Protection Officer

The Legal officer, under the supervision of the Protection Manager will undertake protection and legal activities within the project framework. The legal officer will be engaged in the provision of legal aid service including legal information dissemination, counselling, assistance, and facilitation of representation to the target population. In addition, the officer will take on any additional protection activity as required by the Protection Manager to meet the project objective.

Responsibilities:

Programming & Operations

• Develop a work plan for the implementation of activities focusing on Legal service provision within the framework of the project;
• Carry out activities focusing on legal support according to work plan and allocated budget in accordance with international and national laws and regulations;
• Conduct rapid assessment to identify the protection risks, legal service need and concern of the target population and frame response according to the identified need.
• Conduct information dissemination on the legal rights and procedures with a focus on issues affecting the target population through the mobile protection desk and community outreach.
• Provide guidance to the mobile protection desks on framing key legal information to be shared through the desk;
• Provide legal counselling and legal assistance to the target community through the mobile protection desk.
• Develop and disseminate IEC materials with key messages on legal rights and procedures and available legal and protection services to the target population.
• Facilitate and advocate access to legal documentation for the target community in collaboration with relevant government authorities and humanitarian agencies.
• Facilitate access to Legal aid service in partnership with universities/legal aid providers to individuals needing legal representation.
• Implement standardized legal case management procedure.
• Organize capacity building training to government stakeholders and community-based structures on relevant international refugee laws and national laws and procedures.
• Engage with DRC finance, administration, and supply chain team as needed to facilitate implementation of project activity;
• Perform other relevant duties, as needed or requested by Protection Manager.

Reporting

• Prepare and submit progress reports of activities to protection Manager.
• Keep up to date record of legal cases and provide update as needed.

Coordination

• Liaise and build partnership with community leaders, local authorities, humanitarian organizations operating in the area and other relevant actors to achieve project objective;
• Establish working partnership with University law faculty – legal aid service and other relevant legal aid service providers;
• Collaborate with DRC area office, country protection program, and other DRC sectorial programs towards integrated programming;

Experience and technical competencies: (include years of experience)

• Minimum 2 years work experience in the legal sector, preferably in a humanitarian context;
• Prior Experience working with persons of concern including refugees, internally displaced and/ or returnees;
• Experience and familiarity with Ethiopia’s judicial system;
• Familiarity with international laws focusing on IDP and refugee rights;
• Understanding of protection principles and protection minimum standards;
• High level of personal initiative, analytical and problem-solving skill;
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to develop and maintain working relationships across the organization.
• Commitment to learning and implementing organizational policies and procedures
• Good proficiency in Microsoft Office package.

Education:

• University degree in Law/ LL. B

Language: 

• Fluency in written and spoken Local language (Somali)
• Advanced Level in English

Source: https://job.drc.ngo/jobs/job?id=170732