Casals is seeking qualified candidates to fill the role of Anticorruption Commission Advisor for the USAID/MCC Timor-Leste Threshold Program for Anticorruption (TPA).  The TPA seeks to reduce corruption in Timor-Leste by strengthening institutions and organizations with mandates to promote government transparency and accountability, and by fostering integration and collaboration among these institutions/organizations.

The selected individual will provide daily technical assistance and skills transfer to the Anticorruption Commissioner, his Deputies and line staff on criminal prevention.

Please note that this 9 to 11 month position available immediately. Applications received after May 6, 2013 will not be reviewed.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Work with local counterparts in identifying institutional and/or procedural deficiencies (corruption risks) leading to corruption
• Provide assistance in implementing remedial actions to effectively address areas prone to corruption
• Support the drafting of anti-corruption legislation and provide guidance for its eventual implementation
• Develop curriculum and training materials for government officials responsible for the implementation of corruption-prevention strategies
• Provide training and tutoring support for the design and execution of corruption-prevention mechanisms
• Conduct research and oversee development of instruments to measure corruption (surveys)

INTERNAL/EXTERNAL CONTACTS 

• The Anticorruption Commission Advisor will interact with, among others, USAID, host-country government institutions, private sector entities, civil society partners and members of the press, as well as senior US Mission/Embassy functionaries, and other international donors and implementing partners.
• The Anticorruption Commission Advisor will report directly to Casals’ Chief of Party.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum five-years of working experience in post-conflict countries
• Experience in Timor Leste, highly preferred
• Technical knowledge in four or more of the programmatic areas above
• Bachelor’s degree required
• Master’s degree in political science, public policy, public administration, government, law, or a related field preferred
• Excellent communication skills in written and spoken English
• Fluency in Portuguese, Indonesian and/or Tetun desirable
• Strong analytical, strategic thinking and research skills
• Strong communications and interpersonal skills
• Demonstrated ability to be collaborative across Program components, flexible, and creative

TRAVEL

Must be willing to live in Dili, Timor-Leste and travel if necessary throughout the country or region.

DISCLAIMER

The above information on this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

HOW TO APPLY

Send CV, references, and USAID Biographical Data Sheet to webjobs@casals.com.
USAID BioData Sheet is available at transition.usaid.gov/forms/AID1420-17.doc (copy link and paste into browser).    

Please reference “CAC Prevention Advisor, Timor-Leste” in the subject line of your e-mail and mention where you viewed the job posting in the body of your message.

Casals team members, USAID personnel and State Department officials attended the event, highlighted by ASI’s 23 industrial sectors officially endorsing the ethical standards, committing their sectors’ compliance with the guide.

Hiram Morales, Casals’ anti-corruption specialist, delivered the event’s keynote address and discussed the importance of establishing ethical standards to the audience, comprised of diplomatic corps representatives, private sector leaders and members, politicians, and civil society leaders.

El Salvador’s Transparency and Governance Project

Through USAID’s Transparency and Governance Project, Casals provides technical assistance and training to the Salvadoran government, civil society and private sector. Casals team members assist by implementing anti-corruption measures, complying with international conventions against corruption and promoting ethical values among public and private sector employees. USAID believes that having a transparent and accountable government is one of the core pillars of a truly democratic society.

Current initiatives in El Salvador include:

• Promoting Good Governance Practices – Implementing transparency, ethics and anti-corruption measures to better respond to citizens’ rights and needs. The effort includes supporting the government’s ethics tribunal in implementing ethics law in the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, as well as creation of access to information law and establishing the Access to Information Institute.

• Engaging Civil Society – The National Foundation for Development (FUNDE), a local civil society organization, established a Salvadoran chapter of Transparency International, a leading international civil society organization in the worldwide fight against corruption. Additionally, youth organizations and university students are promoting the creation of a new generation of political leaders who will carry practices of accountability and transparency into the future.

• Supporting Compliance with International Conventions – The government of El Salvador has shown its commitment to reduce corruption by signing international agreements such as the Inter-American Convention Against Corruption and the United Nations Anti-corruption Convention.

Salvadoran Industrial Association

The Salvadoran Industrial Association (ASI)’s mission is “to promote economic and social development of the country by strengthening the industrial sector, promoting and protecting national industrial production and defending the legitimate interests of industrialists.”

FOTI Timor Leste is a technical assistance program sponsored by the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and implemented by Casals & Associates under a contract with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

Our primary goal is to work in partnership with the government and people of Timor Leste in the execution of activities to promote accountability and curb corruption.

