The ASEAN Secretariat was established in 1976 by the Foreign Minister of ASEAN with basic functions of providing greater efficiency in the coordination of ASEAN organs and for more effective implementation of ASEAN projects and activities. It is also envisioned to be the nerve centre of a strong and confident ASEAN Community that is globally respected for acting in full compliance with its Charter and in the best interest of its people.
In alignment with the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and Strategic Plans of the three ASEAN pillars of Political Security Community, Economic Community and Socio-Cultural Community, and ASEAN Connectivity, supported by the Department of Community and Corporate Affairs, the ASEAN Secretariat is inviting qualified ASEAN Nationals to apply for the position of Assistant Director General Legal Affairs Division.
Remuneration and Benefits:
Successful candidate will be offered a basic salary of USD 5,567 and attractive remuneration package including housing, outpatient medical reimbursement, hospitalization & life insurance, children’s education and gratuity. Subject to good performance during the probation, the candidate will be offered a fixed term contract of three (3) years, inclusive of the six-month probationary period. Please note that ASEAN Secretariat Staff shall not be retained in active service beyond the age of 60 years.
- The Assistant Director (ADR) reports to the Director for Legal Services and Agreements Directorate. He/she will be responsible for the following duties:
1. Supervise, Manage and lead the operation of the division.
- Plan, manage, supervise and approve all tasks and assignments submitted by the Division’s members (Officers and Senior Officers).
- Foster or develop teamwork and collaboration culture within the Division and Directorate as well as within the ASEC.
- Conduct annual planning (KPDO) and annual performance appraisals as well as support the professional & personal development of all staffs within the Division.
- Managing the Division’s resources effectively and efficiently.
2. Initiate, facilitate, negotiate and participate in the signing of a contract, agreement or any other engagement documents between ASEAN and external parties.
- Providing legal advises and counsels to all ASEC’s Desk Officers across the four ASEAN Pillars on contractual, corporate and commercial matters.
- Undertake professional legal vetting and review to ensure that all commercial and corporate contracts entered into by ASEAN/ASEC is safe and protects ASEC’s legal interest.
- Participating in all meetings on corporate and legal affairs between ASEC (Desk Officers) and external entities. The Candidate shall ensure all process is taken in proper manner and within ASEC’s internal rules and regulations.
- Negotiating drafts of agreement/contracts, on behalf of ASEAN, with all external parties.
3. Providing counsels and legal solutions to relevant Desk Officers in deciding the terms and conditions of the agreement between ASEAN (relevant divisions) and consultant(s)/vendor(s).
- Undertake detailed legal vetting and review over agreements involving ASEAN with other parties.
- Ensuring all background checks are well-conducted to confirm that all supporting documents of a certain agreement was already in-placed.
4. Provide legal support to ASEAN’s related entities (ASEAN Foundation, ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconciliation, ASEAN Centre for Energy and others). Such support includes: negotiating external contract, assisting the disputes involving the entity and others.
- Providing necessary legal views to support the work and operation of other organisations/entities related to ASEAN (e.g. ASEAN Foundation, AIPR, ASEAN Centre for Energy and many others).
- Supporting the organisations/entities related to ASEAN in negotiations and conclusion of legal transactions to support their works and activities.
- Undertake document vetting of those said organisations and ensure that all legal issues are well-addressed.
- Provide legal interpretations and clarifications on various legal related documents of the entities related to ASEAN.
5. Participate in meetings, in particular those on legal-related matters on procurement and external contractual engagement.
- Attend all procurement related meeting in ASEC as required by the rules and regulations.
- Providing legal advises should legal issues arise during the procurement and tender process.
- Giving inputs or reviews for all procurement documents (such as RFP, TOR, or Technical/Financial Documents).
6. Provide clarification on the implementation and application of the ASEAN Secretariat’s Staff Regulations (ASSR) and ASEAN Secretariat Financial and Administrative Rules and Procedures (AFARP) upon request by relevant divisions require.
- Giving interpretation, when asked or inquired, by relevant divisions such as Finance and Budget Division (FBD) or (Human Resources Division) HRD on the provisions of the ASSR or AFARP.
- Providing legal guidance on policy making process as part of the implementation of AFARP and ASSR.
7. Examine the request for the use of the ASEAN name by external parties.
- Receiving and studying the request for the use of name “ASEAN” by external parties with a view to providing appropriate recommendation on both procedural and legal substantive matters on the use of the ASEAN name.
- Provide appropriate legal advise on the authorisation of the use of the ASEAN name.
8. Maintaining supervision and monitoring of all databases GLAD’s which include (i) list of commercial contracts in form of Special Services Agreement (SSA) between ASEAN and external parties and (ii) list of applicants and their applications status for the use of the ASEAN name.
- Providing guidance to the Divisions in ensuring that all information related to all commercial contracts are inputted to the database in order to track all contracts’ progress from initiation to the final signing process.
- Providing guidance to the Divisions in ensuring that all information related to all external applications for the use of name of ASEAN, are well-inputted to the database in order to track all contracts’ progress from initiation to the final signing process.
9. Other tasks.
- Perform other assignments and duties as designated or requested by the Secretary General and supervisors.
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- Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent degree) in law with a minimum of 6 years relevant working experience.
- Extensive experience in leading, managing and distributing workload of a certain unit/division.
- Experiences in corporate legal related matters, in particular within international organisations, and legal/contract negotiations with good interpersonal & communication skills.
- Proven ability to develop and maintain sound working relationship with government officials, public and private sector organizations and other relevant stakeholders.
- Commitment to teamwork and collaborative work practices.
- Competency in computer skills with adequate knowledge of Microsoft Office and Outlook.
- Excellent command of English, written and spoken
