Supervisory Attorney Adviser (Labor) (Assistant Chief Counsel to Board Member)
About This Position
This position is located in the office of a Board Member of the National Labor Relations Board. The Board is responsible for the adjudication of unfair labor practice cases and representation cases under the provisions of the National Labor Relations Act of 1935, as amended. The incumbent of this position serves as an expert legal counsel and normally reports through the Deputy Chief Counsel to the Board Member but may on special assignments report directly to the Chief Counsel or Board Member.
Qualifications
All qualifications and eligibility requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement. IDEAL CANDIDATE STATEMENT The ideal candidate for the Supervisory Attorney Adviser (Labor) (Assistant Chief Counsel to Board Member) will demonstrate a wide-ranging and thorough knowledge of labor and administrative law, including NLRB processes and procedures; will exhibit superior skill in written and oral communication; will possess demonstrated managerial and supervisory experience (or the demonstrated potential for such); and will exhibit a demonstrated ability to timely and appropriately handle multiple assignments in a fast-paced environment. Knowledge of the National Labor Relations Act or similar related statutes is required; familiarity with representation case law is preferred, but not required.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to interact with colleagues and senior level management; and strong research and analytical skills are desired. BASIC REQUIREMENT Education: Must have successfully completed a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and have the first professional law degree (LL.B.
OR
J.D.). Law school transcripts must be submitted at the time of application. Bar Membership and Certification: Must currently be a member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory, or commonwealth of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
Your active Bar license must reference Bar number and indicate the status of good standing. Agency Internal Self-Certification Forms are not acceptable for verification.
In addition to the BASIC REQUIREMENT, applicants must also meet the following: MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Applicants must have one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-14 grade level, which has provided them with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the Supervisory Attorney Adviser (Labor) (Assistant Chief Counsel to Board Member) at the GS-15 grade level. Specialized experience includes: Experience utilizing comprehensive knowledge of labor law under the National Labor Relations Act and the policies and procedures of the Act; and Experience interpreting and applying the NLRA and other case law to difficult and novel factual and legal issues in unfair labor practice cases; and Experience providing authoritative guidance, interpretation, and recommendations on both administrative matters and legal issues based on relevant labor laws and regulations; and Experience supervising or leading a team or group of professional attorneys either temporarily or on a permanent basis. This experience must be fully supported and articulated in your resume to receive consideration.
Please do not cut and paste the specialized experience from this announcement into your resume, as this will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.
NOTE: 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. (NOTE: All Agency employees must provide a copy of their SF-50 "Notice of Personnel Action" that indicates proof of status. The SF-50 must include your position, title, series, grade, step, tenure (1 or 2), and type of service (Excepted). As an employee, you may determine your status by checking block 24 on your SF-50. The block must reflect "1" or "2". Also, block 34 must reflect "2".)
Major Duties
As a Supervisory Attorney Adviser (Labor) (Assistant Chief Counsel to Board Member), GS-0905-15, your typical work assignments may include: Communicating clearly and concisely to advise staff and answer questions involving interpretation of the National Labor Relations Act, procedural issues, and proposed case resolutions. Considering and formulating recommendations on substantive and procedural challenges relating to the work of the Board. Participating in the preparation of committee reports for presentation to and consideration by the Board.
Making initial determinations as to whether issues in cases have been sufficiently covered by established Board policy and precedent to permit decision by the Board and drafting a proposed decision and order for circulation to and approval by panel members. Supervising a team of attorneys in the preparation of cases requiring consideration and decision by the Board. On difficult and novel questions of law, policy, and questionnaire procedure that arise in the administration of the Act, planning and conducting special studies as assigned by a Board Member and formulating recommendations.
Education
This position has a basic education requirement listed under the Qualifications section of this announcement.
You must meet all qualification requirements. All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
For a list of schools that meet this criteria, see www.ed.gov. All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly. Special Instructions for Foreign Education If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in accredited U.S. education programs; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.
For further information, visit Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | U.S. Department of Education.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications listed above. Once the application process is complete, your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents) and your responses to all assessments required for this position.
You will be assessed on the following competencies: Oral Communication Influencing and Negotiating Legal Advisor Managing Human Resources Problem Solving Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12974500 In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. For evaluating the quality of applicants for referral to the selecting official, a multi-phased process will be used.
Phase 1: Applicants' resume and supporting documents will be reviewed by Human Resources (HR) to determine whether they meet the basic qualification requirements. Phase 2: Applicants who are minimally qualified may be advanced to a Structured Resume Review assessment conducted by a Subject Matter Expert (SME) panel. SMEs may review applicants' resumes to evaluate technical qualifications for this position based on the required specialized experience.
Phase 3: A final score, which may combine the results from one or more assessments, may be used to identify the top-rated applicants. Applicants meeting the established cut-off score may be referred to the selecting official for consideration and may be required to participate in one or more additional interviews as part of the hiring process.
