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Job Title: FOIA Analyst/Lawyer
Location: Silver Spring, MD and Remote

IBSS is looking for a full-time FOIA Analyst/ Lawyer professional to support our federal client. The right candidate will serve as lead coordinator and manage the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Program for our federal client. The candidate will be expected to work closely with the federal agency’s FOIA Officer, General Counsel and their regional and headquarter offices, to process responses in an effective, timely manner.

Key Responsibilities:

• Assisting the Federal Agency FOIA lead with the intake, scope perfection, assignment, tracking and closure of Federal Agency FOIAs.
• Recommending draft FOIA policies and procedures for Government review and approval
• Developing procedures for ensuring Federal Agency wide compliance with FOIA regulations and policies and correcting/guiding/training as needed
• Reviewing FOIA requests for completeness and recommending the most appropriate lead office for each FOIA
• Coordinating with higher level and other agency FOIA offices as necessary
• Monitoring the timely processing of Federal Agency FOIAs and alerting government leads before a backlog situation arises.
• Developing monthly and annual status reports on Federal Agency FOIA requests
• Attending and participating in monthly and quarterly Federal Agency FOIA conference calls, including preparing and disseminating agenda, meeting minutes, and action items
• Attending and participating in biweekly meetings with Office of General Counsel concerning FOIA matters
• Reviewing FOIA cases assigned to the Federal Agency standard FOIA processing software, using Clearwell
• Reviewing the Federal Agency FOIA program, policies, and procedures; identifying concerns and recommending improvements.
• Utilizing federal FOIA software and websites, including FOIAonline
• Developing FOIA acknowledgment letters, fee estimates, and interim and final response letters
• Identifying potential Subject Matter Experts (SME) within Federal Agency components who would likely possess records responsive to FOIA requests.
• Searching for, reviewing and redacting records potentially responsive to a FOIA request.
• Conducting FOIA scope clarifications with requesters.
• Alerting senior appeals officers of potential conflicts between the subject and/or witnesses in an investigation
• Arranging for interviews of witnesses, including interviewing witnesses, and proposing witness interviews to senior appeals officers.
• Preparing draft decisions for administrative judges, IG Referral memoranda, interview questions, and interview reports
• Reviewing referrals from the IG, and draft plans for investigation of IG referrals
• Researching statutes, regulations, case law, and policies for FOIA, appeals, and OIG referred and internal complaints.
• Reviewing search results requested from the OIG; referred and internal inquiries and identifying information in results relevant for inquiries.
• Draft Federal Agency Status Reports.
• Draft Federal Agency Annual Report.
• Draft redactions for records responsive to FOIA requests.
• Draft FOIA acknowledgment letters, fee estimates, and interim and final response letters.
• Draft changes to Federal Agency policy and procedures.
• IG Referral and internal inquiry review notes, documents required, draft lists of potential interviewees, and preliminary analyses.
• Documented statutory, regulatory, case law, and policy research for FOIA, appeals, and OIG referred and internal complaints.
• Meeting notes regarding observed administrative hearings, the judge’s answers to questions and legal issues discussed.
• Draft evaluations for OIG referred and internal complaints, summarizing complaint; identifying relevant statutes, regulations, case law, and policy for inquiries; and identifying potential personnel to be interviewed.
• Conduct interviews for OIG referred and internal inquiries.
• Draft responses to OIG referrals, and memorandums for internal inquiries.
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the client and/or program manager.

Required Qualifications:

• Must have Juris Doctorate.
• FOIA knowledge and familiarity is required.
• Interdisciplinary legal expertise related to program planning
• Oversight in a team environment, developing performance metrics, coordination within and across agency lines.
• Legal interpretation of pertinent policies and guidelines.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and be adept at the federal FOIA website, FOIAonline, as well as local Clearwell FOIA software.

About IBSS Corp
IBSS is a Woman-Owned, WBENC-certified and MBE/DBE-certified business. Since 1992, IBSS has provided specialized professional, scientific, technical, cybersecurity, IT, and software engineering solutions to the Federal sector. Our clients include the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Department of Defense (DoD), and the Department of Justice (DOJ). We are committed to serving our clients and employees by delivering service excellence, creating value through technology, and continually improving our skills, services, and processes. Moreover, we maintain an ISO 9001:2015 certification which allows us to optimize current industry best practices to enhance delivery outcomes for our clients.

IBSS offers a competitive benefits package including paid vacation, medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage with company-paid deductible, matching 401K plan, tuition/training reimbursement, and Flex-Spending (FSA)/Dependent Care Account (DCA) options.

IBSS is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Please submit requests for additional information and qualified resumes to: careers@ibsscorp.com