ATTENTION!!!

AU Values

• Respect for Diversity and TeamWork             • Think Africa Above all                     

 • Transparency and Accountability                    • Integrity and Impartiality                       

 • Efficiency and Professionalism                       • Information and Knowledge Sharing

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Organization Information

Reports to: Director, ACSRT
Directorate/Department/Organ: African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT)
Number of Direct Reports: 0
Number of Indirect Reports: 0
Job Grade: P2
Number of Positions:1
Contract Type: Regular
Location: Algiers, Algeria

Purpose of Job

The Legal Officer contributes to the mandate of the ACSRT by providing legal expertise to strengthen and standardize legal norms, harmonize Member States’ counter-terrorism legislation, and ensure the effective implementation of African Union and international legal instruments relating to the prevention and combating of terrorism.

Main Functions

•    Provide legal support and advice to ACSRT units, Member States, and partners on counter-terrorism legal frameworks.
•    Ensure compliance of ACSRT decisions and actions with AU and international legal instruments.
•    Assist in the harmonization and standardization of legal norms, policies, and strategies among AU Member States in combating terrorism.

Specific Responsibilities

•    Undertake studies and make recommendations on strengthening and standardization of legal norms and cooperation in matters of mutual legal assistance and extradition.
•    Examine specific cases and prepare legal opinions on the application of AU and international instruments relating to the prevention and combating of terrorism.
•    Analyse facts, issues and arguments raised by Member States regarding implementation of legal instruments.
•    Provide legal advice and opinions on the establishment of the African Arrest Warrant.
•    Suggest protection norms and preventive legal regulations.
•    Advise on harmonization and coordination of legal strategies and policies of Member States within AU and UN frameworks.
•    Provide technical assistance to enhance Member States’ full implementation of the OAU Convention and international conventions on terrorism.
•    Provide legal advice to ACSRT Units and Focal Points to ensure legality and compliance with AU and international legal instruments.
•    Produce and submit periodic reports on activities and missions.
•    Follow-up at national, regional, and continental levels to harmonize treaties and protocols with AU and international instruments; address issues of non-compliance.
•    Assess and audit Member States’ preventive and protection mechanisms to determine their implementation capacity.
•    Ensure establishment and updating of a data centre containing relevant AU/International treaties and instruments on terrorism.
•    Draft guidance on benchmarks and best practices for implementation of legal instruments.
•    Supervise implementation of legislative, regulatory, and technical mechanisms suggested by the Centre.
•    Assist in preparation of training programs of a legal nature for the Focal Point Community.
•    Develop cooperation and assistance programmes with institutions at national, regional, continental, and international levels in the area of legislation and legal procedures.
•    Draft and assist in drafting treaties, protocols, cooperation agreements, and rules of procedure.
•    Participate in legal meetings and represent ACSRT on legal matters.

Academic Requirements and Relevant Experience

•    Master’s degree in Law or a related field with a minimum requirement of two (2) years relevant work experience
Or
•    Bachelors degree in Law or a related field with a minimum requirement of five (5) years relevant work experience
•    Specialization in international, administrative, or security-related legal fields is highly desirable.
•    Legal experience, preferably in public international law, administrative law, or counter-terrorism legal frameworks.
•    Experience in government legal services, international organizations, or regional legal harmonization efforts is desirable.
•    Prior experience advising on treaty implementation, legislative drafting, or legal technical assistance is an asset.

Required Skills

•    Excellent knowledge of international organizations and proven negotiation and arbitration skills.
•    Strong leadership and organizational abilities.
•    Capacity to work under pressure in a multicultural environment.
•    Computer literacy and analytical skills.
•    Excellent drafting and reporting skills.
•    Strong communication and negotiation skills.
•    Good planning and organizational skills.

Leadership Competencies

Core Competencies

Functional Competencies

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TENURE OF APPOINTMENT:

The appointment will be made on a regular term contract for a period of three (3) years, of which the first twelve months shall be considered as a probationary period. Thereafter, the contract will be for a period of two years renewable, subject to satisfactory performance and deliverables.

GENDER MAINSTREAMING:

The AU Commission is an equal opportunity employer and qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply.

LANGUAGES:

Proficiency in one of the AU working languages (Arabic, English, French, Kiswahili, Portuguese, and Spanish) is mandatory and fluency in another AU language is an added advantage

REMUNERATION:

Indicative basic salary of US$ 31,073.00 (P2 Step1) per annum plus other related entitlements e.g. Post adjustment (48% of basic salary), Housing allowance US$ 18,547.20 (per annum), and education allowance (100% of tuition and other education-related expenses for every eligible dependent up to a maximum of US$ 10,000.00 per child per annum), for internationally recruited staff and a maximum of $3,300 per child per annum for locally recruited staff.

Applications must be submitted no later than February 16,  2025 11h59 p.m. EAT.
-Only candidates who meet all job requirements and are selected for interviews will be contacted.
-Consideration will be given only to those candidates who have submitted a fully completed online application with a curriculum vitae (CV), an African passport, and the required academic qualifications, such as Diplomas (Bac+2), Bachelor's degrees (Bac+3), Master's degrees (Bac+5) and any relevant certificate in line with the area of expertise.
-The African Union is an equal opportunity employer, and female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
-Candidates from least represented and underrepresented countries within the African Union are strongly encouraged to apply for positions that fit their profiles.

Least represented countries: Algeria, Angola, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Comoros, DR Congo, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Sahrawi D.R., Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, and Somalia.

Under represented countries: Congo, Mozambique, South Africa, Sudan and Tunisia.