Deputy Associate General Counsel for Program Review Division (CMS)

The HHS Office of the General Counsel seeks a senior supervisory attorney for the CMS Division's Program Review Group. The role delivers high-level legal advice on Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, CLIA, private insurance reforms, drug pricing, Innovation Center models, and other CMS initiatives, while leading a legal team and coordinating with senior OGC, CMS, and HHS leadership. The position emphasizes independent judgment, risk management, and legally sound, strategic decision-making across programs.

Duties

You will provide strategic, high-level legal counsel to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on some of the most consequential healthcare policy initiatives in the federal government, including major regulations, guidance, and legislation affecting Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, CLIA, private insurance markets, Health Benefit Exchanges, consumer surprise billing protections, drug pricing and rebate programs, and CMS Innovation Center models.

Lead and manage a team of experienced attorneys and support staff, setting legal strategy, assigning and overseeing work, and mentoring attorneys to deliver timely, high-quality advice on complex regulatory and statutory issues, while exercising full supervisory responsibility for hiring, performance management, and professional development.

Exercise significant independent judgment in advising on novel and high-stakes legal issues, identifying matters with broad policy or political sensitivity, and elevating issues as appropriate to senior leadership, while ensuring consistent and defensible legal interpretations across CMS, the Office of the General Counsel, and HHS.

Serve as a senior legal advisor to CMS and HHS leadership on complex questions of statutory interpretation, regulatory design, and program implementation, and regularly engage with the Associate General Counsel, Deputy General Counsels, the General Counsel, and senior policy officials.
Oversee program review support for CMS-related litigation and work closely with litigation teams to align regulatory policy, legal risk assessment, and defense strategy in high-visibility matters.

Contribute to Division-level strategic planning, resource allocation, and workload management, and direct the effective use of personnel and resources to support CMS's mission and national healthcare priorities.

Salary

• $151,661 - $228,000/year

Conditions of Employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Subject to a 1-year supervisory probationary period (unless already completed).
• Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.
• If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so.
• Applicants selected for this position will be subject to reasonable suspicion and post-accident drug testing upon hiring.
• File a Public Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 278e) within 30 days of appointment and annually thereafter, as required.
• You must meet the qualification requirements of this position no later than the closing date of the job opportunity announcement.
• Must possess J.D. or LL.B degree
• Must be licensed and authorized to practice law in accordance with the Licensure requirements of this announcement.
• You may be required to obtain and maintain an interim and/or final security clearance prior to entrance on duty. Failure to obtain and maintain the required level of clearance may result in the withdrawal of a job offer or removal.

Qualifications

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. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.

To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) and Technical Qualifications (TQ) related to this position within your resume - NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES. Resumes over the 2-page limit, will not be reviewed beyond page 2 or may be disqualified. Your resume should include examples of experience, education, and accomplishments applicable to the qualification(s). If your resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of these qualifications, you may not receive consideration for the position.


There is NO requirement to prepare a narrative statement specifically addressing the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) or the Technical Qualifications (TQs).

TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs): Your resume should demonstrate accomplishments that would satisfy the technical qualifications.

TQ 1: Substantial practice and demonstrated expertise with laws governing the programs CMS administers, such as Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, private insurance market reforms (including Health Benefit Exchanges and consumer surprise billing), among others. Requires extensive experience with administrative law, including the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) and the Congressional Review Act (CRA), and guiding a large team responsible for providing legal advice and analysis of complex and novel legal issues. Requires extensive experience coordinating with CMS, CMSD, and OGC leadership on challenging, cross-cutting, and time-sensitive matters.

TQ 2: Demonstrated leadership experience and excellence directing an effective cadre of regulatory lawyers and supporting personnel, setting appropriate priorities, and ensuring that the organization meets clients' needs for a high functioning group handling a large volume of extremely complex, high priority rulemakings, guidance documents, agency initiatives, and other assignments.


EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): In addition to the Technical Qualification Requirements listed above, all new entrants into the Senior Executive Service (SES) under a career appointment will be assessed for executive competency against the following five mandatory ECQs. If your 2-page resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of the ECQs and TQs, you may not receive further consideration for the position.

There are five ECQs:

• ECQ 1: Commitment to the Rule of Law and the Principles of the American Founding - This core qualification requires a 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.

• ECQ 2: Driving Efficiency - This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to strategically and efficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades.

• ECQ 3: Merit and Competence - This core qualification involves the demonstrated knowledge, ability and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality.

• ECQ 4: Leading People - This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals, and to drive a high-performance, high-accountability culture. This includes, when necessary, the ability to lead people through change and to hold individuals accountable.

• ECQ 5: Achieving Results - This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors.

Note: If you are a member of the SES or have been certified through successful participation in an OPM approved SES Candidate Development Program (SESCDP), or have SES reinstatement eligibility, you do not need to respond to the ECQs. Instead, you should attach proof (e.g., SF-50, Certification by OPM's SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB)) of your eligibility for noncompetitive appointment to the SES.

Education Must possess J.D. or LL.B degree. and Licensure Applicants must be licensed and authorized to practice law under the laws of a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any territorial court established under the United States Constitution. Judicial status is acceptable in lieu of "active" status in States that prohibit sitting judges from maintaining "active" status to practice law. Being in "good standing" is acceptable in lieu of "active" status in States where the licensing authority considers "good standing" as having a current license to practice law. Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov. Other Information HHS has a critical preparedness and response mission: HHS protects the American people from health threats, research emerging diseases, and mobilizes public health programs with domestic and international partners. In support of this mission, HHS offers its employees the opportunity to volunteer to become Federal Civilian Detailees and contribute their unique skills through voluntary temporary assignments to humanitarian emergencies or Departmental priorities countering new and emerging health, safety, and security threats. Mobility: Organizational and geographical mobility is essential in developing and managing SES leaders. Individuals selected for SES positions may be subject to reassignment across geographical, organizational, and functional lines and may be required to sign a Reassignment Rights and Obligation Agreement. Preferred Experience: Prior supervisory experience and experience with CMS or HHS programs are preferred. Salary: Salary for Senior Executive Service positions varies depending on qualifications. The annual salary range may be found at the top of this announcement. This position may be eligible for performance bonuses and performance-based pay adjustments. Standards of Conduct/Financial Disclosure HHS inspires public confidence by maintaining high ethical principles, and all Federal Government employees are subject to the conflict-of-interest statutes and regulations, including the Standards of Ethical Conduct, that govern activities with outside organizations and reporting financial holdings. The Ethics in Government Act, PL 95-521 also requires the applicant selected for this position to submit a Public Financial Disclosure Report, OGE-278, prior to assuming the SES position, annually, and upon termination of employment. Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Statement: http://www.eeoc.gov/federal/index.cfm Employment Information Resources - Resource Center: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to If applying online poses a hardship to you, contact the HR representative listed in the Agency Contact Information section. Reasonable Accommodation Policy Statement 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 HR representative listed in the Agency Contact Information section. Requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Veterans' Preference Veterans' Preference does not apply to the SES. Selective Service Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered or exempt from selective service see: https://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfRegistration.aspx OPM must authorize any employment offers made to current or former (within the last 5 years) political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employees in the executive branch. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Noncareer SES employee in the executive branch, you must disclose that to the Human Resources Office. Required Documents

A complete application includes items described below. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).

Please carefully review the following list to determine what documentation you need to submit. Some documents may not apply to all applicants.

• 1. Resume: All applicants must submit a resume limited to two (2) pages showing all relevant experience and accomplishments. Applicants seeking initial career appointment to the Senior Executive Service (SES) must include evidence of the ECQs and TQs. PLEASE DO NOT USE USAJOBS RESUME BUILDER.
• 2. Cover Letter: All applicants must submit a cover letter that is no more than one page.

3. Copy of unofficial law school transcripts.
4. Proof of Current Bar Membership/Licensure: Documentation demonstrating that you are currently licensed and authorized to practice law consistent with the Licensure requirements of this announcement.

5. VACANCY QUESTION/ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONSES: Responses are automatically submitted through USA Jobs when you apply to this vacancy.

6. ADDITIONAL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS: Applicants are required to submit the following supporting documentation if applicable:

• CURRENT OR FORMER SES MEMBERS: Must provide your SES appointment SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action), and an SF-50 showing current career SES status or career SES reinstatement eligibility.
• SES CANDIDATE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (SESCDP) GRADUATES: Verification of successful completion of an OPM-approved SESCDP and OPM SES QRB certification.
• CURRENT FEDERAL CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEE: Must provide a copy of your Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form reflecting you are a current Federal Civil Service employee.
• STRONGLY RECOMMENDED: Most recent performance evaluation

How to Apply

You must submit the complete online application and documentation specified in the Required Documents by 11:59 PM (EST) on the CLOSING DATE 11/17/2026 of this announcement to receive consideration.

To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.

Follow the prompts to select and upload your résumé and/or other required documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the "Include Personal Information" section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.

You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.

It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and uploaded, (i.e., resume and other required documents) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application.

Application packages will NOT be accepted via mail. Due to security processes, mail delivery takes approximately 2-3 weeks to process at which time the vacancy announcement will be closed, and no further consideration will be given to additional application packages.