Legal Team Leader

Founded in 1956, The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a humanitarian, non-governmental, non-profit organization providing direct assistance to conflict-affected populations – refugees, internally displaced people (IDPs) and host communities – in more than 40 countries around the world. DRC has been implementing emergency response projects in Tanzania since the onset of the Burundi refugee crisis in 2015 in three refugee camps in the Kigoma Region at the border with Burundi. DRC’s integrated projects for refugees, asylum seekers and host communities comprise sectors such as Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM), Protection (CBP, PSN, GBV, CP and Legal), Shelter and infrastructure, and Economic Recovery.

Overall purpose of the role:

The Legal Team Leader will ensure the effective implementation of DRC’s legal intervention in the Nyarugusu and Kasulu Districts. S/he will be responsible for supervising, organizing, and coordinating litigation support to PWs on humanitarian cases and offer legal analysis/training to refugees in Nyarugusu camps. Will ensure legal staff under his/her supervision perform their responsibilities accordingly. The legal team leader will supervise and coordinate legal helpdesks, mobile courts, and juvenile courts, and monitor visits to prisoners and detainees in detention facilities in Kasulu DC and Kigoma Region. The legal team leader will work closely with legal officers, the Coordinator, and the manager to ensure elements of international protection for PWs are adhered to.

Responsibilities and tasks

Technical Support and Supervision

• In his/her leadership position, the legal team leader is tasked with the implementation of key legal processes that relate to legal drafting, negotiations, mediation, and settlement agreements.
• S/he will act as a mentor to key legal department personnel, encouraging their professional growth, and grooming them for the occupation of his position in the future.
• Working with legal officers and Assistants to ensure there is international protection for refugees.
• Raising PRs and ensuring goods are received for the interest of PWs.
• Ensuring all staff under his/her supervision perform duties according to their JDs
• Ensuring DRC provides International protection to PWs in regard to GBV and child protection.
• Ensuring DRC and PWs commemorate International Law Day, International Day of Refugees, and other international events
• The legal team leader provides senior leadership across the team which is under his/her supervision with strategic and operational guidance, aiding them in the management of litigation issues such as mediation, negotiation, family conflict, neighborhood conflict, and card splitting
• Collaborate with the legal team to identify relevant legal topics for awareness-raising sessions and develop them.
• Ensure the awareness-raising content is accessible, culturally appropriate, and tailored to the target population's needs;
• Provide accurate and up-to-date information on relevant laws, regulations, and procedures to Legal Officers and Assistants;
• Conduct on-the-job coaching by undertaking field visits and providing feedback to legal officers and assistants;
• With the support of the DRC Protection Coordinator and Protection Manager, provide capacity building to the legal aid team members according to the identified needs and agreed capacity building plans;
• Ensure and monitor the correct documentation of cases through review of legal files and database;
• Ensure confidentiality of information, and that data protection and information-sharing protocols are respected;
• Ensure DRC’s accountability commitments are mainstreamed into all protection activities
• Any other tasks required by his/her supervisors in the limit of his/her expertise

Grants Management

• Ensure the successful implementation of legal activities under his/her supervision, including appropriate and timely spending plans for activities to achieve program goals, procurement, use, and distribution of supplies and resources;
• Support with project planning including work plans and target tracking to ensure timely implementation of activities and achievement of targets;
• Working with the coordinator Manager in monitoring financial commitments and expenditures against budgets and providing timely feedback on budget follow-up
• Monitor and ensure the successful implementation of partners’ activities, including appropriate and timely spending plans for activities and target tracking to achieve program goals.

Staff management

• Manage the legal staff, including legal aid officers and assistants;
• In collaboration with the HR department, participate in the recruitment process(es) of legal staff (shortlisting, correcting tests, conducting interviews, etc.);
• Support the legal staff in the implementation of all legal activities, orient new legal staff to DRC and the legal program in addition to day-to-day management and supervision of the legal team.
• Ensure the respect and implementation of HR procedures by DRC Policies and Guidelines (i.e. daily management, disciplinary procedures, performance appraisals, leaves management, etc.) in collaboration with the Human Resources department and Protection Manager.
• Ensure the adherence of his/her staff to the DRC Code of Conduct, policies, rules, and regulations

Monitoring and Reporting

• Submit to the Protection Manager weekly and monthly reports on all legal activities.;
• Every month submit the necessary data to Protection Manager to ensure timely reporting on Activity
• Regularly coordinate with the MEAL team to ensure PDM and PSM are conducted promptly, ensuring respect for confidentiality and following DRC SOPs and best practices;
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Coordination and representation.

