Executive Deputy Principal Legal Advisor

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 Departments chief legal officer and principal legal advisor to the Secretary of Homeland Security. As such the General Counsel is responsible for all of the Departments 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 OPLAs 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 programs 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 OPLAs strategic plan. Planning directing managing supervising and coordinating program objectives and establishing priorities and policies for the effective accomplishment of OPLAs 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 programs work. Developing budget estimates and ensuring that resources are appropriately utilized. Promoting the development of alternative solutions to problems impacting the programs operations.
• Overseeing and managing the execution of the programs 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.

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this position.
• Subject to a 1-year supervisory probationary period (unless already completed).
• Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment at the time requested by the agency.
• If you are a male born after December 31 1959 you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so.
• May be subject to pre-employment and random drug tests.
• File a Public Financial Disclosure Report (OGE-278e) within 30 days of appointment and annually from then on.
• You may be required to obtain and maintain an interim and/or final security clearance prior to entrance on duty. Failure to obtain and maintain the required level of clearance may result in the withdrawal of a job offer or removal.
• You must possess a professional law degree e.g. J.D. or LL.B. acquired through graduation from an accredited school of law.
• You must be an active 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.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the federal government passionate about the ideals of the American republic and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. Candidates will not be hired based on 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 (ECQs) and Technical Qualifications (TQs) related to this position within your resume WHICH MUST NOT EXCEED TWO PAGES. Resumes over the two- page limit will NOT be reviewed beyond page two and may be disqualified.

Your resume 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 ECQs or TQs.

TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs): Your resume should demonstrate accomplishments that would satisfy the TQs.

• TQ 1: Candidates must have experience that demonstrates (1) an expert knowledge of immigration law and procedures; (2) a strong litigation background particularly with regard to immigration national security and criminal prosecution; (3) service-minded leadership; (4) a demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with operational elements in implementing coordinating and prosecuting enforcement initiatives; (5) a demonstrated ability to structure and lead major projects and initiatives and to coordinate teams effectively; (6) a demonstrated ability to operate effectively during transition and to master the changing structure and functions of a legal program the agency and the DHS; and (7) a demonstrated ability to work independently and decisively.
• TQ 2: Candidates should have demonstrated management abilities involving both legal and logistical matters in an agency law firm or other organization. Candidates should have an ability to work with legal and policy professionals to evaluate and develop agency objectives authorities and programs and have excellent legal writing skills that demonstrate clear and concise analysis.

• 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 organizations 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.

Required Experience:

Exec