Paralegal

Job Responsibilities

Are you an experienced professional looking for new opportunities to further your career? The South Carolina Office of Resilience is seeking a hardworking and dependable candidate just like you to apply! This position will offer great benefits with the state, including 15 days of annual and sick leave per year or more depending on applicable state service.

The paralegal position includes researching Federal, state, and local laws. Will investigate facts and conduct interviews with program applicants/witnesses and prepare documents to assist the Office of Resilience Legal Director and Staff Attorney. Assistance includes performing a variety of support duties relating to the relevant and applicable laws with a focus on SCOR subject matter expertise and applicable Federal regulatory authority. SCOR areas of expertise include environmental planning and resilience infrastructure, mitigation planning and projects, engineering designs and builds, disaster recovery related housing rehabilitation and construction, and real estate buyout projects located in floodplains and floodways. The job duties of this position include but are not limited to the following:

• Performs clerical duties to include high volume case management, organizational duties. and provides information and assistance to SCOR program staff and beneficiaries. Assists Agency Records Management Officer in maintaining legal files. Prepares travel related documentation for the Legal department staff, obtaining necessary signatures for approval.
• Conducts legal research and policy analysis regarding federal, state, and local laws and regulations, applicable to agency programs. Must be able to review and comprehend applicable Federal Registers, FEMA and HUD regulations, state and local codes regarding all agency programs. Researches and drafts memorandum for attorney assigned requests.
• Prepares documents for homeowner signing contracts. Reviews real estate closing documents and conducts title research. Prepares lien release documents, cover letters, and other necessary program materials. Provides assistance to the program Close Out Manager in researching and obtaining MHU title histories, ownership documents, and household membership.
• Reviews and researches SHPO packets for accuracy and compliance with HUD and Program policies. Coordinates with the Implementation Contractor and SCOR staff regarding any omissions, discrepancies. and/or concerns regarding information of SHPO packets. Reports findings to the appropriate SCOR attorney.
• Reviews Special Case Panel packets, consults/coordinates with appropriate staff regarding cases to be presented to Special Case Panel. Prepares the Special Case Panel memorandums of decision for the Legal Director and Disaster Recovery Director's review and signatures. Maintains Special Case Panel files, tracks final disposition of Special Case Panel memorandums.
• Responsible for the compiling, updating, and maintaining legal contract documents and files. Updates and maintains the Legal department Task Continuity Book and Special Case Panel template book.
• Performs other duties as assigned/needed.

Minimum and Additional Requirements

• A bachelor's degree is required.

• Knowledge of basic computer programs for Adobe and Microsoft required.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Knowledge or willingness to learn principles, policies, and practices of office management applicable in a governmental setting.
• Delivering and receiving information clearly and concisely with strong organizational skills necessary.
• Knowledge of or willingness to learn appropriate office and program management processes. Computer and organization skills needed. Knowledge of or willingness to learn relevant federal and state laws, regulations, policies, for organizational functions and delivery of services. Self-motivated and desire to learn and acquire new skills. Ability to deal courteously and effectively with the public, and colleagues.
• Must have and maintain a valid driver's license.

Applicants indicating college credit or degree(s) on the application will be required to bring a copy of college transcript to the interview. A copy of the transcript may also be uploaded as an attachment to the application, if required by the hiring department or if desired by the applicant. Please note that some areas of the Agency may require an official, certified copy of the transcript prior to hiring or within a specific timeframe required by that area, after hiring. Failure to produce an official, certified transcript may result in not being hired or termination.

Preferred Qualifications

• Preferred qualifications include a paralegal certification, or three (3) years relevant experience in a government, legal, or other professional setting, or an approved equivalence by the Division of State Human Resources (DSHR).

• Highly desirable skillset includes experience in federal and/or state contractual procurement procedures, processes, and contract preparation. Also, or in the alternative, desirable skillset includes real estate or construction experience as a paralegal, environmental coursework, paralegal certification, or other legal coursework are preferred but not required.

• Experience in the areas of government and infrastructure resilience programs, mitigation of natural hazards, disaster recovery delivery programs, and/or environmental planning is also highly desirable.

Additional Comments

The Office of Resilience is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy childbirth or related medical conditions, including, but not limited, to lactation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information.

Supplemental questions are considered part of your official application. Any misrepresentation will result in your disqualification from employment. Please complete the state application to include all current and previous work history and education. A resume will not be accepted nor reviewed to determine if an applicant has met the qualifications for the position.

The South Carolina Office of Resilience offers an exceptional benefits package for full time (FTE) employees:

• Health, dental, vision, long-term disability, and life insurance for employees, spouse, and children.
• 15 days annual (vacation) leave per year
• 15 days sick leave per year
• 13 paid holidays
• Paid Parental Leave
• S.C. Deferred Compensation Program available (S.C. Deferred Compensation)
• Retirement benefit choices *
• State Retirement Plan ( SCRS )
• State Optional Retirement Program ( State ORP )

*Enrollment in one of the listed plans is required for all FTE employees; please refer to the contribution section of hyperlinked retirement sites for the current contribution rate of gross pay.