Associate Legal Officer (P-2)

21778| TFV

A roster of suitable candidates may be established for this post as a result of this selection process for fixed-term appointments against both established posts and positions funded by general temporary assistance (GTA).

Note: Two positions may be available as a result of this recruitment and selection process.

Organisational Context

The Trust Fund for Victims (TFV) is the first of its kind in the global movement to end impunity and promote justice. With the adoption of the Rome Statute in 2002 and the establishment of the International Criminal Court (ICC) as an independent international organisation, the international community has provided a new platform to achieve justice for the victims of the most serious crimes, namely genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and crimes of aggression. 

Acknowledging the importance of victims’ assistance as part of the global justice system, the Assembly of States Parties, under Article 79 of the Rome Statute, set up the TFV. The TFV responds to the harm resulting from the crimes under the jurisdiction of the ICC by ensuring the rights of victims and their families through the provision of reparations and assistance.

The TFV is mandated by the Rome Statute, the ICC’s founding treaty, to support and implement programmes that address harms resulting from ICC crimes. It does so in two ways:

1. Reparations: implementing Court-ordered reparations awards against a convicted person when directed by the Court to do so.

2. Assistance: using voluntary contributions and private donations, to provide victims and their families in situations under Court jurisdiction with physical rehabilitation, material support, and/or psychological rehabilitation.

To implement its two-fold mandate, the TFV works closely with NGOs, community groups, women’s grassroots organisations, governments, and UN agencies at local, national, and international levels. The TFV empowers victims of crimes against humanity, war crimes, genocide and crimes of aggression and their families as main stakeholders in the process of rebuilding their lives.

With the unique roles of implementing both Court-ordered reparations and general assistance activities to victims of crimes under the ICC’s jurisdiction, the TFV works towards providing reparative value to victims and their families, and affected communities.

Duties and Responsibilities

Reporting directly to the Legal Adviser the incumbent performs the following tasks:

• Legal filings - undertake research, drafting and reporting activities in relation to submissions on behalf of the Trust Fund for Victims to the Chambers, in regard of both the reparations and assistance mandates;
• Legal monitoring and stakeholder consultation –  collaborate with the programme management team in the Country Offices in relation to assigned cases from a legal perspective; monitor ongoing trial and reparation proceedings in selected cases in regard of legal and contextual elements that may be of relevance to the TFV’s implementation practice. Prior to and throughout the reparations phase, provide support to coordination and consultations with the TFV’s stakeholders at and around the Court, including Chambers, Registry, external reparations experts, OPCV and the legal representatives for each of the (anticipated) reparations proceedings; as well as with TFV programme staff in Headquarters and in the field offices;
• Victim eligibility screening for reparations – participate in the administrative victim eligibility processes in the reparations proceedings to which they are assigned; develop forms, identifying the required supporting documentation to meet the Trial Chamber determined burden of proof, and establish the field intake procedures; assist in the development of field trainings regarding the modalities for assisting potential beneficiaries;
• Draft implementation plans for reparations;
• Support and guide the work of visiting professionals and interns in order to achieve outcomes serving the TFV’s legal and implementation practice;
• Assist in the drafting of communications in the public domain about the TFV’s institutional mandates and their operations in practice.

Qualifications

Education

Advanced university degree in law (international law, criminal law, victims’ rights issues or other field of law related to the mandates of the Trust Fund for Victims). A first level university degree in

combination with two additional years of relevant experience is accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.

Experience

A minimum of two years (four years with a first level university degree) of legal work experience is required. Experience of working with international tribunals and/or focus on reparations or victims issues and/or in-house legal departments would be considered an asset.

Proven experience of working on legal briefs, ideally in the setting of an international criminal tribunal

is highly desirable.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of Court-ordered reparations and the related reparations implementation mandate of the Trust Fund for Victims;
• Proven track record of researching and drafting legal filings, in particular in regards of reparations to victims;
• Excellent legal drafting skills, including an eye for detail, under time pressure;
• Excellent stakeholder management skills;
• Ability to work independently, monitor progress against agreed timelines, to honour commitments and take responsibility for short comings.

Knowledge of Languages

Proficiency in one of the working languages of the Court, French or English, is required. Working knowledge of the other is highly desirable. Knowledge of another official language of the Court (Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Spanish) would be considered an asset.