SENIOR LITIGATION OFFICER
Deadline: 15th January, 2024
PURPOSE OF THE POSITION
Provide legal support (advisory, research and litigation) to all the three organizational domain areas;
food, agriculture and land justice.
To conduct strategic litigation activities for the organization in the areas of adequate food, sustainable
agrifood systems, seed and land in Uganda and East Africa.
To conduct probono litigation activities for the organization clients in the areas of the right to
adequate food realization, sustainable agrifood systems, seed and land in Uganda and East Africa
including probono services.
Legally empower duty bearers and rights holders to facilitate legal & policy advocacy, social
accountability & mobilization.
Advance a human right- based approach to food, nutrition, trade and land systems.
Conduct legal research and advisory functions for the three organizational domain areas; food,
agriculture and land justice.
SCOPE
The position is key to CEFROHT’s ability to advance social justice in; food, agriculture, and land
systems. It aims to create an enabling legal and policy environment that promotes, respects and
guarantees economic rights, the right to food, nutrition and health in the food, agriculture and land
systems. The Litigation Officer’s role therefore will be; To conduct legal action research and to offer
legal advisory on all issues of land rights (especially for women), economic rights, the right to
adequate food for all, agroecology, nutrition and health as well as define rights to adequate food,
health rights and economic rights, as well as redress to violations of such rights through both strategic
and pro-bono litigation. Conduct social accountability and legal empowerment among duty bearers
and rights holders to advance human rights principles in food, nutrition, health, trade and land
systems as well as contribute to successful management of litigation program
This position reports to the Director Quality Assurance
Key Result Areas:
Social Justice & Litigation:
-Organizing social justice programs and activities in accordance with the mission and goals of
the organization
– Identify the areas and circumstances where CEFROHT can cause social change in society
though strategic litigation.
– Organize and align trainings for lawyers and judicial officers in accordance to national
institutional settings.
– Organize legal moots and case surgeries with legal experts for legal reforms and cases for the
right to adequate food including access to land.
– Ensure efficient judicial support services to the judicial offices for the agrifood systems legal
and policy frameworks.
– Attend court and provide assistance prior to and during the court hearing sessions in
cooperation with the Court Officers and provide a team spirit to other legal teams;
– Formulate internal policies and directives for social justice and strategic litigation program.
-Provide legal advice to vulnerable community groups on issues of; food, land, nutrition,
health and economic rights as and when required;
– Conduct legal research and generate concrete evidence to support or facilitate meaningful
dialogues with duty bearers and/or court cases.
– Legally empower duty bearers and rights holders to facilitate legal & policy advocacy, social
accountability & mobilization.
– Promote human rights principles in food, nutrition, health, trade and investment systems.
-Develop appropriate legal partnerships and collaborations, and provide advice to the
Director Quality Assurance related to the operationalization of those partnerships and
collaborations.
-Draft the relevant pleadings and ensure that court process and other documents are served
on time.
– Develop legal strategies to cause effective litigation in courts of law for food, land and
agriculture.
Programme Planning, Management and Implementation
- Provide leadership in the development of strategic plans and budgets for Social Justice &
Litigation program. - Provide leadership to the Programme Team towards achieving the objectives of the
program. - Review and ensure alignment of program priorities, strategies and plans to the
organizational strategies, plans and campaigns. - Support the Executive Director and the Senior Management Team to lead the
development of both strategic and operational plans and planning guidelines for social
justice and strategic ltigation in agrifood systems. - Ensure programme activities are grounded, strongly inter linked, and consolidated with
organizational management frameworks and its strategic objectives. - Ensure quality implementation of all projects under Social Justice & Litigation program.
- Ensure learning and results are documented by the programme team in the most
effective way demonstrating value for money. - Collaborate with research and grant department to respond to potential funding
opportunities.
Program Reviews, Monitoring, Evaluation, Program Learning and Reporting. - Ensure close monitoring of the program work in the field to ensure alignment and
contribution to organization’s strategy, monitor flow of information and systemic
documentation of quantitative and qualitative achievements in the field and lessons
learned.
- Ensure quality and timely submission of quarterly and annual or required Programme
and Project Performance Reports as per desired standards and guidelines. - Ensure compliance of approved Programme and Project plans.
- Promote evidence-based learning and the agenda of advancing legal empowerment and
social accountability for the realisation of the right to adequate food in Uganda and
East Africa. - Represent the organization in various delegated programme-related knowledge sharing
and learning forums for the benefit and in conformity with the organisations’ strategic
objectives. - Track trends in contemporary development programming and programme
management practices, document and provide advice/ recommendations on key
developments to senior management team.
Human Resource - Be a team player to program team members and work to promote the program and
organization strategic objectives - Ensure an enabling and empowering work environment and team building in compliance to
CEFROHT‘s values, principles and attitude. - Ensure that performance records are submitted to HR on time
Key Performance Indicators
To facilitate tracking of the job holder’s performance during the year, the following performance
indicators have been identified and agreed upon:
- Plan of activities of litigation program
- Petitions and affidavits are adequate and appropriate, and hard copies of the same kept under
safe custody. - Existence of policy briefs and model laws under the three domains of; human capital
development, food safety and health as well as trade and investment - Follow-up plan of activities on; court proceedings, judgments and communications.
- Plan of communication activities on litigation program including press release.
- Plan of activities on legal empowerment and advisory towards; vulnerable groups, local
governments, policy makers & CSOs that takes human rights into consideration. - Plan of activities on legal policy advocacy and social accountability
- Plan of activities on partnership and collaboration activities under social justice and litigation
program. - Performance results on cases filed in courts.
- Plan of activities on building staff’s capacity in legal and human rights issues.
- Reports on activity monitoring.
- Program monthly, quarterly and annual reports
- Documentation of litigation success stories, recommendations, and results
Essentials
– At least a first-level university degree in law and diploma in legal practice.
-Must have a practicing certificate of law in Uganda
Competencies:
-Professionalism: Litigation procedures. Effective court documents Drafting skills. Litigation
skills-presentation and art of persuasion. Excellent writing skills and legal research. Understands
the Huma Rights Based approach and the food systems approach. Understands the procedures
under the Human Rights Enforcements Act and the judicial review procedures. In-depth
knowledge of social, economic rights and related legal frameworks at international and domestic
level.
-Must have legal analytical skills, discretion and sound judgment in problem-solving; demonstrated
planning and organizational skills; ability to draft legal and policy papers and work under pressure.
– Must show pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and
mastery of legal concepts of social and economic rights; is conscientious and efficient in meeting
commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than
personal concerns; critical thinking; uses emotional intelligence. Understands and takes
responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of
women and men in all areas of work.
-Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; a listener; and with ability to correctly
interpret messages. Must have correct perception and strategic communication (which may
include exhibiting interest in having two-way communication; tailor language, tone, style and
format to match audience); demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people
informed.
– Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by
genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda
before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when
such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and
accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
– Managing Performance: Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-
making authority, makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff
member, accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and
matches task to skill, monitors progress against milestones and deadlines.
– Sound knowledge in legal environment in which CEFROHT’s work are operating at local,
national, regional and international level.
– Understanding project cycle management.
– Excellent understanding of partnerships and donor strategies as well as governmental and
international relations in the country.
– Strong knowledge of M&E methodology, quality assurance.
Essential skills:
– Leadership and management
– Strategic thinking
-Excellent presentation, communications and negotiation
– Networking, influencing and interpersonal
– Crisis management and conflict resolution
– Planning, organization, time management, and coordination
Ability:
-Work on own initiative with minimum supervision and to stay on task.
-Work under pressure and tight deadlines