Justice Activity in Kosovo

Recruitment For Legal Specialist

Chemonics seeks a candidate for the position of Legal Specialist for the USAID-funded Kosovo Justice Activity. The purpose of the Justice Activity is a more responsive justice system capable of providing people access to quality services and multiple means to solve their justice needs and every day legal problems to generate greater public trust in the justice system and the rule of law. This activity builds on USAID’s previous projects in Kosovo and lessons learned by USAID/Kosovo, local partners, and other donors.

The Activity is organized by three integrated objectives, 1) Quality and Accessibility of Justice Services Improved, 2) Citizen Understanding, Engagement, and Trust of the Justice System Improved, and 3) Effective Innovations in the Justice Sector Developed. Community-based activities under Objective 2 anchor the Justice Activity in Kosovo by defining the problems to be solved under Objectives 1 and 3.

Background

The USAID Justice Activity is a five-year program that aims to strengthen Kosovo’s justice system by applying a people-centered justice approach to improve institutional capacity to provide people access to quality services and multiple means to solve their justice needs and everyday legal problems, and to generate greater public trust in the justice system and the rule of law. The activity will achieve this through:

• Quality and Accessibility of Justice Services Improved. Support improved citizen access to justice by increasing procedural justice, expanding legal aid services, and continuing to improve administration and management policies and practices in courts. Through these efforts, the activity will support Kosovo institutions and key stakeholders to properly understand the priority needs of citizens to improve existing mechanisms or identify new measures, ensure all citizens receive fair and unbiased services, and citizen users better understand their legal rights and court procedures.
• Citizen Understanding, Engagement, and Trust of the Justice System Improved. Engage communities and practitioners in defining problems and proposing improvements to the delivery of legal services and information to disparate justice seekers where they live and on the issues they often confront. Working through responsible Kosovo institutions, the activity facilitates practitioner fora, including the community of practice for public information officers, to institutionalize critical and practical resources to engage with court users in soliciting their feedback and outreach and information sharing on justice services provision.
• Effective Innovations in the Justice Sector Developed. Create the Justice Innovation Incubator to help channel the capacity to innovate based on the challenges that justice institutions and their users face. In the people-centered justice paradigm, these innovations are likely to enhance the user-friendliness of policies and procedures, increase the affordability and accessibility of justice services, or improve justice seekers’ feelings of fairness and trust in the justice system.

Tasks and Activities:

Legal Specialist is responsible for the following principal duties:

• Works directly with activities including judicial and prosecutorial institutions to conduct needs assessments to improve their user-friendliness; assisting courts and prosecution offices with applying procedural justice practices; and providing continued support for judicial efficiency.
• Cooperate with Liaison Officers and short-term consultants supporting the above activities.
• Maintain technical quality control for all above task areas, ensuring that performance targets and deliverables outlined in the project contract are completed in a timely and cost-effective manner.
• Contribute to the program strategy, ensuring activities are technically sound, contextually appropriate, and innovative. This entails proactive participation in program work planning, compliance, and operations as appropriate.
• Maintain productive relationships with USAID, courts, prosecution offices, relevant donor projects. and local stakeholders to ensure effective collaboration, coordination, and engagement.
• Coordinate with crosscutting project team members to ensure effective knowledge and information sharing that streamlines program activities and minimizes redundancies.
• Support relevant data collection, the production of progress reports and the incorporation of data into ongoing program management.

Required Skills and Qualifications

The position requires an individual with:

• Law degree required, Master’s or advanced degree or an equivalent combination of education and work experience in law.
• Minimum 3 years relevant experience in judicial reform, human rights, court administration, civil society engagement, or capacity development in technical areas as listed above.
• Experience promoting effective, accountable, and accessible justice sector institutions.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with counterparts within local and national level justice institutions, municipal governments, central-level agencies, civil society organizations, or local media.
• Strong experience in capacity development, training, and mentoring.
• Familiarity and understanding on the procedures of the judicial, prosecutorial system and great knowledge on the court structures and practices.
• Understanding current electronic case management systems and their applications.
• Proficiency in English required; fluency in Albanian required, and Serbian language is preferred

Reporting

The Employee will report directly to the Chief of Party, or his/her designee.

Please send electronic applications, including ONLY a cover letter and CV to: [email protected] no later than March 11, 2022. Please write “Legal Specialist” in the subject line. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, meaning positions may be filled prior to the closing date. No telephone inquiries, please. Finalists will be contacted.

Chemonics is an equal opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, age, or other legally protected characteristics.