VICE CHAIRMAN, BOARD OF IMMIGRATION APPEALS EXECUTIVE OFFICE FOR IMMIGRATION REVIEW VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER: EOIR-08-0121

VICE CHAIRMAN, BOARD OF IMMIGRATION APPEALS
EXECUTIVE OFFICE FOR IMMIGRATION REVIEW
VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER: EOIR-08-0121

About the Office: The Executive Office for Immigration Review, U.S. Department of Justice, is seeking an individual to serve as Vice Chairman of the Board of Immigration Appeals.

The Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA or Board) is one of three adjudicative components of the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR). Under authority delegated by the Attorney General of the United States, EOIR interprets and administers federal immigration laws through the conduct of immigration court proceedings, appellate reviews, and administrative hearings.

The BIA has nationwide jurisdiction to hear appeals of decisions made by immigration judges or certain officers of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Decisions are binding, unless modified or overruled by the Attorney General or a federal court.

Responsibilities and Opportunity Offered: The Vice Chairman is responsible for assisting the Chairman, BIA, with the overall management of all Board personnel in the execution of their duties under 8 CFR Part 1003. The Vice Chairman also serves as a Board Member. The BIA has nationwide jurisdiction to hear appeals of decisions made by immigration judges or certain officers of the DHS. Central to the Board’s role is the issuance of precedent decisions interpreting complex immigration laws and providing nationwide guidance to the immigration courts, DHS, and the private bar. The BIA’s decisions are binding on all immigration judges and on DHS unless modified or overruled by the Attorney General or a federal court.

The majority of appeals reaching the Board involve orders of removal and applications for relief from removal. Other matters before the Board include petitions to classify the status of alien relatives for the issuance of preference immigrant visas, fines imposed upon carriers for the violation of immigration laws, and motions for reopening and reconsideration of decisions previously rendered. In addition, the Board is responsible for the recognition of organizations and accreditation of representatives requesting permission to practice before DHS, the immigration courts, and the Board.

Qualifications: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is required by law to review the executive qualifications of each new career appointee to the Senior Executive Service (SES) prior to appointment. To be considered for this position, you must submit a written statement addressing the five (5) Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) listed below.

You must: possess an LL.B. or a J.D. degree and be duly licensed and authorized to practice law as an attorney under the laws of a state, a territory, or the District of Columbia (include the date of your admission to the bar) and have a minimum of seven years of relevant, post-bar admission legal experience. These qualifications must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

You must be a U.S. citizen to be eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review. Dual citizens of the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

How You Will Be Evaluated: You will be evaluated on the Executive Core Qualifications and the Technical Factors listed below. We encourage you to look at the ECQ definitions and the samples of ECQ statements available on the OPM website at: http://www.opm.gov/ses/references/SES_Quals_Guide_2006.pdf
ECQ 1 - LEADING CHANGE
This core qualification involves the ability to bring about strategic change, both within and outside the organization, to meet organizational goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to establish an organizational vision and to implement it in a continuously changing environment. Qualities within this ECQ are: creativity and innovation; external awareness; flexibility; resilience; strategic thinking; and vision.

ECQ 2 - LEADING PEOPLE
This core qualification involves the ability to lead people toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to provide an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others, facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports constructive resolution of conflicts. Qualities within this ECQ are: conflict management; leveraging diversity; developing others; and team building.

ECQ 3 - RESULTS DRIVEN
This core qualification involves the ability to meet organizational goals and customer expectations. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to make decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks. Qualities within this ECQ are: accountability; customer service; decisiveness; entrepreneurship; problem solving; and technical credibility.

ECQ 4 - BUSINESS ACUMEN
This core qualification involves the ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically. Qualities within this ECQ are: financial management; human capital management; and technology management.

ECQ 5 - BUILDING COALITIONS
This core qualification involves the ability to build coalitions internally and with other Federal agencies, State and local governments, nonprofit and private sector organizations, foreign governments, or international organizations to achieve common goals. Qualities within this ECQ are: partnering; political savvy; and influencing/negotiation.

