Director

Summary

The Civil Division is seeking an individual to serve as the Senior Executive Service Director in its Torts Branch - Federal Tort Claims Act Section.

This job is open to
The public

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

Clarification from the agency

This job is open to Federal Employees-Competitive Service, Federal Employees - Excepted Service and Senior Executives, in addition to the Public.

Duties

The Torts Branch's Federal Tort Claims Act Litigation Section (FTCA Section) defends the United States in a wide range of complex, and often controversial, suits filed under the Federal Tort Claims Act including cases based on medical care, regulatory activities, law enforcement, and maintenance of Federal lands. The Director:

• Manages and directs supervisors and attorneys in all phases of litigation of high-profile and unusually complex cases, reviews and approves pleadings, briefs, and legal memoranda on significant cases, oversees and directs strategy for settlement negotiations, mediations, and conferences, makes appeal recommendations for all adverse judgments entered in FTCA cases and makes final determinations that no appeal with respect to matters relating to the FTCA.
• Participates in the formulation and implementation of new policies or organizational changes having an impact on the Branch and the Division, represents the Assistant Attorney General (AAG) on various interdepartmental committees or activities with respect to matters relating to FTCA.
• Provides guidance and advice to United States Attorneys' offices and agency counsel nationwide concerning FTCA jurisprudence, case development, damages evaluation, and settlement strategy and negotiations.
• Reviews and acts upon FTCA settlements up to $1 million and makes recommendations to higher-level Department officials for settlements of more than $1 million.
• Guides and directs officials of other agencies in the fulfillment of the Section's requests for investigation reports, or other pertinent data and witnesses needed in connection with the defense of litigation. Consults with and advises officials at other agencies on how best to respond to court decisions and legislation to avoid future litigation.

Requirements
Conditions of employment

• You must be a United States Citizen or National.

• Veterans' preference is not applicable to the Senior Executive Service.

• Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31st, 1959. Those not registered should have an approved exemption on file.

• You will be required to complete a pre-employment security investigation and background check for the security level designated for this position.

• You will be required to undergo a drug screening and obtain favorable results prior to being appointed.

• You may be subject to a one-year probationary period effective from the date in which you are appointed.

• 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.

• You must meet all minimum qualifications to be deemed eligible. Only experience obtained by closing date of this announcement will be considered.

As a basic requirement for entry into the SES, applicants must provide evidence of progressively responsible leadership experience that is indicative of senior executive level management capability and directly related to the skills and abilities outlined under the Mandatory Technical Qualifications and Executive Core Qualifications.

Qualifications

The application process used to recruit for this position is RESUME-ONLY. Applicants must show clear evidence of their demonstrated leadership ability by addressing the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) embedded within their resume. The resume-based application should not exceed 2 pages (1-sheet double-sided or 2 sheets one-sided).

Note: Applicants who have completed the SES Candidate Development Program (CDP) and have had their ECQs certified by OPM must provide a copy of their certificate as part of their application. Candidates must still satisfy the MTQs of the position.

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 the Director, Torts Branch, FTCA Section position. Please be sure to give concrete examples of your experience and demonstrate the complexity of the knowledge you possess.

ECQ1 - 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.

ECQ2 - DRIVING EFFICIENCY. Demonstrated ability to strategically and sufficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades.

ECQ3 - MERIT AND COMPETENCE. Demonstrated knowledge, ability and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality.

ECQ4 - 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.

ECQ5 - ACHIEVING RESULTS. Demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to state goals from superiors.

For this position, the following Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) have been established and should be addressed within the resume application.

MTQ1. Demonstrated significant legal experience and expertise in Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) litigation particularly in handling complex, high-profile and controversial cases.

MTQ2. Demonstrated significant expertise in planning and oversight of the activities of a legal organization, including developing legal strategies to be utilized in the U.S. courts and providing sound and timely legal counsel and the highest levels.

Education

Applicants must possess a J.D. degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association, have at least 5 years of relevant post-J.D. experience, and be an active member of the bar in good standing in any state, U.S. territory, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. IMPORTANT: Applicants are responsible for citing J.D. and bar membership information (institution name, state(s) for bar, and dates) on their respective resumes.

Additional information

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:

Reasonable Accommodation

Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. 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. The U.S. Department of Justice fosters an inclusive and diverse workforce, find our EEO statement online at:

Legal and Regulatory Guidance

• Social Security Number - Your Social Security Number may be 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.
• Privacy Act - Privacy Act Notice (PL : 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

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

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

Only experience obtained by the 11:59 pm EST on the closing date (12/10/2025) of this announcement will be considered.

Once this announcement closes the following will occur:

• A review of your resume, clear evidence of the 5 ECQs and MTQs, and supporting documentation will be conducted by the HR Specialist.

• Applicants deemed minimally qualified will be referred to an Executive Resources Board (ERB) to further evaluate applications.

• The ERB will further evaluate applications to determine the best qualified applicants for referral to the hiring official.

• Best qualified applicants will be referred to the hiring official and may be invited to participate in a structured interview. Interviews may be in a virtual setting or in person at DOJ offices.

• The selectee will receive a tentative offer from the agency however before an agency can appoint a new Senior Executive Service 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 Senior Executive Service (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

To a apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Complete Resume that addresses the MTQs and ECQs. Your resume must not exceed 2 pages.
• Recent SF-50 that shows Official Title, Salary, Grade Level, Status
• Recent Performance Appraisal (for current or former federal employees)
• Proof of active bar membership
• Provide certification of OPM QRB approval (for graduates of SES Candidate Development Programs)
• Other supporting documentation as required.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

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 (12/10/2025) 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: 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.

Agency contact information

Phillip Foster

Phone

Email

Address

Civil Division

1100 L Street, NW

Washington, DC 20530

US

Next steps

Once your complete application is received, we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications and determine your ranking. The most highly qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. You will be notified of the outcome.

Overview

Accepting applications

Open & closing dates

11/19/2025 to 12/10/2025

Salary

$150,160 to - $225,700 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

00

Job family (Series)

• 0905 Attorney

Supervisory status

Yes

Security clearance

Sensitive Compartmented Information

Drug test

Yes

Position sensitivity and risk

Special-Sensitive (SS)/High Risk

Trust determination process

• National security

Financial disclosure

Yes

Bargaining unit status

No

Announcement number

DE PRF

Control number

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