Legal Associate at African Union(AU)

Requisition ID: 745
Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Reports to: The Legal Counsel
Directorate / Department: Office of the Legal Counsel
Number of Direct Reports: 0
Number of Indirect Reports: 0
Job Grade: (Legal Associate Program)
Slots: 7

Purpose of the Job

• Under the direct supervision of The Legal Counsel, the Legal Associates will be expected to proffer professional legal advice, undertake legal research, conduct comparative legal analysis, draft legal documents and provide legal support to ongoing projects and programs within the AUC, other Organs, Specialised Agencies and Institutions of the African Union.

Main Functions

• Under the overall supervision of the Legal Counsel and direct supervision of the Senior Legal Officers and Legal Officers of the OLC, the Legal Associate job level involves the following:
• Proffer professional legal advice,
• Undertake legal research, in various fields of law and analyze outcome within the rules of the Union
• Conduct comparative legal analysis,
• Draft legal documents and provide legal support to ongoing projects and programs within the AUC and other Organs, Specialized Agencies and Institutions of the African Union, as required;
• Any other duty assigned by the supervisor.

Specific Responsibilities

• Under the overall supervision of the Legal Counsel and direct supervision of the Senior Legal Officers and Legal Officers of the OLC, the Legal Associate responsibilities involves the following:
• Conduct research in many fields of law and analyze the outcome within the rules of the Union;
• Assist in reviewing legal documents, reports, regulations, policies and procedures of the Union;
• Review contracts for goods and services, Memoranda of Understanding, and other agreements relating to AU programs and activities;
• Draft legal advice and interpretation of AU Staff Regulations and Rules, the Code of Conduct, and other administrative policies and procedures;
• Continuously monitor compliance with statutory obligations and advise accordingly;
• Assist in the drafting of legal texts in particular treaties, protocols, cooperation agreements and Rules of Procedure;
• Assist in the production of reports, plans, as well as reference documents on legal and procedural issues; and
• Any other duty assigned by the supervisor.

Academic Requirements and Relevant Experience
Applicants wishing to apply for the Legal Associates Programme MUST meet the following requirements:

• Be a national of a Member State of the African Union.
• Have already obtained a Master’s Degree in Law from any recognised University. Preference will be given to applicants with expertise in International Maritime Law; Law of the Sea, International Trade Law and International Criminal Law, international justice mechanisms, reparation and other remedies for victims of human rights violations.
• Have a minimum of one (1) year relevant legal experience.
• Be between the ages of 25 and 30.
• Admission to practice law in any Member State of the African Union will be an added advantage.
• Proficiency in Portuguese, Arabic, Spanish or French (both oral and written) is required.
• Advanced knowledge/fluency (both oral and written) in the second language (English or French) is highly desirable.

Required Skills:
Applicants wishing to apply for the Legal Associates Programme must satisfactorily demonstrate a strong passion for Africa’s development. In addition, each applicant must have the following competencies:

• Knowledge of the African Union’s legal framework, policies and procedures.
• Demonstrate passion about African integration as part of the vision and mission of the African Union
• Exhibit sufficient professional independence and maturity.
• Ability to perform duties in an objective manner, with the discretion and sensitivity required for operating in a multi-cultural setting.
• Ability to conduct research in many fields of law and analyze the outcome within the rules of the Union
• Demonstrate strong legal knowledge with an ability to carry out extensive research and draft legal documents with limited supervision.
• Capacity to analyze legal cases and provide concrete solutions with limited supervision.
• Ability to work as part of a team and contribute productively to the overall work of the Office of the Legal Counsel.
• Possess strong communication skills and the ability to present information in a clear and concise manner.
• Strong sense of accountability and compliance.
• Very good learning orientation, drive for results.
• Strong adaptability, ability to manage risk, sense of integrity, respect for diversity.

Leadership Competencies:

• Strategic Insight...
• Developing Others..
• Change Management..
• Managing Risk..
• Core Competencies
• Teamwork and Collaboration..
• Accountability awareness and Compliance..
• Learning Orientation..
• Communicating with Influence...
• Functional Competencies
• Analytical thinking and problem-solving.
• Job Knowledge and information sharing.
• Drive for Results...
• Continuous improvement focus..

Tenure of Appointment

• The appointment shall be for one year Non-renewable.

Gender Mainstreaming:

• The AU Commission is an equal opportunity employer and qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply.

Languages:

• Proficiency in one of the AU working languages (Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish) and fluency in another AU language is an added advantage.

Remuneration
The salary attached to the position is an annual lump sum of US$57,000.00.