COUNSEL, STRATEGIC SYSTEMS PROGRAMS

Summary

The Department of the Navy (DON) Office of the General Counsel (OGC) seeks an exceptional leader to serve as the Counsel, Strategic Systems Program (SSP). The Counsel SSP is the principal legal advisor and responsible for all legal matters at SSP. This is a Tier 2 position in the Senior Executive Service (SES).

Duties

• You will serve as the Counsel and principal legal advisor on matters of business and commercial law at SSP.
• You will be responsible for overseeing a legal program providing advice and assistance throughout the SSP organization including its field offices.
• You will supervise a staff of attorneys and oversee the quality of legal advice.
• You will liaise with other senior government professionals on matters pertaining to the SSP mission.
• You will represent SSP in a variety of forums and participate in the formulation of relevant SSP policy.

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. In addition to the minimum qualifications listed below, applicants must demonstrate experience and competency in the Technical Qualifications and Executive Core Qualifications related to this position within your resume - NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES. Resumes over the 2-page limit, will 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. Separate narratives will not be accepted or reviewed. TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs): Your resume should demonstrate accomplishments that would satisfy the technical qualifications. TQ 1. Knowledge of, and substantial experience in acquisition law, fiscal law and one or more of the following areas of law: international law, federal employment law, environmental law, and associated litigation. TQ 2. Knowledge of, and substantial experience in organizational relationships, missions, and administrative procedures of the DON, DoW or other similar Federal Agency. TQ 3. Experience working as an attorney at a senior level providing legal advice on complex and sensitive issues to high-level executives and officials. This experience must be evidenced by the ability to analyze and organize complex factual and legal matters for oral and written presentation, including demonstration of sophisticated legal and analytical skills, sound judgment, initiative, and industry. EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): In addition to the Technical Qualification Requirements listed above, all new entrants into the Senior Executive Service (SES) under a career appointment will be assessed for executive competency against the following five mandatory ECQs. If your 2-page resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of the ECQs and TQs, you may not receive further consideration for the position. 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 organization's 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. Note: 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, you should attach proof (e.g., SF-50, Certification by OPM's SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB)) of your eligibility for noncompetitive appointment to the SES.

Education

To qualify for the Counsel SSP position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications: Education: Applicants must possess a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association. Applicants' resumes must reflect the name of the institution from which the J.D. was conferred/awarded and include the month and year in which the degree was obtained. -AND- Licensure: Applicants must currently be admitted to, eligible to practice in, and an active member in good standing of the bar of the highest court of a State, U.S. commonwealth, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia. Applicants' resumes must reflect the state(s)/jurisdiction(s) where they are barred and the date(s) of admission. -AND- Experience: Post J.D. Experience: Applicants must possess at least 6 years of post J.D. experience. Specialized Experience: Applicants must have at least 4 or more years of specialized experience. "Specialized experience" for this position is defined as follows: Senior level experience in a legal capacity with responsibility for providing oversight and leadership which clearly demonstrates the ability to manage people and resources.

How to apply

To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application. Follow the prompts to select and upload your résumé and/or other required documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the "Include Personal Information" section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process. You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. Failure to submit a complete application package will result in an ineligible rating and loss of consideration. Your complete application (resume, assessment questionnaire, and all supporting documents) must be received by 11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) on 09/18/2026. Applications received after 09/18/2026 will generally result in an ineligible rating and loss of consideration. If more than one resume is received, only the last resume received and processed will be reviewed. You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application. Do not email or send hard copy resumes/applications to the Contact Information or Agency Information listed in this vacancy announcement. All resumes/applications received at the addresses listed in the Contact Information or Agency Information will be destroyed and will not be considered for this vacancy announcement. It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that all information in their resume and documents are legible and accurate. HR will not modify answers/documents submitted by an applicant. If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, please contact usn.seattle-wa.ochrsvdopscenwa.mbx.don-executive-hiring@us.navy.mil