A job description is a written statement that describes the employee’s role and responsibilities. The role and responsibilities shall be executed within the NRC framework. The job description facilitates the recruitment process by stating the necessary competencies. It is mandatory for all positions.

Position:                                   Information, Counselling, and Legal Assistance (ICLA) Officer

Reports to:                                ICLA Project Coordinator

Supervision of:                           ICLA Technical Assistant

Duty station:                             Jigjiga

All NRC employees are expected to work in accordance with the organization’s core values: dedication, innovation, inclusivity, and accountability. These attitudes and beliefs shall guide our actions and relationships.

Role and responsibilities

The purpose of the officer position is to ensure the qualitative implementation of the Information, Counselling, and Legal Assistance (ICLA) programme in Somali Regional State, with a particular focus on implementing programming related to Housing, Property (HLP), legal Identity documentation (LID) issues and access to essential services.

The ICLA officer is responsible for the implementation of project plans, policies and solutions. S/he contributes to issue resolutions, research and analysis activities and planning and day to day implementation of activities. The Legal Officers are responsible for assisting in monitoring and tracking the project deliverables and outcomes including preparation of highlight and checkpoints reports in relation to budget, schedule and resources at field level. This role also ensures compliance with methodologies, change management process, security policies, and quality assurance policies and procedures.

Generic responsibilities

These responsibilities shall be the same for all positions with the same title. The responsibilities shall be short and essential. Details belong in the Work- and Professional Development Plan.

• Ensure adherence to NRC policies and donor requirements.
• Implement ICLA activities according to strategy, proposals, budgets, and plans.
• Ensure the involvement of target communities and community leaders in the planning of activities.
• Work with ICLA Project Coordinator to develop monthly and quarterly implementation plans.
• Ensure proper filing of all project documents.
• Coordinate effectively with relevant partners/ other humanitarian actors and other NRC core competencies and support departments.
• Ensure the timely procurement and distribution of materials needed for field activities according to NRC procedures.
• Develop and maintain knowledge of Legal Identity (LID) and Housing, Land and Property (HLP) rights to be effective in his/her work.
• Prepare periodic progress reports and other documents as required.
• Cooperate with relevant local authorities.

Specific responsibilities 

• Ensure the provision of information, counselling, legal assistance, and training activities to target communities in line with NRC policies, strategies, budget and work plan.
• Ensure that all ICLA activities are recorded accurately in line with NRC policy and using templates and guidance provided by NRC.
• Ensure the provision of accurate information on legal identity documentation (LID), housing, land, and property (HLP) rights and entitlements, and access to essential services to target beneficiaries in accordance with agreed information scripts.
• Ensure the provision of accurate legal counselling on LID and HLP thematic areas within the competency of the ICLA, conduct case management by team members involved and in a manner that enables ICLA counselling beneficiaries to effectively resolve their LDI and HLP issues independently.
• Ensure the provision of appropriate and effective LID and HLP legal assistance to resolve LID and HLP cases, including through provision of legal financial assistance, accompanying beneficiaries, formal correspondence, telephone calls, meetings with authorities and collaborative dispute resolution (CDR) activities etc.
• Assess information provision approaches preferred by communities, LID and HLP issues in IDP sites as well as in return and/or relocation sites and work collaboratively with local authorities to address these issues
• Assist beneficiaries to obtain documentation and/or corroborative evidence regarding land ownership or entitlements and other legal identity documents as well as support the implementation of HLP due diligence checks during other core competency activity implementation (eg. Wash, Livelihood etc.)
• Support the development of referral pathways as well as conduct the referral of displacement affected communities to protection, free legal aid and other essential service providers.
• Attend meetings at the local level as agreed with line manager and report on all meetings attended to ICLA Project Coordinator and ICLA Specialist (including date of meeting, who was in attendance, what was discussed/ agreed and any follow up required).
• Contribute to assessments, monitoring and profiling exercises as agreed with line managers.
• Compile up-to-date information on relevant HLP laws, procedures, and practices.
• Compile narrative and statistical reports on activities and cases of interest on agreed templates.
• Ensure that ICLA activities are carried out in line with appropriate standards and report on any incident of malpractice by any ICLA staff member to the ICLA Project Coordinator and ICLA Specialist.
• Perform any other tasks as requested by ICLA Project Coordinator or ICLA Specialist.
• Ensure the effective provision of LID and HLP training to duty-bearers and partners using NRC approved materials and templates.
• Identify and document violations of LID and HLP rights observed/ reported during field visits to ICLA Project Coordinator and ICLA Specialis

1. Competencies 

Generic professional competencies for this position: 

• Experience of working as a Project Officer in a humanitarian/recovery context with IDPs/ returnees and preferably on LID and/ or HLP issues.
• Previous experience of working in complex and volatile contexts.
• Documented results related to the position’s responsibilities.
• Fluency in Somali, both written and oral essential.
• Fluency in English, both written and oral essential.

Context related skills, knowledge, and experience (shall be adapted to the specific position):

• A university degree in law is a very strong asset; a social sciences degree with a background in protection related work may be considered.
• Minimum of 3 years’ work experience in the field with displaced and/or vulnerable groups and communities.
• Knowing Somali Language is must as the officer will have direct contact with beneficiary and will give information, Counseling, and Legal Assistance
• Legal background and knowledge of laws, both formal and customary, procedures, and practices operative in the Somali region, particularly laws and procedures related to LID and HLP.
• Some experience in working with government authorities and vulnerable beneficiaries.
• Protection work experience with an INGO is an asset.
• Proven skills and experience in case management and conflict resolution
• Advanced computer skills, especially in Word, Excel, Power Point and Outlook

 Behavioral competencies

• Managing resources and achieving results
• Handling insecure environments
• Communicating with impact and respect
• Working with people
• Coping with change
• Planning and delivering results.