Assistant Legal Officer - Policy and Legal Review at Solina Centre for International Development and Research (SCIDaR)

• The Assistant Legal Officer will provide support to the legal team by conducting research, reviewing policies, and assessing legal frameworks with a focus on health, education, policy and human rights law.
• The role requires a keen interest in policy development, legal research, and analysis of laws and policies relating to health, education, human rights, social justice, and related areas.
• The candidate will contribute to projects that review and shape laws and policies to align with best practices and international human rights standards.

Responsibilities

Legal Research:

• Conduct in-depth legal research on national and international laws, policies, and best practices, particularly related to health, international development and human rights
• Review existing legal frameworks and policies to assess compliance with human rights standards
• Assist in the identification of gaps in existing policies and suggest areas for reform

Policy Review & Analysis:

• Analyse laws, regulations, and policies, with an emphasis on their impact on development and human rights
• Draft reports, briefs, and legal opinions on policy implications and legal reforms
• Support the development of new policy proposals that align with human rights principles

Human Rights Advocacy:

• Assist in the preparation of advocacy materials aimed at advancing human rights legislation or challenging existing legal frameworks
• Monitor and document human rights violations and provide legal analysis to support advocacy

Corporate Governance:

• Assist in ensuring the organization complies with statutory obligations, governance policies, and internal controls.
• Support the legal team in board meeting preparations, board documents and minutes and general board support

Legal Documentation:

• Support the drafting of legal documents, contracts and policy papers
• Assist in reviewing legal submissions to ensure they meet required standards

Stakeholder Engagement:

• Liaise with external stakeholders, including human rights organizations, government agencies, and international bodies, to gather information and collaborate on legal and policy reforms
• Attend relevant meetings, forums, and workshops to represent the legal team and gather insights on emerging issues

Data Protection and Privacy Compliance

• Support the implementation of the Nigeria Data Protection Act and other applicable privacy laws across organisational projects.
• Assist in reviewing data processing activities for compliance with applicable data protection requirements.
• Support the preparation and maintenance of Records of Processing Activities (ROPAS), privacy notices, consent documentation and other privacy compliance records.
• Assist in conducting Privacy Threshold Assessments (PTAs), Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAS) and Legitimate Interest Assessments (LIAS), as needed.
• Monitor developments in data protection laws and emerging regulatory guidance relevant to SCIDAR's operations.

General Legal Support:

• Provide administrative and legal support to the legal team as needed
• Assist in preparing materials for legal training sessions or presentations
• Stay updated on emerging human rights trends and legislative changes
• Provide risk advisory services to ensure prevention, identification and mitigation of legal risks

Required Competencies

Core requirements

• Demonstrated interest in policy review and development, research and human rights advocacy;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex information in a clear and concise manner;
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team;
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to upholding high ethical standards;
• Compelling evidence of interest in and commitment to the mission of SCIDaR;
• Fast learner, open to learning from peers, subordinates, and supervisors collaboratively and at a rapid pace.
• Ability to synthesise complex legal issues into practical recommendations.
• Basic understanding of data protection and privacy laws.
• Strong organisational and document management skills.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
• Excellent time management and prioritisation skills.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Law (LLB) and BL
• Demonstrated experience in preparing reports, documenting findings into research papers or publications;