BACKGROUND
Legal Action Worldwide (LAW) focuses on providing creative legal assistance in fragile and conflict-affected states. People living in such areas often experience both an increased vulnerability to human rights violations and a decreased ability to access justice. LAW aims to address this through legal interventions aimed at empowering people to know and exercise their rights. Our focus is on sexual violence and forced displacement. LAW works in Africa, South- East Asia and the Middle East and has offices in the UK and Switzerland.
LAW is currently looking for a Legal Programme Manager to oversee LAW’s Somalia and South Sudan projects. The role will combine programme management with a technical legal focus. This is an exciting opportunity to lead and develop LAW’s programmes in the Horn of Africa. The position is based in Nairobi, Kenya with frequent travel to Somalia and South Sudan. Women and candidates from or based in the Horn of Africa region are particularly encouraged to apply.
POSITION DESCRIPTION
Reports to
Executive Director
Functions/Key Results Expected
The Programme Manager has the following responsibilities:
§ Taking the lead in the following projects on Somalia:
• A project establishing a Civilian Oversight Board over the Somali police force. This involves liaising with Somali police, civil society, government officials and other civil society actors operating in this space.
• Projects focusing on training Somali lawyers in the areas of investigation and prosecution of sexual violence. This involves taking the lead in running and organising the trainings, including writing the training agendas and materials.
• A project coordinating the Somali Legal Aid Network. This involves coordinating meetings and assisting in advocacy measures, including the coordination of joint statements.
• Advocacy and engagement on the passage of the Somali Sexual Offences Bill. This involves meeting with high level stakeholders including the Minister of Women and
key donors, as well as writing press releases, liaising with media and coordinating social media campaigns.
§ Taking the lead in the following projects on South Sudan:
• Training of South Sudanese lawyers on international laws relating to rape, torture, war crimes and crimes against humanity. This involves organising and leading trainings in difficult and sometimes insecure conditions.
• Assisting in the drafting of the Sexual Offences Bill and other key pieces of legislation, including writing or overseeing reports on best practices from comparative jurisdictions. This involves legal research and writing.
• Working with South Sudanese civil society on increasing the capacity of transitional justice mechanisms. This involves liaising with key partners in South Sudan, research on transitional justice and working together to identify solutions.
§ General coordination of both projects including managing all project staff, ensuring reporting deadlines are met, writing narrative reports and checking them against financial reports, meeting with donors and partners, overseeing work done in field, etc.
§ Working with international lawyers to identify potential for strategic transnational or international casework and working with them to draft legal arguments for such cases.
§ Representing LAW at conferences and events.
§ Manage budgets of all projects under portfolio with the assistance of the Finance
Manager.
In carrying out these responsibilities, the Programme Manager will perform the legal, fundraising and administrative duties and tasks outlined below:
Legal:
§ Undertake field and theory-based legal research;
§ Analyse and summarise legal and policy documents;
§ Develop legal documents including position papers, reports and legal briefs;
§ Assist in writing policies and amendments to laws and policies relating to the peace and
justice sector in LAW’s areas of focus;
§ Organise legal training, seminars and workshops in both the domestic as well as
international arena;
§ Represent LAW to human rights and legal communities.
Fundraising:
§ Liase and meet with donors on behalf of LAW;
§ Identify new funding opportunities for Somalia and South Sudan based projects;
§ Write concept notes, applications for grants and budgets in the fields of law and justice, with a particular focus on forced displacement and sexual violence;
§ Draft donor reports, maintain records to enable accurate and timely donor reporting;
§ Represent LAW to donors at meetings, workshops and conferences.
Managerial:
• Leading team meetings and being the primary programmatic liaison between Nairobi office and offices in Beirut, Colombo, London and Geneva;
• Supervision of Somali-based and South Sudan-based programme staff;
• Supervision of the Nairobi-based Legal Officer, Legal Fellow and Legal intern;
• Identify and hire staff for Kenya, Somalia and Sudan following LAW guidelines and with assistance of administrative staff in Kenya and Switzerland;
• Maintain LAW’s programmatic workplan.
Skills and Qualifications Required:
§ Qualified lawyer with minimum of 7 years practice experience in human rights, criminal, family or refugee law. Experience working with cases of sexual and gender based violence preferred;
§ Excellent written and oral English, research and drafting skills;
§ Experience advising government or judicial institutions preferred;
§ Experience working in the East and/ or Horn of Africa preferred;
§ Project management experience, including experience managing budgets;
§ Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and strong technical literacy;
§ Strong communication and interpersonal skills and ability to work on own and take initiative;
§ Ability to meet deadlines;
§ Flexibility; someone who is familiar with the volatile and unpredictable nature of working in post conflict environments;
§ Ability to manage relationships at all levels, possess excellent negotiation skills and will demonstrate excellent communication skills.
Duration of the assignment
The consultancy position would be based in Nairobi with frequent travel to Somalia and South Sudan, and potentially to other countries within or outside of the regions. The assignment will be for a trial period of six months with the possibility of extension of up to 2 years. Salary will be commensurate with experience and position.
Deadline for receiving applications: 15 October 2017
Notification of successful applicant: 1 November 2017
Commencement of position: 1 December 2017
HOW TO APPLY:
How to Apply: Please send an application letter and curriculum vitae to Racheal Ojodo at ojodo@legalactionworldwide.org.