Senior Regulatory Attorney

Office of Personnel Management•Washington, DC

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Office of the General Counsel seeks an experienced regulatory attorney to lead OPM's rulemaking program. The position serves as OGC's principal legal advisor on Federal rulemaking, reviews proposed and final rules for the Federal Register, advises on the Administrative Procedure Act and OPM's statutory authorities, and coordinates regulatory reviews with OMB's Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. The incumbent also supervises a small team handling broader legal questions across OPM's programs. As the agency's lead rulemaking attorney, regulatory advisor, and first-line supervisor, the incumbent provides expert legal advice on complex policy, regulatory, and administrative law matters and manages OGC processes supporting the development, review, clearance, and publication of OPM rules and related materials. The role includes advising senior officials and program offices, supporting litigation related to OPM regulations, and directing attorneys and analysts through legal review, workload management, mentoring, and performance management. The position requires regular on-site presence at OPM Headquarters in Washington, DC. Situational telework is available consistent with OPM policy.

Requirements

Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
Males born after December 31, 1959, must be registered for Selective Service.
Must be suitable for Federal employment, as determined by a background investigation.
May be required to successfully complete a trial period.
A J.D. from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association.
Active membership, in good standing, of the Bar of a State, territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia.
At least one full year of experience comparable in difficulty and responsibility to at least the GS-14 level in the Federal service.
Professional legal experience qualifying the applicant to perform the duties at the GS-15 level.
Substantial hands-on experience with Federal rulemaking; other legal experience does not substitute for this experience.
Experience drafting or reviewing proposed and final rules, including preambles, regulatory text, and responses to public comments.
Experience applying the Administrative Procedure Act and other Federal rulemaking procedures, and interpreting statutes, regulations, and Executive orders that provide agency rulemaking authority.
Experience coordinating regulatory review under Executive Order 12866, including direct work with OMB's Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.
Experience preparing documents for Federal Register publication consistent with Office of the Federal Register requirements.
Experience managing a regulatory docket or rulemaking program across multiple program offices, including intake, clearance, tracking, and publication deadlines.
Experience developing legal positions and recommendations on novel or unsettled regulatory questions with limited governing authority, competing interests, or significant policy or litigation consequences.
Experience advising senior agency officials or executives on legally complex, high-visibility, or time-sensitive regulatory matters.
Experience leading, supervising, or substantively directing attorneys, including reviewing legal work for legal sufficiency and consistency with established positions.
Must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements by the announcement closing date.
Must have regular on-site presence at OPM Headquarters in Washington, DC.

Nice To Haves

Experience across several of the listed Federal rulemaking, regulatory review, docket management, complex legal advice, and attorney leadership areas; the ideal applicant will have experience in all of them.

Responsibilities

Serve as OGC's senior attorney and principal legal advisor on Federal rulemaking involving OPM's statutory authorities, civil service programs, and governmentwide personnel-management responsibilities.
Draft, review, and clear proposed and final rules, interpretive rules, policy statements, and responses to public comments, ensuring legal sufficiency and compliance with applicable statutes, Executive orders, and procedural requirements.
Analyze complex and novel legal questions under the Administrative Procedure Act, OPM's enabling statutes, Executive orders, the Paperwork Reduction Act, the Privacy Act, the Congressional Review Act, and other authorities affecting Federal rulemaking.
Coordinate regulatory review under Executive Order 12866 and serve as OGC's primary point of contact with OMB's Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.
Oversee preparation of documents for publication in the Federal Register consistent with Office of the Federal Register requirements.
Manage OGC's regulatory docket, including intake, assignment, clearance, tracking, and publication deadlines across OPM program offices; develop supporting procedures, templates, and quality-control practices.
Advise OPM program offices on developing, revising, implementing, and defending regulations and regulatory initiatives.
Advise senior OPM officials on legislation, Executive orders, litigation developments, regulatory priorities, legislative proposals, and oversight inquiries affecting OPM programs or regulatory authorities.
Provide legal advice concerning litigation or potential litigation involving OPM regulations and support the Department of Justice or agency litigation counsel through legal analysis, regulatory history, administrative-record support, and subject-matter expertise.
Direct a small professional staff of attorneys and analysts, review work product for legal sufficiency and consistency, balance workloads, and develop staff through mentoring, feedback, and performance management.
Supervise and provide substantive direction to attorneys advising OPM program offices on legal questions across the agency's programs and operations.