Associate General Counsel

Summary

Lead. Innovate. Influence. As an Associate General Counsel in OPM's Office of the General Counsel, you’ll steer a Division within OGC that advises OPM leadership on mission‑critical matters—from internal operations to governmentwide programs serving 8 million+ Federal employees, retirees, and families. Openings: General Law; Policy and Rulemaking; Litigation, Employment and Labor Relations.

Duties

As an Associate General Counsel, you will be part of the senior leadership team in the Office of the General Counsel (OGC) and serve as an advisor to senior agency leaders on high‑risk, high‑visibility matters. You will lead one of OGC’s three Divisions, supporting OGC strategic planning, resource allocation, and organizational accountability and effectiveness. You will drive high‑impact legal strategy, oversee significant matters on behalf of OGC, and lead multidisciplinary legal teams delivering timely, high‑quality counsel on issues spanning OPM’s internal operations and its governmentwide programs affecting more than 8 million Federal employees, retirees, and family members. The role demands exceptional judgment, agility, integrity, and strategic problem‑solving, as well as the ability to collaborate with Federal partners and other stakeholders.

• Policy and Rulemaking Division – Advises on OPM’s governmentwide functions and authorities, including workforce policy and oversight, healthcare and insurance programs, and retirement systems. Supports all agency rulemaking and ensures it is legally sufficient, clear, and aligned with Administration priorities. Partners with the Department of Justice (DOJ) on litigation involving matters within the Division’s portfolio, including litigation involving major workforce policy initiatives.
• General Law Division – Advises on OPM’s internal operations and agency‑level administrative functions, including contracts and procurement, appropriations, information law, and information technology and artificial intelligence; oversees the agency’s ethics program. Adjudicates administrative claims and appeals including tort claims, FOIA appeals, and Privacy Act appeals. Supports the agency in matters involving oversight entities including the Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), and Congress. Represents the agency in administrative litigation before the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals and GAO. Supports DOJ in litigation involving the General Law portfolio.
• Litigation, Employment and Labor Relations Division – Represents OPM and client agencies before the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and Federal Labor Relations Authority. Advises the Director in the exercise of OPM’s special statutory authority over intervention, reconsideration, and appellate review of MSPB decisions. Supports DOJ in Federal litigation involving the Division portfolio. Advises the Chief Human Capital Officer and program offices on labor and employee relations matters.

Requirements

Must be a U.S. citizen or national 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 applicant born after December 31 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so. File a Public Financial Disclosure Report OGE‑278e within 30 days of appointment and annually thereafter. 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. This is not a remote position; the selectee will be required to report to the duty station on a regular basis. Telework may be authorized. There are three key documents that contain important information about your rights and obligations. Please read and retain these documents: Non‑criminal 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.

Qualifications

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. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin. Applicants must have earned a professional law degree (Juris Doctor) from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association and must be an active member of the Bar Association of a State, U.S. Territory, or the District of Columbia. To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) related to this position within your resume—NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES. Resumes over the 2‑page limit will not be reviewed beyond page 2 and may be disqualified.

• ECQ 1: Commitment to the Rule of Law and the Principles of the American Founding – 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 – 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 – Demonstrated knowledge, ability, and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality.
• ECQ 4: Leading People – Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization’s vision, mission, and goals, and to drive a high‑performance, high‑accountability culture. Includes, when necessary, the ability to lead people through change and hold individuals accountable.
• ECQ 5: Achieving Results – Demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors.

If you are a member of the SES or have been certified through successful participation in an OPM‑approved SES Candidate Development Program (SESCDP), or have SES reinstatement eligibility, you do not need to respond to the ECQs. Instead, attach proof (e.g., SF‑50, certification by OPM’s SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB)) of your eligibility for non‑competitive appointment to the SES. For more information regarding the ECQs, refer to Hiring and Talent Development for the Senior Executive Service.

About OPM

Empowering Government Through People and Innovation: At the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), we lead and serve the federal government by delivering enterprise human‑capital solutions that build a trusted and effective civilian workforce. Guided by the administration’s vision for a modern government, we are committed to: Transforming Federal Talent Systems; Leading with Data and Technology; Enhancing Customer Experience; Strengthening Organizational Capacity. Through these strategic goals, OPM is delivering on the President’s Management Agenda by fostering a government that works for everyone—powered by people, driven by data, and committed to service.