Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Justice Advisor Assistant

🎯 Role Definition

The Justice Advisor Assistant serves as the backbone of our justice sector reform initiatives. You're not just a support role; you're an integral part of a team dedicated to strengthening legal frameworks, improving access to justice, and promoting human rights. This position works directly with senior Justice Advisors, legal experts, and international and local partners to implement complex projects that have a real-world impact on people's lives. It’s a fantastic opportunity for someone passionate about law, international relations, and public policy to gain hands-on experience in a challenging and rewarding field, contributing directly to meaningful change.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Paralegal / Legal Intern
Program Assistant (NGO / International Development)
Recent Graduate (Law, International Relations, Public Policy)

Advancement To:

Justice Advisor / Rule of Law Specialist
Program Officer / Project Manager
Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Officer

Lateral Moves:

Policy Analyst
Grants and Contracts Coordinator
Communications Specialist (Justice Sector Focus)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Provide comprehensive administrative, logistical, and technical support to the Senior Justice Advisor and the broader justice sector reform team.
Conduct in-depth legal and policy research on topics related to judicial reform, criminal justice, access to justice, anti-corruption, and human rights.
Draft, edit, and proofread a wide range of documents, including legal analyses, technical reports, briefing notes, concept papers, and official correspondence.
Assist in the planning, coordination, and execution of project activities, such as workshops, trainings, conferences, and high-level stakeholder meetings.
Prepare meeting agendas, background materials, and presentations; attend meetings and take detailed minutes, meticulously tracking action items and follow-ups.
Support the development and implementation of project work plans, ensuring activities are on schedule and aligned with strategic objectives.
Contribute to the project's monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework by collecting, verifying, and analyzing performance data against key indicators.
Assist in the preparation of regular programmatic reports (weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual) for internal management, donors, and government counterparts.
Maintain and organize project documentation, including legal records, technical deliverables, and administrative files, ensuring a comprehensive and accessible repository.
Facilitate communication and maintain strong working relationships with key stakeholders, including government officials, judicial personnel, civil society organizations, and international partners.
Provide logistical support for international and local consultants, including coordinating travel arrangements, scheduling, and preparing detailed briefing materials.
Monitor national and international developments, legislation, and policy changes relevant to the justice sector and the project's objectives, providing timely summaries.
Assist in drafting and reviewing scopes of work (SOWs) and terms of reference (TORs) for short-term consultants and subcontractors.
Support the financial management of project activities, including tracking expenses, processing payments, and assisting with budget forecasting and reconciliation.
Contribute to the development of communication materials, such as success stories, newsletters, and website content, to highlight project achievements and impact.
Translate key documents and provide informal interpretation during meetings or workshops between English and the local language, as required.
Support the procurement of goods and services necessary for project activities, ensuring full compliance with organizational and donor regulations.
Assist in conducting needs assessments, stakeholder analyses, and baseline studies to inform program design and adaptive management.
Help organize and maintain a comprehensive contacts database of key partners, government officials, and experts in the justice sector.
Respond to information requests from project staff, headquarters, donors, and partners in a timely, accurate, and professional manner.
Participate in the review and analysis of draft legislation, regulations, and policies, providing initial comments and summaries for senior staff.
Support the mainstreaming of cross-cutting themes such as gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) throughout all project activities and reporting.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc research requests and rapid analysis on emerging justice sector issues and political developments.
Contribute to brainstorming sessions for new project proposals and the organization's broader rule of law strategy.
Collaborate with operational teams (finance, logistics, security) to ensure programmatic needs are met efficiently and in compliance with policy.
Participate in regular team meetings, strategic planning sessions, and agile project management processes to ensure cohesive teamwork and adaptive programming.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Legal Research and Analysis: Demonstrated ability to use legal databases (e.g., Westlaw, LexisNexis), analyze statutes, and synthesize complex legal information.
Technical Writing and Drafting: Superior ability to produce clear, concise, and accurate reports, memos, and formal legal or programmatic documents.
Project Management Support: Familiarity with the project life cycle, work plan development, and basic Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) principles.
Data Collection & Analysis: Basic skills in collecting and analyzing both qualitative and quantitative data for reporting and program improvement.
Microsoft Office Suite: Advanced proficiency in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook for creating professional documents, spreadsheets, and presentations.
Event Coordination: Proven ability to organize logistics for meetings, workshops, and conferences, from planning to execution.
Budget Tracking: Basic understanding of financial tracking, expense reporting, and financial compliance principles.

Soft Skills

Interpersonal & Cross-Cultural Communication: Excellent verbal and written skills with the ability to build rapport and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues and partners from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds.
Analytical and Critical Thinking: Strong capacity to analyze complex situations, identify key issues and underlying assumptions, and propose sound solutions.
Organizational & Time Management: Meticulous attention to detail and a proven ability to manage multiple competing tasks and deadlines effectively in a fast-paced environment.
Adaptability and Resilience: Capacity to thrive in a dynamic, often changing work environment and handle ambiguity with a positive, problem-solving mindset.
Proactivity and Initiative: A self-starter attitude with the ability to work independently with minimal supervision and take ownership of assigned tasks.
Discretion and Professionalism: Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with the utmost integrity and uphold the highest standards of professional ethics.
Teamwork and Collaboration: A genuine team player who actively contributes to a positive and collaborative work environment.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's Degree

Preferred Education:

Master's Degree or Juris Doctor (J.D.) / Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.)

Relevant Fields of Study:

Law / Pre-Law
International Relations / International Development
Political Science / Public Policy
Human Rights

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 1-3 years of relevant professional experience.

Preferred:
Experience working in a legal setting (paralegal, legal intern), for a non-governmental organization (NGO), an international organization (e.g., UN, development agency), or a government body. Direct experience supporting rule of law, justice sector reform, or human rights projects, particularly in a developing or post-conflict context, is highly desirable.