Irish Rule of Law International (IRLI) is a legal non-governmental organisation (NGO) with charity status set up under the auspices of the Law Society of Ireland and the Bar of Ireland as well as the Law Society of Northern Ireland and the Bar of Northern Ireland. Dedicated to promoting the rule of law in developing countries, IRLI is primarily a project-based organisation with a variety of access-to-justice projects in countries such as Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zambia. IRLI is an all-island organisation which seeks to support resource-constrained societies by protecting human rights, promoting and strengthening the rule of law. It provides technical support and assistance in the form of legal capacity and institution building in those jurisdictions to help tackle the effects of global injustice, and to empower freedom from inequality, corruption, and conflict.
IRLI’s Tanzania programme commenced in 2018 and, since then, has developed to establish and maintain strong institutional relationships between the police services and judiciaries of Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Tanzania to further cross-jurisdictional learning and the improved handling of cases of child sexual abuse and exploitation. IRLI’s ‘Access to Justice in Zambia’ programme commenced in 2022 and is focused on three topics: economic and financial crimes, including asset management and recovery, decongestion of Zambia’s prisons through the Camp Courts initiative (also known as ‘mobile courts’), and support to Zambia’s justice institutions in the improved handling of cases of sexual and gender-based violence and youth justice matters.
Position Summary:
Established in 2009, IRLI has progressively grown through the years, expanding on both its programme portfolio and working networks. The organisation is now at an exciting stage having recently secured multi-annual funding, as well as having established a broad programme base, ranging from access to justice, institutional capacity building, and legal education. In accordance with its strategic plan, IRLI expects to expand its work both thematically and geographically. In this context, the organisation is looking to hire a dynamic person to take a leading role on its Tanzania and Zambia programmes. Under the supervision of the Director of Programmes, the Programme Manager (PM) will manage IRLI’s Tanzania and Zambia programmes and activities. This will include, as a minimum, leading the development and delivery of activities, working with technical counterparts on the island of Ireland and in programme countries, and ensuring full programme management, such as on-going monitoring of programme activities according to project proposals and budget, producing narrative and financial reports in line with donor requirements, and drafting funding proposals. They will also help ensure that the organisation adheres to relevant policies and best practice in financial, charity, and volunteer management in relation to the programmes. The PM will contribute to the management and further development of the communication of IRLI activities, including by establishing innovative means for information-sharing to maintain vibrant relationships with IRLI supporters, and promote and raise awareness about IRLI’s Tanzania and Zambia programmes.
By way of example, programme activities include:
- Liaising with national actors and duty bearers in Zambia and Tanzania to conduct activities, such as legal education clinics on child sex abuse, and developing the agenda on mobile courts and economic and financial crimes in Zambia.
- Leading delegations of Irish judges and legal experts to Tanzania and Zambia on project related work.
- Managing and coordinating delegations of Zambian and Tanzanian legal experts who visit Ireland for project related work.
- Identifying opportunities for cross jurisdictional exchanges, such as conferences, workshops and training initiatives.
- Coordinating desk-based work being undertaken by Irish legal professionals in Ireland/Northern Ireland to support programmatic work in Zambia and Tanzania.
- Coordinating with IRLI’s media and communications team to highlight activities happening in Tanzania and Zambia.
(This is list is indicative and is not exhaustive.)
The PM will work full time and will be based in IRLI’s office in Dublin (with the option of hybrid work from home no more than three days per week and working from head office at least two days, specific days to be agreed with the Director of Programmes and Executive Director and subject to the needs of the organisation) with occasional travel to programme field locations. They will report to and work directly under the supervision of IRLI’s Director of Programmes.
Main Responsibilities:
- Lead IRLI’s technical, managerial, and desk-based support to IRLI’s Tanzania and Zambia programmes, including traveling to Tanzania and Zambia to meet with local stakeholders when necessary and approved by the Director of Programmes.
- Liaise and manage communication with national implementing partners on the ground to ensure activities are carried out effectively.
- Stay abreast of legal developments in Tanzania and Zambia relevant to the subject matter of each programme so that ILRI’s work is informed by local experiences and to avoid duplication of work.
