Director, Special Litigation Section

Summary

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The Civil Rights Division (CRT or Division) is seeking an experienced attorney to serve as the Director, Special Litigation Section.

Learn more about this agency

This job is open to

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### The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

### Federal employees \- Competitive service

Current federal employees whose agencies follow the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's hiring rules and pay scales.

### Federal employees \- Excepted service

Current federal employees whose agencies have their own hiring rules, pay scales and evaluation criteria.

### Senior executives

Individuals looking for an executive\-level job and who meet the five Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs).

### Clarification from the agency

All U.S. Citizens, Senior Executive Service (SES), and Federal Employees in the Excepted or Competitive Service.

Duties

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As the Director of the Special Litigation Section, the successful candidate:

• Provides overall executive oversight and general management of the Section's resources to achieve its mission.

+ Provides a full range of technical and administrative supervisory duties and responsibilities, directly and through subordinate supervisors, to direct the Section's workforce;

+ Ensures that the Section functions efficiently and effectively in its enforcing of statutory provisions including, but not limited to the rights of people in prisons, juvenile detention facilities, and healthcare facilities for persons with disabilities, the rights of individuals with disabilities; the rights of people who interact with state or local police or sheriff's departments; the rights of youth involved in the juvenile justice system; the rights of people to safe access to reproductive health care clinics; and the rights of people to practice their religion while confined to state and local institutions;

+ Ensures the appropriate allocation of staff resources and oversight of personnel to develop and implement the Section's enforcement strategies;

+ Initiates, directs, and reviews investigations and civil litigation, intervenes in litigation and appears as amicus curiae in litigation against state and local governments and others to protect and secure persons from patterns, practices and policies that violate constitutional and statutory rights; and

+ Initiates civil litigation against state and local governments, intervenes in litigation and appears as amicus curiae in litigation against state and local governments and others responsible for the enforcement of constitutional and statutory protections of the rights of juveniles and persons with intellectual, physical, and mental health disabilities, and other unique civil rights issues.

• Oversees the development, recommendation, and execution of civil rights policy initiatives that fall within the purview of the Section.

+ Consults and advises the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division and other Department of Justice (DOJ) officials regarding issues in criminal justice policy and litigation, and the rights of people with disabilities.

• Leads, facilitates, and supports collaboration with DOJ components, advocacy groups, and the public on the Section's strategic initiatives.

Requirements

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### Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to qualify for this position.
• The Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and Mandatory Technical Qualification must be demonstrated in your resume.
• You must complete a background investigation, to include pre\-employment drug testing. Continued employment is contingent upon successful completion and adjudication of your background investigation and award of a Top\-Secret security clearance.
• You must have a Juris Doctorate degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association and be an active member in good standing of the bar of a state or territory of the US, the District of Columbia or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
• Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
• Applicants seeking initial career appointment to the Senior Executive Service are subject to a one\-year probationary period.
• Veterans' preference is not applicable to the Senior Executive Service.
• Selective Service \- If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law.
• This position requires you to submit a Public Financial Disclosure Report (OGE 278\) upon entry, and annually thereafter in accordance with DOJ and Federal ethics guidelines.
• Resume cannot exceed two (2\) pages.

### Qualifications

\\\*READ THIS JOB OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT CAREFULLY AND IN ITS ENTIRETY. It contains detailed information required to ensure you are appropriately considered for the position.\\\*

The application process for Senior Executive Service (SES) is RESUME\-ONLY. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration.

Your resume file must be 5 MB or smaller. For best results, save and upload your resume as a PDF to preserve its formatting and page count. You may also upload files in GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, TXT, ODT, or Word (DOC or DOCX) formats. Do not upload PDF portfolios, as the system will not accept them.

It is recommended that applicants use a clean, common font such as Lato, Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open Sans, Source Sans Pro, Roboto, or Noto Sans. Set margins to 0\.5 inches. Consider using 14\-point font for section titles and 10\-point font for the main text.

The Resume Builder can also support these recommendations and uses information from your USAJOBS profile to help you get started.

\\Note: If you are a current SES career appointee, a former SES member having reinstatement eligibility, or an OPM\-certified graduate of an approved SES Candidate Development Program and have had their ECQs certified by OPM, you must provide a copy of your certificate. Possessing an SES certification does not remove the requirement to address the position's MTQs. You must submit the appropriate SF50 (showing SES status) or an OPM Qualifications Review Board certificate.

We recommend that your resume emphasize your level of responsibilities, the scope and complexity of the programs managed, and your program accomplishments, including the results of your actions. You will be evaluated to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications required of the position and on the extent your application demonstrates that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of theDirector, Special Litigation Section. Be sure to give concrete examples of your experience and demonstrate the complexity of the knowledge you possess. Applicants must clearly demonstrate their leadership abilities by addressing the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) in their resume. Make sure your accomplishments clearly show how you meet each qualification.

ECQS

1\. COMMITMENT TO THE RULE OF LAW AND THE PRINCIPLES OF THE AMERICAN FOUNDING. 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.

2\. DRIVING EFFICIENCY. Demonstrated ability to strategically and sufficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades.

3\. MERIT AND COMPETENCE. Demonstrated knowledge, ability and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality.

4\. LEADING PEOPLE. Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals; To drive a high\-performance, high\-accountability culture.

5\. ACHIEVING RESULTS. Demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to state goals from superiors.

MTQs

1\. Demonstrated experience supervising the enforcement of federal civil rights statutes and regulations, including seeking or enforcing systemic relief, covering one or more of the following areas: 1\) conditions at state or locally operated residential facilities; 2\) the conduct of law enforcement officers; or 3\) the rights of individuals with disabilities to receive services in their communities, rather than institutions.

