Senior Legal Officer (National Position)

Legal

Overview

Provide legal support and empower refugees through protection programs

You have:

• University degree in Law
• At least 3 years direct experience with Thai laws and/or Thai Judicial system and direct experience on provide the legal case management.
• Previous training experience and/or experience in legal, law, protection and human rights issues, humanitarian protection are desirable.
• Excellent communication, legal counseling and legal case management knowledge and skills
• Ability to handle multi-task and sensitive issues.
• Ability to deal with traumatized people in an effective and compassionate way.
• Computer literate
• Thai language proficiency
• Good command of English
• Knowledge of Karen or Burmese an advantage
• Knowledge of displaced persons both in and outside camp situations.
• Awareness of political effect to quality of life
• Able to travel regularly along Thai – Myanmar border

Work Arrangement:

Job Description

Background/IRC Summary:

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is at work in over 40 countries and 26 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. The IRC has been operating in Thailand since 1975 and currently provides assistance to displaced persons in Tak, Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi and Mae Hong Son provinces. Protection and Empowerment Program composed of Protection and Legal Assistance Center Program, Women Protection and Empowerment Sector, Livelihood Sector, Emergency Response and DRR sectors. Implementation of Protection and Empowerment program work with refugee in 7 refugee camps and other group of displace populations along Thailand and Myanmar border on both sides and marginalized population in southern of Thailand to achieve Safety, Power and Economic Wellbeing outcome of the IRC Strategy100.

Job Overview/Summary:

The Senior Legal Officer provides Protection and legal services by working closely with Legal CBAs and CLVs to coordinate with CBOs, community leaders, MOI, UNHCR and outside camp civil society to provide legal information, counselling and facilitate refugee either victim/survivor or accused to community dispute resolution and Thai Justice with ensuring on the fair and equal justice along the process. The Senior Legal Officer provides knowledge via training, technical support by mentoring and coaching to legal CBAs and Community Legal Volunteer (CLV) on legal case management such as legal case intake, basic legal counseling, case referral system and legal case follow up as well as supports to camp authorities and CBOs on matters relating to Thai laws, policies, regulations and camp dispute resolution by working closely with community base protection bodies. The Senior Legal Officer also performs a key liaison role in establishing linkages and good relations between the project, community beneficiaries, CBOs, NGOs, UNHCR, Thai authorities, Thai civil society organizations and other related organizations, referring legal and human rights violation cases to appropriate organizations in order that displaced people can receive equal and proper legal protection.

Major Responsibilities:

1. Provide case management and ensure that refugee will access fair and equal justice in Thai and Camp Justice systems. 2. Mentor, coaching and technical support to Community Legal Volunteer, Legal CBAs on legal case management including case intake, basic counselling, referral and case follow up for the client in camp dispute resolution and Thai Justice. 3. Coordinate and bridge between refugee communities on legal assistant and services with UNHCR, MOI and outside camp civil society for access to justice services particularly for serious protection and legal cases to Thai Justice System. 4. Coordinate and work closely with relevant bodies and agencies on case referral of legal and human rights violation cases to appropriate organizations for further and comprehensive supports. 5. Identify area of development and improvement both knowledge and skill, and together with IRC sectors, UNHCR, academic and institution to support on capacity building including training, workshop, group discussion and etc. to Community Legal Volunteer(CLV), Legal CBAs, CBOs, Community leaders that they can provide effectiveness legal assistant both in community dispute resolution and Thai justice system for refugee. 6. Maintaining and increasing liaise, coordination and linkage regularly with Community Legal Volunteer (CLV), Legal CBAs, CBOs with local authorities, UN agencies, relevant NGOs/CSOs , civil societies, university and other relevant organizations/persons concerning displaced person legal and protection issues. 7. Prepare monthly activity plans, activity budget and reports by working closely with Deputy Coordinator for Access to Justice and other program members to ensure close integration of among project activities. 8. Coordinate closely with Program Quality team to develop and collect legal services tool and data to ensure compliance of services and program quality. 9. Represent IRC officially at designated meetings, conferences and workshops. 10. Perform other duties as requested by supervisor/ senior management.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports: Deputy Coordinator for Access to Justice Position directly supervises: Legal Camp Based Assistance Indirect Reporting: Protection and Legal Coordinator, Deputy Coordinator for Community Base Protection and Program, and Senior Protection Coordinator Other Internal and/or external contacts: Internal: Other staffs from The Protection and Legal Assistance Center , Program Quality, Health programs, WPE programs, Livelihood Programs, RSC Programs, Technical/Program Coordinators; Finance Department; Human Resources Department; Logistics/Supply Chain External: UNHCR, local government authorities e.g., camp commander, Camp Committee, Justice Committee, NGOs and CBOs.

Qualifications

Job Requirements:

Education: University degree in Law

Work Experience and/or Demonstrated:

- At least 3 years direct experience with Thai laws and/or Thai Judicial system and direct experience on provide the legal case management. - If the experiences relate with assisting in the Displaced people context is desirable.

Abilities:

- Previous training experience and/or experience in legal, law , protection and human rights issues, humanitarian protection are desirable.

Skills:

- Excellent communication, legal counseling and legal case management knowledge and skills - Ability to handle multi-task and sensitive issues. - Ability to deal with traumatized people in an effective and compassionate way. - Computer literate

Language(s):

- Thai - Good command of English - Knowledge of Karen or Burmese an advantage

Other:

- Knowledge of displaced person both in and outside camp situations - Awareness of political effect to quality of life - Able to travel regularly along Thai – Myanmar border

Working Environment:

The position will be based in the IRC office in Mae Sot , Tak Province, with frequent travel to Tham Hin camp in Ratchaburi Province , Ban Don Yan camp in Kanchanaburi Province , Refugee camps in Mae Hong Son Province and other provinces as requires to IRC business.

Standard of Professional Conduct

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons, and several others.

Equal Opportunity Employer

IRC considers all participants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

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Potential interview questions

Added 2 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: rescue.org