Staff Assistant (Legal Support)

Post Context

Headquarters Allied Joint Force Command Norfolk (JFCNF) provides a resilient, static Joint headquarters to plan, prepare and conduct operations across all domains in peacetime, crisis and conflict, in order to support NATO’s three core tasks, at the Joint Operational level, as directed by SACEUR.

The Command Group (CG) principals consist of the Commander (COM), Deputy Commander (DCOM) and Chief of Staff (COS). The Command Group provides and sustains operational level Joint command and control capabilities at the designated readiness states, so the COM can conduct the full range of assigned military operations throughout the assigned NATO Area of Responsibility (AOR) and beyond.

The Office of the COS acts for the COM/DCOM on delegated matters and deputizes in their absence. Assists and advises the COM on policy and in the execution of assigned duties and responsibilities.

The Office of the Legal Advisor (LEGAD) provides legal advice, technical guidance and other assistance to the CG and staff to ensure HQ actions remain in compliance with all governing treaties, international agreements and applicable laws, NATO policy and guidance to fulfil all Alliance obligations.

The incumbent is responsible for all paralegal assistance for all areas covered by to the Office of the LEGAD.

Principal Duties:

• Responsible for all paralegal assistance for all areas covered by the Office of the LEGAD, such as reviewing incoming and outgoing correspondence for quality control and compliance with legal directives and policies, making records, assigning suspense dates with due regard for legal time limits, creating, developing and managing litigation case files, following up on timely completion of legal actions, filing legal documents on behalf of the HQ in court, serves legal documents and accepts service thereof for the HQ, while maintaining attorney/client privilege and avoiding conflict of interest.
• Evaluating current procedures to determine policies and procedures necessary to maintaining the highest level of paralegal assistance; Provides paralegal services to the Headquarters and its staff including screening of contracts, subpoenas, leases, powers of attorney, SOPs, directives, regulations and other legal documentation.
• Processes all routine claims with the aim to protect the Headquarters and collocated NATO entities and in the area of operations, pursues the redress of NATO assets in positive claims and minimises expenditures for damages to be paid for damages to third parties under Status of Forces Agreements (SOFA); evaluates the merit of the claims and pursues information and evidence, processes claims to obtain the best outcome for NATO, liaisons with HN authorities under the SOFA.
• Verifies the requests for reimbursement made by the Host Nation(s) under the SOFA and authorises, under the supervision of a Legal Adviser, the legal sufficiency of the claim. Creates, develops, and manages the Claims filing system.
• Researching, analysing and studying law sources for preparing drafts of legal briefs for approval, review, and advance use by Legal Advisers on operational and international legal issues.
• Paralegal assistance to the interpretation and advice on existing international agreements or receiving state law; Proofreading legal documents as required.
• Represents the legal advisers in boards, committees as directed.
• Performing legal research and liaising with clients, internal and external legal professions and entities on the status of legal issues or cases in litigation.
• Maintaining retrieval and information storage services including legal search facilities and library.
• Acts as Information Management Staff Officer for LEGAD in Information Management Working Group.
• Acts as (alt) Lessons Learned point of contact; attends the Lessons Learned Working Group.
• Coordinates, educates and trains personnel in legal records management.
• Serves as (alt) Training Officer for courses, seminars, conferences. Submits nominations, monitors quotas and submits Joining Reports timely; attends the Training Coordination Working Group.
• Initiates the establishment and organization of a deployable legal office.
• Acts as data protection processor for the Office.
• Performs the role of administrative user of the PROBAS e-portal (database personnel with diplomatic status).
• Keeps abreast of law developments relevant to the Legal Advisor activities and (legal) office management tools and procedures.
• Performs a range of different work activities in a variety of structured environments, using appropriate methods, tools and applications in a rational and organised approach.
• Plans and schedules own work within short time horizons.
• Provides general office support and direct administrative support to the chief LEGAD and to other members of the Office of the LEGAD as directed by the LEGAD.