Additional Information
SUPPLEMENTARY VACANCIES Supplementary vacancies may be filled
in addition to the number stated in this announcement. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY/REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION The National Labor Relations Board is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for appointment without regard to race; color; religion; sex; national origin; age; disability; genetic information; pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition.
Applicants with disabilities who need reasonable accommodations for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the Agency's Selective Placement Coordinator by email here. NLRB offers a wide array of reasonable accommodations and programs for individuals with disabilities. (Note: For additional information for job seekers with disabilities, please click on the following website here.) PLACEMENT POLICY The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by Promotion or Reassignment.
Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position. ALTERNATE APPLICATION INFORMATION Applicants may contact the Office of Human Resources. The National Labor Relations Board offers career opportunities that feature competitive starting salaries and the potential for performance-based increases, flexible hours, and the ability to achieve and maintain a balanced lifestyle.
You will enjoy a range of comprehensive and competitive employment benefits that include Work/Life Balance Programs (Alternative Work Schedules, Telework, Employee Assistance Program, and the Child Care Subsidy Program), the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program, Flexible Spending Accounts, Life Insurance, Long-Term Care Insurance, Thrift Savings Plan, and the Transit Benefit Program.
How to Apply
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package, which includes: Resume; and Any other documents needed to verify your qualifications or eligibility (see the Required Documents section). Please follow the instructions listed below for submitting your complete application package. Application procedures are specific to this vacancy announcement. Please read all instructions before you begin. To begin the process, click the APPLY ONLINE button at the right side of this screen to create an account or log into your existing USAJOBS account.
Follow the prompts to complete the assessment questionnaire. Please ensure you click the SUBMIT MY ANSWERS button at the end of the process. If you have never applied through USAJOBS for a position with the Federal Civil Service, you will need to create a USAJOBS account.
To change or update your application, simply reapply through USAJOBS, before the closing date. New or updated resumes are considered "incomplete" applications until the required virus scan is cleared. To check the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, select Application Status and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.
Required Documents
Please submit the supporting documents outlined below for your claimed eligibility status. RESUME In compliance with Executive Order 14170, Reforming the Federal Hiring Process and Restoring Merit to Government Service resumes must not be longer than two pages in length. The resume must address minimum qualifications and other requirements listed in the job announcement. If the two-page resume criteria and/or the resume formatting requirement is not met, candidates will be rated as ineligible and will not be referred for hiring consideration.
Resumes must include all of the following information outlined below: Contact Information: Name and how best to contact you, including email address and phone number. Relevant Work Experience Job Title and Employer (including series and grade for any Federal positions) Start and end dates with month/year (e.g., 05/2019 -08/2022 or present) The number of hours you worked per week Ensure work experience descriptions are aligned with the job announcement and address all required qualifications. Brief descriptions should demonstrate your ability to perform the tasks at the required level as stated in the job announcement.
PROOF of BAR CERTIFICATION A copy of your Bar License that certifies you are an active member of the Bar in good standing of any state, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or any Territorial Court under the U.S. Constitution.
Your active Bar license must reference Bar number and indicate the status of good standing. An Agency's Internal or a Self-Certification Form is not acceptable for verification. TRANSCRIPT An unofficial copy of your transcripts is sufficient for this application package. The unofficial transcripts must be verifiable; contain the name of the institution, applicant's name, list of completed courses (with grades), semester hours, and GPA. If the position has a positive education requirement (i.e., LL. B.
OR
J.D.), as indicated under the "Education" section, the unofficial transcripts must show type of degree and degree date received (conferred). If selected, an official copy of the transcripts is required and must be received before employment. (NOTE: Current NLRB Attorneys may not be required to submit a copy of their transcripts. However, NLRB employees within 3 years from receiving their Juris Doctorate degree, must provide a transcript with their application package.) WRITING SAMPLE Applicants are required to submit a legal document of their choice (not edited by anyone other than the applicant and preferably no more than ten pages).
MOST RECENT PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL If performance appraisal is not dated within the last 18 months or if you are unable to provide a copy, an explanation of why must be provided. Please include a document in your application package explaining why the performance appraisal is not available. NOTIFICATION OF PERSONNEL ACTION (SF-50) Most recent SF-50 showing current grade and tenure or an SF-50 showing highest (permanent) grade ever held, if different from your current grade.
Performance Award, Reassignment, Name Change and Detail SF-50s will not be accepted as proof of grade and tenure. If you are applying for a higher grade, provide an SF-50 or SF-50s that shows the length of time in the current/highest grade (i.e., Promotions, With-in Grade Increase) to support meeting time-in-grade requirements. As an employee in the Excepted Service, determine your status by checking block 24 on your SF-50.
The block must reflect "1" or "2". Also, block 34 must reflect "2". A copy of your SF-50 must be provided for verification. Failure to submit any of the required documents by the closing date of the vacancy will result in your removal from consideration for this position.
Please review your application prior to final submission and ensure you have submitted all appropriate documents. Uploading documents to USAJOBS does NOT ensure inclusion with your application to our system.
You must verify that the documents are in the system with your application prior to final submission. All materials must be received by 06/11/2026 to be considered for this announcement.