Supervisory Paralegal Specialist (Criminal)

Summary

For more information on the Department of Justice and the United States Attorneys' Offices, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/. As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement. This position is also being announced to applicants eligible to apply through Merit Staffing procedures under 27-NH-13076492-MS.

Duties

• If selected for this position, you will join the United States Attorney's Office (USAO), District of New Hampshire in the Criminal Division. The Criminal Division investigates and prosecutes violations of federal criminal law throughout New Hampshire, working to protect communities, uphold public safety, and enforce federal statutes. The Criminal Division handles cases relating to narcotics trafficking, firearms, violent crimes, child exploitation, human trafficking, organized crime, terrorism, illegal immigration, and white-collar crime, including wire, mail, healthcare, and mortgage fraud. The incumbent selected will exercise first-level supervision over the Criminal Division legal support staff. Typical work assignments will include: Providing advice, counsel, and instruction to paralegal and legal assistants on technical and administrative matters; Planning work to be accomplished by subordinates, setting and adjusting short-term priorities, and preparing schedules for completion of work within established deadlines; Assigns, directs, reviews, and coordinates work of subordinates; Develops Performance Work Plans, evaluates and assigns performance ratings based on independent knowledge and input from AUSAs, and ensures that performance ratings are timely and accurately completed; Planning, coordinating, and personally conducting or overseeing the training of assigned personnel; identifying developmental and training needs of legal support staff; identifying ways to improve production and increase the quality of the work of the support staff; Addresses employee conduct and performance issues by taking or recommending disciplinary and/or performance-based actions as appropriate; Deals effectively with employees on their suggestions; hears and resolves complaints and non-formal grievances from employees; Approving leave, making recommendation for awards, promotions, reassignments and assisting in the selection of additional staff; Instructing and providing procedural and technical guidance to other legal support staff employees in preparation of all court filings; Assisting AUSAs in pretrial and trial preparation by preparing, reviewing and organizing discovery, and organizing exhibits to be introduced at trial; and Providing technical support to AUSAs and government agents for gathering evidence in support of ongoing criminal investigations and prosecutions.

Qualifications

GS-12: In order to qualify for the GS-12 level, applicants must have one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level, gained in the federal, public, and/or private sector. Specialized experience is defined as experience planning, reviewing and/or overseeing work assignments of legal support staff; presenting oral and/or written facts and legal arguments to provide guidance and assistance to management and/or support; utilizing legal software applications/databases to conduct legal research, prepare case reports and/or produce litigation reports and documents; and providing trial support to attorneys, which may include drafting complaints, motions, subpoenas, orders, or other hearing and/or trial documents. Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)- The ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in the announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and receive a score of 85 or better on established ranking criteria. You must provide proof of eligibility to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form. Additional information about ICTAP eligibility is at: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)-The CTAP provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in the Department of Justice with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your Department of Justice component has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your CTAP eligibility, 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement, and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and receive a score of 85 or better on established ranking criteria. You must provide a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility with your application. Additional information about CTAP eligibility is at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

Required documents

To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package, which includes: - Required: Your responses to the Online Occupational Questionnaire (This is completed automatically during the apply online process). - Required: Your resume cannot exceed two pages - you will be deemed ineligible and receive no further consideration if your resume exceeds two pages - see USAJOBS for formatting requirements. Include relevant employment history as outlined below for each job: Official position title (if Federal, include series/grade), Employer name and contact information, Start and end dates (for full consideration you must include month, day, and year), Indicate full-time or number of hours worked per week if part-time, and A list of duties performed and accomplishments. 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. -Required, if applicable: Veterans' Preference documentation. -Required for Veterans' Preference- If you are entitled to Veterans' Preference, you must indicate the type of preference you are claiming in your application and submit the appropriate documentation, as specified below. In order to verify your Veterans' Preference entitlement, please submit a copy of the Member Copy 4 of your DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty); or if you are a current Active Duty member you must submit a certification on appropriate military branch letterhead that indicates: 1) your service dates, 2) expected discharge or release date from active duty with a release/discharge date no later than 120 days from the closing date of this announcement, and 3) the character of service (e.g., Honorable); In addition, if you are a disabled veteran, a Purple Heart recipient, or widow/widower if a veteran, the spouse of a disabled veteran or the parent of a disabled or deceased veteran, you must submit a Standard Form (SF) 15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference" dated October 2013 and all the other required documentation identified on the reverse side of the SF-15 to support your preference claim. -Required, if applicable: CTAP/ICTAP documentation (a copy of a separation notice or other proof of eligibility for priority selection; a copy of an SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, showing current position, grade, promotion potential, and duty location; AND a copy of your most recent performance appraisal. -If you are requesting a reasonable accommodation to the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you must submit documentation to support your request, including the Reasonable Accommodation Request Form found at: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire -Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office by providing a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment: Position title; Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee); Agency; and Beginning and ending dates of appointment.