ICLA Adviser(Research)- Syria Response Office

Role and responsibilities

The NRC Syria Response Office (SRO) is looking to recruit an experienced Research Adviser based in Amman, Jordan to support the implementation of the SRO Information, Counselling and Legal Assistance (ICLA) programme and to ensure a coordinated response on ICLA legal and research products. This position sits within the SRO Programme Unit and thematically focuses on issues related to (1) legal identity and civil documentation; (2) housing, land and property (HLP); (3) employment and labour policies; (4) legal protection of children; and, where appropriate (5) returns-related issues for displaced and conflicted affected Syrians. The ICLA Research Adviser will work closely with the ICLA Specialist and will undertake legal analysis and human rights research related to ICLA’s current and planned areas of activity in Syria. This role will have a large responsibility in the provision of capacity building through trainings and awareness raising sessions on international legal standards and human rights research methodologies with ICLA teams.

The successful candidate will be a university graduate with at least five years’ experience working in the field of protection or human rights, ideally in a complex and volatile humanitarian or recovery context.

The following is a brief description of the role.

Generic responsibilities

• Adherence to NRC policies, guidance and procedures;
• Contribute to ICLA strategy research priorities and implementation;
• Regular legal analysis and advice regarding key human rights trends and risks and how these may impact NRC current and planned activities in Syria;
• Provide strategic advice and guidance to ICLA to ensure high-quality and effective research products;
• Provide regular progress reports to Specialist;
• Explore and assess new and better ways to assist beneficiaries;
• Promote and share ideas for improvement and necessary changes in the activities;
• Ensure capacity building of project staff and transfer key skills, as requested by ICLA Specialist
• Liaise and collaborate with relevant key stakeholders;
• Promote the rights of IDPs/returnees in line with the advocacy strategy;

Specific responsibilities

• Ensure a coordinated approach to ICLA research in Syria, , under the direction of the ICLA Specialist and in close coordination with the NRC Middle East Regional Office (MERO) and the NRC Syria Country Office (SCO);

• Facilitate exchange of information and ensure regular communications with ICLA teams related to legal, policy and humanitarian developments, including returns trends;

• Provide regular updates and legal briefings to ICLA programmes including both SRO and across MERO as well as donors and other key stakeholders on Syria related legal developments;

• Identify potential partners and collaborators for ICLA SRO research, in coordination with the ICLA Specialist, including academic institutions, human rights organisations and think-tanks;

• Develop and conform to the standardization of ICLA publication templates, including monthly reports, policy briefs, fact sheets and legal analysis

• In coordination with ICLA Specialist and Advocacy Advisor, develop and monitor dissemination policy and strategy for ICLA research products;

• Ensure coherence of Whole of Syria (WoS) research approach on IDP related issues through stakeholder liaison, WoS legal developments and analysis of implications for IDPs and refugees under the direction of the ICLA Specialist;

• Drafting, coordinating and finalization of research-related documents including fact sheets, policy briefs, case studies, common scenarios matrixes, document compendiums and other relevant documents, in close liaison with the ICLA Specialist;

• Provide technical guidance to field teams, as requested by the ICLA Specialist;

• Any other task relevant to the position as requested by the line manager.

Critical interfaces

By interfaces, NRC means processes and projects that are interlinked with other departments/units or persons. Relevant interfaces for this position are:

• Strategy and project planning: ICLA Specialist
• Implementation: ICLA Specialists, ICLA PMs
• Technical regional ICLA issues: ICLA Regional Advisor, Durable Solutions Unit, other MERO ICLA Specialists
• Technical WoS ICLA issues: ICLA Specialist, ICLA PMs, SCO Capacity Building PDM
• Field research: ICLA Specialist, ICLA PMs, ICLA PCs, ICLA Team Leaders, ICLA IMOs
• Staff capacity building: ICLA PMs, ICLA PCs, senior SRO ICLA staff
• Other: Head of Programme, Protection Adviser, Advocacy Adviser, other Programme Unit members

Scale and scope of position

Staff: ICLA Technical Officer

Stakeholders: Human rights organisations, academic institutions, humanitarian think-tanks, UN agencies, INGOs, local NGOs, civil society

Budgets: DG-NEAR

Information: N/A

Legal or compliance: Ensure compliance with the NRC terms of employment, code of conduct, due diligence policy as well as donor rules and regulations for grants management

Competencies

Competencies are important in order for the employee and the organisation to deliver desired results. They are relevant for all staff and are divided into the following two categories:

1. Professional competencies

These are skills, knowledge and experience that are important for effective performance.

Generic professional competencies:

• Relevant university law degree, preferably master’s degree focused on international human rights laws
• Fluency in English, both written and verbal,
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in related programming in human rights and humanitarian research in conflict/post-conflict environments;
• Strong technical knowledge of relevant bodies of international law, including international human right law, international humanitarian law and refugee law;
• Strong experience in drafting legal policy and strategy guidance;
• Experience practicing law, preferably at least 3 years;
• Experience working and coordinating with key stakeholders, including humanitarian coordination mechanisms, human rights actors, academic institutions and UN/NGOs
• Experience in working in stressful, politicized and restrictive environments;
• Strong communication skills and ability to build tryst and confidently navigate both internally and externally at different levels;
• Ability to think strategically and constructively and to apply these skills to developing legal and policy guidance;
• Experience in developing and delivering high quality human rights and research methodology trainings;
• Solid understanding and experience of crisis contexts and working in complex emergencies.

Context/ Specific skills, knowledge and experience:

• Knowledge of the displacement and geopolitical context in Syria and the Middle East;
• Advanced research skills, including human rights field research, and quantitative and qualitative methodologies and data visualization;
• Advanced computer skills, especially in Word, Excel, Power Point and Outlook;

• Ability to work with diplomacy, tact and sensitivity and experience in working within different cultural contexts requiring cultural sensitivity.

• Behavioural Competencies

These are personal qualities that influence how successful people are in their job. NRC’s Competency Framework states 12 behavioural competencies and the following are essential for this position:

• Planning and delivering results;
• Working with people;
• Communicating with impact and respect;
• Strategic thinking;
• Analyzing;

Performance Management

The employee will be accountable for the responsibilities and the competencies, in accordance with the NRC Performance Management Manual. The following documents will be used for performance reviews:

• The Job Description
• The Work and Development Plan
• The NRC Competency Framework

What we can Offer

• Contract period: 12 months (subject to funding)
• Salary/benefits: According to NRC’s salary scale and terms and conditions
• The role is an international position, with accompanied benefits
• Duty station: Amman Jordan
• Travel : possible, up to 20% (Areas of operations)