International Lawyers (Conflict Related Sexual Violence MJTs)

Global Rights Compliance (GRC) is an international legal foundation focused on bringing perpetrators to justice for atrocity crimes. We have a presence in the Hague, London, Washington, and Ukraine.

GRC works in Ukraine in support of the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) through several GRC Mobile Justice Teams (MJTs), a component of the UK, EU and US’ Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group, that assist the OPG by providing crime scene evidence collection and analysis and real-time advice on investigations and case building. Our headquarters for this project are in Kyiv, Ukraine. GRC’s MJTs operate throughout Ukraine in areas of interest to the OPG.

Prosecution and Investigation Track: GRC possesses unrivaled expertise and granular knowledge of the OPG and its ongoing investigations and prosecutions. GRC, is the only international organization consisting of ICL lawyers that has been consistently in Ukraine since 2015 working with the PGO and CSOs to document international crimes. We have a team currently in Ukraine; with language proficiency, an intimate knowledge of the operating environment; and trusted relationships with all the critical justice actors, governmental bodies, CSOs and relevant stakeholders. The blend of our technical expertise in Ukraine and subject matter expertise is unique.

Our Ukraine team has, over time, acquired an intimate knowledge of the conflict operating environment, and built trust-based relationships with all criminal justice system actors, relevant governmental bodies, CSOs and international partners. Our blend of technical expertise, knowledge of the Ukraine context/conflict and language proficiency is unrivaled, and is, without doubt, our unique selling point.

As a fundamental part of its operations, working closely with and supporting the OPG, GRC is building a specialised MJT dedicated to the creation and implementation of an enhanced system of justice, accountability and support to survivors and witnesses in the field of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence (CRSV). This is intended to comprise the full range of services: from policy and legislative development; effective survivor support services and witness protection; to the establishment of first-rate investigations, case-building and prosecutions.

OBJECTIVES

We seek to recruit full-time international lawyers and criminal justice policy experts with practical experience of working on Conflict-Related Sexual Violence (CRSV) cases and related policy and strategic issues. This experience will comprise working with relevant justice actors to devise investigative strategies and build cases, and/or to develop and implement policies, protocols, legislative reform and best practice guidance in relation to survivors, witnesses and the investigation of cases concerning sexual violence generally. Relevant experience may also encompass the prosecution of large-scale international crimes, alongside similar experience gained in a national jurisdiction. The candidates should have at least 8 years of relevant experience.

DUTY STATION: The job will be based in Kyiv, Ukraine.
CONTRACT DURATION: 6 months with possible extension.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Drafting of CRSV-related deliverables, including legislative, practice and policy instruments
• Leadership in assisting the PGO to implement a national CRSV strategy, including supporting a range of investigative and protection components.
• Providing mentorship within the OPG and investigative agencies to enhance national CRSV investigative capacities and support for survivors.
• Supporting all relevant stakeholders, including international NGOs, to ensure a focus on CRSV and their investigation alongside interconnected and interrelated crimes.
• Driving and facilitating effective coordination and interaction with a range of CSOs and other relevant stakeholders in conjunction with the OPG to improve reporting and handling of CRSV crimes and support the development of a victim and witness support service.
• Work alongside, and complementary to, existing MJTs.

ATTRIBUTES

Mandatory

• 5-10 years of relevant investigative, prosecutorial or policy experience relating to CRSV, and more generally, war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide
• Significant role in a national or international prosecution, investigation or executive team
• Experience of taking a significant role in large, complex or sensitive investigations or prosecutions and/or in the development of legislation and policy relevant to CRSV
• Practical experience working with a range of criminal justice actors, particularly those tailored to the CRSV context
• Flexible and creative; able to work in an unstructured, changeable & fast-moving environment, proactive, anticipating problems and solutions orientated.
• Not requiring detailed guidance to get started; can be given a ‘desired outcome’ and figure out the action areas required to reach it
• Practical thinker, able to break down and pursue the elements required to operationalise an investigative/prosecutorial strategy
• Administratively competent; able to manage competing urgent demands.
• Fluency in English
• Practical experience of working with highly sensitive material and an ability to demonstrate the requisite skill in storing, sharing and working with such material.

Desirable

• Experience of working in a post-Soviet country / system
• Fluency or competency in Ukrainian or Russian
• Experience working within a legal team at one of the international ad hoc tribunals or a national war crimes court