Senior Executive Leader/General Counsel - National Security Agency (MD)
Department: Department of Defense
Location(s): Fort Meade, Maryland
Salary Range: $151661 - $228000 Per Year
Job Summary: This position is located in the Office of General Counsel (OGC) of the National Security Agency ("NSA" or "Agency"). NSA is a component of the Department of War and NSA/OGC is part of the Defense Legal Service Agency (DLSA). The General Counsel (GC) of the Department of War (DoW) serves as the chief legal officer of DOW. For more information, please visit: https://apply.intelligencecareers.gov/job-description/1252641
Major Duties:
- The NSA GC is the Agency's chief legal officer (overseeing an office of approximately 150 attorneys and support staff) and the final legal authority within NSA on all matters arising within or referred to NSA. The NSA GC consults regularly with the DoW Office of General Counsel and is responsible for legal oversight of all NSA activities to ensure that NSA operations are lawfully conducted. The GC routinely interacts with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Department of Justice, other federal agencies, and GCs of other elements of the Intelligence Community regarding legal issues that involve Intelligence Community equities and cybersecurity matters. In addition, given Congress' oversight role, the GC is often called upon to interact with Congressional committee counsel. The NSA GC is an integral part of the Director of the National Security Agency's senior leadership team and a key advisor to NSA leadership at all levels. The NSA GC also serves as the public legal face for the Agency and, as such, the GC is often invited to speak at public events and to participate in public legal panels. Specific Duties: a. Interpret all statutes, Presidential Directives, and Executive and Legislative Branch regulations, and provide legal advice and counsel to the Director and Senior Leadership Team with respect to the authorities for NSA activities and conditions and restrictions thereon. b. Provide legal advice so all of the Agency's assigned responsibilities can be conducted in accordance with the Constitution and applicable statutes, Executive Orders, and implementing regulations. c. Advise on all matters relating to the collection, retention, processing, and dissemination of signals intelligence information carried out by NSA or as part of the unified organization for signals intelligence activities that the Director of NSA has established. d. Advise on all matters related to NSA's cybersecurity mission to include responsibilities that arise under National Security Directive 42 and applicable laws and policy directives. e. Oversee all other legal services performed within the NSA to include acquisition, human resources, and other enabling functions as well as determining the adherence by attorneys to appropriate professional standards, subject to DOD Instruction 1442.02. f. Keep the DoW GC currently apprised of all significant legal issues arising from NSA activities. g. Represent the Agency on legal and public policy matters and serve as a liaison to other departments/agencies and, as appropriate, the Congress. h. Provide legal reviews of NSA's support to U.S. Cyber Command, with particular emphasis on whether all such NSA support is properly authorized. i. Conduct NSA's legislative initiative program, which may include drafting proposed legislation, developing the Agency's position on pending legislation and Executive Orders, preparing reports to Congress on legislative proposals, and advising on implementation of new statutes. Communicate directly with DoW OGC, other government agencies, and congressional committee staffs and members of Congress on legislative proposals, as appropriate. j. Ensure that NSA leadership is informed of significant developments in the law, important judicial, administrative, or other decisions affecting the NSA enterprise, its people, or its resources. k. Build partnerships with the public and private sectors and within the national security community to advance mission objectives. l. Provide legal support to the Director, NSA. m. Perform such other duties as the DoW GC, PDGC, or DGC/DoW OGC may prescribe.
Qualifications: The applicant must be a graduate of an accredited law school. In addition, the applicant must be able to demonstrate prior to appointment that he/she is permitted to engage in the active practice of law in the bar of the highest court of a State, U.S. Commonwealth, U.S. Territory, or the District of Columbia. Active status must be maintained in at least one state or other jurisdiction during the course of employment. Evaluation Criteria: Applicants must meet all the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) and Technical Qualifications (TQs). Applicants must submit a resume, no longer than two pages, reflecting demonstrated evidence of the ECQs and TQs. If your resume exceeds two pages or does not reflect demonstrated evidence of the ECQs and TQs, you may not receive further consideration for the position. Fully qualified applicants will be reviewed by a Panel. EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): All new entrants into the Defense Intelligence Senior Executive Service (DISES) under a career appointment will be assessed for executive competency against the six mandatory ECQs. For more information, please visit: https://apply.intelligencecareers.gov/job-description/1252641
How to Apply: To apply, please visit: https://apply.intelligencecareers.gov/job-description/1252641
Application Deadline: 2026-01-20