Senior Protection & Rule of Law Officer-Urban Program

Job Description

Organization description The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, assisting people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving are assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. Today IRC works in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC has been working in Uganda since 1998 supporting IDPs, refugees and various institutions in the country notably the government, community-based organizations, the civil society and the private sector. Currently, the IRC’s Protection and Rule of Law program works to safeguard the human rights and advance the sustainable protection of refugees in Bidibidi, Palabek, Imvepi and Kyaka II settlements, as well as urban refugees in Kampala.

Job Overview IRC Uganda and its partners are implementing a five-year urban livelihoods program: Refugees in East Africa: Boosting Urban Innovations for Livelihoods Development (Re: Build) in Kampala and Nairobi cities with funding from the IKEA Foundation. The Re: Build program seeks to support urban refugees and vulnerable host communities to achieve economic self-reliance and benefit from strengthened urban economic, regulatory, and social environments. It aims to enable change at varying levels for better access to livelihoods opportunities and inclusive services within the communities, improved refugee-related policies and more targeted and effective service delivery by the national, regional and global actors.

IRC Uganda is looking for a Senior Protection and Rule of Law Officer to support day-to-day design and implementation of interventions that enhance urban refugees and asylum seekers’ access to economic opportunities for sustainable self-reliance.

The ideal candidate has to demonstrate capacity and experience in legal and policy analysis, community mobilization and capacity building, stake holder engagement, legal and protection case management, and justice sector systems strengthening. Knowledge of the urban refugee support framework and context in Uganda is essential.

Duties and Responsibilities

Legal and policy analysis •Regularly monitor developments in the legislative and policy framework, to inform strategic programmatic adaptation. •Identify and analyze the laws and policies advancing REBUILD strategy on economic justice. •Inform REBUILD team on any new developments on relevant laws and policies. •Support the development and dissemination of policy and influence papers.

Community mobilization and capacity building •Support identification of clients and the design and implementation of responsive interventions including referrals, case management, and provision of information.

Stake holder engagement •Support multi stakeholder dialogue and consensus building on enhancement of access to economic justice for urban refugees and asylum seekers. •Contribute to technical meetings that advance the REBUILD agenda, in consultation with line supervisor. •Support mapping and establishment of linkages with partners and stake holders including local and central government agencies, Civil Society Organizations and Private Sector. •Support capacity building of partners on economic justice, protection and refugee rights and frameworks.

Legal and protection case management •Support identification of clients, and the design and implementation of responsive interventions including referrals, case management, and provision of information.

Justice sector systems strengthening •Support multi stakeholder dialogue and consensus building on enhancement of access to economic justice for urban refugees and asylum seekers.

Project management and capacity building •Prepare and submit periodic reports to line supervisors. •Contribute to the development of REBUILD strategy and annual workplan to integrate protection and rule of law. •Ensure timely implementation of work plans, procurement plans and spending plans in line with the approved budgets. •Advise on the integration of protection and rule of law services into livelihoods programs within REBUILD. Support development of an integrated matrix for protection and livelihood programming. •Support capacity building of REBUILD country program on protection and rule of law concepts and approaches.

Qualifications

•University degree in law, human rights, international relations, social sciences, or other related field. •At least three years’ experience working in the field of Protection, Human Rights, Rule of Law, Access to Justice, Social Protection, business enterprises, Child Protection, or related fields. •Practical experience working with development programs and processes, particularly with the Justice Law and Order Sector, and solid understanding of humanitarian work and intersections with the various aspects of economic growth, national and local governance, rule of law, business registration, access to justice, social protection, fragility, conflict, and violence. •Strong commitment to humanitarian work and values. •Experience in working with and coordinating with Government/local authorities, KCCA, UN, INGOs, CSOs, legal aid service providers in Kampala, JLOS actors, youth led groups and other stakeholders. •Demonstrated experience in capacity building and program management. •Strong communication and interpersonal skills with excellent analysis and writing skills; •Excellent analytical, writing skills and fluency in English; •Strong team and people leadership, management, organizational and development skills; •Works well in and promotes teamwork, comfortable in a multi-cultural environment, flexible and able to handle pressure effectively and productively; and •Additional qualities: ability to multi-task, ability to handle pressure well, ability to improvise, flexibility, adaptability to transitions.

Please note: Deadline for receiving applications is July 3rd 2022.

Standards of Professional Conduct The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Code of 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, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons, and several others.

Gender Equality & Equal Opportunity We are committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer generous benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances. We welcome and strongly encourage qualified female professionals to apply.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants 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.