Protection Specialist (Legal)

Contract

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

Overall purpose of the role: Under the supervision of the Protection Manager (Country Technical Lead), the Legal Specialist is responsible to ensure technical quality for DRC’s legal aid programming across DRC Iraq’s areas of operation. To this end, the Legal Specialist will support harmonization and roll-out of legal tools and guidelines, quality assurance and reporting systems, strengthen legal referral pathways, and advance legal advocacy.

Main Responsibilities:

• Provide regular technical support to legal teams in DRC Iraq areas of operation to ensure quality implementation of legal aid activities (awareness, counselling, assistance and representation).
• In collaboration with Protection Manager (Country Technical Lead), develop and roll-out legal SOPs, tools and other guidance to support and reinforce quality of legal services provide by DRC legal teams, in accordance with technical standards and both national and international legal frameworks.
• Develop standards for legal awareness raising materials and coordinate with area teams to lead the development of new materials, including gender-sensitive HLP awareness raising materials.
• Coordinate with area teams and relevant stakeholders to remain up-to-date on legal procedures and policy developments; update guideline documents and share with teams as needed.
• Implement quality assurance systems: roll-out supervision and coaching toolkit to ensure systematized legal case supervision and quality control structures are in place.
• In collaboration with Protection Manager (Country Technical Lead), ensure legal teams are trained in the proper collection, use and storage of legal case data, in compliance with DRC policy and Protection Information Management (PIM) principles.
• Conduct field monitoring visits (including shadowing of teams) for on job-coaching and support as well as to develop a thorough understanding of area-specific legal procedures and challenges.
• Strengthen referral pathways within the Protection/legal program, with other DRC sectors, and external service providers.
• Under the supervision of the Protection Manager (Country Technical Lead), identify issues and opportunities to advance DRC advocacy on protection violations and promote the rights of displacement-affected populations.

Staff capacity and recruitment

• Overall responsibility for development of sustainable structures to reinforce legal staff capacity, with a particular focus on HLP rights.
• In coordination with Protection Project Managers, assess training and development needs within the protection/legal team; develop and implement the capacity building plan in coordination with the Protection Manager (Country Technical Lead).
• Provide technical support to area teams (as relevant) on the recruitment of legal staff roles.
• Develop and roll-out a standardized induction package (for use by area teams) to ensure consistent information and standards on legal SOPs and tools are applied by new staff.

Program design and reporting

• In coordination with Protection Project Managers, provide technical inputs for proposal development on legal aid activities, needs analysis, legal indicators and targets.
• Support the consistent application of protection information management (PIM) principles by area teams for the safe, ethical and confidential collection, use and storage of legal case data, in line with DRC standards.
• Support Protection Project Managers to ensure teams are adopting legal reporting tools to ensure consistent beneficiary and target tracking.
• In line with DRC minimum standards for legal programming, develop an updated legal analysis reflecting the legal framework and context in Iraq; provide strategic recommendations to the Protection Manager (Country Technical Lead) on the direction of legal programming within the Protection program strategy.
• Ensure an active collaboration with the Protection and GBV Specialist at the Country Office to strengthen the link between the different protection activities (legal aid, general protection, and GBV)
• Explore opportunities to strengthen programme integration with other sectors, including with shelter and economic recovery/livelihoods sectors (e.g., HLP and labour law).

Coordination and Representation

• Actively participate in Legal Task forces, HLP working group or other relevant coordination fora.
• Ensure that DRC’s legal activities are harmonized with the standards established by humanitarian actors and coordinated with efforts of other agencies.
• Serve as a focal point, when relevant, with courts and civil affairs directorates (CAD) on legal programming developments.

Other

• Ensure adherence to DRC national staff policy guidelines and Code of Conduct.
• Ensure compliance with DRC AGD policy and AGD programmatic minimum standards.
• Ensure compliance with the zero-tolerance to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse policy
• Ensure compliance with DRC guidelines and policies on HR, admin, finance, and supply.
• Perform any other relevant tasks as requested by the Protection Manager (Country Technical Lead).

Experience and technical competencies:

• At least 5 years of experience in the legal sector. (DRC will accept an equivalent combination of a Master’s degree and professional work experience.)
• Significant knowledge of International Humanitarian and Human Rights Law; Housing, Land and Property (HLP) rights, particularly within the Iraq context.
• Strong analytical and communication, negotiation, advocacy and diplomacy skills; effective in representation and liaison with external parties.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to quickly develop good insight and understanding of the human rights situation and the political environment of the country;
• Ability to provide trainings and build capacity of other staff using positive learning techniques.
• Demonstrated interest in humanitarian work and supporting people effected by conflict; previous experience in delivering humanitarian programming is a strong advantage.
• Knowledge of gender and protection mainstreaming; a commitment to apply an age, gender and diversity (AGD) approach to legal programming.
• Computer literacy (Microsoft Word and Excel)
• Ability to travel in order to provide coaching and supervision to staff in areas of operation and deliver training is essential.

Education:

University degree in Law, with a Master’s degree preferred.

Languages:

Fluency in Arabic and English (written and spoken).

Key stakeholders:

• Protection Project Managers
• DRC Head of Programmes
• Protection and GBV Specialist
• Protection Manager (Country Technical Lead)
• MEAL and Grant management

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’s five core competencies:

Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.

Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.

Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.

Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.

Demonstrating integrity: You uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to our values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment

We offer

• Contract Length: 7 months (renewable)
• Salary Band: G (Non-management)
• Start Date: As soon as possible

Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for National Staff.

Females are encouraged to apply.

Diversity & Inclusion: DRC Iraq is committed to promoting an inclusive work environment according to our Age, Gender, and Diversity approach (AGD). We aim to have a more diversified leadership structure creating opportunities for qualified women to take on managerial roles. We also continuously work to make our workplace more accessible for persons with specific needs. We offer benefits related to psychosocial support, health insurance, maternity and paternity leave, child sick leave, and lactation breaks. As part of our commitment to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion, we strongly encourage applications from female candidates, persons living with disabilities, as well as representatives of minorities.