Contracts Specialist; Compliance Specialist; Policy Analyst

Juris Doctor with a total of over ** years of experience in both legal settings and non-legal professional environments, involving a background in the following broad-based competencies:

Law

Research

Writing

Contract Writing

Analysis/Interpretation

and Strategy

Negotiation

Advocacy

Due Diligence

Strategic, Mission, and Business Planning

Resource Allocation

Action Plan Creation

Workflow Planning and Prioritization

Dealing with Government Entities

Understand and Address Compliance Laws and Industry-Specific Regulations

Impacting Implementation, Operations, and Timelines

Client Relation Cultivation

Critical Listening and Note-taking Skills; Interviewing Factual Refinement

Knowledge of European Culture and Customs

Summary of Qualifications

•Policy Analysis. Research, review and analysis of policies and industry-specific legislation for program implementation, operations; and budget implications.

•Contract/Procurement. Perform advanced contract management work involving negotiation, developing, managing, evaluating a broad range of contracts, identify provider resources. Write specifications for requests for bids.

•Compliance Specialist. Monitor programs and management systems for quality assurance and regulatory compliance, and to mitigate risks and liabilities.

•Research and analyze, understand and interpret legislation, regulations, and legal decisions in various areas of law, searching and pinpointing state and federal guidelines and information.

•Worked with people of diverse backgrounds with a variety of general or legal concerns and therefore possess a keen ability to assess individual client needs.

•Versed in the area of negotiating and mediating in problem resolving and settling of disputes and conflict resolution.

•Strong commitment to team environment dynamics with the ability to contribute expertise and follow leadership at appropriate times. Eagerly undertake assignments and understand how to deliver individual tasks on time.

•Strong work ethic. Proven ability to recognize and maintain confidentiality.

•Other Languages: Fluent in Spanish.

•International Trading. Pal Makina Ticaret, Ltd., Ankara and Istanbul, Turkey; Paris, France, 1989

-Involvement in business initiatives and development of product marketing.

-Participated in identifying market needs and conducted research regarding market infiltration in potential fields, supplier sources, and purchasing.

-Knowledge of European culture and customs.

EDUCATION

University of Kansas School of Law, Lawrence Kansas

Juris Doctor, 2002

•Focus on Employment Law, Public International Law, International Business Trade, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Mediation, Business Associations

University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas

Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, 1998

•Minor in English and American Literature

•Honors: Dean’s List; Golden Key National Honor Society

CAREER DEVELOPMENT

•University of Texas at El Paso, Texas; Continuing Education Division, Certificate of Completion, Fundamentals of Program Management, 2007

•Prestige Consultants, Inc., El Paso, Texas; Workshops on developing strategic business plans, planning and developing a business plan, 2006 and 2007

•Thomson West—West Legal works; Adams Drafting Workshop, Drafting Contracts and Language Layout (A Comprehensive and Disciplined Approach to Drafting Agreements, Dallas, Texas, 2007

EXPERIENCE

Contract Specialist II/Compliance Specialist December 2005 – June 2008

Upper Rio Grande Workforce Development Board, Inc.

El Paso, Texas

Supported acquisition of services and equipment that complement multi-million federal and state grant programs administered by URGWDB in the delivery of workforce development services to regional area clients. Supported agency’s program monitoring activities in the agency’s administration of numerous workforce investment, educational, and human resources programs and funding streams, to ensure regulatory compliance and to mitigate risk and liabilities.

Contracting/Procurement

•Developed and prepared various types of contracts, amendments, and service agreements pursuant to federal acquisition regulations as set out in the Texas Workforce Commission Financial Manual for Grants and Contracts, among them, fixed price, cost reimbursement, and incentive type contracts.

•Research and interpret statutory/regulatory requirements.

•Techniques for Contracting. Developed and updated policies and procedures as appropriate, for contract management and administration.

•Procurement. Pursuant to issuance of requests for proposal specifications, evaluated funding proposals for responsiveness, effectiveness, and cost feasibility.

•Contract Negotiation. Negotiated contract terms, pricing, technical requirements, scope, and terminology with contractors and suppliers in private and public sectors, profit and non-profit agencies.

•Customer Services to External/Internal Clients. Assisted contractors and staff with matters regarding contracted services, compliance with regulations and contract terms, needs assessments, resource requirements, and problem resolutions.

•Reports. Monitored and assessed projects for performance, measurements, goal attainments, and benchmarks, and prepared reports for management and contractors, outlining evaluation results, alternatives, and recommendations for contract renewals or terminations.

Compliance Specialist

Monitored and audited services of contractors for quality assurance and to ensure contractor compliance with federal, state, and agency requirements, and verified status of programs with contractors.

•Kept abreast of and researched federal, state, local laws, regulations and issuances that affected the various workforce development programs.

•Provided research, planning, and developing of monitoring methodologies.

•Worked with management and program operator staff to determine focus and scope of a project, and elements to be examined; and advised program operator staff on infractions of the law and guided employees on matters related to the law.