- Devise, update, or carry out institutional-needs assessments, information papers or other research as required, utilising pro bono partnerships where appropriate.
- Ensure adequate qualitative and quantitative monitoring of all ongoing programme work according to established monitoring systems and tools.
- Lead ongoing monitoring and evaluation (M&E) support to the programmes.
- Develop, draft and review funding proposals, narrative reports, and financial reports, and monitor submissions to donors to ensure accuracy, completeness and timeliness.
- Produce up-to-date material to share information about the Tanzania and Zambia programmes with IRLI staff and Board as well as with donors and partners.
- Support technical visits to Ireland and to Tanzania and Zambia, including by working with the IRLI Project Assistant in all matters relating to administration and logistics, and ensure appropriate reporting and financial management for all such visits.
- Develop and pilot innovative ways to showcase the work of IRLI’s Tanzania and Zambia programmes.
- Maintain risk registers, and regularly update the programme’s logframe.
- Present on the programmes to relevant stakeholders.
- Identify new institutional partners in Tanzania, Zambia, Ireland, and Northern Ireland.
- Liaise with partners and staff in Malawi with a view to appropriate cross-fertilisation of programme activities and learning and in preparation for regional conferences and events.
- Work closely with the Director of Operations, and other staff as required, to scope out new programmes and areas of growth/expansion for IRLI with new partner countries.
Person Specification:
Essential Requirements:
- A Bachelors’ degree and/or a master’s level degree in Law, Development, International Politics, Human Rights, or related fields.
- A minimum of 2 years professional programme management experience in international development and/or the rule of law.
- A keen interest in programmes related to human rights, rule of law, and legal development issues.
- Proven track record in report (financial and narrative) writing, ideally within the development context and/or to institutional donors.
- Familiarity with Irish-based and international donor priorities and grant-implementation, and monitoring and evaluation guidelines.
- Ability to work well under pressure, prioritise a wide range of competing tasks and meet deadlines.
- Self-motivated, dynamic and the ability to work independently as well as collaboratively.
- Appreciation of the aims and objectives of IRLI.
- Demonstrated excellent research and communication skills.
- Adept in use of Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
- Fluent in spoken and written English with strong analytical skills.
- Legal right to work in Ireland.
Desirable Requirements:
- Overseas work on international programmes is highly desirable.
- Familiarity and previous engagement with the Irish and/or Northern Irish justice sector actors.
- Professional experience of managing programmes related to human rights, rule of law, and legal development issues.
- Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate with and relate to a wide range of external audiences.
- Fundraising experience, including submission of funding proposals, on behalf of a charity or charities.
- Capacity to organise, manage and facilitate public events.
- Experience of using monitoring, evaluation and learning frameworks in the NGO sector.
- Proven ability to execute communication and public engagement activities, preferably in the charity/NGO sector.
- Ability to create new ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including launching creative and innovative initiatives and fostering cross-jurisdictional learning.
- Prior work experience on human rights issues in Tanzania and/or Zambia.
How to apply
The deadline for submission of applications is Tuesday 21st January 2025 at 17:00 GMT.
Interviews will take place on Tuesday 28th January 2025 between 09:00 and 17:00 GMT (either in person or online, depending on the candidate’s location. There is a preference for any candidate living in Ireland to attend an interview in person).
Candidates will be contacted, if they are shortlisted for interview and to arrange a time, no later than 17:00 GMT on Friday 24th January.
Please submit:
- A curriculum vitae.
The CV must be no more than three pages in length and use font size no smaller than 11.
It should include the names and contact details of two referees (who will not be contacted without seeking permission).
- A cover letter.
The letter must be no more than two pages in length and use font size no smaller than 11.
Please describe why you are interested in the position and summarise your relevant experience and suitability for the post.
Only applications received through careers@irishruleoflaw.ie will be considered.
All applications must be submitted with the email subject line “Programme Manager (Tanzania and Zambia)”.
Any queries should be directed to IRLI at info@irishruleoflaw.ie