ThaiNGO

Background/IRC Summary:  

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is at work in over 40 countries and 26 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. The IRC has been operating in Thailand since 1975 and currently provides assistance to displaced persons in Tak, Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi and Mae Hong Son provinces.

Promoting Sustainable Protection Measures for Vulnerable Displaced People across the Thailand-Myanmar Border project promotes the rule of law / legal principles and access to justice for Burmese Displaced People in Thailand. Established in July in 2016 in coordination with the Project for Local Empowerment (PLE) and building on the renowned Legal Assistance Center (LAC), this protection project will serve displaced people both in the camps and along the Thai-Myanmar Borders, and focuses on maintaining and expanding sustainable and equal access to justice as well as strengthening cross-border protection coordination to ensure safety of the most vulnerable displaced people through different activities.

Job Overview/Summary:

To promote sustainable protection measures for vulnerable displaced people across the Thailand-Myanmar Border through strengthening of cross-border protection coordination and expansion of sustainable and equal access to justice for displaced people along the Thailand-Myanmar border, the Senior Rule of Law Training Officer will work with the rule of law team, under the direct supervision of the Rule of Law and Legal Manager, to design and coordinate the delivery of training on the broader areas of rule of law, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and Mediation Dispute Resolution Guidelines (MDRG) to camp justice officials and community leaders. The Senior Rule of Law Training Officer will explore with community justice leadership (in the camps and along the border areas, existing dispute and conflict resolution mechanisms and provide technical guidance to standardize and apply these mechanisms in the different context. The Rule of Law Training Officer will also strengthen the capacity of local non-governmental organizations (NGO), community-based organizations (CBO), civil society organizations (CSO) and camp-based assistants (CBA) on standardized dispute and conflict resolution mechanisms as agreed by the community leaders both in the camp and along the border areas. To promote sustainability and transition of community ownership, the Senior Rule of Law Training Officer will mentor and provide technical support to the community leaders and other relevant committees to ensure that they can fully function and monitor and liaises with all relevant coordination bodies to ensure conflict resolution services within the communities.

Major Responsibilities:

1. Closely work with the rule of law team, the Senior Rule of Law and Legal Officers in Tak and Mae Hong Son provinces to design and prepare training modules on ADR, MDRG, rule of law and legal framework for preparation of return and durable solutions.
2. Design and coordinate the delivery of training on the broader area of rule of law, ADR, MDRG and the rule of law and legal framework for project beneficiaries and conduct training of trainers (TOR) for local NGOs, community-based organizations (CBO) and civil society organizations.
3. Support the development of key guidance documents on rule of law and legal framework including the finalization of training manuals.
4. Promote community dispute resolution mechanisms (e.g. Mediation Dispute Resolution Guidelines) which are in use in the camps, including protection mechanisms and provide technical guidance to camp justice leaderships and others in the camps on these mechanisms.
5. Strengthen the capacity of national and community-based actors, local NGOs, and civil society organizations to assess, analyze and respond to dispute and conflict resolution and disseminate information related to ADR, rule of law framework to displaced people, and legal framework for preparation of return and durable solutions.
6. Strengthen the capacity of community-based actors, camp securities, Community Legal Volunteers through mentoring and technical support on camp-based mediation mechanisms, MDRG, and Camp Detention Guidelines to ensure effective implementation of these initiatives.
7. Assist in disseminating information related to preparation for return and durable solutions to displaced people.
8. Collect information/data relating to all activities, including data necessary for project indicators as well as record on the successes and challenges, and report the progress of the project at regular intervals to the Rule of Law and Legal Manager.
9. Contribute to improving the quality and relevance of reporting and advocacy messaging coming from the rule of law team as required.
10. Prepare monthly activity plans together with all other project staff in order to ensure close integration of project activities.
11. Prepare monthly and other reports as required.
12. Attend meetings as required.
13. Develop and maintain professional relationships with IRC’s partners.
14. Perform other assignments as required.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to:                Rule of Law and Legal Manager

Position directly supervises:  Rule of Law Community-based Assistants

Indirect Reporting:                  Program Coordinator, Deputy Coordinator for Community and Government Liaison, Deputy Coordinator for Protection Mainstreaming

Other Internal and/or external contacts:

Internal: Senior Rule of Law and Legal Officers (based in Tak and Mae Hong Son), Deputy Director for Programs, Project for Local Empowerment (PLE), IRC Women’s Protection and Empowerment Program, Program Unit, Field Coordinators, Operations Unit, Finance Unit

External: UN agencies, Civil Society , Royal Thai Government, CBOs, NGOs and other relevant partners

POSITION REQUIREMENTS         

Education         

-              University degree in related field

Work Experience and/or Demonstrated Abilities            

-              At least four years of demonstrated working experience relevant to law, rule of law and/or judicial system

-              Previous training experience in law is required

Skills

-              Excellent communication and training skills; good mentoring skills

-              Ability to handle multi-tasks and sensitive issues

-              Ability to deal with traumatized people in an effective and compassionate way

-              Computer literate

Language(s)      

-              Full working knowledge of Karen and good command of English, Burmese and Thai is essential

Other   

-              Knowledge of displaced person both in and outside camp situations

-              Awareness of political effect on quality of life

-              Able to travel regularly to the refugee camps and along the Thai –Myanmar border

HOW TO APPLY:

Application letter and most recent CV in English stating qualifications and experience should be submitted to the IRC Human Resources Department at Thailand.HR@rescue.org. Application deadline: 1 February 2017.

All applications will be treated confidentially and not returned. The IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, national origin, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, age, marital status or physical or mental disability. The IRC is an equal opportunity employer.