National Legal Officer Full-Time

Background

Since the electoral process of 1994, Mozambique has seen its main electoral management body (EMB), the National Electoral Commission (CNE) has undergone important changes in the composition and selection of its members while the Technical Secretariat for the Administration of Elections (STAE) has become a permanent structure subordinate to the CNE. UNDP has been involved in the electoral processes in Mozambique since the country’s first multiparty elections, providing technical assistance and support to both EMBs and other electoral stakeholders.

Further to a request from the Government of Mozambique, a 2017 Needs Assessment Mission recommended the provision of United Nations support to the electoral management bodies in specific technical areas during the 2018-2019 electoral cycle.

Through a multi-donor project, UNDP Mozambique is implementing an electoral project supporting the Election Management Bodies (EMBs) for the electoral cycle of Presidential, Legislative and Provincial Elections that took place in October 2019 through its project Supporting Electoral Authorities of Mozambique to Enhance the Transparency and Credibility of the Electoral Process 2018-2020. Since inception, the project was able to support the 2019 electoral processes in all three phases of the electoral period, pre, election-day and post-election.

The project co-located in the EMB is providing technical assistance for managing the electoral processes. Core areas that the project have been working are civic and voter education, training of EMBs and polling staff, developing communication materials, external communication support to EMBs, increasing participation of women, youth, elders, people with disabilities and first-time voters, capacity building of judiciary on electoral processes and national police and information technology.

In recent 2019 elections, the project managed to coherently implement the civic and voter education with the EMBs for the elections and operated a massive campaign.

Even after the completion of electoral processes, the project will continue to work primarily with STAE/CNE, the judiciary and the Constitutional Council until the mandate of the project ends in 2020. Project has identified areas where it needs to provide more support for strengthening the institutions for next electoral cycle. Potential areas where the project will work with the counterparts are on civic education, communications, review of electoral legal framework, developing new electoral tools like e-learning, and other professional development activity in legal matters as part of institution strengthening. Another focus of the project would also be developing strategy for the inclusion of women and youth in the electoral processes integrated in the electoral legal framework.

The project will also collaborate with other international organisations working in the field of elections to coordinate implementation of activities. The principles underpinning the technical advice provided to the electoral authorities by the UN are sustainability, cost-effectiveness, inclusion, environmental and gender awareness.

It is against this background that UNDP aims to recruit a National Legal Officer for the Project on Elections.

Under the direct supervision of the Chief Technical Advisor of the project, the National Legal Officer will support the project in its planned activities. He/she is responsible for supporting the project, EMBs and stakeholders in building the capacity in external communication and developing training programmes through new electoral tools like e-learning and other professional development activity legal matters.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide analysis and advice on legal issues relevant to elections based on legal research and the existing legal framework;
• Provide interpretations of published legal decrees and legal procedures in relations to elections;
• Conduct legal electoral research and elaborate comparative studies in the research areas;
• Support and facilitate the development of training materials and delivery of training events, including the development of content in electoral legal reforms. Follow through with user feedback, progress and integrates the feedback to the future programmes;
• Develop and provide when necessary specific trainings to project’s counterparts like Election Management Bodies, Judiciary and Constitutional Council;
• Design and develop innovative tools and new technology for trainings of EMBs staff on electoral processes and legal matters;
• Formulate learning curricula and knowledge products based on electoral laws relevant to capacity building using available learning platforms and technology;
• Follow through on renewal/revision of learning and knowledge development activities with various partners and when necessary customize existing products;
• Coordinates overall workflow, conducts research and creates content around emerging issues and programmatic needs;
• Management of translations of knowledge products and learning materials into different languages;
• Develop strategic communication which can provide support to policy making and guidance for consistent information activity within or between organizations;
• Promotes knowledge development and sharing on new approaches, thinking and techniques;
• Assist to CTA in the coordination with EMBs and electoral stakeholders to implement project activities;
• Coordinate the overall organization of training and workshops and produce reports;
• Perform any additional task provided by the Chief Technical Advisor.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Functional Competencies:

• Knowledge Management and Learning;
• Promotes knowledge management within the national Institutions environment through sharing of information and personal example;
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development.

Job knowledge and technical expertise:

• Knowledge of electoral cycles, legal systems and institutions;
• Support and facilitate the development of training materials and delivery of training events in electoral legal reforms;
• Capacity to design and develop innovative tools and new technology for trainings of EMBs staff on electoral processes and legal matters;
• Ability to analysis and advice on legal issues relevant to elections in Mozambique;
• Ability to conduct legal electoral research and elaborate comparative studies in the research areas.

Delivery: Management and Leadership

• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Ability to organize and complete multiple tasks by establishing priorities;
• Carries out research into existing systems to identify best practice and make recommendations to management on applicability to UNDP;
• Creates opportunities for team to learn and take on new responsibilities;
• Actively shares experience and knowledge.

Communication:

• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills;
• Listens to develop awareness of client’s needs;
• Respects difference of opinion;
• Finds common ground to solve problems;
• Demonstrates behaviors such as teamwork, maintaining relationships, and seeks guidance from supervisor to address issues.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master’s degree in law and any other related field with 8 years relevant experience or bachelor’s degree 10 years of relevant experiences   in Law, any other related field.

Experience:

• At least eight years’ experience in legal issues;
• Experience working with EMB’s in Mozambique;
• Proven experience in coordinating and communicating with government institutions or the United Nations, CSOs and academia.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in Portuguese and English (written and spoken) required.

Disclaimer

Important applicant information

All posts in the SC categories are subject to local recruitment.

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Workforce diversity

UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

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