Policy Analysis. Researched, reviewed and analyzed existing and pending policies and industry-specific legislation for program implementation, operations and budget implications.

•Developed and advised on policies and policy options guiding the design and modification of governmental programs and business operations.

•Collaborated and consulted with program operator staff, committee members, staff of other government agencies and constituent representatives to prepare written assessment of legislation and impact, and policy needs.

•Prepared and maintained policy and procedure manuals.

•Participated in committee and other governmental agency hearings.

Performance Analysis Team Member at basic-level Six Sigma methodologies.

•Collaborated with key members of cross-functional departments tasked with performance analysis and quality improvement initiatives based on basic-level Six Sigma tools in the administration of various governmental programs assigned to the team, in fulfillment of the agency’s mission and bottom-line objectives as aligned to strategic goals.

•Approach facilitated in-depth knowledge of program content and format facilitating comprehensive support of assigned programs by identifying and allocating resources, and developing program policies and procedures.

•Team projects focused on complying with state-required performance measurements and outcomes by developing and deploying value stream roadmaps with metrics and business plans designed to eliminate waste, track, monitor, improve, and exceed targeted program performance scores.

Presenter. On rotational basis, presented at monthly Quality Council meetings. Reported Performance Analysis Team findings and conclusions on performance scorecards to Quality Council made up of board members, management, stakeholders, and staff; and provided recommendations to Quality Council for approval.

Business Plan Development Team Member.

•Identified business components of business plan.

•Developed financial projections.

Mission and Strategic Goals Team Member.

•Participated in the development of organization’s vision statement, mission, values, and goals.

•Participated in development and implementation of strategies necessary to meet mission requirements.

Special Recognitions.

Honored with “Customer Service Excellence Award” in 2006 and 2007 for outstanding customer satisfaction determined with voluntary customer nominations.

Legal

Research Law Clerk Project-Based Work

Mary Leslie, Attorney at Law ; Taos, New Mexico 2005 and 2004

•Substantive Knowledge. Civil Law/Litigation.

Researched and analyzed relevant case law, and wrote memoranda of law on a wide range of legal issues, both substantive and procedural including personal injury, workers compensation, contract law, land use, and administrative remedies on wrongful suspension or expulsion in education law and policies.

Law Clerk Project-Based Work

Anthony Aguilar, Attorney at Law; El Paso, Texas 2005

•Substantive Knowledge. Civil Law/Litigation.

Managed tasks for cases, and researched and analyzed relevant case law and prepared memoranda of law regarding land use ordinance disputes, sexual harassment in the workplace, personal injury, and securities hedge fund law.

•Professional Contact with Clients Regarding Evidentiary and Discovery Issues.

Scheduled conferences with and interviewed clients, and prepared written questions and responses to discovery requests including interrogatories, requests for admissions and requests for production of documents, and deposition testimony.

Law Clerk January 2003 – July 2003

Manuel Bejarano, Attorney at Law; El Paso, Texas

•Substantive Knowledge: Civil Law/Litigation.

Managed daily tasks for cases in practice areas involving family law litigation, adoptions, estate planning and wills, contracts, commercial loan documents.

•Procedural/Document Familiarity.

Drafted and edited litigation documents including complaints and motions in limine, temporary restraining and protective orders, motions to dismiss, and motions for summary judgment.

Prepared wills, statutory powers of attorney, and living wills.

Filed documents in various courts of law pursuant to respective body of court rules, administrative practices, and established transactions practices.

Participated in multiple phases of litigation including discovery, pre-trial, and settlement negotiations; and engaged in trial preparation.

Attended court proceedings, pre-trial and settlement conferences, and depositions.

Reviewed commercial loan agreement documents for loan terms, warranties and representations, covenants, and default.

•Advocacy—Civil Rights and Guardianship.

Protected civil liberties and rights, safety, and effectiveness of services and assisted in the representation of the disabled and elderly in ad litem court appointments, and in the representation at hearings before the probate court, of the mentally disabled facing civil commitment and discharge.

Paralegal 1999

Robert Neill, Attorney at Law; El Paso, Texas

Corporate/Commercial and Real Estate practice.

•Substantive and procedural knowledge of requirements for business incorporation.

Prepared articles of incorporation, corporate resolutions, and partnership agreements. Organized annual and other required meetings. Filed documents with Secretary of State/Comptroller.

•Prepared transactional real estate documents and contracts. Examined titles to ensure accuracy of information.

Paralegal 1983-1989

El Paso Electric Company, El Paso, Texas.

Public Utility Law.

Worked under in-house and general counsel in the fulfillment of corporate productivity and corporate governance, to ensure that the various legal entities of company followed corporate compliance requirements including corporate structure, procedures, and documentation. Attended public utility related legislative hearings and prepared reports; filed documents with federal, state, and local public utility regulation boards; interacted directly with chief executive officers.

Computer Experience

Microsoft Word, WordPerfect, Windows, Outlook; Lexis/Nexis and Westlaw.

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