Paralegal Specialist/Senior Paralegal Specialist (Information Services)

Summary

This position is for a Paralegal Specialist/Senior Paralegal Specialist (Information Services) in the Office of General Counsel (OGC) at the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). In this role, the incumbent will provide expert and comprehensive legal support to various offices/divisions within FHFA.

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Duties

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Office of General Counsel

The Office of General Counsel (OGC) provides legal advice and representation to every office in FHFA regarding all aspects of FHFA's activities and operations.

Position Overview

The Paralegal Specialist/Senior Paralegal Specialist provides expert and comprehensive legal support to the General Counsel, OGC attorneys and professional staff, and other FHFA Divisions and Offices, specifically focused on information services such as electronic discovery (eDiscovery), FOIA, privacy, records, and compliance.

Major Duties & Responsibilities

The Paralegal Specialist/Senior Paralegal Specialist (Information Services) duties listed below are at the EL-13 grade level. Depending on the grade level selected, the incumbent will perform the following duties with varying levels of supervision and difficulty:

• Provide comprehensive and authoritative technical and administrative support to the Information Governance Team within the Operations Branch.
• Support FHFA's eDiscovery program in coordination with attorney staff, the Managing Associate General Counsel, Operations, and the Deputy General Counsel, Operations.
• Develop and implement standard operating procedures relative to the eDiscovery program and make recommendations for improvements and refinements to procedures, as appropriate.
• Serve as liaison with other Divisions and Offices within FHFA, responding to routine, complex, and sensitive eDiscovery requests, including internal misconduct investigations, Office of Inspector General (OIG) requests, Congressional requests, and requests related to external litigation.
• Engage with managers, the Office of Human Resources Management (OHRM), the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO), and personnel attorneys, as appropriate, with respect to eDiscovery searches.
• Support the legal hold process, including the distribution of preservation notices to Agency custodians, identification of relevant data sources, and coordination with OCIO to enable preservation in place of potentially relevant data.
• Give authoritative advice and guidance to agency personnel on issues related to the processing and fulfilling of records, eDiscovery, and FOIA requests, and other related information governance issues.
• Provide operational support to the FOIA Program with case management utilizing FOIA tools, including case intake, drafting and editing correspondence, monitoring statutory deadlines, managing backlogs, and generating accurate status reports.
• Initiate actions to assist the Operations Branch with Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) compliance, coordinating with program offices to submit information collection requests for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval.
• Provide main support to the Operations Branch in responding to internal and external audits (e.g., FHFA OIG, Government Accountability Office (GAO)) and in preparing annual and ad-hoc reports, including maintaining, gathering, and producing relevant information and records.
• Review and analyze Executive Orders, OMB memoranda, and other Federal guidance documents to determine their impact on Agency operations, including monitoring the Federal Register and other official channels for updated regulatory guidance.
• Serve as a Federal Register liaison, coordinating publication of FHFA systems-of-records notices, PRA notices, regulations, and other notices in the Federal Register.
• Perform complex and comprehensive legal research and technical duties in support of FHFA program matters.
• Conduct extensive and thorough research into relevant statutes, regulations, case law, and government-wide guidance.
• Perform legal research by utilizing a wide variety of electronic and hardcopy resources including electronic search engines and resources on the internet.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• Status Candidates (Merit Promotion and VEOA Eligibles) and those eligible for other hiring authorities.
• An SF-50 is required with the exception of current FHFA employees. Please include one showing your tenure and competitive status. You must provide an SF-50 that indicates your competitive eligibility. You will not be considered without this.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
• May be required to successfully complete a probationary period.
• Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.
• Status candidates must meet time-in-grade requirements (52 weeks at the next lower grade level).
• Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation.
• Resume and supporting documents (See How To Apply).
• FHFA participates in e-Verify. All New hires must complete the I-9 Employment Verification form either on or before their first day of employment. If a discrepancy arises, you must take affirmative steps to resolve the matter.
• Bargaining Unit Status: Ineligible.
• This is NOT a remote position; you MUST live within or be willing to relocate within a commutable distance of the duty location.
• If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

Qualifications

You may qualify for your desired series and grade level if you meet the following qualification requirements:

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Minimum Qualification EL-12: Applicants must have 52 weeks (one-year) of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level as described below.

Experience: I qualify for the EL/GS-12 because I have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience at the EL/GS-11 or equivalent demonstrating work experience with one or more of the statements described below.

Examples of specialized experience include:

• Coordinating the development, tracking, and execution of eDiscovery operations; AND/OR
• Supporting an information governance program such as a FOIA or Privacy program, for an agency or organization; AND/OR
• Conducting legal research in support of legal matters related to internal agency operations; AND/OR
• Drafting, editing, and finalizing technical and legal documentation related to information governance, such as for eDiscovery, Litigation Holds, FOIA, Privacy, or the Paperwork Reduction Act.

Minimum Qualification EL-13: Applicants must have 52 weeks (one-year) of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level as described below.

Experience: I qualify for the EL/GS-13 because I have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience at the EL/GS-12 or equivalent demonstrating work experience with one or more of the statements described below.

Examples of specialized experience include:

• Supporting programs in two of the following subject matter areas: FOIA; Privacy; Litigation Holds; or Paperwork Reduction Act; AND/OR
• Providing oversight of the development, tracking, and execution of eDiscovery operations; AND/OR
• Conducting legal research in support of legal matters related to internal agency operations; AND/OR
• Drafting, editing, and finalizing technical and legal documentation related to information governance, such as for eDiscovery, Litigation Holds, FOIA, Privacy, or the Paperwork Reduction Act.

Time-In-Grade: Current or former Federal government employees who have held an EL/GS position in the preceding 52 weeks, must meet the time-in-grade requirement.

• To be eligible for the EL-12 position, applicants must have served 52 weeks as an EL/GS-11 or higher in the Federal Service.
• To be eligible for the EL-13 position, applicants must have served 52 weeks as an EL/GS-12 or higher in the Federal Service.

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.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

An Overview of FHFA's Benefits provides a summary of benefits for the current fiscal year.

If you are a veteran with preference eligibility and are claiming 5-points veterans' preference , you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, you must also submit an SF-15, "Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference" plus the proof required by that form. For more information on veterans' preference visit:

Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see

Career Transition Assistance Programs: These programs apply to Federal employees who have been involuntarily separated or whose positions are surplus. To receive selection priority, you must: (1) meet CTAP/ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified with a score of 90 or above; and (3) submit required documentation. For more information, visit: For more information visit:

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION: FHFA provides accommodations to applicants with disabilities unless it would create an undue hardship. To request an accommodation, contact View email address on click.appcast.io. All requests are reviewed case by case.

Ethics: FHFA employees are subject to government-wide ethical standards of conduct, financial disclosure requirements, and post-employment prohibitions. In addition, certain FHFA employees are prohibited from accepting compensation from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for a two-year period after terminating employment with FHFA. Furthermore, to avoid financial conflicts-of interest or the appearance of conflicts-of-interest, FHFA employees may need to divest or sell certain assets they, their spouse, or minor children own or control, including securities issued by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or the Federal Home Loan Banks. Employees who work on Federal Home Loan Bank issues may need to sell or divest financial interests with any of the Federal Home Loan Bank members, which may include stock in bank holding companies, insurance companies, and other financial services firms. Questions regarding these requirements and prohibitions should be directed to the Office of General Counsel at View phone number 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.