Protection&Legal Officer. at Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS)

Job Summary

The Protection and Legal Officer provides on-call legal support and possesses in-depth knowledge of the international and national protection legal framework, refugee law, and Humanitarian Law. The ideal candidate should be able to demonstrate a strong commitment to human rights, refugee protection, transparency, and accountability. Reporting to the Senior Protection Officer, the Protection and Legal Officer plays a crucial role in defending and explaining complex legal matters, as well as advocating for the rights of persons forced to flee. The role requires the ability to think legally, analytically, and strategically, applying these skills to effectively support JRS Nigeria.

Key Responsibilities of the position

Role/Mission.

• Provide legal representation for refugees on a case-by-case basis.
• Facilitate the registration of businesses, cooperative societies, and Refugee-Led Organizations, and draft simple agreements for refugees and refugee-led ventures.
• Provide legal advice and counselling to persons forced to flee as the need arises.
• Interpret and apply international legal frameworks relevant to Nigeria.
• Conduct research and analysis on specific legal matters to support JRS Nigeria’s operations and inform decision-making.
• Directly supervise Protection Assistants and indirectly supervise caseworkers within the LGA of implementation.
• Provide technical supervision to Protection Assistants, particularly in handling complex Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Child Protection (CP) cases.
• Facilitate training and workshops with relevant authorities on topics related to field activities.
• Undertake regular field visits to conduct interviews with refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), host families, returnees, resettled IDPs, and other relevant stakeholders to gather protection-related information.
• Initiate or support LGA or community-level advocacy activities aimed at improving the protection situation of refugees, IDPs, returnees, and host communities.
• Identify protection issues within LGAs and flag them for the attention of the supervisor to inform programming.
• Maintain and expand a strong network among governmental authorities, civil society organizations, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and other relevant stakeholders.
• Compile, review, and submit weekly and monthly program status reports to the supervisor.
• Ensure quality sector reports are drafted for the unit, aligned with the agreed work plan.
• Conduct detention monitoring visits across various detention sites in project LGAs, ensuring compliance with legal and human rights standards.
• Perform any other duties assigned by the Senior Protection Officer or Project Director.

Qualifications and Experience Required

Educational Background:

• A bachelor’s degree in law (LL. B) from a recognized institution.
• Must have been called to the Nigerian Bar, signifying completion of the Nigerian Law School and legal qualifications to practice law in Nigeria.

Professional Experience:

• A minimum of 2 years of experience in the humanitarian Protection field.
• Demonstrated experience practicing law in Nigeria, with a strong understanding of the Nigerian legal system, particularly in areas related to human rights, refugee rights, and national protection legal framework.

Key Competencies:

• In-depth knowledge of the protection legal framework, including international and domestic laws related to refugees, asylum seekers, and human rights.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills, with the ability to defend and advocate for complex legal matters.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to explain intricate legal issues to diverse audiences.
• NOTE: Applications would be considered on a rolling basis.