ThaiNGO

Please follow the check lists and submission guidelines, posted on the official website: https://th.usembassy.gov/

I. GENERAL INFORMATION

1. SOLICITATION NO.:  USAID 72048621R10001

2. ISSUANCE DATE: November 13, 2020

3. CLOSING DATE/TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS:  December 10, 2020/11:59 PM Bangkok, Thailand local time

4. POSITION TITLE: RLO Paralegal Assistant

5. MARKET VALUE:  THB THB 727,921 – 1,273,860 per annum equivalent to FSN-9 In accordance with AIDAR Appendix J and the Local Compensation Plan of USAID/RDMA. Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value. 

6. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE:  Five (5) years initial contract. The services provided under this contract are expected to be of a continuing nature that will be executed by USAID through a series of sequential contracts, subject to continued need of the position and availability of funds.

7. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE:  USAID/RDMA, Bangkok, Thailand 

8. SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED:  The successful candidate shall be required to obtain a Security Certification for Employment from Regional Security Office. 

9. STATEMENT OF DUTIES 

9.1. General Statement of Purpose of the Contract

As a key member of the Resident Legal Office (RLO), USAID/RDMA, the employee performs tasks primarily as a paralegal, but must also dedicate significant time to administrative matters in the office. As a paralegal, the employee will perform a variety of functions in the legal office, primarily substantive legal work specifically assigned by the Resident Legal Officers (RLOs). The employee serves as a front-line reviewer of all documents that come into the legal office for RLO clearances. The employee also performs a variety of unique (not routine or recurring) legal and factual research and analytical tasks for the RLOs. These include locating difficult-to-find U.S. and USAID legal materials, performing research in non-traditional sources to identify facts on which RLOs can base their legal opinions, and careful analysis and interpretation of complex and ambiguous written material. Administratively, the employee is expected to organize and ensure the smooth operation of a busy legal office. The Paralegal Assistant is responsible for managing the annual budget for the legal office as well as solving complex administrative problems, such as making and changing complicated travel arrangements.

9.2   Statement of Duties to be Performed

A. Paralegal Duties: 75%

1. Legal research analysis
With general direction from RLOs, identify, analyze, and summarize U.S. legal materials for RLO decision-making and RLO projects. Sources of such materials include U.S. statutes, regulations, court decisions (U.S. Supreme Court and lower courts), the Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM), applicable USAID Automated Directive Systems (ADS) provisions, the Office of General Counsel’s knowledge repository, and host country law sources such as tax and Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) registration provisions.

2. Preliminary review of documents

• Screens correspondence and specific documents for RLO clearance to ensure they contain all necessary supporting documentation for RLO review.
• Conducts a first-line review of documents for the following: accurate and sufficient necessary information; sound justification, and citation to statutes, the ADS, and the FAM; grammar; readability, and logic. Examples of documents to be reviewed may include pre-obligation packages, including pre-obligation checklists and activity checklists; various memoranda; waivers; Mission Notices; and Mission Orders.
• Conducts "Cite check" to verify the accuracy of legal citations. (This task is often performed by first year lawyers in Wall Street law firms.)
• Provides preliminary analysis and opinion on the documents and flags any potential issues for RLO decision making.

3.  Legal knowledge management

• Monitors the ADS and other sources for issuance of updates, and ensures inclusion of updates in RLOs' individual reference materials.
• Maintains a confidential office file of RLO ethics opinions. An especially high degree of discretion and confidentiality is required for this task.
• Provides legal materials produced by RLOs to the General Counsel (GC) legal opinion repository, such as by uploading to the GC Knowledge Management site.
• Manages and maintains RLO electronic filing system for a single-point entry to RLO shared files among staff in RLO.
• Maintains and updates RLO’s Knowledge Management platform on RDMA Connect, the Mission’s intranet and knowledge management platform.