• Attend Field coordination meetings as scheduled
• Works with departmental leadership and key stakeholders across DRC in Nyarugusu camp in overseeing and ensuring legal compliance, and maintaining of PWs and the host community.
• Will also work with other protection units and other departmental leadership across DRC such as CCCM and Economic recovery team in ensuring there is international protection for PWs.
• In collaboration with the child protection team, the legal team leader must ensure there is a link between child protection and legal such as by raising awareness about child labor, and child trafficking and using legal help desk.

Experience and technical competencies: (include years of experience)

• Must be a certified legal practitioner/Advocate.
• Having work experience of not less than three years.
• Having experience working in a humanitarian context.
• Knowledge and experience in data processing using statistical software like Power BI, Microsoft Excel etc
• Technical understanding of core protection concepts, prevention, and response strategies in line with best practices.
• Experience working in protection in an integrated manner with other humanitarian sectors of intervention.
• Strong planning, organizational, and problem-solving skills with the ability to work both independently and within a team.
• Excellent knowledge and understanding of international protection and human rights legal standards, including familiarity with International Humanitarian Law, Human Rights Law, Refugee law, National law, and customary rules
• Integrity, strong work ethic, and ability to consistently meet deadlines under pressure.
• Strong interpersonal skills and commitment to learning and implementing organizational policies and procedures
• Experience in the management of a team with proven leadership qualities.
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills and respect for people with specific needs and other vulnerabilities;
• Ability to work in a multicultural context as a flexible and respectful team player;
• Ability to provide technical support, training and supervision to Officers and Assistants;
• Excellent writing, reporting, and analytical skills;
• Strong written and oral communication skills, effective in representation and liaison with external parties;
• Excellent organizational and planning skills as well as communication and interpersonal skills;
• Punctuality and respect for applicable rules and procedures;
• Strong ability to organize work, meet deadlines, maintain composure, work independently and prioritize work under pressure, coordinate multiple tasks and maintain attention to detail;
• Self-motivation, goal/result-orientation and teamwork;
• Flexibility, creativeness, tolerance and maturity;
• Computer/IT literacy (OS Windows, MS (Word, Excel in particular), etc

Education:

• Bachelor degree of law from the recognized University
• Postgraduate diploma in legal practices (Advocate)
• Master’s degree in law-Added advantage

Languages:

Excellent proficiency in written and spoken English and Swahili, knowledge of Kirundi is an advantage.

Information

Employment category: Band G
Reporting to: Protection Coordinator
Technical Line Manager:Protection Manager
Direct report: Officers & Assistants
Unit/department: Protection
Location: Nyarugusu/Kasulu
Key stakeholders: (internal and external)
DRC Protection staff, refugees and donors
Local Government (refugee camp) and host Community representatives.
Community groups.
Other NGOs and relief actors.
MoHA, police, immigration

All DRC roles require the post-holder to master DRC’s core competencies:

• Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.
• Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.
• Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
• Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.
• Demonstrating integrity: You act in line with our vision and values.

Providing equal opportunities We are committed to creating an inclusive and positive work environment based on mutual respect for all employees. All applicants are considered for employment without attention to race, age, ability, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, or any other factor. At DRC we celebrate diversity and appreciate our employees for the people they are and their unique skills, backgrounds, and perspectives. We encourage all interested candidates to apply.

DRC strives to attract, motivate and retain qualified national staff within its programs. As such, we strongly encourage national and diaspora candidates to apply for this position. However, candidates should take into consideration that DRC cannot employ, under an international contract, a national of the country in which he or she will be working (in this case, the United Republic of Tanzania)

Promoting high standards : DRC’s capacity to ensure the protection of and assistance to refugees, IDP’s and other persons of concern depends on the ability of our staff to uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation DRC’s values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment. DRC conducts thorough and comprehensive background checks as part of the recruitment process.