Department:      ICLA – Information Counselling and Legal Assistance

Position:           Technical Officer – Legal 

Reports to:         Project Manager / Project Coordinator

Supervision of:  Consultant lawyers

Travel:                Between 20% to 40% domestically outside of duty station in Libya based on programme needs.

Project number: LYFM 2211, LYFM 2215, LYFM 2310

Grade:  6

Duty station:      Tripoli (Reporting to Tripoli Area Office, covering Tripoli, Misrata and Tawergha)

Duration and type of contract:   31^st December 2024, renewable based on performance, funding, and the need for the position.

All NRC employees are expected to work in accordance with the organization’s core values: dedication, innovation, inclusivity and accountability. These attitudes and believes shall guide our actions and relationships.

Background 

The Norwegian Refugee Council is an international, independent, humanitarian, non-governmental organization that provides assistance to displacement affected population in many countries worldwide including Libya. As a part of its assistance, NRC provides information, counselling and legal assistance (ICLA) services to empower project participants and support them to claim and exercise their rights and access justice.

NRC’s ICLA – Information Counselling and Legal Assistance Core Competency global objective is to support displacement affected population in Libya to engage with relevant justice and administrative systems to claim their rights. The legal support provided includes information/awareness sessions, empowerment through legal case management approach: legal counselling, legal assistance, and capacity building through the organization of training sessions, workshops, based on technical research.

Role and responsibilities 

The Technical Legal Officer will be responsible for the implementation of legal case management activities, training session, legal research and analysis in implementation of the projects in the Area Office. He/She leads on drafting of information materials (GIS scripts) and other awareness and counselling materials used by the team and consultant lawyers with the support of the project coordinator/project manager and CCS. He/She also ensures the recruitment, briefings, planning and supervision of consultant lawyers day-to-day activities, the regular reporting of legal case management and training activities to the Project Manager, the representation of NRC ICLA Programme and liaison with relevant authorities and other stakeholders in the area and coordination with external stakeholders.

1.1 Generic Responsibilities: 

1. Ensure adherence with NRC policies, tools, handbooks and guidelines.
2. Implement legal and technical Core Competency activities of project portfolio according to the work plan.
3. Responsible for planning, organising and delivering legal tasks in line with priorities and standards
4. Monitor any change in the legal context in order to maintain knowledge and share analysis of relevant legal topics in order to ensure the highest qualitative technical service to project participants
5. Use initiative in day to day problem solving in line with agreed procedures, priorities and standards for the area of work
6. Prepare and develop status reports as required by management
7. Support in liaising, engaging, consulting and coordinating with relevant local authorities and stakeholders
8. Ensure that projects target project participants most in need and explore and assess new and better ways to assist.
9. Promote and share ideas for technical improvement.
10. Actively promote PSEA (Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse) standards & principles within NRC and amongst beneficiaries served by NRC.

1. 1.2 Specific responsibilities 

Project Implementation. 

Legal case management 

• Ensure the successful planning and implementation of all ICLA legal case management activities, capacity building and research
• Lead on the legal case management activities (counselling and legal assistance) and provide ICLA services to the project participants in the office, communities and missions, within the framework of the projects in execution and according to the assigned theme – including legal assistance and legal counselling, external and internal assisted referrals.
• Ensures the highest quality legal aid services, with the support of the team and consultant lawyers, in order to resolve complex cases and pilot innovative approaches, legal and collaborative avenues
• Ensures that efficient coordination, supervision and reporting system is in place with the consultant lawyers in order to assign and delegate clear legal case management tasks (counselling and legal assistance), training, research and legal analysis, according to agreed work plan with the Project Coordinator/ protect manager
• Ensures the supervision of the consultant lawyers’ performance: submission of their report using the correct channel, qualitative and timely follow-up their cases.
• With the support of the Project Manager/Project Coordinator, the Legal Technical Officer leads on the administrative procedures of consultant lawyers: contracting, renewal of contract, compiling invoices and reconcile with the workplan and reports, payment according to their terms of contracting.

Capacity building – external training

• Develop a capacity building assessment and plan in consultation with targeted stakeholders and duty bearers
• Carry out capacity building activities in implementation of the work plan and capacity building plan, ensuring that relevant monitoring tools and means of verification are used and compiled in coordination with the ICLA CCS, PM and Information Management Officer,
• Develop and maintain training and information materials, regularly updating the content based on the outcome monitoring and training findings,
• Development of capacity building and training reports with finding and recommendation to share with the Project Coordinator/ protect manager and CC Specialist measuring and presenting impact and recommendations
• Lead on procurement and administrative tasks, coordinated with support department, related to activity implementation under his/her responsibility (legal case management, supervision of consultant lawyers, training sessions, legal research and analysis needed for the project implementation

Technical support. 

• Ensure the timely and qualitative drafting and review of technical support tools in support to the delivery of information and legal case management by the team, in coordination with other technical legal officers, the project coordinator, Manager and CC Specialist
• Lead on the creation of information education and communication materials (IEC materials), visualization of group information sessions including video, Flyers and brochures or any needed material and ensuring all donor representation and visibility are reflected.
• Ensures that legal research is undertaken as per the project activity plan, individual work plan and strategy
• Provide analysis of procedures and regulations governing the ICLA thematic areas
• Develop training materials, with the support of the project coordinator, project manager and CC Specialist

Internal capacity building. 

