Legal Officer October 2025 - International Rescue Committee

Legal Officer

International Rescue Committee (IRC)

Job Type

Full Time

Location

Borno

Experience

Mid Level

Salary

Negotiable

Additional Details

302

views

Application Deadline

27 September 2025, 12:00 AM WAT (Expired)

Job Description

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Legal Officer

  • Job ID: req58584
  • Location: Gwoza, Borno
  • Sector: Protection and rule of law
  • Job Type: Full Time

Job Summary

The Legal Officer oversees all IRC legal activities in Adamawa State, Northeast Nigeria, providing technical guidance to PRoL staff to ensure quality legal counseling and information.

The role ensures the human rights protection of men, women, boys, and girls, including persons with disabilities, assisting them in accessing justice while mitigating protection risks. Additionally, the Legal Officer maintains strong relationships with legal authorities.

Under supervision of the Outcomes Manager (Safety), the Legal Officer will serve as key person to implement legal assistance activities along the displacement routes and provide evidence base to inform needs of affected population for program adjustment and advocacy.

 

Major Responsibilities

Program Management, Technical Quality, and Strategy:

  • Program Quality Assurance and Implementation: - Support the PRoL Team and local partners to develop and implement legal information, counselling and assistance activities. Ensure continuous update of the service map of Justice actors and legal services in Adamawa State, Northeast Nigeria. Ensure referrals are made to justice actors (Nigeria Bar Association, FIDA, National Human Rights Commission, Legal Aid Counsel, Borno Amicable settlement corridor etc.) and received in a safe way and according to the SOPs, and that referrals received are followed-up and that the referral tracker is updated. Produce clear legal content on legal information and procedures, to be distributed to conflict-affected people. Monitor spending related to activities are on track and timely inform PRoL Management for budget adjustment need
  • Stakeholder Engagement and Advocacy: Cultivate strong partnerships with government entities, donors, and other stakeholders to advocate for the safety and legal rights protection of clients in Adamawa State. Engage in strategic advocacy efforts to raise awareness of key protection issues and mobilize support for program initiatives that prioritize their needs and rights. Constantly look for contacts within authorities and key humanitarian stakeholders and update the contact trackers
  • Partnership Development and Capacity Building: Drive the establishment of strategic partnerships with local organizations and community structures to enhance the delivery of legal rights information. Provide targeted capacity-building support to partners, strengthening their ability to implement and sustain effective protection interventions that benefit women, girls, boys, and vulnerable populations.
  • Team Leadership and Talent Development: Provide visionary leadership to PRoL officers, Assistants and Incentive workers, fostering a culture of excellence, innovation, and collaboration. Invest in the professional development of staff through ongoing training, coaching, and mentorship initiatives, empowering them to deliver high-quality services to women, girls, boys, and vulnerable populations.
  • Reporting, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL): Work closely with the Protection Team and the MEAL team to create and update reporting tools. Support the Outcome Manager in data analysis related to legal needs and to develop program reports related to donor requirement and program requirement
  • Coordination and Representation: Act as a strategic representative of IRC, actively engaging in coordination mechanisms and platforms at local, regional, and national levels to ensure the protection of the legal rights of clients by facilitating clients’ interests via protection discussions, advocating for inclusive and gender-sensitive approaches to programming that address their unique needs and vulnerabilitiesTop of Form.
  • Staff Performance Management, Learning & Development:
  • Supervise, mentor and build the of capacity of PROL Officers/ direct reports in relevant technical competencies including communicating clear expectations, setting annual performance objectives, providing regular and timely positive and constructive performance feedback, and providing documented semi-annual performance reviews.
  • Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable direct reports to successfully perform in their positions.
  • Approve and manage leave requests to ensure adequate departmental coverage; ensure monthly, accurate timesheet submission and carry out probationary reviews.
  • Hold high-quality meetings with each direct report on a regular and predictable basis, at least monthly.
  • As required, identify direct reports’ performance issues and work with Human Resources to document and address these in accordance with the National Staff Employment Policies.
  • Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions.
  • Promote and monitor staff care and well-being. Model healthy work-life balance practices. Support appropriate interventions in response to identified staff care needs of both national and international staff.
  • Look for opportunities to support direct reports in their career growth, where appropriate. As part of succession plan and nationalization goals, identify, train and develop capability and capacity of direct reports to successfully transition role and responsibilities, by the end of assignment.
  • Adhere to and act in accordance with the IRC Global HR Policies and Procedures and communicates through word and example a high standard of compliance with all applicable policies and regulations.