Mandatory Technical Qualifications: You must possess the following technical qualifications. Possession of these technical qualifications must be clearly documented in your application package and should be addressed separately:

1. Broad knowledge in the general field of law, both domestic and foreign.

2. Comprehensive knowledge of immigration law and procedure, with particular expertise in administrative and judicial case law and regulations, or the proven ability to become fully knowledgeable about a complex field of the law and to apply that knowledge to specific cases.

3. Demonstrated decision-making, problem-solving, and legal writing skills.

Salary Information: $114,468.00 - $158,500.00* USD per year
Note: Maximum salary limit may be increased to $172,200.00 when the Department’s SES Performance Management System is certified for 2008 by OPM and OMB.

Location: Falls Church, Virginia

Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses will not be paid.

Submission Process: A complete application will include:

A. A résumé, or Optional Form 612, Optional Application for Federal Employment. If you submit a résumé, it must include the following information: your full name, mailing address (with ZIP code), day and evening phone numbers (with area code), social security number, country of citizenship, the highest Federal civilian grade held (also give job series and dates held). You must clearly indicate possession of a Law Degree and any bar membership(s) and date of bar admission on your application. Applications must contain the announcement number, title, and grade of the job for which you are applying. A completed OF-612 will ensure the required information is provided. Do not send position descriptions, manuscripts, or other unsolicited material.

B.A Supplemental Applicant Statement which addresses EACH executive core qualification (ECQ) and each mandatory technical qualification individually. This statement must provide examples of your experience, training, and accomplishments which are relevant to each qualification. Current/Former SES Career Appointees and SES Candidate Development graduates do not need to address their ECQs; however, all other applicants must address the ECQs to be eligible for consideration. A narrative description of 1-2 pages per ECQ and technical factor is normally sufficient.

Your ECQ statement cannot exceed 10 pages and should focus on accomplishments which support possession of each of the five ECQs. We encourage you to look at the examples of ECQ’s in OPM’s Guide to Senior Executive Service Qualifications, available on the OPM website at: http://www.opm.gov/ses/references/SES_Quals_Guide_2006.pdf.

Current and former career SES members only - A copy of the most recent SF-50 documenting your SES career appointment. (No response to ECQ statements is required.)

SES Candidate Development Program graduates only - A copy of your OPM Qualifications Review Board certification. (No response to ECQ statements is required.)

C. A recent supervisory appraisal of performance, or if none exists, a statement to that effect. This is required of candidates who are current Federal employees.

D. A writing sample.

E. Letters of recommendation and additional references from individuals who can speak to your overall qualifications based on personal knowledge.

Facsimiles of résumés/applications or other electronic copies will not be considered unless specifically authorized.

Submit your application to:

U.S. Department of Justice

Executive Office for Immigration Review

Human Resources Staff, Administration Division

5107 Leesburg Pike, Suite 2300

Falls Church, VA 22041.

Telefaxed copies of resume/application or other electronic copies will not be considered unless specifically authorized.

Applications received after September 13, 2008 will not be considered.

Internet Sites: www.usdoj.gov/eoir/
Other attorney vacancy announcements can be found at: http://www.usdoj.gov/oarm/attvacancies.html

Department Policies: Equal Employment Opportunity.

The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination because of color, race, religion, national origin, politics, marital status, disability, age, sex, sexual orientation, membership or nonmembership in an employee organization, or on the basis of personal favoritism.

The Department of Justice welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities. The Department is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department of Justice. This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Security Policy

It is the policy of the Department to achieve a drug-free workplace and persons selected for employment will be required to pass a drug test which screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment. Employment is also contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation. Only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, non-U.S. citizens may apply for employment with other organizations, but should be advised that appointments of non-U.S. citizens are extremely rare; such appointments would be possible only if necessary to accomplish the Department's mission and would be subject to strict security requirements. Dual citizens of the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Veterans Preference

Veterans' preference does not apply to this position. 5 USC 2108(3), which defines "preference eligible," indicates this does not include applicants for, or members of, the Senior Executive Service.