitive personal documents, i.e., birth certificates, passports, Social Security cards, driver's licenses, marriage certificates, tax forms, or other personal identity documents Photographs or headshots Leadership philosophy statements, personal mission statements, or other supplemental statements

What to expect next

To verify the status of your application, sign in to your USAJOBS account at *** All of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The application status will appear along with the date your application was last updated.

For information on what each application status means, visit *** Once your online application is submitted, you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position.

After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.

Additional information

Duty Location: The incumbent of this position oversees OPLA's vast legal program, which includes three Headquarters Directorates in Washington, DC, and nine Regions across 140+ offices nationwide. The preferred duty location for this position is Washington, DC.

However, other duty stations may be considered as deemed appropriate by management with regular travel to Washington, DC. Relocation Expense Reimbursed: Relocation expenses may be authorized for this position. Approval is subject to management discretion and will be made in accordance with applicable law, regulation, and agency policy.

Veterans' Preference: Veterans' preference is not applicable to the SES. Mobility: Organizational and geographical mobility is essential in developing and managing SES leaders. Individuals selected for SES positions may be subject to reassignment across geographical, organizational, and functional lines, and may be required to sign a Reassignment Rights and Obligation Agreement.

OPM must authorize any employment offers made to current or former (within the last 5 years) political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Noncareer 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.

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.

Males born after 12-31-1959 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see ***). Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Statement (see ***). Employment Information Resources - Resource Center (see ***).