Legal Aid Specialist

Who are we?

In 2003, DRC became one of the first organisations to provide humanitarian assistance in the country. Today, DRC continues to provide humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable displacement-affected families, including IDPs, returnees, and host communities in Basra, Baqubah, Jalawla, Gatoon, Baghdad, Muqdadiya, Balad, Aziz Balad, Duhok, Tel Afar, Baa’j, Sinjar, and Erbil.

Find more about DRC operations in Iraq here: Iraq | DRC Danish Refugee Council

Danish Refugee Council, one of the world’s leading humanitarian NGOs, is currently looking for a highly qualified Legal Aid Specialist.

 

Overall purpose of the role: 

The Legal Aid Specialist ensures the overall technical quality and oversight of the planning, implementation and follow up of DRC and partners’ legal aid activities (legal information provision, counselling, assistance and representation). Under the supervision of the Protection Coordinator, the role holder provides capacity development and technical oversight of legal aid activities, and contributes to strengthening of DRC’s legal aid portfolio and strategy. The role-holder develops and maintains good relations with relevant stakeholders to support adequate implementation and coordination of DRC’s protection activities. 

 

Responsibilities:

Programming & Operations 

• Ensure the successful delivery of high-quality legal aid to people of concern of different ages (youth, adults and older persons), gender (men and women) and abilities (including persons with disabilities).  
• Provide technical support to Protection Officers (Legal) and Protection Assistants (Legal), ensure that all activities are implemented in accordance with SOPs, DRC protection standards and the most up-to-date legal procedures in Iraq. 
• Remain up-to-date on legal procedure and policy developments (consolidating inputs from Legal team and stakeholders), update team guideline documents as needed. 
• Facilitate the cases referred internally from DRC, externally from other agencies (including CCI cases), allocate those cases among Legal Officers and provide feedback to referring agency; refer cases externally to legal partners working in areas out of DRC’s area of operation. 
• Coach Protection Officers (legal) by providing technical guidance on legal procedures, policy and judgements, as well as based on DRC guidance notes and best practices.  
• Provide feedback to the Protection Team Leader - on technical gaps in the thematic area of DRC programming, identifying legal aid gaps and opportunities for program growth.  
• Ensure Protection team is regularly reviewing approach and opportunities (including through regular outreach) to identify vulnerable people (reaching all AGD groups) in need of legal aid. 
• Organize community consultations / legal assessments to identify community legal needs. 
• Provide feedback to the protection team leader on technical gaps, protection tools and the capacity building needs of the Protection Team - Legal. Provide support to the Project manager on capacity building activities where necessary. 
• Responsible for recruitment of legal staff and monitor timely induction and capacity building of newly recruited Legal Team members to ensure quality and accountability. 
• Conduct legal case review and supervision; ensure team updates and maintains legal case files, legal database and legal tracker (or other IM tools), following DRC Standard Operating Procedures and ensuring clients’ data and confidentiality are protected. 
• Review weekly and monthly work plan for Legal staff, including standardized circuit schedule for mobile activities/legal outreach to ensure timely implementation legal aid activities and follow-up on achievement or protection project targets. 
• Support the implementation of monitoring and evaluation tools; support analysis of legal data and report on issues in the implementation of the program. 

Coordination and representation 

• Develop and maintain effective working relationship with relevant stakeholders including court entities and civil affairs directorates (CAD), community leaders and service providers. 
• Represent DRC at meetings and other relevant technical coordination meetings such as Legal Task force, HLP sub-cluster, or other relevant coordination fora. 
• Collaborate with relevant internal and external technical experts in the development of evidence-based legal advocacy, protection reports, guidance notes and capacity building materials. 
• Ensure integration with other DRC sectors, including economic recovery, shelter and infrastructure and Humanitarian Mine Action. 
• Advocate for the needs of vulnerable individuals both internally and through coordination mechanisms through evidence-based advocacy. 

Logistics/Finance 

• Support Team Leader – Protection with project planning including work plans, procurement and budget management for the activities under his/her supervisions.  
• Ensure the approved payment procedure for legal fees (with the required supporting documentation) is followed by all team members. 
• Initiate relevant procurements and ensure their execution. 
• Support the monitoring of financial commitments and expenditures against budgets and provide timely feedback on budget follow-up. 
• Plan and coordinate proactively logistics and movements of staff from and to different operational areas                                    

Other 

• Ensure compliance with DRC guidelines and policies on HR, admin, finance, and supply. 
• Ensure adherence to DRC national staff policy guidelines and Code of Conduct. 
• Ensure compliance with DRC AGD policy and AGD programmatic minimum standards. 
• Ensuring compliance with the zero-tolerance to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse policy.  
• Perform any other relevant tasks as requested by line manager. 

 

Experience and Technical Competencies:

• Minimum 3 years of experience in a similar role in the field of law or protection, particularly within the field of migrant/IDP/refugee protection.
• Demonstrated experience in coordinating with and supporting national and local authorities as well as humanitarian coordination forums.
• Ability to work effectively and efficiently in an independent manner.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize, meet deadlines and adapt in a complex and challenging environment.
• Experience with capacity building of staff and different stakeholders.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to establish effective and working relations with staff members and other stakeholders.

Education: Degree in Law, Human Rights or other relevant field.

Languages:

• Arabic (fluent)
• English (good)
• Kurdish (desirable)

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’s five core competencies: 

1. Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process. 
2. Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback. 
3. Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation. 
4. Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly. 
5. Demonstrating integrity: Upholding and promoting the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to DRC’s values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.
    

We offer

• Contract length: until 30 April 2027
• Position Band: G.2 (Non-management)
• Suggested start date:15 May 2026
• Duty station: Ninewa / Diyala / Erbil
• Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for Nationals.

 

Application process

Interested to apply? All applicants must upload a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages) in English. Applications sent by email will not be considered.

Closing date for applications: 5 May 2026

For further information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult our website drc.ngo

Apply Now