Program Advisor, Legal Affairs and Access to Justice – Nairobi | The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC)

Program Advisor, Legal Affairs and Access to Justice – Nairobi

Department: Institutional Excellence
Reporting to: Deputy Executive Director (DED)
Supporting: All KHRC thematic areas – ISD, ESJ, IPJ
Contractual Period: Two-year renewable contract
Location: Nairobi, with frequent travel
Application Deadline: Friday 19th July 2024

About the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC)

The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) is a premier and flagship Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in Africa, established and incorporated in 1992 by Kenyans exiled in the United States of America (USA) and later registered in Kenya in 1994. KHRC founders are among the foremost leaders and activists in struggles for human rights and democratic reforms in Kenya and beyond.

Overall Purpose

To contribute to the fulfillment of the organization’s Vision, Mission, and Strategic Objectives by providing technical expertise and prompt actions over systemic and emerging human rights violations through legal and judicial actions, enhancing institutional and programmatic liaison, and ensuring accountability.

Key Responsibilities

Legal Affairs and Actions

• Design and Implementation: Develop and implement KHRC interventions related to legal affairs and access to justice.
• Public Interest Litigation: Oversee the review and implementation of KHRC’s public interest litigation strategy.
• Urgent Action Strategy: Provide legal leadership in the implementation of institutional urgent action strategy.
• Complaint Handling: Receive, compile, and address complaints and violations from various KHRC sources.
• Legal Support: Oversee the provision of legal support to the victims of emerging human rights violations.
• Legal Aid Clinics: Organize and manage legal aid clinics in different engagement spaces.
• Legal Briefs and Case Digests: Develop and dispatch periodic legal briefs and case digests on KHRC’s areas of work.
• Social Media Engagement: Identify case summaries (wins/losses) for KHRC social media handles.
• Contract Management: Draft, review, and contract advocates as per KHRC needs.
• Legal Obligations: Advise and support KHRC to meet its legal and regulatory obligations at all levels.
• Representation: Represent KHRC in relevant partnerships and networks, including interventions under the National Council in the Administration of Justice.

Legal Research and Documentation

• Legal Reviews and Opinions: Provide legal reviews, opinions, and advisories to KHRC reports and statements.
• Legal Tracker: Ensure that the KHRC legal tracker is up-to-date with all legal actions undertaken.
• Legal Research: Lead in legal research and development of opinions, briefs, and petitions for litigation.
• Fund Tracking: Track and ensure the return of KHRC’s funds paid as bails in court to the finance department.
• Access to Justice Report: Prepare KHRC annual access to justice report for incorporation into the NCAJ’s annual state of administration of justice report.
• Human Rights Violations Compilation: Oversee the compilation of human rights violations reported to inform the development of the periodic state of human rights report by the research and response team.
• Legal Support for Monitoring: Provide legal support to the research and response advisor in monitoring and government’s human rights obligations at national and transnational levels.
• Legal, Policy, and Judicial Actions: Monitor and report on legal, policy, and judicial actions relevant to KHRC’s work.

Administrative and Other Responsibilities

• Project Design and Implementation: Design and implement projects within areas of work.
• Strategic Partnerships: Develop and sustain strategic partnerships with relevant state and non-state actors.
• Resource Mobilization: Actively lead in resource mobilization for the growth and sustainability of KHRC.
• Contact Database Management: Establish and maintain a database of relevant contacts within areas of interventions.
• Reporting: Prepare timely, periodic narrative and financial reports for both donor and internal organizational reporting.
• Supervision: Supervise researchers, interns, and other staff or human resources assigned to you.
• Policy Compliance: Comply with the policies, practices, and values of the commission.
• Support for Other Projects: Participate in and support other projects and activities of the organization.
• Additional Tasks: Undertake other tasks as assigned by the supervisor or management.

Required Competencies

Professionalism

• Legal Frameworks Knowledge: Knowledge of organizational legal frameworks, relevant legal processes, procedures, and terminology for review, examination, preparation, and processing of legal documents.
• Information Synthesis: Ability to review and synthesize information and present findings and recommendations in a required format.
• Confidentiality: Ability to show tact and discretion in dealing with high-ranking officials and with confidential matters and materials.
• Data Analysis: Ability to perform analysis, modeling, and interpretation of data in support of decision-making.
• Professional Competence: Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matters, is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines, and achieving results.
• Integrity and Accountability: Holds self to high levels of integrity, accountability, and transparency.

Teamwork

• Collaborative Work: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals.
• Value Input: Solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise.
• Learning and Criticism: Willing to learn and receive criticism.
• Shared Credit: Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

Planning and Organizing

• Goal Setting: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies.
• Priority Identification: Identifies priority activities and assignments.
• Time Management: Allocates appropriate amount of time and resources to completing work.
• Risk Management: Foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning.
• Plan Monitoring: Monitors and adjusts plans and actions and uses time efficiently.
• Multi-tasking Ability: Ability to multi-task and undertake various activities and support various teams with their work.

Qualifications and Experience

• Educational Background: LLB., an activist lawyer with a minimum of 4 – 5 years’ experience in the human rights sector.
• Advocacy: An advocate of the High Court of Kenya, with a valid practicing certificate and in good standing.
• Community Engagement: Experience in working with grassroots communities and mostly vulnerable groups – previous experience in handling GBV cases will be an added advantage.
• Legal Research and Drafting: Experience in undertaking legal and policy research, and drafting legal opinions, petitions, and advocacy tools.
• Policy Research and Advocacy: Proven track record in undertaking policy research, advocacy, and partnership at different levels.
• Technical Proficiency: Proficiency in MS Office, with the ability to write high-quality reports.
• Project Management: Good understanding of programs and project management.

Application Procedures

If you believe you fit the profile, submit your application and CV detailing your suitability for the post and include a daytime telephone contact and three referees, preferably your current or previous line managers, to vacancies@khrc.or.ke quoting the title of the position you are applying for in the subject line. The closing date for this position is Friday 19th July 2024. Applications that do not strictly adhere to the above requirements will not be considered.

Disclaimer

KHRC is an equal opportunity employer committed to ensuring diversity and gender equality within the organization and will seek to recruit the most qualified person for the job irrespective of race, color, marital status, ethnicity, disability, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or nationality. All qualified persons are encouraged to apply. Canvassing will automatically lead to disqualification. Only successful candidates will be contacted.

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Final Note

We wish you the best in your application process and remind you that our website is committed to attracting and retaining the best employees from all races and backgrounds in our continued effort to become a better development partner. We are an equal employer and do not charge any application/recruitment fee, whether refundable or not