In pursuit of this objective, FOTI offers innovative solutions and strategies, which include:

• Specialized training courses and mentoring support to enhance the investigative capacity of corruption-fighting institutions.
• Technical assistance activities to strengthen the legal framework against corruption and to put into place corruption-prevention mechanisms.
• Advanced research to measure corruption perception in Timor Leste.
• Civic education campaigns to raise the under-standing of corruption and its pervasive effects.
• In-class and on-the job training methodologies to promote the use of investigative reporting.

Since the Program’s inception in March 2011, FOTI Timor Leste has worked in the implementation of anticorruption activities with several counterparts in government and civil society.  This includes the Secretary of State for Institutional Strengthening (SEFI), which has requested FOTI’s support in drafting a Code of Conduct for government officials.

OBJECTIVES OF THIS ASSIGNMENT

Assist in developing and implementing a clear, concise framework of ethical principles for government officials (Code of Ethics) to: a) Hold public servants accountable for observing ethical standards in the execution of their work; and b) Assess their actions against expected standards of conduct.

PLANNED ACTIVITIES

The Consultant will:

• Assist in guiding a consultation process of different government agencies and gather input for the drafting of a Code of Conduct.
• Guide a team of local advisors at SEFI in conducting research of government policies and regulations to ensure consistency with the proposed scope and contents of the Code of Conduct.
• Assist SEFI in presenting the Code of Conduct for approval before the Council of Ministers.
• Draft an implementation and outreach strategy to promote the adoption of the Code across government.
• Design procedures to monitor compliance with the Code and train SEFI staff in conducting routine assessments.

DELIVERABLES

• A Code of Conduct to presented for approval by the Council of Ministers
• A thorough training schedule and implementation plan developed and launched
• A set of procedures developed to monitor and evaluate compliance with the provisions set forth by the Code of Ethics

QUALIFICATIONS

• MA degree or comparable professional experience
• Demonstrated experience in drafting and supporting the implementation of a Code of Ethics
• Articulate, flexible and accommodating
• Ability to train staff on new Code of Ethics procedures
• Previous experience in Timor-Leste a plus
• Portuguese speaker a plus
• Flexible agenda (consultancy requires two separate trips, of two to three weeks each, to Timor Leste)

HOW TO APPLY

Send CV and USAID Biographical Data Sheet to webjobs@casals.com .  USAID BioData Sheet is available at transition.usaid.gov/forms/AID1420-17.doc (copy link and paste into browser).
Please reference “Timor-Leste Code of Conduct STTA” in the subject line of your email and mention where you viewed the job posting in the body of your email.

Casals is seeking qualified candidates to fill the role of Family and/or Juvenile Court Specialist for an anticipated USAID-funded justice sector improvement program in Palestine. The overall goal of the program is to build a more effective and competent Palestinian justice sector that is accountable to the public and responds to citizens’ needs. The objectives of this program are to enhance efficiency of targeted justice sector institutions; improve service delivery provided by justice sector institutions; enhance education and management system of legal education; support the development of family courts; promote the concept of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) services; develop inter-institutional coordination among justice institutions; and increase citizens’ engagement in rule of law issues. This program will focus on core public functions within justice sector institutions and will require a flexible mix of technical assistance, training, equipment, and other assistance. Ethics and anti-corruption will be cross-cutting themes of the program.

INTERNAL/EXTERNAL CONTACTS 

Interact with, among others, USAID, private sector entities, civil society organizations, partnering law schools, members of the press, senior U.S. Embassy functionaries, host-country government institutions—including, the High Judicial Council (HJC), Ministry of Justice (MOJ), Palestinian Judicial Institute (PJI), Family Courts, and other targeted ministries and institutions—as well as relevant USAID-funded projects and other international donors and implementing partners.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS 

• Strong understanding of justice sector reform and the establishment of effective family court systems.
• Strong communication, analytical and problem solving skills.
• Excellent reporting, writing and presentation skills.
• Ability to interact effectively with field personnel and officials at all levels of government.
• Demonstrated country and region-specific knowledge.
• Fluency in Arabic is highly desired.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE & EDUCATION

• Minimum of eight (8) years direct technical experience in the establishment of family and/or Juvenile court systems, preferably in the Middle East.
• Work experience in Palestine or the Middle East region highly preferred.
• Advanced degree in Law, Public Administration, Criminal Justice or related field from an accredited college or university.

TRAVEL

Must be willing to live in Palestine and travel if necessary throughout the country and/or region.

