Paralegal Specialist, NB-0950-IV/V

About the role

As a Paralegal Specialist, you will assume responsibility for a wide range of assignments that support complex legal work performed by attorneys to ensure creation of as thorough and professional a work product as possible. This position is located in Chief Counsel's Office headquartered in Washington, DC.

What you will do

• The following are the duties of the Paralegal Specialist at the full performance NB-V level.
• If you are selected at the NB-IV level, you will have the opportunity to learn to perform all these duties and will receive training to help you grow in this position.
• As a Paralegal Specialist, you will: Perform various research to assist in the creation of legal work products and case strategies.
• Proofread legal writing for any errors, clarity of context and accuracy of case citations in accordance with the Uniform System of Citation.
• Receive, review, analyze and process all requests for OCC documents and testimony pursuant to 12 C.
• Determine specific information sought and decide which OCC records are likely sources of the information.
• Assemble and organize administrative records in connection with litigation on branch, charter, relocation and other bank supervisory and regulatory decisions of the OCC and prepare statement of facts summarizing record and referring to pertinent pages of it for use in legal briefs.
• Assemble, organize, and index administrative records in connection with EEOC/MSPB hearings.
• Create document retrieval systems and databases, of varying levels of complexity, with minimal supervision.
• Maintain knowledge of the litigation system to include: court and administrative rules, processes, and procedures.
• Take initiative to establish, maintain, and be an active and integral part of a team providing paralegal and technical support to attorneys in professional manner.

Requirements

• This position requires that the successful candidate undergo personnel vetting, which includes a background investigation and enrollment upon onboarding into "Continuous Vetting." Enrollment in Continuous Vetting will result in automated record checks being conducted throughout one's employment with Treasury.
• The successful candidate will also be enrolled into FBI's Rap Back service, which will allow Treasury to receive notification from the FBI of criminal matters (e.g., arrests, charges, convictions) involving enrolled individuals in near real-time.
• 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).
• Complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).
• Complete a background investigation (unless already completed).
• Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment.
• Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer.
• 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. Travel occasionally to attend conferences and/or training.
• Obtain and use a Government-issued charge card for business-related travel.
• Complete a financial disclosure review and resolve any ethics issues.
• Click here for important information about OCC ethics standards, such as the requirement that new hires divest their bank securities.

Education

Please see Qualifications section for education.

How you will be evaluated

Your application package includes your resume, responses to the online questions, and required supporting documents. Please be sure that your resume includes detailed information to support your qualifications for this position; failure to provide sufficient evidence in your resume may result in a "not qualified" determination.

Once the announcement closes, we will conduct a review of your application package to verify your eligibility and qualifications. If you are found qualified, your application will move forward to additional phases of the review process.

Minimum Qualifications: Once the application process is complete, Human Resources or Subject Matter Expert(s) (SMEs) will review the first two pages of your resume and supporting documentation to determine whether you meet the minimum job qualifications.

Resume Evaluation Panel Review: After it has been determined that you meet the minimum qualifications, Subject matter experts (SMEs) may review the first two pages of your resume to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required competencies. Additional documentation (e.g., cover letter, links embedded in your resume) may not be considered.

Your application and resume should demonstrate that you possess the following competencies.

Do not provide a separate narrative written statement.

Rather, you must describe in your resume how your past work experience demonstrates that you possess the competencies identified below. Use specific examples of employment or experience contained in your resume and describe how this experience has prepared you to successfully perform the duties of this position.

Rating:Your application package will be evaluated in the following areas: Legal Research and Analysis Information Collection and Analysis Oral Communication Written Communication Planning/Organizing Teamwork Internal/External Awareness Partnering Current OCC employees must have a performance rating of at least Fully Successful (i.e., Level 3) to be eligible for promotion.

Referral: If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application package may be referred to a selecting official for consideration. You may be required to participate in a selection interview.

If you are a displaced or surplus federal employee eligible for the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP), you must be rated as well-qualified to receive special selection priority.

"Well-qualified" means that in addition to meeting the minimum qualification requirements and selective placement factor(s), if applicable, you must receive a score of 85 or higher.

