Legal Advisor

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Legal Advisor

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is a humanitarian organization that provides protection and assistance to people affected by armed conflict and other situations of violence worldwide. ICRC employs more than 20,000 staff and is present in 80 countries. The ICRC Regional Delegation for Southern Africa is looking for a suitable candidate to fill the following vacancy at its regional office in Pretoria:

Legal Advisor (Part-time 60%): Missing Persons and Forensics

The Legal Advisor supports the work of the Regional Delegation based in Pretoria and of its African Centre for Medico-Legal Systems (ACMS) in the Central Tracing Agency on Missing Persons and Forensic Systems by advising on national, regional, and international law related primarily to the protection and management of the dead and Missing persons, but also other areas requiring forensic guidance and support. S/he conducts related legal work from time to time as requested by the ACMS, as well as assist with the coordination of ACMS activities and projects. S/he initiates and formulates strategies to address identified issues, guides and conducts research on, and analysis of specific legal matters, and supports the sensitization and implementation of programs and activities of the ACMS. 

Description of the role:

The incumbent performs the following duties:

• Aid with the coordination of all ACMS-related activities, projects, and initiatives, including but not limited to, project proposal drafting, event coordination and related support. 

• Liaising with external partners on joint-project initiatives and stakeholder management and engagement. 

• Liaise with internal colleagues on project reporting and feedback. 

• As requested from time to time, provide legal assistance to forensic colleagues across Africa on matters related to the Protection and Management of the Dead and Missing Persons as well as other areas of relevance to ICRC’s mandate related to medicolegal systems and forensics.

• Support the ACMS in its legal analysis of laws, policies, and procedures in the region related to the Protection and Management of the Dead and Missing Persons, and identification of gaps in those laws. 

• Support the Regional Legal Advisor by developing recommendations for addressing gaps in the laws in the region to improve national implementation. 

• Support and promote national implementation by States of relevant laws related to Missing Persons and Protection and Management of the Dead. 

• Support humanitarian diplomacy efforts of the ACMS to motivate policy-level changes, including by drafting key messages from a regional perspective. 

• Deliver presentations on the relevant law at events targeting African stakeholders working on Management of the Dead and Missing person issues and other forensic areas of relevance to ICRC’s mandate.

Desired P rofile - Minimum required qualification & experience:

1. Master’s degree in law – preferably criminal procedural law and/or criminal justice/medical law and ethics related to medicolegal death investigation. 

1. Good knowledge of International Humanitarian Law, International Human Rights Law, and the criminal justice system (knowledge of International Criminal Law and the African Human Rights system is an advantage). 

1. Good knowledge of comparative law and its methodology. 

1. Relevant experience working in the criminal justice system.

1. Fluent in spoken and written English (another African language will be an asset).

1. Computer proficiency. 

1. Be present in and have the right to work in South Africa. 

  We seek someone responsible, organised, and with a good sense of teamwork, initiative, and respect for ICRC values. The selected candidate should be able to work autonomously and show initiative.  

No remote working is possible, and the incumbent will need to be able to travel to the office 3 times per week.  

Please submit your application: CV, cover letter, and copies of qualifications by electronic mail with the mention in the subject “application to the position of Legal Advisor - ACMS to:  pre_hr_services@icrc.org .

Only applications with all required documentation will be considered:

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. The last date for receiving applications is 17 July 2024 . The start date is 01 August 2024. Candidates must be South African citizens or hold valid South African work permits.