DISCLAIMER

The above information on this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

HOW TO APPLY

Send CV and USAID Biographical Data Sheet to webjobs@casals.com . USAID BioData Sheet is available at transition.usaid.gov/forms/AID1420-17.doc (copy link and paste into browser) Please reference “Palestine Family Court Specialist” in the subject line of your email and mention where you viewed the job posting in the body of your email.

Casals is seeking qualified candidates to fill the role of Anti-Corruption Specialist for an anticipated USAID-funded justice sector improvement program in Palestine. The overall goal of the program is to build a more effective and competent Palestinian justice sector that is accountable to the public and responds to citizens’ needs. The objectives of this program are to enhance efficiency of targeted justice sector institutions; improve service delivery provided by justice sector institutions; enhance education and management system of legal education; support the development of family courts; promote the concept of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) services; develop inter-institutional coordination among justice institutions; and increase citizens’ engagement in rule of law issues. This program will focus on core public functions within justice sector institutions and will require a flexible mix of technical assistance, training, equipment, and other assistance. Ethics and anti-corruption will be cross-cutting themes of the program.

INTERNAL/EXTERNAL CONTACTS 

Interact with, among others, USAID, private sector entities, civil society organizations, partnering law schools, members of the press, senior U.S. Embassy functionaries, host-country government institutions—including, the High Judicial Council (HJC), Ministry of Justice (MOJ), Palestinian Judicial Institute (PJI), Family Courts, and other targeted ministries and institutions—as well as relevant USAID-funded projects and other international donors and implementing partners.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS 

• Strong understanding of justice system development, anti-corruption investigation and prosecution methodology, and reforms to increase government accountability.
• Strong communication, analytical and problem solving skills.
• Excellent reporting, writing and presentation skills.
• Ability to interact effectively with field personnel and officials at all levels of government.
• Demonstrated country and region-specific knowledge.
• Fluency in Arabic is highly desired.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE & EDUCATION

• Minimum of eight (8) years managing or implementing anticorruption activities and minimum five (5) years of international experience in legal reform.
• Experience using organizational development or change management principles to prevent corruption or fraud within institutions/organizations.
• Work experience in Palestine or the Middle East highly preferred.
• Advanced degree in Public Administration, Criminal Justice or related field from an accredited college or university. Master’s degree preferred.

TRAVEL

Must be willing to live in Palestine and travel if necessary throughout the country and/or region.

DISCLAIMER

The above information on this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

HOW TO APPLY

Send CV and USAID Biographical Data Sheet to webjobs@casals.com . USAID BioData Sheet is available at transition.usaid.gov/forms/AID1420-17.doc (copy link and paste into browser) Please reference “Palestine Anti-Corruption Specialist” in the subject line of your email and mention where you viewed the job posting in the body of your email.

The COP is the lead Casals employee in the assigned program and is responsible for making key decisions and solving problems in short time frames while ensuring operational and program integrity. S/he manages overall in-country relations with relevant U.S. government (USG) entities and host government institutions as well as provides oversight of project implementation and supervision of staff.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
The COP is the primary person responsible for the implementation of the project, as well as ensuring contractual compliance and adherence to all relevant USAID/USG rules and regulations. S/he will:

• Be responsible for overall project management, oversight, and reporting. This includes supervising project staff, overseeing project work planning, performance management and strategic communications, leading subcontract and/or grant design and execution, and contributing to the development and implementation of the project’s monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system.
• Ensure client satisfaction with regard to Casals’ responsiveness and commitment to technical excellence, transparency, flexibility, and innovation.
• Manage in-country relationships with USAID officials, local government counterparts, CSO partners and others.
• Work closely with Casals Headquarters (HQ) personnel to ensure attainment of all established project objectives.
• Guide the program’s strategic direction and framework.
• Supervise the technical work of program personnel and subcontractors.
• Ensure all project assistance is technically sound and appropriate.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS
• Title of Direct Report(s): Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) and all project specialists. The COP indirectly manages the entire office, including all project staff (managed directly by the DCOP).
• Title of Supervisor: Casals’ HQ-based Director for Stabilization and Governance Programs.

INTERNAL/EXTERNAL CONTACTS
Interact with, among others, USAID, private sector entities, civil society organizations, partnering law schools, members of the press, senior U.S. Embassy functionaries, host-country government institutions—including, the High Judicial Council (HJC), Ministry of Justice (MOJ), Palestinian Judicial Institute (PJI), Family Courts, and other targeted ministries and institutions—as well as relevant USAID-funded projects and other international donors and implementing partners.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

• Preferred candidates will have expertise in several of the following areas: enhancing justice sector transparency and accountability; strengthening criminal justice policies, procedures, and management systems; judicial appointment/evaluation/discipline; capacity building of the judiciary, prosecutors, public defenders, and other justice institutions; alternative dispute resolution; community policing; and strengthening civil society advocacy, participation, and monitoring of justice sector reforms.
• Broad understanding of the developmental challenges facing the region.
• Excellent writing, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Arabic language skills highly desired.

