JOB DESCRIPTION

OVERVIEW

The OPEN SOCIETY INITIATIVE FOR WEST AFRICA (OSIWA) is dedicated to supporting the creation of open societies in West Africa marked by functioning democracy, good governance, the rule of law, basic freedoms, and widespread civic participation. OSIWA believes that it best serves by sustaining catalytic and innovative initiatives that add value to the efforts of West Africa's civil society. OSIWA seeks to collaborate with advocacy groups, like-minded foundations, governments and donors. OSIWA further recognizes the importance of incorporating global developments in building open societies and seeks a greater commitment to the region by rich nations. OSIWA is seeking a dynamic individual as a PROGRAM COORDINATOR for its West Africa Public Interest Litigation Centre (WAPILC) in its Abuja, Nigeria office who will be able to advance our mission by using legal advocacy and strategic litigation skills. WAPILC envisions a West African community where citizens have greater access to justice through the development of effective capacities and implementable jurisprudence by means of Public Interest Litigation (PIL). To this end, WAPILC aims to promote human rights, improve rule of law and access to justice for citizens of the sub-region by initiating and supporting Public Interest Litigation (PIL) when necessary, to hold public officials accountable for acting contrary to the public interest or to reform anti-democratic policies in national, sub-regional, and regional courts and other adjudicatory fora. Accountability The Program Coordinator will be accountable to the Executive Director and the OSIWA Board of Directors.

Description

Under the supervision of the Executive Director, and with the guidance of the OSIWA Board of Directors and a Legal Technical Committee, the Program Coordinator will assume the overall supervision, coordination and day-to-day leadership and management role of the Centre. The position of the Program Coordinator is key both in the development of the program mandate and the realization of the institutional objectives set by the OSIWA Board. S/he will assess, develop and refine the strategic direction and implementation of activities, oversee the provision of legal assistance and litigation, research, production and dissemination of resource publications.

Roles and Responsibilities

Capacity Building

. Identify and incorporate opportunities for legal capacity development/training of partners and local PIL organizations;
. Provide and organize mentoring and capacity building support to legal service organizations in the region who are litigating human rights, constitutional and public interest law cases at national and sub-regional courts in order to facilitate their development.

Supporting Litigation

. Develop creative strategies to utilize litigation to achieve policy reform, particularly regarding issues affecting poor, marginalized and vulnerable groups;
. Coordinate the presentation of individual or NGO complainants in regional courts (i.e., the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice);
. Envision, design and supervise complex public interest litigation and ensure substantive and methodological excellence and consistency in the analysis of research issues;
. Oversee the development of a method for identifying possible cases for litigation; refining case selection criteria tailored to the different countries in the region and prepare pre-selection case memoranda outlining facts, issues etc.

Research, Publication and Dissemination

. Oversee the development of a common, region-wide resource databank of briefs, jurisprudence and legal research materials;
. Identify, through research, critical and emerging human rights challenges that potentially can benefit from the application and utilization of PIL;
. Disseminating information about legal and policy issues raised in litigation cases. Advocacy . Implement an out-of-court advocacy plan to enhance public effect of favorable and minimize unfavorable judgments by national courts, the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice;
. Be directly responsible for the management of all collaborative and special initiatives undertaken by the WAPILC in partnership with other legal advocacy and social action organizations. Building Support Network • Foster networks of cooperating agencies from different countries and strengthen links with relevant partners in the continent and worldwide;
• Develop and promote contacts with interested and committed lawyers, legal scholars, legal professional bodies and regional organizations within the sub-region, across the continent and the rest of the world;
• Keep current with developments in the sector throughout the region and attend meetings of relevant organisations to keep informed of issues, concerns, needs;
• Play a supervisory role in the monitoring of all WAPILC programs and activities with a view to reinforcing synergies and sustaining meaningful engagement with partners and networks;
• Take a lead role in the development of programs and activities and the mobilization of PIL entities across West Africa to participate; Staff Management, Financial and Administrative duties
• Coordinate, supervise and lead a team of regional technical advisors recruited under the program to execute program activities, assuring timely and accurate completion of all delegated tasks;
• Supervise support staff, provide clear direction, delegate effectively and hold staff accountable for meeting objectives and goals. Qualifications: Applicants must have: • Demonstrated commitment to public interest issues in general;
• Preferably a post-graduate university degree in law and admittance to the bar or attorneys roll;
• At least eight (8) years of demonstrable experience and/or knowledge in public interest litigation in domestic setting and/or experience/knowledge of procedures in international for a is desirable;
• Ability to effectively manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment;
• Strong management and analytical skills;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills;
• Have initiative and creativity and meticulous attention to detail;
• Adequate skills and high comfort level with computer research, database management and word processing;
• Complete fluency in either English or French and a good working knowledge of the other language. Additional Requirements
• Pleasant, diplomatic manner and disposition in interacting with officials at all levels and with the general public;
• Integrity, professional discretion and ability to handle confidential information;
• Ability to assume ultimate responsibility, work under pressure and transmit that to others;
• Ability and volition to work extended hours and undertake regional travel.

If you are a proactive and resourceful team player with a passion for public interest issues, please send cover letter and CV via email to: mgueye@osiwa.org. Please note that the deadline for submission is set on January 6th, 2008 Additional information about the Open Society Initiative for West Africa can be found at www.osiwa.org