Legal officer PRoL

Requisition ID: req51977

Job Title: Legal officer PRoL

Sector: Protection and rule of law

Employment Category: Fixed Term

Employment Type: Full-Time

Open to Expatriates: No

Location: Odesa, Ukraine

Work Arrangement:

Job Description

Key working relationships:

• Position Reports to: Sr Legal officer

• Position directly supervises: N/A

• Internal collaborations within IRC: Sr Protection Monitoring and Information officers, community mobilizers case workers

• External collaborations to IRC: Legal actors, Legal PWG,Free Legal Aid Center staff, Protection and information services actors, organizations, and agencies

Job Overview/Summary:

The legal officer provides legal information, legal counselling and legal assistance activities with IRC in Ukraine. The Legal Officer will be attached to the office in Odesa with performing official duties under supervision of the Sr Legal officer with the possibility of business trips to other regions of Ukraine (including but not limited to Mykolaiv and Kherson regions).  The Legal Officer will serve as key person to implement legal assistance activities along the displacement routes and provide evidence base to inform needs of affected population for program adjustment and advocacy. The legal officer will provide legal services both at the Community Centers level and through mobile teams. He will also contribute to the general understanding of the legal context in Ukraine, as the situation and needs evolve.

Specifically, the Sr legal officer will be responsible for:

·        With the support and supervision of the Sr Legal officer, create information content that responds to the legal needs of conflict-affected population, and provide information, either at the community center or other static centers (such as Cash registration points) and through mobile teams;

·        Work closely with IRC partners in order to support and guide the implementation of legal information, counselling and assistance;

·        Provide individual legal counselling to individuals in need of legal assistance, either at the community center or other static centers (such as Cash registration points) and through mobile teams;

·        Provide secondary legal aid, including through close cooperation with the Free Legal Aid Centers in Odesa and Mykolaiv oblasts, in order to provide legal assistance to those ineligible for free legal aid, but who cannot afford to access legal aid with their own means;

·        Ensure continuous update of the service map in Odesa and Mykolaiv oblasts and surrounding oblasts on legal actors and services;

·        Ensure referrals are made and received in a safe way and according to the SOPs, and ensure referrals received are followed-up and that the referral tracker is updated;

·        Regularly update the reporting tools with the number of information, counselling and legal cases provided;

·        Support the Sr Legal Officer and PRoL Manager in data analysis related to legal needs;

·        constantly look for contacts within authorities and key humanitarian stakeholders and update the contact trackers;

·        Contribute to the weekly movement plansfor locations for legal activities on a weekly basis;

·        Support and inform the Sr Legal Officer on the needs in term of legal assistance for people in Ukraine;

·        Conducting legal sessions, trainings and other events aimed at solving clients’ problems, increasing legal awareness and capacity building;

·        Monitoring of changes in legislation and application of legislation in practice.

·        Fulfill of other assignments of the Sr Legal officer.

Requirements:

–         Language: Bilingual in Ukrainian and Russian and good verbal and writing skills in English

–         Preferably — valid Attorney’s License (registered at the Bar Association)

–         Previous experience in Legal information, counselling and assistance, preferably with a NGO

–         Experience facilitating group activities, trainings and workshops and mentoring others

–         Excellent communication skills both verbal and in written

–         Demonstrated understanding of and ability to maintain confidentiality and respect for clients/beneficiaries

–         Positive and professional attitude, including ability to lead and work well in a team setting

–         High degree of flexibility and strong ability to organize work, meet deadlines, maintain composure, prioritize work under pressure, coordinate multiple tasks and maintain attention to detail

–         Computer literate, including Microsoft Word and Excel

Professional Standards

The International Rescue Committee is determined to protect the people it serves and staff from all kinds of harm, including sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment. It is committed to take all necessary preventive measures and create an environment where people feel safe. IRC builds diverse and inclusive teams of professionals who promote critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity to deliver the best possible services to our clients.

IRC workers must adhere to the core values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Equality, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces its safeguarding policies to protect adult and child clients from any form of exploitation and abuse, including sexual exploitation and abuse, and its staff from sexual harassment and violence.

Where misconduct is alleged, IRC follows a Zero tolerance approach and takes all necessary actions and corrective measures. IRC investigation unit comprises of experts and trained investigators that ensure professional survivor- centered investigations are conducted if allegations of safeguarding violations are reported through the safe and accessible reporting channels that IRC makes available to its staff, partners, and clients. These commitments are set out in IRC’s Safeguarding Policies, accessible in English and in Ukrainian language via this link: https://rescue.box.com/v/irc-safeguarding-policies. IRC is an active member of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) set up in Ukraine.