Tiered Approach
In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:
- Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
- Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
- Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
- Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates
Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.
Background
This role is part of a project financed by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. ( FCDO) and the European Union and managed by UNDP that seeks to address aspects of serious and organized crime (SOC). Tanzania faces a number of challenges with regard to Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (CSEA) and in particular online child abuse. One strand of the project seeks to strengthen Tanzania’s ability to respond to both domestic and international dimensions of human trafficking and child protection. With the SOC project support, Tanzania has established a cross agency Anti-Human Trafficking and Child Protection Task Force (AHTCPTF). This unit is conducting some of the most challenging cases in Tanzania.
The Criminal Justice Specialist will support the cases and work with the Tanzanian government and other partners to establish good practice, new techniques, processes and systems required to improve the investigation, prosecution of these cases and support to victims which can be scaled up across Tanzania for system change. The Criminal Justice Specialist will provide technical expertise to the AHTCPTF to manage the NCMEC and other intelligence source referrals into Tanzania and assist them to develop systems to prioritize the investigation of high-risk cases and ability to investigate and prosecute resulting cases.
Duties and Responsibilities
Mentor the Head of the Task Force and other leaders to lead a team responsible for developing and progressing investigations through methods including traditional and technical evidential capture
- Provide strategic mentoring and leadership support to the Head of the Task Force and supervisory officers.
- Strengthen leadership capacity in the planning, prioritization, and oversight of investigations.
- Guide investigators in the effective use of traditional investigative techniques and digital evidence gathering methodologies.
- Support the development of operational plans and investigative strategies for complex cases.
Mentor the Task Force to manage complex investigations and prosecutions to ensure that they are carried out thoroughly in accordance with international human rights standards and relevant Tanzanian legislation.
- Provide case-based mentoring on the management of serious and complex investigations.
- Support investigators and prosecutors in applying human rights-based approaches throughout the investigative and prosecution process.
- Advise on compliance with relevant Tanzanian laws, policies, and procedural requirements.
- Promote best practices in evidence management, case documentation, and prosecution preparation
Guide and support the Task Force to triage online reports, assess intelligence, and carry out investigations and prosecutions against individuals assessed as high-risk online offenders targeting vulnerable persons.
- Guide and support in the assessment and prioritization of online reports and intelligence referrals.
- Support the identification and development of investigative leads from digital intelligence sources.
- Mentor Task Force personnel in conducting online investigations targeting high-risk offenders.
- Strengthen coordination between investigators and prosecutors to facilitate effective case progression
Guide and support the Task Force to secure international evidence and its successful use in court proceedings.
- Advise on processes for obtaining evidence through international cooperation mechanisms.
- Support the preparation of requests for mutual legal assistance and other international evidence-gathering measures.
- Guide investigators and prosecutors on evidentiary requirements for admissibility in court.
- Facilitate engagement with relevant international law enforcement and judicial counterparts, where appropriate
Guide and support the continued use and implementation of new investigative techniques and assist the Task Force to address barriers to their effective application.
- Promote the use of video-recorded interviews of suspects, witnesses, and victims in accordance with legal requirements.
- Support the application of forensic and scientific evidence, including DNA, where appropriate.
- Assist in the standardization and effective use of investigation files, procedures, and case management tools
- Identify and recommend solutions to operational, legal, or institutional barriers affecting the use of innovative investigative techniques
Guide and support the NPS prosecutors assigned to the Task Force to prepare online cases for prosecution, including cases involving online child sexual exploitation and abuse, and strengthen the use of new evidential techniques.
- Mentor prosecutors on the preparation and presentation of digital evidence in court.
- Support the development of prosecution strategies for online-facilitated offences.
- Strengthen the use of emerging evidential techniques and digital forensic products in prosecutions.
- Identify challenges affecting successful prosecution outcomes and support the development of practical solutions
Guide and support the Head of the Task Force in developing performance monitoring systems and mechanisms for capturing lessons learned.
