Legal Officer (Transitional Justice) at Novel Alliance for Development Aid _NADA

Duration: 12 Month 

About the Job

The Transitional Justice Officer will support the implementation of community-based transitional justice and social reintegration programming for conflict-affected children, youth, and women across Borno and Yobe States. Working under the Child Protection Department, the role focuses on building the capacity of government actors, NGOs/CSOs, community structures, and traditional leaders to promote reconciliation, recovery, cohesion, and non-recurrence of violence.

Key Responsibilities:

• Implement activities to build the capacity of Government, NGO/CSO and local partners in transitional Justice (TJ) for children across the Borno and Yobe States, in support of the priority area of transitional justice, as designated by the Government's approach to national reconciliation, recovery, and non-recurrence, also noted in the Peace and Security Pillar of the Borno and Yobe States Development Plan.
• Work with Government Ministries in the Borno and Yobe States and the members of the Reintegration Technical Working Group, under the overall guidance of NADA and UNICEF Child Protection, to integrate the participation of children, young people, and women in transitional justice and reconciliation processes as a component of the community-based social reintegration program. Provide technical guidance for implementing the strategy and programme on transitional justice for children.
• Support the development of community-based transitional justice for children outreach activities for conflict-affected children, including girls and boys, development of minimum standards on the participation and protection of children to ensure children's safety and security, and activity monitoring plan with the support of child protection specialist.
• Build the capacity of Government counterparts, NGO/CSO partners, facilitators, civil society actors, community groups and networks, and traditional and religious leaders to support the participation and protection of children, young people, and women in transitional justice and reconciliation processes.
• Strengthen local partners' technical and institutional capacity by conducting regular ongoing training, informing the implementation of the transitional justice component of the monitoring and evaluation framework, and by developing and rolling out minimum standards on the participation and protection of children to ensure children's safety and security.
• Support advocacy and communication to promote the participation and protection of children, young people, and women in transitional justice and reconciliation processes, and promote public and media outreach to mobilize political and community support for social reintegration and reconciliation of children, young people, and women formerly associated with armed groups.
• Support the implementation of communications to promote public and media outreach, and to mobilize political and community support for social reintegration and reconciliation of children, young people, and women formerly associated with armed groups.
• In close collaboration with the MEAL Officers ensure robust data collection to capture the number of beneficiaries reached by the programme and the impact of the programme, including management of the evaluation of the programme.
• Support for Child Protection and Gender-Based Violence (CP/GBV) social reintegration programming activities in Borno and Yobe States.
• Ensure support is offered to children and women affected by the conflict in a dignified, respectful, equitable, and inclusive manner that bolsters their resilience.
• Deliver comprehensive support for community-based transitional justice and reconciliation programming to the target population.
• Integrate inter-agency guidelines (e.g., the IASC alternative care placement guidelines) throughout the various sectors of program activities conducted by NADA.
• Address the training needs and capacity-building requirements for community-based workers and protection officers in a timely manner.
• Identify available service providers for the referral of children who require additional services.
• He / She shall also undertake any other responsibility assigned by the Project Manager.

Proposed Outputs:

• Provide technical support to community-based workers and officers on community-based transitional justice and reconciliation programming, ensuring all documentation is properly maintained.
• Assist community-based workers with standard documentation practices.
• Support the delivery of life skills, psychosocial support (PSS), and positive parenting by integrating transitional justice and peacebuilding concepts.
• Be available for on-call or Skype support for any urgent matters that staff wish to discuss regarding their work or personal well-being.
• Submit monthly progress reports to the Child Protection (CP) and GBV officers to highlight needs and gaps.
• Effectively represent Child Protection (CP), Gender-Based Violence (GBV), the Reintegration Technical Working Group (RTWG), and the Disability Working Group (DWG) in field-level coordination activities and meetings.

Reporting:

• In liaison with the Child Protection Officer and GBV Officer, Keep the Programme Manager informed about the project's activities by providing relevant information and updates.
• Correspondence, reports, and meeting minutes. Additionally, make regular updates as needed.
• In liaison with the Chil protection Officer and the GBV Officer, ensure the timely submission of all reports to the Programme Manager.
• Collaborate closely with the State Ministries of Justice, Women Affairs and Social Development, ministry of youth, and Information, among others, to prepare and submit reports at approved intervals to the Programme Manager.
• Identify gaps in the services provided to children and women regarding community-based transitional justice and reconciliation. Pay special attention to children associated with armed conflict (CAAC), women, and other vulnerable groups, including persons with disabilities. Proactively refer these gaps to relevant stakeholders and advocate them in coordination with the Child Protection Manager.

Key Relationships:

• The role involves coordinating and liaising between NADA and various stakeholders, including state ministries, other agencies, local government, local communities, and displaced populations, in relation to NADA Protection program, in collaboration with the Program Manager.
• Additionally, you will represent NADA at stakeholder meetings as needed, such as the Reintegration Technical Working Group (RTWG), Case Management Task Force (CMTF), Gender-Based Violence (GBV) meetings, and the Disability Working Group (DWG) meetings.

Person Specification & Core Values:

• Strong understanding of child safeguarding principles and protection from sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA).
• Commitment to ensuring the safety, dignity, and rights of children and vulnerable groups in all programme interventions.
• Experience working with vulnerable populations, including children, women, persons with disabilities, and survivors of conflict-related violence.
• Demonstrated ability to identify protection risks and implement preventive and responsive safeguarding measures.
• Strong commitment to NADA’s mission, vision, core values, and humanitarian principles.
• High integrity, honesty, accountability, and professionalism in all interactions.
• Respect for diversity, inclusion, and equity as fundamental values.
• Willingness to work in challenging, high-pressure, and unstable environments.
• Excellent interpersonal, listening, and communication skills with the ability to positively influence and collaborate with others.
• Proactive, solutions-oriented mindset with strong problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks, meet deadlines, and remain composed under pressure.
• Team player with the capacity to work independently when required.
• Ability to coordinate and support program staff while addressing internal and external challenges effectively.
• Willingness to work in flexible, sub-optimal, stressful and unstable environment. Willingness to travel through Borno and Yobe States and the deep locations of implementation.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree in Social/Behavioral Sciences (Law, Social Work, Psychology, Sociology, Education, Anthropology, Development Studies, or related field).
• Minimum of 3 years' experience in transitional justice, social reintegration, and community-based protection programming.
• Proven experience working in humanitarian or post-conflict contexts.
• Fluency in written and spoken English; knowledge of Kanuri or Hausa is an advantage.
• Nigerian National - female candidates strongly encouraged to apply.
• Ability and willingness to travel frequently to field locations.
• Ability to work flexibly, including during emergencies and outside standard working hours.

Required Skills

• Knowledge of transitional justice, reintegration, peacebuilding, and social cohesion.
• Good documentation, reporting, data management, and communication skills.
• Strong coordination, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement abilities.
• Excellent Communication Skills: Strong verbal, written communication abilities and experience in report writing.
• Organizational Skills: Ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities efficiently.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite: Including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Team Player: Ability to work collaboratively within a team environment.
• Proficiency in English (Spoken proficiency in Hausa and Kanuri is an added advantage).
• Strong relationship-building skills with external partners.
• Flexibility to handle changing circumstances in donor-funded projects.
• Excellent organization with attention to detail.

DESIRABLE:

• Experience working in humanitarian emergencies and or crisis affected setting.
• Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.