Protection (Legal Aid) Officer

Contract

This is a DRC - National contract. More about DRC - National contracts.

Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a leading protection agency with a mandate to protect, advocate and promote durable solutions for displacement affected populations.

DRC has been operating in Ukraine since 2014, currently DRC employs over 550 staff in Ukraine and will continue significant scale-up in 2023 to implement emergency response in the Protection, Livelihoods, Shelter/NFIs and Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding (humanitarian mine action) sectors, using direct interventions, support to duty bearers and civil society organizations (CSOs), and partnerships with CSOs. DRC will continue and adapt its durable solutions portfolio to the evolving context.

DRC is currently looking for a Protection (Legal Aid) Officer to join the team in Dnipro.

Overall purpose of the role:

• Deliver high quality legal aid services to the beneficiaries;
• Contribute towards enhancing DRC’s capacity to carry on evidence-based advocacy;
• Contribute towards implementation of high-quality mobile outreach program and awareness raising program,
• Ensure the quality of the planning, implementation and follow up of all technical aspects of the sector activities being implemented by DRC,
• Develop and maintain good relations with the persons of concern, relevant stakeholders and other humanitarian actors, to support adequate implementation and coordination of DRC’s sector activities.

Responsibilities:

Programming & Operations:

• Provide high quality one-on-one legal counseling to IDPs and conflict-affected population on their legal rights and remedies in the displacement context,
• Organize and facilitate community-level group awareness-raising programs on recent legal developments addressing the information and legal needs of IDPs and conflict-affected population,
• Provide administrative and other para-legal assistance to enable IDP and conflict-affected population to access welfare benefits, livelihood opportunities and government and non-government benefits and privileges,
• Provide in-court representation where necessary,
• Support preparation of monthly/quarterly/annual highlights/reports and proposals and budgets for donors,
• Participate in coaching and capacity building of the implementing partners,
• Contribute contextual and needs analysis as well as recommendations/feedback relevant to developing new programmatic avenues and innovative approaches,
• Participate in analyzing legal issues for drafting information materials, advocacy letters, briefing notes,
• Assist in conducting legal and protection assessments as part of DRC field office staff,
• Facilitate and follow up incoming and outgoing protection referral cases,
• Represent DRC at meetings and other relevant technical coordination meetings

Logistics/Finance:

• Support the monitoring of financial commitments and expenditures against budgets and provide timely feedback on budget follow-up,
• Plan and coordinate proactively logistics and movements of staff from and to different operational areas,
• Initiate procurements and ensure their execution,
• Ensure distribution plans are prepared and shared with logistics in a timely manner.
• Any other functions to be assigned by the Legal Team leader,
• Comply with all relevant DRC policies and procedures,

• Understand and ensure the observance of the DRC Code of Conduct.

  Required experience and competencies:

• Minimum 2 years of of proven legal experience, preferably in the field of humanitarian response for an INGO.

• License to Practice.
• Excellent skill in MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Fluency in Ukrainian/Russian.

Education:

Bachelor’s degree in law.

All DRC roles require the post-holder to master DRC’s core competencies:

• Striving for excellence: Focusing on reaching results while ensuring efficient processes.
• Collaborating: Involving relevant parties and encouraging feedback.
• Taking the lead: Taking ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
• Communicating: Listening and speaking effectively and honestly.
• Demonstrating integrity: Upholding and promoting the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to DRC’s values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

We offer:

• Contract length: 12 months, with a 3-month probation period
• Designation of Duty Station: Dnipro
• Start date: 2nd January 2024
• Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for Expatriate Staff.

Application process: All applicants must upload a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages in English).

Applications sent by email will not be considered.

Closing date for applications: 14th December 2023

We reserve the right to conduct interviews and select candidates prior to the application deadline.