Senior Legal Advisor/Legal Team Coordinator

WHO WE ARE  

The Diakonia IHL Centre is an independent expert group that provides rapid and in-depth advice on the law applicable in times of armed conflict, with a view to ensuring the protection of persons in conflict zones worldwide.  

We engage in research, advocacy, and training to foster understanding and respect for IHL and for complementary rules of international law. Our rapid and in-depth analyses enable the humanitarian sector and other stakeholders to respond to urgent needs and to promote the effective implementation of humanitarian standards.   

The Centre is part of the Swedish development organization Diakonia. In addition to its Desk in Jerusalem, the Centre has teams based in Bamako, Beirut, and Geneva, which cover conflicts in the Middle East, West Africa, and emerging crises worldwide.  

Through our progressive and inclusive approach, we aspire to secure the strongest possible protection for every person affected by armed conflict. No one should be left unprotected; no situation is beyond the law.  

THE JERUSALEM DESK  

The Jerusalem Desk advances the Diakonia IHL Centre’s overall objectives by functioning as a source of expertise on IHL and related areas of international law for actors operating in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) or on issues relating to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Desk conducts thorough and contextualized IHL-based analysis, and engages in related advocacy, capacity development, and training. In these activities, it combines in-depth understanding of the context with a capacity to respond rapidly and provide IHL analysis of newly unfolding developments.  

Position

Senior Legal Advisor/Legal Team Coordinator, IHL Centre Jerusalem Desk for Diakonia Country Office in Palestine (Jerusalem). Full-time position for 24 months with possibility for extension. 

Diakonia offers a competitive benefits package.   

We are looking for a committed individual with a passion for and strong command of international humanitarian law (IHL) to join our team in Jerusalem in a role central to our activities in the Palestinian-Israeli context.  

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PURPOSE OF THE POSITION  

The Desk’s Senior Legal Advisor, who also functions as Legal Team Coordinator, plays a lead role in implementing the Desk’s activities and supports the Desk Manager in guiding its team of Legal Advisors. The position is thus crucial for ensuring the Desk’s ability to function effectively and to realize its objectives. 

OBJECTIVES, TASKS AND DELIVERABLES  

Overall objective: To conduct legal research, produce reports and briefs, deliver and support training sessions; to assist the Desk Manager in coordinating and overseeing the work of the Desk’s legal team and in representing the IHL Centre in engagements with stakeholders; and to serve as acting manager for the Desk when the Desk Manager is absent. 

Specific Tasks: 

• Conducting IHL-related legal research and analysis on issues pertinent to the oPt.   
• Drafting, overseeing, and reviewing legal documents of various kinds for internal reference and for publication.  
• Presenting legal briefs to stakeholders from State service, international organizations, and civil society.   

• Providing clarification on the law to various stakeholders, in the context of the “helpdesk” function of the Jerusalem Desk.  
• Planning and delivering IHL trainings.  
• Representing the Diakonia IHL Centre in meetings and public events and fielding questions.   
• Supporting the Manager and engaging independently in high-level representations.   
• Developing and maintaining the IHL Centre Jerusalem Desk’s strategic contacts with stakeholders.  
• Contributing to the identification of future research and other activities for the Desk.  
• Contributing to the Jerusalem Desk’s strategic planning and assisting in monitoring and evaluating the Jerusalem Desk’s activities.   
• Assisting the Jerusalem Desk Manager in actualizing the IHL Centre’s commitment to feminist principles and inclusivity.  
• Serving as acting manager in the Desk Manager’s absence.     

Additional Information:  

The tasks are to be performed from the Desk’s offices in Jerusalem. They will involve travel in various parts of the oPt as well as in Israel and may also include international travel.  

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS  

Minimum: 

• Advanced degree in law (JD or LLM) with specialization or experience in IHL and related fields of international law, in particular international human rights law (IHRL) 
• Excellent command of written and spoken English 
• Demonstrated capacity to conduct advanced legal research and analysis independently 
• Demonstrated capacity to draft high-quality legal texts in English 
• Demonstrated capacity to engage in teamwork 
• Experience and demonstrated proficiency in public speaking 
• Experience in teaching IHL or IHRL 

• Five years of progressively responsible experience working in the field of IHL or human rights 

Desirable: 

• Knowledge of the law of occupation  
• Working knowledge of Arabic  
• Experience in a supervisory function 
• Experience with networking and stakeholder engagement 
• Familiarity with the Palestinian-Israeli context 
• Knowledge of European Union law  

Apply here: Senior Legal Advisor/Legal Team Coordinator. Kindly note that only applications submitted via the link on impactpool.org will be considered.  

Please submit your CV and cover letter no later than 31 December 2023.  

Ideal start date: March/April 2024  

For questions regarding the position, please contact Eitan Diamond at [email protected].  Please, DO NOT use this email to submit your CV. 

The Centre is committed to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace, and strives to be representative of all sections of society. We know that different perspectives, experiences, and competences are key for Diakonia to be a relevant, capable, and successful organization. The Centre therefore strives to recruit staff with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences.