Attorney Advisor

Summary

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is a grant-making agency of the government dedicated to supporting research, education, preservation, and public programs in the humanities. NEH is the nation's largest public funder of the humanities. The Office of General Counsel (OGC) provides legal advice and assistance to the Chairman of NEH and other officials on a variety of matters concerning the activities of NEH. This position is for an Attorney Advisor in the NEH OGC.

Duties

• Renders legal advice to key agency officials on a broad range of legal questions concerning the activities of NEH. Researches, interprets, and provides verbal and written analysis of NEH enabling legislation, federal ethics laws, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) matters, regulatory requirements, the law of government grants and contracts, appropriations law, and personnel regulations, among other areas of the law. Reviews and analyzes contracts, interagency agreements, grant guidelines, administrative directives and other legal documents. Drafts regulations, legal opinions and briefs, memoranda, directives, meeting minutes, and reports to other federal agencies. Assists in the administration of NEH's ethics and Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) programs; coordinates agency's responses and obligations under FOIA.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying. At the GS-12 level: 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level or equivalent experience. Specialized experience is experience which is directly related to the line of work of the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position, for example: (1)Conducts complex legal research and analysis; (2)Reviews and drafts legal memoranda, briefs, correspondence, policy guidance documents, contracts, and regulations; (3)Provides legal advice to agency officials on Federal ethics laws, the Hatch Act, FOIA, the Privacy Act, appropriations law, grant management regulations, and other federal laws and regulations; (4)Conveys conclusions and strategic recommendations to agency officials verbally and in clear, concise written format using plain writing in line with the Federal Plain Writing Act of 2010; (5)Represents agencies and officials in administrative litigation, including cases before the Merit System Protection Board (MSPB) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC); (6)Manages competing priorities under short deadlines. At the GS-13 level: 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level or equivalent experience. Specialized experience is experience which is directly related to the line of work of the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position, for example: (1) Leads complex legal research and analysis; (2)Prepare legal memoranda, briefs, correspondence, policy guidance documents, contracts, and regulation with minimal review for senior management; (3)Advises agency officials and employees on Federal ethics laws, the Hatch Act, FOIA, the Privacy Act, appropriations law, grant management regulations, and other federal laws and regulations; (4)Conveys conclusions and strategic recommendations to agency officials verbally and in clear, concise written format using plain writing in line with the Federal Plain Writing Act of 2010; (5)Represents agencies and officials in administrative litigation, including cases before the Merit System Protection Board (MSPB) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC); (6)Manages competing priorities under short deadlines. At the GS-14 level: 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 level or equivalent experience. Specialized experience is experience which is directly related to the line of work of the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position, for example: (1) Leads complex legal research and analysis for senior management; (2)Prepare legal memoranda, briefs, correspondence, policy guidance documents, contracts, and regulation for senior management; (3)Advises agency officials and employees on Federal ethics laws, the Hatch Act, FOIA, the Privacy Act, appropriations law, grant management regulations, and other federal laws and regulations; (4)Conveys conclusions and strategic recommendations to agency officials verbally and in clear, concise written format using plain writing in line with the Federal Plain Writing Act of 2010; (5)Represents agencies and officials in administrative litigation, including cases before the Merit System Protection Board (MSPB) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for the agency; (6)Manages multiple competing priorities under short deadlines.

Education

Applicants must possess a J.D. or equivalent degree and be a member in good standing of a recognized bar of a State, a Territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia.

How to apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/16/2026 to receive consideration. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package. It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.