2\. Demonstrated experience managing a complex organization, a broad workforce, and challenging organizational issues while enforcing policies and law.

3\. Demonstrated experience communicating effectively on complex technical issues through oral and written communication, including the ability to advocate successfully with diverse stakeholders, external partners and individuals or groups having differed and often conflicting interests, on matters related to the successful execution of a large\-scale organization's mission, programs and projects.

### Education

Applicants must possess a J.D. degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association and be a member in good standing of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico bar. (Include in your resume the month and year in which you obtained your degree and the name of the College or University from which it was conferred/awarded.)

### Additional information

Only experience obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.

EEO Policy Statement: : The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non\-merit factor. The complete DOJ EEO Statement/Policy is found at: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/page/file/1394116/download.

Reasonable Accommodation: Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case\-by\-case basis. DOJ offers a comprehensive benefits package. Please see the "Benefits" area below for details.

Legal and Regulatory Guidance

• Social Security Number \- Your Social Security Number is requested under the authority of Executive Order 9397 to uniquely identify your records from those of other applicants who may have the same name. As allowed by law or Presidential directive, your Social Security Number is used to seek information about you from employers, schools, banks, and others who may know you. Failure to provide your Social Security Number on your application materials will result in your application not being processed.
• Privacy Act \- Privacy Act Notice (PL 93\-579\): The information requested here is used to determine qualifications for employment and is authorized under Title 5 U.S.C. 3302 and 3361\.
• Signature \- Before you are hired, you will be required to sign and certify the accuracy of the information in your application.
• False Statements \- If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be fired after you begin work; or you may be subject to fine, imprisonment, or other disciplinary action.
• Selective Service \- If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law.

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.

Review our benefits

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.

How you will be evaluated

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You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Only experience obtained by the 11:59pm EST on the closing date 05/26/2026 of this announcement will be considered.

After this announcement closes:

• An HR Specialist will review your resume and supporting (required) documentation.
• Applicants found minimally qualified will be referred to an Executive Resources Board (ERB).
• The ERB will evaluate applications to determine the best qualified applicants for referral to the hiring official.
• The hiring official may contact applicants to participate in an interview. Interviews may be in a virtual setting or in person at DOJ offices.
• The hiring official will make a selection, which must be approved by CRT's Assistant Attorney General.
• The selectee will receive a tentative offer from the agency; however, before an agency can appoint a new SES member, the selected individual will be subject further evaluation through a structured interview by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualifications Review Board (QRB) as required by law. OPM must review the executive qualifications of each new career appointee to the SES prior to appointment.

NOTE: You MUST address all MTQs as required above, but do not need to address the ECQs if you:

• Are currently serving under a career SES appointment;
• Are eligible for reinstatement into the SES; or
• Have successfully completed a SES Candidate Development Program and been certified by Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

Proof of Qualifications Review Board (QRB) certification must be provided in your application.

Required Documents

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To be considered for this position, you must provide a complete application package in the format outlined in this job announcement. Applications that do not include all of the required documents or exceed the 2 page resume requirement will not be considered.

* A comprehensive 2 page resume that includes the name of the college or university, and month and year, from which you obtained your J.D.

• Your resume must clearly demonstrate
your leadership abilities by addressing the ECQs and MTQs.
• Recent SF\-50 that shows Official Title, Grade Level, Status
• Certification of OPM QRB approval (for graduates of SES Candidate Development Programs)
• Other supporting documentation as required.
• Transcripts
• Proof of active bar

Applicants who fail to submit all information as described in this job announcement WILL NOT receive consideration for this position.

It is highly encouraged that applicants submit their most recent performance appraisal.

DO NOT SUBMIT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Extraneous materials not requested in this job announcement will not be considered.

How to Apply

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To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account.

Failure to submit a complete application (resume and all supporting documents) by 11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) on 05/26/2026 may result in an ineligible rating and loss of consideration. Please follow all instructions carefully as missing application information will not be requested. It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.

If more than one resume is received, only the last resume submitted will be reviewed.

Note: To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account: https://secure.login.gov/sign\_up/enter\_email select Application Status and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.

The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re\-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.

Do not email or send hard copy resumes/applications to the Contact Information or Agency Information listed in this vacancy announcement. All resumes/applications received at the addresses listed in the Contact Information or Agency Information will be destroyed and will not be considered for this vacancy announcement.

You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application. If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative method to apply from the Human Resources Office. Please contact Civil Rights Division at Diane.M.Turner@usdoj.gov.

### Agency contact information

Diane Turner

Email

Diane.M.Turner@usdoj.gov

Address

Civil Rights Division

950 Pennsylvania Ave. NW

Washington, DC 20530

US### Next steps

An Executive Resources Board (ERB) will conduct a review of your qualifications and determine your ranking. The best qualified candidates will be referred to a hiring committee for further consideration and possible interview.

Overview

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Accepting applications

Open \& closing dates

05/08/2026 to 05/26/2026

Salary

$151,661 \- $228,000 per year

Pay scale \& grade

ES 00

Location

1 vacancy in the following location:

Washington, DC

Remote job

No

Telework eligible

No

Travel Required

Occasional travel \- You may be expected to travel for this position.

Relocation expenses reimbursed

No

Appointment type

Permanent

Work schedule

Full\-time

Service

Senior Executive

Promotion potential

None

Job family (Series)

• 0905 Attorney

Supervisory status

Yes

Security clearance

Not Required

Drug test

Yes

Position sensitivity and risk

High Risk (HR)

Trust determination process

• Credentialing
• Suitability/Fitness

Financial disclosure

Yes

Bargaining unit status

No

Announcement number

26\-CRT\-SES\-005

Control number

868624700