• Contribute to the capacity building of the team by carrying induction, legal case management and training and training on technical tools to the team members, including volunteers and incentive workers
• Monitor the quality aspect of the delivery of awareness in group information session and other media by the team and report on the regular monitoring exercises undertaken
• Conducts quality assurance exercises as requested by the project Coordinator /PM and CC Specialist.
• Support in Coaching and provides direction through training to in line with the results of the quality assurance exercises to other team members.

Legal monitoring 

• Monitor, document and analyses relevant change in the legal framework and report to project coordinator, project manager and CC Specialist to ensure the highest qualitative technical service to project participants
• Participate in legal monitoring exercises, internal and joint, Literature review and stakeholder consultations

Assessments. As delegated by line-manager, responsible for supporting ICLA and other needs assessments, research and other assessments. This will include Rapid Needs Assessments (RNAs), Multi-Sector Needs Assessments (MSNAs), Detailed/Sectoral Assessments, monitoring exercises and community engagement monitoring among others.

Safe and inclusive programming. Responsible for supporting safe and inclusive programming in all ICLA related activities throughout the project-cycle. This includes – but is not limited to – ensuring safety and dignity of project participants, understanding their diverse needs, enabling meaningful access to NRC’s services, ensuring adequate accountability to affected populations, ensuring adequate participation and consultation, and supporting the realisation of their human rights. All project activities will be conducted in accordance with the NRC Safe and inclusive programming guidance, Protection Mainstreaming Strategy, tools and guidelines.

Project M&E. As delegated by line-manager, responsible for accurate and high-quality Monitoring and Evaluation of NRC ICLA related activities, including information management and archiving. This will include – but is not limited to – the successful case management and documentation of success stories and case studies, output and outcome monitoring conducted by NRC, implementing partners and/or third parties. M&E activities will be conducted in accordance with the Libya M&E Strategy, tools and guidelines.

Reporting. As delegated by line manager, responsible for accurate and high-quality contributions to the reporting of NRC ICLA Area-level achievements through all relevant reporting mechanisms (Dynamic, CORE or any other media). This includes, but is not limited to, internal reporting mechanisms (e.g. NRC GORS), donor reports and inter-agency reporting of achievements (E.g. 4Ws).

Collaboration. The position-holder is responsible for maintaining a collaborative working environment with other team members, both within the ICLA project team, within other Core Competencies and with the Support Team.

Any other task relevant to the position as requested by the line manager, including administrative tasks, translation of documents or support to emergencies and other Core Competencies among others.

Critical interfaces:

By interfaces, NRC means processes and projects that are interlinked with other departments/units or persons. Relevant interfaces for this position include:

• Programmatic strategic and operations support: Project Manager, Area Manager, ICLA Specialist, M&E, risk and compliance, other CC program teams
• Support functions: Area Manager, Human Resources, Finance, Logistics
• Security: Health, Safety and Security Officer

Stakeholders:

INGOs, NGOs and CSOs and other humanitarian actors and relevant local authorities.

Accounting for the particularities of the job location and context, the Technical Legal Officer will be responsible for:

• Meetings with international, national and governmental actors working on legal issues for displacement affected populations.
• Contingent on full registration and qualification with the Libyan Bar Association, provision of counselling and advice to Programme targets through outreach. Referral of cases requiring in-court work to partners and locally contracted private lawyers.

2. Competencies 

Competencies are important in order for the employee and the organization to deliver desired results. They are relevant for all staff and are divided into the following two categories:

2.1 Qualification requirement: 

• Master’s or bachelor’s Degree in law
• Valid license from the Libyan Bar Association (preferred but not required);
  1. Professional competencies

These are skills, knowledge and experience that are important for effective performance.

Generic professional competencies for this position: 

• Experience in working in a humanitarian/recovery context;
• Previous experience from working in complex and volatile contexts;
• Documented results related to the position’s responsibilities;
• Excellent writing and analytical skills
• Ability to priorities responsibilities, carry out multiple tasks simultaneously, and meet deadlines

Context related skills, knowledge and experience:

• Extensive knowledge of Libyan legal system and practice;
• Background in housing, land and property law and/or foreigners’ legal status law and/or civil documentation law or employment rights considered a strong advantage;
• Knowledge and experience in international human rights law;
• Experience in legal research;
• Experience in legal case management;
• Excellent report writing skills;
• Ability to provide high quality briefs, both written and verbal, to a range of stakeholders
• Fluency in both English and Arabic

2. Behavioural competencies 

• Build meaningful relations
• Empower people
• Act with integrity
• Deliver results

3. Performance Management 

The employee will be accountable for and evaluated on the responsibilities and the competencies, based on NRC’s Performance Management Framework. The following documents will be used for performance reviews:

• The Job Description,
• The Goals and Performance Plan
• The NRC Competency Framework