Associate Chief Counsel (Partnerships, S Corporations, Trusts and Estates)

The incumbent is expected to have substantial experience in managerial roles requiring application of broad, comprehensive, professional knowledge and experience in applying federal tax laws. Comprehensive knowledge of the tax laws that affect passthrough entities and activities, including partnerships, S corporations, trusts, estates, classification of domestic and foreign entities, issues involving passive activity and at risk loss limitations, tax shelter disclosures, and estate, gift, and generation skipping taxes, is required.

Work involves highly sensitive and intricate matters under the jurisdiction of the Associate Chief Counsel. The incumbent must have demonstrated ability to think critically, and approach issues creatively to effectively resolve problems of substantial impact, sensitivity, and complexity; and make decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, performing detailed legal analysis and research on problems of unusual delicacy, as well as calculating risks. Professional experience should encompass managing a large-scale legal projects, including the ability to review and assess the organizational effectiveness of program services and policies, and to design and implement procedures to improve and optimize organizational performance; as well as translate long term goals and objectives into short term tactical plans and operational activities; and supervise others to promote maximum use and development of staff, and to support equal employment opportunity initiatives and goals.

The Associate Chief Counsel (Partnerships, S corporations, Trusts, and Estates) must maintain effective working relationships, communicate effectively, and deal tactfully and diplomatically with key officials, including the IRS Commissioner, senior officials at Treasury, as well as other agencies, key external and internal stakeholders, and represent the Office of Chief Counsel in executive and professional meetings; and facilitate communications between individuals with differing points of view. Contacts may also include key members of professional associations and other tax practitioners/experts.

Graduation from an ABA accredited law school and current possession of a bar membership which permits the practice of law in the United States is required, including a thorough knowledge of the American Bar Association's Model Code of Professional Responsibility.

A) Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs):
Prospective candidates must have and clearly describe leadership experiences that demonstrate the executive level managerial capabilities comprising the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ's) of the Senior Executive Service; and certification by the Office of Personnel Management's Qualification's Review Board (QRB), required for initial career appointment to the Senior Executive Service. Typically, experience of this nature is gained at or above the GS-15 grade level or its equivalent in Federal service or with state or local government, the private sector, or nongovernmental organizations.

1. Leading Change - Ability to bring about strategic change, both within and outside the organization, to meet organizational goals. Ability to establish an organizational vision and to implement it in a continuously changing environment.
2. Leading People - Ability to lead people toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals. Ability to provide an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others, facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports constructive resolution of conflicts.
3. Results Driven - Ability to meet organizational goals and customer expectations. Ability to make decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks.
4. Business Acumen - Ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically.
5. Building Coalitions - 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.

B) Mandatory Technical Competencies (MTQs):
In addition to the general managerial competencies set out in the Executive Core Qualifications and mandatory for all Senior Executive Service positions, candidates must show evidence of the following more specific competencies in order to meet basic qualifications for this position:

1. Position requires comprehensive, professional knowledge of and experience in applying tax laws affecting passthrough entities and activities (i.e., partnerships, S corporations, trusts), classification of domestic and foreign entities, and issues involving passive activity and at risk loss limitations, tax shelter disclosures, and estate, gift and generation skipping taxes.
2. Must have demonstrated the ability to manage a legal services program, including the ability to review and assess the organizational effectiveness of program services and policies, and to design and implement procedures to improve/optimize organizational performance.
3. Must have demonstrated the ability to make effective, decisive, timely and well-considered decisions, and to resolve issues/problems of substantial impact, sensitivity, and complexity.
4. Must have demonstrated the ability to supervise others to promote maximum utilization and development of staff and to support equal employment opportunity initiative and goals.

C) Desirable:

1. A thorough understanding of the operations and organization of the Internal Revenue Service and Office of Chief Counsel, and a solid understanding of the Department of the Treasury and its Office of General Counsel.