Permanent Policy Counsel Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Summary
The Intelligence Community Office of the Inspector General is searching for exceptional candidates to join us in fulfilling our mission to identify and prevent fraud, waste, abuse, and misconduct across the 18 elements of the Intelligence Community. We uphold the integrity of the IC and amplify its impact through independent oversight that demands accountability and drives excellence. IC OIG has four offices: Legal Counsel, Audits & Inspections, Investigations & Intake, and Strategy & Support.
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Duties
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As the IC OIG's chief legal advisor, the Counsel to the Intelligence Community Inspector General (IC IG) leads the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC), which provides expert legal counsel across four critical areas: Legal Counsel, Audits & Inspections, Investigations & Intake, and Strategy & Support.
This position offers a unique opportunity to shape IC oversight while addressing some of the nation's most complex legal and policy challenges. Duties include but are not limited to:
Provide independent, expert legal and policy counsel to the IC IG and senior leadership on complex, novel, and high-priority matters affecting IC oversight responsibilities, and render definitive legal opinions and guidance on issues involving statutes, Presidential directives, Executive Orders, and IC policies.
Manage OLC's strategic approach to supporting the IC IG's statutory mission of promoting economy, effectiveness, and efficiency while preventing fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement.
Lead and manage OLC staff, establishing clear policies, practices, and strategic performance objectives, and conducting performance evaluations and provide regular feedback to ensure staff growth and excellence.
Provide comprehensive legal guidance supporting the IC IG's authority to audit, investigate, inspect, and review programs within the DNI's responsibility, including matters involving criminal and administrative procedures, fraud, appropriations, procurement, ethics, and employee conduct.
Review and ensure legal sufficiency of all documents requiring IC IG approval or concurrence.
Chair the IC IG Council of Counsels Forum to establish effective relationships among IC Inspector General legal counsels and promote collaborative oversight efforts.
Coordinate with congressional intelligence committees on legal matters and develop strategic partnerships across Intelligence Community elements to enhance oversight effectiveness.
Create and sustain partnerships with other IC elements.
Requirements
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Conditions of employment
Must be a current permanent ODNI employee OR must be a current permanent Federal employee with supervisory approval to apply to the Joint Duty Assignment (JDA). JDA applicants must be currently at the grade level specified in the advertisement. No temporary promotion opportunities will be granted for this position. The program does not apply to members of the Military service or contractors.
Joint Duty applicants may be considered for this position as a reimbursable detailee, if endorsed by the employing agency. Joint Duty applicants must have a current TS/SCI clearance with polygraph or have the ability to obtain one. The ODNI does not conduct polygraphs or provide security clearances for detailees.
EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS
All applicants will be assessed for executive competency against the five mandatory Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs). If your two-page resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of the ECQs you will not receive further consideration for the position. Applicants are strongly encouraged to review current information regarding ECQs. For information regarding ECQs, please visit the Executive Core Qualifications page on the OPM website.
FREE RESPONSE ESSAY QUESTIONS
All applicants must answer the following four short, free response essay questions. The responses cannot exceed 200 words per question. By submitting your responses to the following questions, you certify that you are using your own words and did not use a consultant or AI (such as a large language model [LLM]).

1. How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government? Provide a concrete example from professional, academic, or personal experience.
2. In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness? Provide specific examples where you improved processes, reduced costs, or improved outcomes.
3. How would you help advance the President's Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role? Identify one or two relevant Executive Orders or policy initiatives that are significant to you and explain how you would help implement them if hired.
4. How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements? Provide one or two specific examples and explain how those qualities would enable you to serve effectively in this position.

Qualifications
EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs)
To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the five Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and the Intelligence Community Senior Officer Core Qualification (ICSOCQ) listed below in your resume. RESUMES MUST NOT EXCEED TWO (2) PAGES. Resumes over the two (2)-page limit will not be reviewed and will be disqualified. Your resume should include examples of experience, educations, and accomplishments applicable to the qualifications. If your resume does not demonstrate evidence of these qualifications, you may not receive consideration for the position.
All applicants will be assessed for executive competency against the following five mandatory ECQs. For more information regarding ECQs, please visit the Executive Core Qualifications page on the OPM website.
ECQ 1: Commitment to the Rule of Law and 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.
ISCOCQ: Leading the Intelligence Enterprise
This core qualification involves the ability to integrate resources, information, interests, and activities effectively in support of the Intelligence Community's mission and to lead and leverage cross-organizational collaborative networks to achieve significant mission results. Inherent to this senior officer qualification is a deep understanding of the intelligence enterprise and a shared commitment to the IC's core values.
Displayed expertise in at least two of the following practice areas:
1. Inspector General Operations
2. Intelligence Oversight
3. Litigation
4. Investigations
5. Civil Liberties and Privacy
6. Personnel and Ethics
7. Acquisition and Fiscal Oversight
Superior communication skills including the ability to routinely communicate, orally and in writing, complex concepts and issues in a manner appropriate to the audience, and to consistently make sound, timely decisions in complex, ambiguous or ill-defined situations.
Exceptional interpersonal, leadership and managerial capabilities, including the ability to effectively direct taskings, supervise and lead a diverse team of legal professionals, assess and manage performance measurements, support personal and professional development of all levels of personnel, effectively collaborate with staff at all levels, maintain confidentiality, promote and uphold integrity standards, and adhere to the highest discretionary standards.
Expert ability to lead by example and exemplify IC OIG core values of Integrity, Fortitude, and Excellence.
Education: Completion of a Juris Doctor or Bachelor of Laws degree from an American Bar Association-accredited law school, and active membership of the Bar of the highest court of a U.S. State, Territory, Commonwealth, or the District of Columbia.
Education
Bachelor's Degree
Additional information
JOB INTERVIEW TRAVEL
Candidates from outside the Washington Metropolitan Area (WMA) may be selected for a telephone, teleconference, or in-person interview.
SALARY DETERMINATION
A current Federal Government employee, selected for this position, will be assigned to the position at their current grade and salary.
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS
The ODNI provides reasonable accommodations to otherwise qualified applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the Reasonable Accommodations Office Representative by email at DNI_COO_HRM_RA_ALL@odni.gov, by telephone at (703)275-3900 or by FAX at (703)275-1277. Your request for reasonable accommodations will be addressed on a case-by-case basis. PLEASE DO NOT SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION TO THE REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION EMAIL ADDRESS. THIS EMAIL IS FOR REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION REQUESTS ONLY.
The ODNI is an equal opportunity employer and abides by applicable employment laws and regulations.
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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.
Benefits
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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.