Documents you must provide

• 1) A resume, 2) vacancy question responses, and 3) submission of any required documents.
• 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).
• Note: Please ensure that all bank, financial, and other confidential or sensitive information is removed/redacted from each document.
• RESUME: All applicants are required to submit a resume by either creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their own choosing.
• Please limit your resume to two-pages.
• Applicants with resumes exceeding two-pages will be removed from consideration.
• To receive any credit for relevant experience, please list the month/year and number of hours worked for experience listed on your resume.
• We suggest you preview the online questions, as you may need to customize your resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions.
• Please review Resume Tips.
• CURRENT FEDERAL EMPLOYEES OR REINSTATEMENT ELIGIBLES WITH COMPETITIVE STATUS: A copy of your most recent SF Form 50, Notification of Personnel Action that shows: (1) career or career-conditional tenure (1 or 2, in block 24), and (2) position occupied in the competitive service (1, in block 34).
• To be considered as a non-competitive eligible candidate, the SF-50 must show the highest grade level or full performance level you have attained competitively on a permanent basis, and the grade must be equivalent or higher than the grade for which applying.
• LAND MANAGEMENT ELIGIBLES must provide all required documentation to verify eligibility, prior performance, and qualifications for the target position.
• You can find information on the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act and eligibility HERE.
• Land Management Eligibles must compete under competitive merit promotion procedures and meet all applicable requirements.
• CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (CTAP) or INTERAGENCY CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (ICTAP) DOCUMENTATION: If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee, click CTAP/ICTAP for eligibility and a detailed list of required documents.
• SPECIAL HIRING AUTHORITIES' DOCUMENTATION: If you are applying under a special hiring authority, submit a copy of proof of your eligibility.
• VETERANS DOCUMENTATION: If you are claiming veteran's preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing type of separation and character of service (e.g. DD-214 Member 4 Copy) and if applicable, VA letter.
• Ten-point preference eligibles must also submit an Application for 10-point Veteran Preference, SF-15, along with required documentation listed on the back of the SF-15 form.
• Current Active Duty members must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions dated within 120 days after the certification is submitted by the applicant.
• The certification letter should be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the character of service.
• You can find additional information about Veterans' Preference at ***
• EDUCATION DOCUMENTATION: If you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, you must submit an official or unofficial copy of your transcripts, or equivalent, with your application.
• An official transcript will be required if you are selected.
• 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.
• OPTIONAL DOCUMENTS: In addition, you may submit the following: Cover letter Recent performance evaluation (be sure to redact/remove all sensitive information prior to submitting)

What to expect next

To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (***), 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: ***

Please notify us if your contact information changes after the closing date of the announcement. Also, note that if you provide an email address that is inaccurate or if your mailbox is full or blocked (e.g., spam-blocker), you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.

Additional information

This position is excluded from the bargaining unit. Salary range includes 25.72% geographical pay. If you are a current OCC employee who previously received a waiver determination permitting you to retain bank securities due to extenuating circumstances, please note that this determination may be rescinded if the nature of your duties changes.

We strongly suggest that you discuss the potential implications of any change in duties on a prior securities determination with your ethics official. We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more positions. Click all links in this vacancy announcement to view additional information and instructions.

The candidate selected for this position may be credited with directly-related non-Federal experience for annual leave purposes if eligible and considered appropriate.

Must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. national.

Please refer to "Conditions of Employment." Click "Print" to review the entire announcement before applying. The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Treasury and its bureaus from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment.

In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Treasury by email at, ***.

To learn more, please visit our page at: Treasury.gov/fairchanceact. Optional Essay Questions: Applicants may choose to respond to four short essay questions (200 words max each) to help us better understand your alignment with the agency's mission. These responses are optional and will not affect the applicant's eligibility.

All newly appointed employees to the competitive service are subject to a probationary period. During this time, your performance, conduct, and suitability for continued employment will be evaluated. You will not automatically convert to permanent status at the end of the probationary period.

Your supervisor must affirmatively determine that continued employment is in the best interest of the Federal service. If no certification is made before the probationary period ends, your appointment will be terminated. You are encouraged to actively engage with your supervisor, seek feedback, and understand role expectations.

Additional guidance and support will be provided during onboarding.