Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Justice Advisor

🎯 Role Definition

Are you a passionate legal professional with a drive to strengthen the rule of law and promote human rights on a global scale? We are looking to hire a strategic and experienced Justice Advisor to join our dynamic team. In this critical role, you will be the cornerstone of our justice sector reform programs, providing high-level technical expertise and strategic guidance to government partners, civil society organizations, and international stakeholders. You will design, implement, and oversee complex projects aimed at enhancing judicial independence, improving court administration, combating corruption, and expanding access to justice for vulnerable and marginalized populations. If you are a thought leader with a proven track record in complex political environments and a commitment to creating lasting change, we encourage you to apply.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Rule of Law Officer or Specialist
Senior Policy Analyst (Justice/Legal)
Human Rights Lawyer / Advocate
Senior Legal Counsel in a government or international body

Advancement To:

Senior Justice Advisor / Chief of Party
Director of Rule of Law and Governance
Regional Justice Director
Head of Policy and Legal Reform

Lateral Moves:

Corrections or Penal Reform Advisor
Police Reform and Accountability Advisor
Gender and Social Inclusion (GESI) in Justice Specialist
Senior Anti-Corruption Advisor

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Provide high-level technical leadership and strategic advice to government counterparts, including Ministries of Justice, judiciaries, and prosecution services, on a wide range of justice sector reform issues.
Design, manage, and implement complex, multi-year rule of law projects, ensuring all activities are aligned with project goals, donor requirements, and international best practices.
Conduct comprehensive legal, political, and institutional analyses of the justice sector to identify key challenges, opportunities for reform, and strategic entry points for intervention.
Lead the development and drafting of new legislation, regulations, and justice sector policies in close collaboration with national stakeholders to strengthen legal frameworks.
Develop and deliver specialized training, mentoring, and capacity-building programs for judges, prosecutors, defense lawyers, court administrators, and other justice system actors.
Foster and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders, including senior government officials, civil society leaders, international donors, and UN agencies.
Oversee the project’s monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) framework to track progress, measure impact, and adapt programming in response to changing contexts and lessons learned.
Author and co-author technical reports, policy briefs, academic articles, and donor progress reports that articulate project achievements, challenges, and strategic recommendations.
Advise on the integration of international human rights standards and principles, including gender equality and social inclusion, across all justice sector reform activities.
Provide expert guidance on enhancing court administration, case management systems, and judicial performance to reduce backlogs and improve the efficiency and transparency of justice delivery.
Lead efforts to strengthen formal and informal access to justice mechanisms, particularly for women, minorities, and other marginalized or vulnerable communities.
Develop and implement innovative anti-corruption and accountability strategies within the justice sector, including support for judicial ethics commissions and internal oversight bodies.
Supervise and mentor a team of national and international staff and consultants, providing clear direction and fostering a culture of technical excellence and collaboration.
Represent the organization at high-level national and international forums, conferences, and coordination meetings to share expertise and promote the project's objectives.
Provide expert advice on specialized justice topics such as transitional justice, alternative dispute resolution (ADR), juvenile justice, and restorative justice, as required by the program context.

Secondary Functions

Contribute expert technical input for the development of new project proposals and business development opportunities in the governance and justice sector.
Support the development of internal knowledge management products, such as toolkits and best practice guides, to institutionalize learning across the organization.
Review and provide quality assurance on technical deliverables, research products, and external communications produced by the project team.
Engage in regular political and security analysis to inform programmatic risk management and ensure the safety and effectiveness of project activities.
Facilitate dialogue and build consensus among competing justice sector institutions and civil society groups to advance a common reform agenda.
Mentor junior staff and local partners, fostering the next generation of rule of law leaders and strengthening local capacity for sustainable change.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Legal and Institutional Analysis: Deep expertise in assessing justice sector institutions, legal frameworks, and political economy dynamics.
Project Design and Management: Proven ability to design and manage large-scale, donor-funded justice reform projects (e.g., USAID, FCDO, UN).
Policy Development and Legislative Drafting: Demonstrable experience in advising on and contributing to the drafting of laws, policies, and regulations.
Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL): Proficiency in developing and implementing MEL frameworks to measure the impact of rule of law programs.
Capacity Building and Training: Skill in designing and delivering effective training and mentorship to senior legal professionals and government officials.
International Human Rights Law: In-depth knowledge of international and regional human rights treaties, standards, and their application in domestic legal systems.
Budget and Financial Management: Experience managing complex project budgets and ensuring compliance with donor financial regulations.

Soft Skills

Stakeholder Engagement and Diplomacy: Exceptional ability to build trust and navigate sensitive relationships with high-level government officials, diplomats, and civil society leaders.
Cross-Cultural Communication: Superior communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively and respectfully in diverse cultural and political settings.
Strategic Thinking: The capacity to see the bigger picture, identify long-term trends, and develop innovative solutions to complex, systemic problems.
Adaptability and Resilience: Proven ability to thrive in challenging, fast-paced, and often insecure or post-conflict environments.
Leadership and Mentorship: Strong ability to lead and inspire teams, mentor colleagues, and build the capacity of local partners.
Negotiation and Conflict Resolution: Advanced skills in facilitating dialogue, building consensus, and mediating among parties with conflicting interests.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Advanced degree (Master's, LL.M.) in law, international relations, public policy, or a related discipline.

Preferred Education:

Juris Doctor (J.D.), Ph.D. in a relevant field, or equivalent terminal degree in law.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Law
International Human Rights Law
Public Administration / Policy
Political Science
International Development

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

A minimum of 8-12 years of progressively responsible professional experience in justice sector reform, rule of law, or human rights.

Preferred:

Significant experience working in developing, transitional, or post-conflict countries providing direct technical assistance to justice sector institutions.
Proven track record managing large-scale projects funded by major international donors such as USAID, the U.S. Department of State, FCDO, the EU, or the UN.
Direct experience advising on court administration, case management, and judicial performance improvement.
Fluency in a second language relevant to the region of operation (e.g., French, Spanish, Arabic) is highly desirable.