4. Freedom of Information Act (FOLA)

• Serves as the Point of Contact for the FOIA program in RDMA and other missions served by the RLOs.
• Ensures that relevant RDMA offices and bilateral missions in the region, as identified by RLOs, receives FOIA requests and are apprised of deadlines. Monitors to ensure that FOIA deadlines are adhered to or extensions are requested.
• Advises offices or missions of FOIA processes and procedures. Coordinates with the FOIA office for clarifications on the FOIA requests.
• Manages the production of responsive documents and proposed redactions and makes recommendations to RLOs for their final consideration.
• Ensures that FOIA response documents are transmitted to the USAID/Washington (USAID/W) FOIA office on a timely basis.
• Maintains log of FOIA requests, their status, and responses.
• Provides training to missions in the region on FOIA processes and procedures.

5. Mission Ethics Program 

• Manages U.S. Government ethics compliance requirements for staff in RDMA and client missions in the region.
• Assists the RLOs in organizing annual ethics training, including preparation of training announcement, scheduling multiple sessions of the training, and assisting with developing training materials.
• Ensures that all required staff fulfill their ethics compliance requirements.  Keeps attendance logs and coordinates with the Office of the General Counsel (GC) in updating training attendance records.
• Provides ethics briefings to new locally hired staff at RDMA and client missions to ensure that newcomers are aware of U.S. Government ethics compliance requirements. Flags any potential ethics issues for the RLOs' advice and determination.

6. Litigation and dispute resolutions matters

• Keeps familiarize with USAID/RDMA’s procedures for receipt and/or rejection of service of legal process on RDMA, client missions, and their employees. Acts as one of the few mission employees able to appropriately respond if an attempt is made to serve legal process and no RLO is available.
• Verifies instructions for response to service of process are maintained and readily available at reception desk, guard desk, Regional Executive Office (REXO), mail room, and Front Office desk, particularly when there are new employees.

7. General Paralegal Duties  

• Provides preliminary legal assessments on various matters, including recommendations for material policy changes.
• Provides ad hoc training in RLO-developed training courses, as requested by RLOs. 
• Develops and manages templates for action memos and other documents that are frequently submitted to RLO for clearance in order to increase efficiency in the approval process.

B. Administrative Duties: 25% 
While the primary focus of the position is on paralegal work, the incumbent also coordinates all administrative office management and support functions of the RLO office and carries out administrative duties necessary to ensure the smooth operation of the office

• Prepares and monitors RLO travel budget. Identifies applicable cost inputs. Prepares reports to the Regional Office of Financial Management (ROFM) on travel budget utilization and availability.
• Prepares procurement requests for RLO office, including developing budgets and assisting with scopes of work (often for TDY legal services.). Liaises with REXO Procurement Team to ensure timely procurement entry, and with other Mission offices to ensure timely processing of RLO procurement requests. 
• Manages RLO travel. Prepares travel requests and makes travel arrangements, ensuring optimal detailed itineraries; obtains country clearances; liaises with other USAID Missions; ensures visas are obtained; stays abreast of USAID travel regulations; prepares travel reimbursement requests. 
• Manages RLO-provided training. Schedules training to maximize attendance; ensures that mandatory attendees attend; maintains logs of attendees and identifies non-attendees; maintains, reproduces and distributes training materials.
• Screens correspondence and documents entering RLO office, and routes them to appropriate RLO. Screens incoming pre-obligation packages to ensure that they contain all supporting documentation needed for RLO review. Be familiar with Delegation of Authority Mission Order to assist in determining when RLO clearance is required. Maintains a log of incoming and outgoing documents. Liaises with other mission offices regarding the status of documents.
• Assumes responsibility for smooth management and efficient operation of the RLO office. Identifies, orders, and maintains necessary office supplies and equipment.
• Acts as liaison for external coordination between RLOs and other USAID missions and embassies. Coordinates and assists with other office directors, administrative assistants and secretaries to assure smooth workflow and cooperation.
• Takes a lead in organizing all RLO-led events such as regional conferences or other training courses. 
• Provides support for high-level visitors and other visitors from USAID missions or USAID/Washington as needed.
• Screens and appropriately directs incoming calls and visitors with courtesy, patience, and tact. Schedules meetings and appointments for RLOs; maintains RLOs' calendars.
• Prepares, submits, and maintains time and attendance for each RLO. Maintains regular communication with the Financial Management Office to keep abreast of software and procedures required to ensure accuracy of payroll and leave records.
• Translates legal and other documents as requested.

The contractor is eligible or temporary duty (TDY) travel to the U.S., or to other Missions abroad, to participate in the "Foreign Service National" Fellowship Program, in accordance with USAID policy.

9.3.   Supervisory Relationship

The position reports directly to the Resident Legal Office Director or his/her designee.

9.4.   Supervisory Controls

Full supervision of other USAID staff is not contemplated.

10. AREA OF CONSIDERATION: 
This position is open to Cooperating Country National (CCN). Thai citizen or other country citizen lawfully admitted for permanent Thai residence is eligible to apply. Please note that USAID is not able to sponsor candidates for a Thai residency permit.

11. PHYSICAL DEMANDS:  The work requested does not involve undue physical demands.

12. POINT OF CONTACT:  Kevarin/RDMA HR Assistant

II. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION 

1.Education: A minimum of Bachelor’s degree in Business/Public Administration, Law, International Development, Social Science, or Art.

2. Experience: A minimum of five years of professional experience with a foreign government or international organization. For the purpose of this solicitation, examples of international organizations could include but are NOT limited to international development agencies, donor organizations, government agencies, for profit or not for profit non-governmental organizations, law firms, or other international private companies.

3. Language: Level IV – Fluent in speaking/reading/writing in Thai and English with a valid TOEIC score of 855 is required.

 III. EVALUATION AND SELECTION FACTORS 

Application Rating System
The application rating system factors are used to determine the competitive ranking of qualified applicants in comparison to other applicants. Applicants must demonstrate the rating factors outlined below within their application and/or resume, as they are evaluated strictly by the information provided. 
Applicants are required to address each of the selection factor below in a separate document describing specifically and accurately what experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, and work achievement they have received as it pertains to each factor. In addressing these factors, applicants should use specific examples of work have been done, elaborating how they have contributed to a process or an outcome, and how this relates to the particular selection factors they are addressing.
Be sure to include your name and the announcement number at the top of each additional page. Failure to address the selection factors and may result in not receiving credit for all pertinent attributes required for the position.

1. Initiative (20 points): Proven ability to work independently with minimal supervision, to work under pressure and to meet deadlines as well as the ability to display high levels of initiative.  

2. Team player (20 points): Proven ability to work as part of a small team, to be a proactive team player and willing to take on other duties as needed by the team. 
3. Communication and interpersonal skills (20 points): Demonstrated high level written and oral communication in English and interpersonal skills and an ability to liaise effectively with all levels. 
4. Research and analysis skills (20 points): Demonstrated ability to conduct internet-based research and articulate succinct opinions and/or analysis of the research, both in oral and written formats.
5. Administrative and operation management skills (20 points): Demonstrated high levels of administrative ability, including budgeting and travel management skills, good organization, prioritization, and problem-solving skills. The ability to use computer operations, specifically Google Suite Applications, especially Google Docs, Google Presentation, and Google Form and Microsoft Office (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

Total Application Rating: 100
Recruitment Test: 100
Interview Performance: 100
Total Possible Points: 300

SELECTION PROCESS:

To be considered for candidacy, applicants must address each criterion in their application as to how they meet the minimum qualifications required for the position mentioned in Section II, Item 1-2. If the application submitted fails to demonstrate eligibility, the application will be marked unqualified. It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide all pertinent information.
Applications will be initially screened and scored for eligibility in accordance with the evaluation factors and points mentioned in Section III, item 1-5. Top-ranked candidates who meet the minimum qualification will be given a recruitment test. Applicants with passing marks from the recruitment test and with a valid TOEIC score mentioned in Section III, item 4 will be invited for an interview. The recruitment test and the interview will be structured around the evaluation factors mentioned above and will be conducted in
USAID/RDMA Bangkok, Thailand. Reference checks will be conducted once the applicant pool is narrowed down to the top candidate(s). References may be obtained independently from other sources in addition to the ones provided by an applicant. USAID/RDMA reserves the right to select additional candidates if vacancies become available during future phases of the selection process.

IV. TO APPLY

Please follow the check lists and submission guidelines, posted on the official website: https://th.usembassy.gov/embassy-consulate/jobs/usaid-job-vacancies/ carefully and submit complete application package before the deadline.

  Failure to follow the instructions will invalidate your application.