Senior Justice & Peace Officer US NGO Jobs – International Rescue Committee (IRC)
Job Title: Senior Justice & Peace Officer
Organisation: International Rescue Committee (IRC)
Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda
About US:
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC works with people forced to flee from war, conflict and disaster and the host communities which support them, as well as those who remain within their homes and communities. At work today in over 40 countries and 25 U.S. cities, we improve outcomes in the areas of health, safety, economic wellbeing, education, and power.
Job Summary: IRC Uganda is currently looking for a Senior Justice and Peace Officer to carry out the day-to-day implementation of a complex and multi-year EU-funded program “Strengthening Integrated Systems to Accelerate Access to Gender, Child and Youth Justice” with the goal of promoting peaceful and safe co-existence under the rule of law in Yumbe and Lamwo districts. The ideal candidate has excellent technical capacity in promoting access to justice, delivering legal aid and empowering youth as peacebuilders. S/he has practical experience working in a protracted displacement context with strong diplomacy, partnership building, coordination and networking skills. S/he is solutions oriented and pragmatic with the capacity to solve problems efficiently and support field teams to successfully carry out programmatic activities. S/he will liaise with key government, UN, INGO and interagency counterparts and contribute to innovative systems strengthening approaches in line with the Global Compact on Refugees, the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework and localised SDGs in Uganda.
The Senior Justice and Peace Officer reports to the Regional Justice and Peace Manager and is based in Lamwo. This position supervises two Justice and Peace Officers based in Lamwo.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
Program Implementation:
- Carry out day-to-day implementation and monitoring of work plans ensuring that activities reflect donor and other commitments
- Lead on mobilization of youth peacebuilders and conduct systematic trainings and mentorship on conflict resolution, referrals, peace building, and advocacy aimed at empowering youth to influence peace, justice and security-related decisions and actions.
- Ensure that all interventions are fully aligned to national frameworks and systems, as well as broader policy developments relevant to legal aid.
- Engage in joint planning and implementation with strategic partners to deliver synchronized and integrated actions for greater impact.
- Provide on-site legal counseling to survivors of GBV including other criminal and civil cases affecting children, youth, and women.
- Refer intricate cases to Legal Aid Provide for legal representation and drafting.
- Conduct visits to Police and Prisons detention facilities using designed tools and submit activity reports and the supervisor with proper documentation of PoCs held in detention while respecting Prisons guidelines.
- Conduct legal case management for all clients supported and routinely update the case management register and database for monthly analysis on the trends of rights violations.
- Contribute to monthly PRoL and field level meetings
- Prepare weekly, monthly reports and quarterly reports, and gather other information, as directed by the Regional Justice and Peace Manager.
- Conduct mentorship of the youth groups and collect weekly reports on cases addressed through alternative dispute resolution mechanisms for inclusion in reports.
- Follow up on the utilization of the case register with the informal justice actors including youth groups.
- Coordinate with JLOS institutions and partners to conduct mobile court session in the settlement, mobilization and support for witnesses and interpreters
- Participate in District Chain Link Committee (DCC) meetings
- Conduct legal information sessions with targeted groups of children/youth in schools, women at women centers, in prisons/remand home on gender, child and youth justice issues
- Collaborate with consortium partners to mobilize and conduct stake holder engagement meetings at district level and in the settlement.
- Coordinate with Legal Aid project and stake holders including OPM and JLOs actors to conduct radio talk shows
Staff Support:
- Work closely with Senior Justice and Peace Officer and other sector staff including WPE and Health to promote team spirit in service delivery.
- Coordinate effectively with the EU SUPREME Consortium staff and harmonize workplans for implementation.
- Coach, train, supervise, hold meetings, and mentor community- based volunteers
- Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform.
- Promote and monitor staff care and well-being. Model healthy work-life balance practices. Support appropriate interventions in response to identified staff care needs of both national and international staff.
- Identify opportunities to support staff in their career growth, where appropriate.
- Ensure adherence to the IRC Uganda HR Policies and Procedures.
Representation, Coordination, and Advocacy:
- Build and maintain good working relationships with JLOS actors, OPM, local government authorities, UN agencies, I/NGOs, CSOs, refugee leadership, youth leaders and community-based networks.
- Maintain close collaboration with other PRoL teams and IRC’s Women’s Protection and Empowerment (WPE), health teams to promote robust coordination and leverage synergies.
Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
- The applicant must hold a University degree in law, criminal justice, peace studies or another related field.
- At least three years of relevant experience in the access to justice, legal empowerment, peacebuilding, or rule of law sector, preferably in displacement contexts.
- Previous experience working on access to justice or peacebuilding programs.
- Proven record of carrying out effective program implementation.
- Previous experience implementing programs supported by EU or other bilateral and multilateral partners preferred.
- Demonstrated experience in staff supervision, capacity building, activity, and budget monitoring.
- Demonstrated experience in working with humanitarian agencies and vulnerable persons preferably in a refugee settlement.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills with excellent analysis and writing skills.
- Excellent analytical, writing skills and fluency in English.
- Strong team, partnership and people leadership, management, organizational, development and change management skills.
- Experience in working with and coordinating with the UN, donors, INGOs and other stakeholders.
- Ability to work independently and with diverse and multi-disciplinary teams
- Works well in and promotes teamwork, comfortable in a multi-cultural environment, flexible and able to handle pressure effectively and productively.
- Additional qualities: ability to multi-task, ability to handle pressure well, ability to improvise, flexibility, adaptability to transitions.
- Knowledge of local language is desirable.
How to Apply:
All suitably qualified and interested applicants should apply online at the link below.
Deadline: 27th July 2022