- Guide and assist in establishing performance monitoring and reporting frameworks for the Task Force.
- Support the conduct of quarterly case review and case management meetings.
- Facilitate the identification, documentation, and dissemination of key lessons, challenges, and good practices.
- Support the preparation of periodic performance reports and recommendations to inform criminal justice system reforms and improvements.
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization
Institutional Arrangement
The Criminal Justice Specialist will report directly to the UNDP SOC Project Manager. The Specialist will closely work with the leadership of the Task Force in Mainland, the technical lead NPS and other LE as relevant. As required, the Criminal Justice Specialist will also support the Government SOC Project Coordinators for guidance on any work to be undertaken with the justice authorities i.e. attending meetings, etc. All materials developed in the course of the assignment will remain the property of UNDP and cannot be shared without the authority of UNDP.
Competencies
Core competencies:
- Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact
- Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems
- Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences
- Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands
- Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results
- Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration
- Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity
Cross Functional & Technical competencies:
2030 Agenda: Peace
- Rule of Law, Security and Human Rights
- Access to Justice
Business Management
- Partnerships Management
- Build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies.
- Monitoring & Evaluation
- Ability to systematically monitor results of strategies, programmes, and activities with a view to make sure that they are being implemented effectively; Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback and reporting on the consistency or discrepancy between planned activities and programme management and results.
- Ability to make independent judgment of the management and results of strategies, programmes and activities based on set criteria and benchmark, keeping in mind the needs and concerns of client, current and upcoming.
- Knowledge and understanding of monitoring and evaluation frameworks, concepts, methodologies, systems, processes, and tools. Ability to make an independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks.
- Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.
Business Direction and Strategy
- System thinking
- Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system
Business Development
- Knowledge Generation
- Ability to research information and to turn it into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need.
- Ability to apply existing concepts to new situations, and to develop new concepts to generate workable solutions and new approaches.
- Knowledge of relevant concepts, conceptual models, and theories that can be useful in addressing new situations.
2030 Agenda:
- Rule of Law, Security and Human Rights
- Rule of Law
- Human Rights Mainstreaming
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Advanced University degree (Master’s Degree or equivalent) in Security Studies, Law, Public Administration or relevant field is required; Or,
- A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree
Experience:
- A minimum of 7 years’ (with master’s degree) or 9 years (with bachelor’s degree) of experience in the intelligence-led investigation or prosecution of either serious and organized crime, child protection, digital and cyber, financial crime, intelligence and covert tactics and strategies is required
Required skills:
- Demonstrated experience in advising criminal justice institutions on reforms, including performance management, monitoring and evaluation, development of improvement plans, and use of data and key performance indicators to improve criminal justice outcomes.
- Demonstrated experience in improving investigation and prosecution functions through the design and implementation of innovative approaches, operational improvements, capacity-building initiatives, and mentoring of teams handling serious crime cases.
- Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of relevant national and international legal frameworks, including human rights-compliant law enforcement practices, investigative methodologies, enforcement techniques, and intelligence-led policing approaches.
- Experience of effective building of cross agency partnerships and delivering through them.
- Experience and knowledge of best practice of laws and processes for the protection and support to vulnerable victims and witnesses including children and women surviving sexual abuse or human trafficking
Desired skills:
- Experience and technical expertise in online CSEA systems, including NCMEC, and a strong understanding of the cyber landscape, emerging techniques, and associated threats.
- Experience in research, analysis, and performance management of law enforcement or criminal justice systems, including the use of key performance indicators and development of recommendations.
- Experience in managing sensitive intelligence products and dissemination to relevant partners.
- Experience in research and analysis of law enforcement or criminal justice systems and delivering recommendations.
- Experience in the use of computers, office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and web-based management systems, and advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages
Languages:
- Fluency in English is required.
- Working knowledge of another UN language is desired.
Equal opportunity
As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.
UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.
Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority
UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.
Right to select multiple candidates
UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.
Use of AI by candidates
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