Essential Qualifications / Experience:

• Higher Secondary education and intermediate vocational training  in library, information science, management information systems, computer science or related discipline  which might lead to a formal qualification with 2 years experience, or Secondary education and completed advanced vocational training  in that discipline leading to a professional qualification or professional accreditation with 4 years post related experience.
• Minimum two years’ experience of providing office support and performing administrative duties.
• Two-four years’ experience as a Legal Assistant in a legal assistance environment involving direct problem-solving interaction with clients.
• Experience conducting computer-based legal research.
• Ability to handle sensitive information in a confidential manner.
• Good oral and written communication skills.
• Strong organizational, interpersonal and administrative skills.
• Practical experience using modern office equipment.
• Completion of post-secondary vocational training or education and certification as a legal assistant, or equivalent.
• Eligibility for certification as a Notary Public for Commonwealth of Virginia.
• Experience in record management, archiving procedures and electronic database management.

Language:

English - SLP 3333 - (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing)

Desirable Qualifications / Experience:

• Familiarity with conducting research within NATO community to locate documents and publications.
• High energy and ability to manage multiple tasks and projects.
• Previous experience working at a large international organization, preferably in a joint or NATO environment.
• Former military administrative or legal training/experience and knowledge of military command structures and organization.
• Previous experience as a Notary.

Attributes/Competencies:

Personal Attributes:

• Incumbent requires tact, diplomacy, sensitivity, and discretion to deal with high-ranking visitors from many different nations. Incumbent needs thought and sound judgment to select the most efficient and effective method to accomplish legal tasks and the best course of action in the interest of the headquarters. Incumbent must possess the ability to work under pressure due to a heavy workload and sometimes long hours. Flexibility, attention to detail, and mental alertness to cope with legal deadlines and to ensure absolute reliability of reference material is maintained. Team spirit, service mindedness, and a strong sense of responsibility are key elements in this post.

Professional Contacts:

• Must be able to liaise effectively, internally, with NATO military and civilian personnel, and externally with U.S. Federal, state and local governmental officials, as well as consumer agency officials. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills are essential to this position.

Contribution To Objectives:

• The legal assistant post has the most flexible functions within the Office of the Legal Adviser. It conducts key research and analysis allowing operationally focused and/or deployed lawyers to perform their duties. Inadequate support by the Legal assistant would, indirectly, impact the performance of the legal office.

Security Clearance

• The successful applicant will be required to apply for and receive a NATO SECRET Security Clearance prior to final confirmation of contract and commencement of employment.
• The incumbent may be required to undertake deployments in support of military operations and exercises, and/or TDY assignments, both within and without NATO boundaries. Such operational deployment may exceed 30 days duration up to 183 days in any period of 547 days and may be on short notice. For NATO International Civilian staff, acceptance of an employment contract linked to this post constitutes agreement to deploy in excess of 30 days if required.

Contract

Serving NATO International Civilian staff will be offered a contract in accordance with the NATO Civilian Personnel Regulations.  Newly recruited staff will be offered a three year definite duration contract.

Notes for Candidates

The JFC Norfolk Website gives full details on the eligibility criteria and application processes to be adopted by all candidates.  However, candidates should particularly note:

Please answer each of the pre-screening questions completely in English. Expressions such as: “please see attached CV, please see annex, please see enclosed document, etc” are not acceptable; this is a cause of immediate rejection of the application.

Particular attention should be given to Education and Experience section of your application form, which should be populated with details of your career to date and educational achievements and certifications as they relate to your application.

The candidature of NATO redundant staff at grade G10 will be considered with priority.

NATO will not accept any phase of the recruitment and selection prepared, in whole or in part, by means of generative artificial-intelligence (AI) tools, including and without limitation to chatbots, such as Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer (Chat GPT), or other language generating tools. NATO reserves the right to screen applications to identify the use of such tools. All applications prepared, in whole or in part, by means of such generative or creative AI applications may be rejected without further consideration at NATO’s sole discretion, and NATO reserves the right to take further steps in such cases as appropriate.

NATO is committed to diversity and inclusion, and strives to provide equal access to employment, advancement and retention, independent of gender, age, nationality, ethnic origin, religion or belief, cultural background, sexual orientation, and disability. NATO welcomes applications of nationals from all member Nations, and strongly encourages women to apply.

This vacancy will close on 04 December 2024 @ 17:59hrs (EDT)/11:59hrs (CEST).