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Legal advisor at TRIAL International

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Job Description

Position: Legal Advisor

Organization: TRIAL International - Main office in DRC: Bukavu

Work location: Bukavu – DRC

Contract duration: 9 months (with possibility of renewal)

Deadline for submission of applications: Sunday, February 2, 2025 at 4 p.m. (local time)

Competitive salary

Start date: April 1, 2025

Context

Founded in 2002 in Geneva, TRIAL International is a Swiss NGO whose mission is to fight against impunity for international crimes and to support victims in their quest for justice. TRIAL believes in a world where impunity for international crimes is no longer tolerated. The organization provides legal and judicial assistance, conducts investigations, brings cases to justice, develops the capacities of local actors and advocates for human rights. Active in several countries around the world, TRIAL has been implementing projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo since 2014. Legal action in favor of victims of international crimes and capacity building of local actors are the pillars of TRIAL's mission in the DRC. The organization began its activities in the east of the country with its main office in Bukavu in the province of South Kivu. It expanded its scope of intervention in the Kasai region with the opening of a sub-office in Kananga at the beginning of 2022.

In order to support the activities planned in South Kivu, TRIAL International is recruiting a Legal Advisor based at its main office in Bukavu (South Kivu).

Function

The Legal Advisor, based in Bukavu, is mainly responsible for the design, development, implementation and monitoring of legal action activities as well as the preparation and organization of legal training in South Kivu and possibly in other TRIAL International intervention areas in the country. She/he works under the direction of the National Coordinator and the Program Manager in Geneva and implements the activities in daily interaction with a team of several people.

Job Industry

Law/Legal and Development

Job Salary Currency

Job Salary Fixed

Key Deliverables

In compliance with the organization's procedures and under the direction of the National Coordinator of TRIAL International:

Legal action activities

• Support partners, NGOs and lawyers in documenting international crime cases (preparation of missions, analysis of mission reports);

• Provide technical support to lawyers in charge of cases in the various phases of the procedure;

• Participate in the analysis of evidence and in the reflection on the legal and judicial strategy of the cases in consultation with other legal advisers and the National Coordinator;

• Meet and discuss with victims, local and international partners working on TRIAL International cases in the province of South Kivu;

• Participate in the implementation of security plans for partners and beneficiaries of the program in collaboration with local and international actors who are experts in the sector;

• Prepare cases to be submitted to court before national courts or international human rights protection bodies;

• Carry out regular monitoring of the progress of the cases submitted and ensure advocacy with judicial actors for the resolution of challenges inherent in the judicial procedure;

• Participate in the organization of investigation missions and trials for international crimes in conjunction with TRIAL lawyers and partners;

• Identify good practices arising from TRIAL's legal action and participate in the capitalization process.

Training activities

• Participate in the design and development of educational scenarios for training provided by TRIAL; Participate in the development of the program and materials for training sessions;

• Participate in the organization, preparation and implementation (provide training modules) and evaluation of training sessions;

• Participate in the identification and selection of files on which training participants will work;

• Carry out regular monitoring and offer individualized support to participants benefiting from training with a view to improving their work on international crime files.

Advocacy activities

• Participate in meetings with stakeholders supporting the judicial system in the province of South Kivu, carry out monitoring and ensure advocacy with judicial stakeholders on certain cases submitted to court;

• Collect relevant factual and legal information on the human rights situation at the local level with a view to preparing and submitting reports to the relevant authorities.

Project management

• Participate in the planning and logistical, security and budgetary monitoring of the activities within his/her remit, in compliance with the procedures established within the Program;

• Participate in monitoring the impact and monitoring of activities in collaboration with TRIAL's local partners and carry out regular internal reporting on planned legal action and training activities;

• Participate in tasks related to communication around the activities within his/her remit.

Representation of TRIAL (report with the outside world);

• On delegation and in consultation with the Program Manager and the National Coordinator, represent TRIAL with lawyers, the local bar, local media and other Program partners in the province of South Kivu on activities within his/her remit.

