Avocats Sans Frontières Project Coordinator in Tanzania

The Organisation

Avocats Sans Frontières (ASF) is an international non-governmental organisation, whose mission is to contribute to the development of just and equitable societies in which the law serves the most vulnerable groups and individuals. ASF has permanent missions in Burundi, Tunisia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and Nepal, and is implementing projects in Israel / Palestine, Tanzania, and Chad.

ASF works closely with lawyers and civil society to ensure the effectiveness and sustainability of its projects. Specifically, ASF’s strategy in East Africa and the Great Lakes region is to strengthen the social role of lawyers, as actors for fundamental change and in the defence of human rights, and to support bar associations in their specific role of protecting their members.

The Project

ASF launched a multi-country project that contributes to the support and protection of lawyers and human rights defenders (HRDs).

The project activities consist of providing direct financial and material aid to lawyers and HRDs, setting up a protection fund, organising judicial interventions and practical training workshops on protection mechanisms for experienced regional lawyers, and implementing regional and national advocacy strategies.

All activities are organised within the framework of a regional strategy, meant to provide both an emergency response in the short-term, and structural and lasting solutions in the long-term. The countries covered by the project are Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. The project is implemented in partnership with the East Africa Law Society (EALS), based in Arusha, Tanzania.

Duties and responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Strategic Litigation and International Legal Network Coordinator, and in close cooperation with the EALS team and ASF Head of Missions in the region, the Project Coordinator is responsible for the management, monitoring and evaluation of the project. The specific duties and responsibilities include :

Project coordination
- Determine, in collaboration with HQ and field teams, the strategy of support and protection of HRDs in the region;
- Provide coordination support to ASF HQ and field teams in relation to the implementation of protection related activities;
- Provide strong leadership to the project implementation team.

Supervision and implementation of protection-related activities, in collaboration with the field teams
- Collection and analysis of information on threats to HRDs;
- Manage the distribution of financial and material aid and practical implementation of the assistance;
- Create/manage the organisational structure of the protection fund that is envisioned in the project;
- Manage a pool of local HRD lawyers;
- Coordinate strategic litigation interventions;
- Coordinate the organisation of regional technical trainings;
- Develop and implement advocacy strategies on the protection of HRDs.

Monitoring and Reporting
- Draw up activity plans and ensure their proper implementation based on the outputs and indicators identified in the project document in coordination with the field teams;
- Establish a monitoring and evaluation system to allow the timely preparation of progress reports and, if necessary, readjustments;
- Monitor the financial aspects of the project implementation and ensure conformity with the allocated budget;
- Prepare narrative and financial reports, in coordination with the field teams and ASF’s financial officer, for transmission to donors.

Networking and Resource mobilisation
- Participate in fundraising and prepare funding proposals;
- Ensure the development and management of communication tools related to the project;
- Represent ASF internally and externally with respect to all matters falling within the context of the protection of HRDs in the region.

Qualifications

• University degree in a relevant field, a degree in law is a definite asset
• At least 5 years of project management experience, preferably with an international legal development organisation or NGO
• At least 3 years professional experience in the field of human rights, criminal law or transitional justice
• Strong networking skills and ability to engage in consultative and partnership processes with local stakeholders and government officials
• Experience of fundraising and establishing/maintaining donor relations
• Discipline, rigour, sense of diplomacy and negotiation skills
• Ability to juggle multiple tasks and work under pressure
• Flexibility to travel frequently in the region of intervention (between around 30% of the time)
• Ability to work with people of different cultures
• Fluency in written and spoken English and French is required
• Proficiency in computer skills, including standard office productivity software (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint etc.)

Conditions

• Contract of about 2 years (until October 31, 2014)
• Monthly gross salary: between € 2175 to € 2573 depending on professional experience
• Per diem, accommodation allowance
• Repatriation insurance provided by ASF
• Health, invalidity and medical care insurance at the expatriate’s expense
• 25 days of paid annual leave

How to apply:

Please send your application (including CV, motivation letter and date of availability) in English or French by email to job@asf.be no later than January 21, 2013, specifying "HRD Coordinator Application" in the subject line.

Due to limited human resources, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted - thank you for your understanding.

More information on ASF and its projects is available on our website at www.asf.be.