Regulatory Counsel

Summary

The Division of Examinations, is seekingan Attorney-Advisor (Regulatory Counsel), SK-0905-16 for the Broker-Dealer Exchanges Program (BDX) in New York, NY. As a Regulatory Counsel, you will join a well-respected team that is responsible for supporting EXAMS' mission to conduct and coordinate the nationwide examination program for broker dealer entities or investment advisors/investment companies over which the Commission has regulatory authority.

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Duties

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The mission of EXAMS is to protect investors, ensure market integrity and support responsible capital formation through risk-focused strategies that: (1) improve compliance; (2) prevent fraud; (3) monitor risk; and (4) inform policy. The results of the Division's examinations are used by the SEC to inform rule-making initiatives, identify and monitor risks, improve industry practices and pursue misconduct.

As a Regulatory Counsel, you will be responsible for:

• Developing recommendations and reports, presenting and defending findings, and collaborating as required with key stakeholders in connection with the activities of the SEC's Division of Examinations, including other divisions and offices within the Commission, and other domestic and foreign securities and financial regulators;
• Providing legal advice, leadership, and assistance to examiners, accountants, and attorneys in connection with complex examinations of investment companies, investment advisers, and other SEC registrants;
• Interpreting and applying federal securities laws, rules, and regulations including, the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, and the Investment Company Act of 1940;
• Developing and conducting internal training on topics such as substantive legal issues, examination process, and internal Commission rules, policies, and procedures;
• Representing the Division of Examinations at briefings and meetings with other divisions and offices within the Commission, and other domestic and foreign securities and financial regulators; and
• Representing the Division of Examinations by speaking at internal and external conferences and industry events.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• CITIZENSHIP: You must be a US citizen.
• SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see
• SECURITY CLEARANCE: Entrance on duty is contingent upon completion of a pre-employment security investigation. Favorable results on a Background Investigation may be a condition of employment or selection to another position.
• DRUG TESTING: This position may be subjected to drug testing requirements.
• PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION (PCS): Moving/Relocation expenses are not authorized.
• DIRECT DEPOSIT: All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
• TRIAL PERIOD: Consistent with 5 U.S.C. § 7511, you will be required to serve a two-year trial period (one year for preference eligible veterans) if the position to which you have applied is not the same or similar to your current position of record.
• You must possess a J.D. or LL.B Degree and you must be an active member of the bar in good standing.
• The selectee is required to report to the duty station(s) listed.
• Typical Examiner Travel: Examination staff routinely travel to the offices of registered entities to conduct on-site inspections of facilities, to meet with and interview entity personnel, and to examine certain business records.

Qualifications

Applicants are responsible for confirming all required materials are submitted by the closing date of the announcement. Please check the How You Will Be Evaluated and Required Documents sections carefully, as missing documents will render the application incomplete and ineligible for review.

Qualifying experience may be obtained in the private or public sector. 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). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

BASIC REQUIREMENT: All applicants must possess the following:

• J.D. or LL.B. degree AND
• Active membership of the bar in good standing in any state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the commonwealth of Puerto Rico. (Note: proof of bar membership will be required before entry on duty.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: In addition to meeting the basic requirement, applicants must also meet the minimum qualification requirement.

SK-16: Applicant must have at least four years post-J.D experience identifying legal issues, providing legal analyses, providing legal solutions/recommendations, and preparing legal documents, such as contracts, dispositions, pleadings, and motions, which also includes a t least three years:

1. Providing legal advice on issues related to the laws, rules, regulations and policies of the federal securities laws (e.g., the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) as they relate to financial institutions, such as investment advisers and investment companies; broker-dealers; transfer agents; exchanges; clearing agencies; and/or other registered entities.; AND
2. Researching, preparing, and delivering guidance on a variety of legal issues arising from interpretation and application of federal securities laws, rules and regulations; AND
3. Drafting and editing memoranda, filings or other substantive written work product for various audiences on a variety of legal issues involving federal securities laws, rules and regulation.

ACCOMPLISHMENT RECORD COMPETENCIES: Your Accomplishment Record narratives should address the following competencies. See the How You Will Be Evaluated section below for more information:

• Competency 1: BDX: Assessment of Broker-Dealer Exchange Program Registrants: Uses expertise in broker-dealer exchange program to identify deficiencies during examinations and produce recommendations for improvement.
• Competency 2: Information Gathering: Ability to gather and process large amounts of information and make connections to understand possible deficiencies
• Competency 3: Teamwork and Collaboration: Interacts with internal and external others in a manner that advances examinations and SEC goals and objectives.
• Competency 4: Managing Information: Ability to ensure that programs strategically utilize and share information, with some guidance.

Education

You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. If you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, you must submit a copy of your unofficial transcripts or equivalent by the closing date of the announcement. Qualifying education must have been obtained from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Internal Applicants: OHR will verify education qualifications for internal applicants using documents in the Electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF). If required transcripts or certificates are not present in your eOPF, you will be required to provide them to OHR. If selected, a start date will not be established until official transcripts are received.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs. For more information, click here.

Applicants may also find the following helpful:

National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) is an association of 19 credential evaluation services with admission standards and an enforced code of good practice.

Association of International Credentials Evaluators (AICE) is an association of 10 credential evaluation services with a board of advisors and an enforced code of ethics.

Additional information

Supplementary vacancies may be filled in addition to the number stated in this announcement and may be filled from any division or office within the agency.

SEC COMPENSATION PROGRAM: Total salary (base pay + locality) is dependent upon duty location. The overall salary range listed above is provided for informational purposes; a selectee's initial pay will be established below the maximum rate of the range. The pay for current SEC employees will be determined according to the procedures specified in the agency's policy. Please click here for a compensation overview.

Disability Employment: For information on disability appointments, click here.

Reasonable Accommodation: If you are an applicant who needs a reasonable accommodation to participate in the SEC application process due to a medical disability, please contact View email address on click.appcast.io. For religious-based accommodations, please contact View email address on click.appcast.io . Please be sure to submit your request at least 5 business days in advance of the date you need the requested accommodation.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Information for SEC Job Applicants: For more information, please click here.

The Fair Chance Act prohibits specific inquiries concerning an applicant's criminal or credit background unless the hiring agency has made a conditional offer of employment to the applicant. An applicant may submit a complaint, or any other information, to the agency within 30 calendar days of the date of alleged non-compliance by contacting the Legal and Policy Office in the Office of Human Resources at View email address on click.appcast.io.

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.

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.