Essential Qualities

Essential Qualities
Technical skills • Bachelor's degree or Master's degree in law, supplemented by training in the field of international criminal law, humanitarian law and/or human rights; • Registration with a bar in the DRC (minimum 5 years) and proof of regular practice as a lawyer in the DRC; • Experience in the field of legal assistance for victims of human rights violations in criminal or civil matters at the national level; • Experience working (or collaborating) in the field of NGOs or other organizations active in the DRC in the field of legal and judicial assistance for victims of human rights violations; • Experience in project management is an asset; • Ability to deal with a precarious security context, political tensions and pressures; • Very good communication skills, ease in anticipating needs and ease in listening and reformulating requests; • Excellent writing skills for legal texts; • Excellent advocacy skills; • Excellent command of basic computer tools (MS Office, emails, etc.); • Experience working with digital tools (camera, video camera, recorder, etc.) is an asset; • Analytical and synthesis skills, sense of priorities, ability to take initiative, organize and plan, rigor and precision; • Availability for occasional travel at the national level; • Discretion, respect for confidentiality and reserve necessary for the exercise of the function; • Excellent written and oral knowledge of French. Knowledge of English and Swahili is an asset. Skills and know-how • Strong interest in the theme of human rights and strong identification with the mandate of TRIAL International; • Professionalism and objectivity; Strict observation of professional ethics and integrity; • Ability to cultivate healthy professional relationships, based on respect, mutual understanding and mutual assistance; • Versatility, autonomy, adaptability, availability and creativity; • Sensitive to issues related to interculturality; • Willingness to work in a consensual work environment; • Ability to manage demanding situations and maintain high performance within tight deadlines.

Technical skills

• Bachelor's degree or Master's degree in law, supplemented by training in the field of international criminal law, humanitarian law and/or human rights;

• Registration with a bar in the DRC (minimum 5 years) and proof of regular practice as a lawyer in the DRC;

• Experience in the field of legal assistance for victims of human rights violations in criminal or civil matters at the national level;

• Experience working (or collaborating) in the field of NGOs or other organizations active in the DRC in the field of legal and judicial assistance for victims of human rights violations;

• Experience in project management is an asset;

• Ability to deal with a precarious security context, political tensions and pressures;

• Very good communication skills, ease in anticipating needs and ease in listening and reformulating requests;

• Excellent writing skills for legal texts;

• Excellent advocacy skills;

• Excellent command of basic computer tools (MS Office, emails, etc.);

• Experience working with digital tools (camera, video camera, recorder, etc.) is an asset;

• Analytical and synthesis skills, sense of priorities, ability to take initiative, organize and plan, rigor and precision;

• Availability for occasional travel at the national level;

• Discretion, respect for confidentiality and reserve necessary for the exercise of the function;

• Excellent written and oral knowledge of French. Knowledge of English and Swahili is an asset.

Skills and know-how

• Strong interest in the theme of human rights and strong identification with the mandate of TRIAL International;

• Professionalism and objectivity; Strict observation of professional ethics and integrity;

• Ability to cultivate healthy professional relationships, based on respect, mutual understanding and mutual assistance;

• Versatility, autonomy, adaptability, availability and creativity;

• Sensitive to issues related to interculturality;

• Willingness to work in a consensual work environment;

• Ability to manage demanding situations and maintain high performance within tight deadlines.

Application Process

Applications must be sent no later than 2 February 2025 at 4pm (UTC+2) to the following two email addresses: g.mushiata@trialinternational.org and d.perissi@trialinternational.org

For this first selection phase, the application must contain:

• a cover letter (1 and a half pages maximum);

• an up-to-date CV containing 2 professional references (with telephone number and email);

• an extract from a pleading note written and submitted in a case as counsel for one or more victims of the facts constituting the offences, the registry stamp serving as proof of the submission of the note.

Only complete applications will be considered. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. Applications sent after the submission deadline will also not be considered.

In the event that we receive too many applications, we will unfortunately not be able to respond to all candidates. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Thank you for your understanding and your interest in our organization.

Close Date

02/02/2025