EXPERIENCE & EDUCATION

• Advanced degree in law, international justice, public administration, or a related field.
• At least 10 years of experience managing and coordinating large, complex, multi-year Rule of Law programs, preferably in the Middle East, for USAID or other international donors.
• Demonstrated experience collaborating with multiple stakeholders, including host-country governments and CSOs, USAID, and other international donors or implementing partners.

PHYSICAL AND WORKING REQUIREMENTS
Must be willing and able to work and live in a potentially difficult environment.

TRAVEL
Must be willing to live in Palestine and travel if necessary throughout the country and/or region.

DISCLAIMER
The above information on this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

HOW TO APPLY
Send CV and USAID Biographical Data Sheet to webjobs@casals.com . USAID BioData Sheet is available at transition.usaid.gov/forms/AID1420-17.doc (copy link and paste into browser) Please reference “Palestine COP” in the subject line of your email and mention where you viewed the job posting in the body of your email.

Mr. Valda has over 20 years of experience in project operations management for USAID-funded projects, including several OTI programs.  A Casals employee since 2004, he is entirely comfortable with Casals and USAID/OTI policies and procedures, particularly with regard to project administration, procurement, budgeting, facilities and financial management.  Mr. Valda has conducted financial analyses, internal audits, budgeting and work plan development, as well as the planning and implementation of project activities, including monitoring for compliance with USAID regulations.  He has been actively involved on Casals’ USAID program start-ups and close-outs and he has conducted a number of TDYs in the field to support programs in Paraguay, Dominican Republic and Zimbabwe.  He has coordinated efforts with national governments, NGO counterparts, consultants and the USAID Bolivia Mission, and has served as Acting COP on numerous occasions.

Mr. Valda first worked with USAID projects in 1992, when he served as Administrator for a health project in Bolivia.  There, he was responsible for the full spectrum of operational matters, including funds management, procurement, inventory control and project reporting.  His in-depth knowledge of USAID project operations has continued with Casals, where he served as Finance Manager on the USAID-funded Bolivia Anti-Corruption Program from 2004 to 2006.  In that capacity, he oversaw both accounting and financial reporting functions as well as reviewed terms of reference for contracts, cleared programming against the budget, handled all procurement, and administered the grants program.

In 2007 he transferred to Casals’ Headquarters as a Financial Analyst.  Mr. Valda’s project experience includes selection of grantees and project concepts, implementation, the provision of technical assistance and procurement actions, documentation for audit, follow-up of objectives and close-out procedures.  His expertise and skills were instrumental in instituting sound procedures, establishing internal controls, setting up banking relationships and quickly putting cash disbursement mechanisms in place.  Mr. Valda trained locally hired personnel in effective budget execution, to include monitoring all expenses and balances, developing budget modifications and tracking expenditures.  He trained the staff on the use of QuickBooks accounting software and introduced them to USAID and Casals guidelines for procurement and grants management.  Mr. Valda is fully bilingual in English and Spanish and holds a Master’s-level degree in Economics.

Mr. Brunn has been working out of Casals’ headquarters in Falls Church, Virginia for approximately the past two years.  During this time, his outstanding project management skills and his keen eye for detail have been instrumental to the firm’s effective implementation of its ongoing projects around the globe.  Furthermore, Mr. Brunn has contributed significantly to Casals’ business development efforts.  He has led reconnaissance trips to the field in preparation for new bids and served as a technical writer on proposals.  Prior to joining the home office team, he worked on Casals’ successful USAID Transparency and Governance Program in El Salvador.  Mr. Brunn holds a Master’s degree in Transnational Security Studies from New York University.  He is also a native Spanish speaker born in Bolivia and raised in several countries across Latin America.

Jeanine Zeitvogel is vice president of International Development for Casals & Associates’ parent company, DynCorp International, LLC (DI).  Jeanine joined DI/Casals in early 2011 and has experience supporting capacity building, workforce development, humanitarian assistance and governance programs worldwide.  Over her 20-plus year career, she has worked in both large industry (Lockheed Martin and Wolters-Kluwer) and run small businesses, including an industrial distribution supplier, an on-line communications firm, and a small services company with branch offices in Kampala.  She holds an MBA from Cornell University and has participated in projects to increase access to markets in the Czech Republic, Afghanistan and various African countries.  She speaks German, French and Mandarin.