Court Administrator for the Commercial Justice Sector Reforms II

THE ASSIGNMENT

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall supervision and direction of the Chief Magistrate, Commercial Courts and in consultation with the IDLO Kenya team, the Court Administrator will:

BCUC Activities

• Coordinate and ensure the effective and efficient management of the BCUC in Nairobi, Mombasa, Eldoret & Kisumu Law Courts;
• Assist in developing BCUC operational/work plan, and in implementation and run the day to day operations of the Division and in liaison with NCAJ;
• Provide programmatic support to the BCUC in all their activities including the management of logistics and operations for meetings, travel, and other activities of the BCUC;
• Assist the BCUC in the design, development, implementation, and monitoring of its activities
• Undertake primary and secondary research on various projects as may be required by the BCUC;
• Provide technical support to the BCUC including data generation and analysis, record keeping, and general office management;
• Assist in ensuring proper communication and effective dissemination of information amongst the members of the BCUC, internally within the Judiciary and externally with stakeholders and the public;
• Develop and operationalize an effective electronic task and file & data management system for the BCUC;
• Attend internal and external meetings as requested, take minutes and draft reports thereon for the BCUC;

Automation of the Chief Magistrates Court and Administrative duties 

• Formulate a training plan for both the internal and external stakeholders
• Coordinate the training on both the e-filing and case management system for the magistrates’ court
• Assist with technical support to staff and advocates/litigants on electronic filing of all new cases. 
• Coordinate the auditing process and train staff on how to update the e-filing system to guarantee a real-time update of the caseload in the magistrates’ Court
• Assist with the technical support and training on scanning pleadings in regard to existing cases and upload into case management system. 
• Ensure all cases filed in the Magistrates’ Court are properly captured into the E-filing and Case Management System. 
• In consultation with the in-charge magistrates’ court, ensure the e-filing system and the case management system is well updated and reflects the current position of the physical court file. 
• Ensure the safe custody of physical case files during and after data entry. 
• Carry out periodic confirmation to ensure that the amount paid (Court fees) is correctly captured in the Case Tracking and e-filing System. 
• Coordinate the process of auditing cases to ensure that matters marked as finalized are correctly captured in the system (as closed) to give a clearer picture on the number of pending cases in the court.
• Assist in and/or leads special projects as needed or assigned;
• Perform such other duty as may be assigned by the Chief Magistrate Commercial Courts, appointed members of the Commercial Justice Sector Reforms Committee, or IDLO.

Administrative Duties

1. Assist the Commercial Justice Sector Reforms Program Manager with the Reporting among them:

   a) Preparation of Monthly and Quarterly Reports on E-filing, Case Tracking System, and Court Fees Payments Reports.

   b) Preparation of Monthly and Periodic Training Reports.

   c) Preparation of the Meeting Reports for the various stakeholders in the Commercial Justice Sector.

  d) Documentation of the Activities and the engagements of the various consultants in the Commercial Justice Sector Reforms Project.

  e) Periodic documentation on the activities of the Progress of the Commercial Justice Sector Reforms Project. 

2. Assist the Deputy Registrar in Coordinating Automation Activities in the Judiciary.

3. Assist in the coordination of the activities of BCUC and Bar-benches in the Commercial Justice Sector Reforms Project.

Deliverables

The Court Administrator shall deliver the following outputs:

• An Inception Report detailing the understanding of the terms of reference and a proposed plan of action, with a work plan indicating clear milestones and timelines. To be delivered within 2 weeks of start date.
• A monthly report documenting support provided to the Judiciary and the key results realized thereof and the expected deliverables for the subsequent month to be submitted by the 25th of every month, together with a monthly work plan (in line with IDLO reporting template).
• Any other deliverables as shall be agreed upon including concepts, proposals, and reports relating to these ToRs.
• Final comprehensive contract report documenting all the support provided to Judiciary within the contracted period in the implementation of TORs and support to project, key results realized, pending work, challenges faced, and recommendations to Judiciary and IDLO.

The Court Administrator will, at all times, be guided by these terms of reference and will:

• Carry out the services and perform his or her tasks with reasonable care, skill and in an efficient and professional manner.
• Ensure a high degree of quality in his/her output.
• Observe strict confidentiality. 
• Observe office protocols and norms as notified by the Judiciary. 
• Carry out tasks, presenting outputs to IDLO, the Judiciary on/or before agreed deadlines.
• Be guided by these terms of reference.

IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE

The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications and experience.

Education

• Hold a BSc in Computers, Computer Engineering, Information Systems, Engineering, Information Technology, Mathematics, Physics, or another numerate discipline. 
• Additional certifications added benefit.

Work Experience

• A minimum of 3-5 years of professional experience regarding software programming and administration of IT systems with demonstrated deliverables in user end products. 
• Prior experience in the Judiciary will be an added advantage.

Technical Competencies

• Knowledge/experience in practical development with database management and Network configurations.
• Project management/client experience when developing ICT solutions would be added benefit.
• Possess a strong work ethic characterized by the desire to achieve results. Ability to multi-task in a high-pressure environment, responds rapidly to ad hoc requests, meet tight deadlines, and ensure diplomacy and tact when engaging with prominent public figures. 
• Strong problem-solving skills, with a high degree of a personal and professional organization. Must have a strong team player approach to work.
• Be computer savvy, able to navigate basic programs with proficiency, and be able to utilize social media applications to aid her/his work.
• Excellent interpersonal, diplomacy skills, and communication skills.

Languages

• Fluent in both English and Swahili.

DISCLAIMER AND CLOSING DATE 

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by the Contractor assigned to this work. This may not be an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities.

All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality and in compliance with IDLO’s policy on personal data protection.

The Director-General of IDLO reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities or even to cancel the recruitment to meet business and organizational needs as necessary.

Application deadline: 3 December 2021 (23:59hrs Rome Time).