Legal Aid Specialist

Contract

This is a UNV National Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as National UN Volunteer. It is normally only for nationals. More about UNV National Specialist contracts.

This assignment is part of the UNDP's project aimed at strengthening the government system for crisis management and early recovery in Ukraine, as well as ensuring sustainability, effectiveness, and transparency in the continued crisis and emergency coordination. The project fosters response planning between the central government, the oblasts/rayons, and other stakeholders, including the international community, civil society organisations, and the private sector, while safeguarding the delivery of services and building stronger resilience among receiving/host communities and internally displaced persons (IDPs). UNDP aims to bolster the operational capacity and effectiveness of the "eVidnovlennia" program. The overarching objective is to ensure that the program is accessible, transparent, and provides equitable support to all eligible applicants, particularly focusing on internally displaced persons (IDPs) and other war-affected communities. It is in line with the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to achieve national strategic capacity development.

· Performance of various legal aid activities as part of the eVidnovlennia Support Group established at the Ministry of Community Development, Territories and Infrastructure of Ukraine (the Ministry) under Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 381 of 21 April 2023 (with amendments of 30 May 2023) under supervision and guidance of the Senior Legal Aid Expert.

· Provide comprehensive legal advice and guidance to applicants participating in the "eVidnovlennia" program, which offers compensation for residential properties damaged or destroyed due to war.

· Help applicants navigate the "eVidnovlennia" program, including understanding its terms and conditions, the application process, the review process, and the steps for lodging an appeal in case of refusal.

· Provide legal advice and recommendations to the local self-government authorities implementing the "eVidnovlennia" program

· Perform monitoring of the "eVidnovlennia" program implementation, and draft reports based on the monitoring results under the supervision and guidance of the Senior Legal Aid Expert.

· Accurately record, manage, and report all data associated with the provision of legal advice for the purpose of ongoing monitoring, evaluation, and program refinement. This includes capturing specific challenges faced by applicants and feedback on the compensation process.

· Regularly update knowledge of legislative developments related to compensation and restoration, ensuring legal advice is current, precise, and aligned with updates to the "eVidnovlennia" program and related legislation.

· Support applicants in drafting claims or appeals if they have been denied compensation or are dissatisfied with the Commission's decision.

· Guide applicants in using the "eVidnovlennia" electronic public service platform to simplify their application process and provide follow-up support.

· Proactively conduct regular online and offline information sessions to explain the "eVidnovlennia" program, answer common queries, and broaden the program's reach to potential applicants.

· Uphold the highest legal and ethical standards in service delivery, ensuring confidentiality is maintained and applicants' rights are respected.

· Accountability

· Adaptability and flexibility

· Creativity

· Judgement and decision-making

· Planning and organising

· Professionalism

· Self-management

providing legal counselling to individuals or organizations at the national level.

· Knowledge of the Civil, Construction, and Housing Laws of Ukraine; good understanding of the Law on compensation dated 23 February 2023 № 2923-IX.

· Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting, formulation, and reporting skills; ability to explain complex legal terms in simple, understandable language.

· Accuracy and professionalism in document production and editing;

· Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, and authorities at different levels; familiarity with tools and approaches of communications for development;

· Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel;

· Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.) and email/internet; familiarity with database management; and office technology equipment;

· Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines;

· Sound security awareness;

As it is a national UN Volunteer's assignment, the volunteer shall organise his/her accommodation by themselves.

Entitlements of National UN Volunteer Specialist (Kyiv Duty Station)

This is a full-time assignment. The contract lasts for the period indicated in the vacancy with the possibility of extensions subject to the availability of funding, operational necessity and satisfactory performance. However, there is no expectation of renewal of the assignment.

Allowances:

• Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA): A Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) 1534 USD (equivalent in UAH) is provided monthly to cover housing, utilities and normal cost of living expenses. This includes Well-Being Differentials for the period while the ICSC applies hardship classification to duty stations in Ukraine as “E”. • USD 400 entry lump sum, one-time payment.

Medical and life insurance:

• Medical insurance: The UN Volunteer and eligible PFU dependents will receive UNV provided medical insurance coverage. Coverage for UN Volunteers begins from the Commencement of Service and normally ceases one month after the last day of the UN Volunteer Contract date.

• Life Insurance: UN Volunteers are covered by life insurance for the duration of the UN Volunteer assignment. If a UN Volunteer dies during the UN Volunteer assignment, the eligible designated beneficiaries will be entitled to receive a life insurance lump sum. Leave entitlements:

• Annual leave:  UN Volunteers accrue an entitlement to 2.5 days of Annual Leave per completed month of the UN Volunteer assignment. Unused accrued Annual Leave up to a maximum of 30 days is carried over in case of a contract extension within the same UN Volunteer assignment. Unused accrued Annual Leave may not be carried over in case of reassignment or a new assignment. • Learning leave: Subject to supervisor approval and exigencies of service, UN Volunteers may request up to ten working days of Learning Leave per consecutive 12 months of the UN Volunteer assignment, starting with the Commencement of Service date, provided the Learning Leave is used within the contract period

• Certified Sick Leave: UN Volunteers are entitled to up to 30 days of certified sick leave based on a 12-month cycle. This amount is reset every 12-month cycle.

• Uncertified Sick Leave: UN Volunteers receive seven days of uncertified sick leave working days in a calendar year. This amount will be reset at the established interval period. You can check full entitlements at the duty station at https://app.unv.org/calculator.

The complete UN Volunteer Conditions of Service is available at https://explore.unv.org/cos