Requirements

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s Degree in law - LLB and BL (Candidate must be Called to the Nigerian Bar as a solicitor and advocate of the Nigerian Supreme Court)
  • Previous experience in Legal information, counselling and assistance.
  • At least 3 years of experience in humanitarian relief and or transitional programs in areas affected by large scale displacement due to conflict and chronic food and nutrition insecurity.
  • Strong communication skills including ability to gain trust and build relationships with new communities.
  • Experience in providing legal counselling and assistance.
  • Strong understanding of International Human Rights and Nigerian law as well as understand the Nigerian legal community.
  • Experience facilitating group activities, trainings and workshops and mentoring others.
  • Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
  • Demonstrated experience using international human rights standards in protection programming
  • Excellent communication skills, cultural sensitivity, flexibility, ability to improvise, team player.
  • Experience in using community-based and participatory approaches.
  • Experience in community mobilization and awareness creation.
  • Experience in protection Monitoring.
  • Experience in conducting protection case management and case intake including overseeing and managing of all legal cases and regularly review and follow up cases referral and other associated legal issues.
  • Experience in delivering information sessions on protection, human rights and entitlements and other legal issues as dictated by legal status and by the needs at field-level.
  • Experience in developing and delivering internal and external training for IRC staff, community members and other stakeholders on human rights and legal issues.
  • Demonstrated understanding of and ability to maintain confidentiality and respect for clients/beneficiaries.
  • Positive and professional attitude, including ability to lead and work well in a team setting as well as work independently.
  • High degree of flexibility and strong ability to organize work, meet deadlines, maintain composure, prioritize work under pressure, coordinate multiple tasks and maintain attention to detail.
  • Flexible and able to work in a dynamic and diverse environment.
  • Good cultural sensitivity, flexibility, ability to improvise, team player.
  • Demonstrated experience in program management, project design, use of project design tools and donor report writing.
  • Experience in working in remote and hard-to-reach areas with limited amenities.
  • Ability to live and productively work under stress and in insecure and harsh environments while maintaining a sense of humor.

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What is Thrive Campus Community about?

What is Thrive Campus Community about?

As a law student in Nigeria, you're no stranger to the grind. Late nights poring over case law, endless moot court preparations, and that nagging question: What comes next? With thousands of graduates emerging from Nigeria's 45 accredited law faculties and the Nigerian Law School each year, the competition for those elusive spots in top-tier law firms is fierce. But what if there was a way to not just survive, but thrive? Enter THRIVE, the game-changer from TechRetina Innovation Lab, designed to bridge the gap between ambitious law students like you and the wealth of opportunities waiting across Nigeria and beyond.In this comprehensive guide, we'll dive deep into the THRIVE Campus Community Programme, a transformative initiative tailored for Nigerian law students. Whether you're a 100-level fresher navigating your first torts lecture or a 500-level finalist eyeing bar finals and beyond, this programme equips you with the tools, networks, and mindset to build a stellar legal career. We'll cover everything: from THRIVE's core offerings to how the Campus Community works, the burning challenges it addresses, and, crucially, step-by-step instructions on how to join. Ready to level up? Let's get started.Why Thrive?THRIVE, from TechRetina Innovation Lab, empowers Nigerian law students with tools like a job portal for internship matches, CV/Resume Generator for standout CVs, law-related events, scholarship alerts, law games, plus undergrad mentorship with pros and paid internships, all rooted in values of excellence, integrity, inclusivity, innovation, and community. We tackle your core fears: job scarcity for 9,000+ yearly grads, rote curricula lacking exposures, resource shortages, and internship barriers, lack of scholarship information, and unclear career paths, among others. We are a dedicated platform specially built for law students and lawyers.The Nigerian Legal LandscapeUndergraduate law students in Nigeria grapple with profound career fears, including intense anxiety over post-graduation job scarcity amid a saturated market where thousands of annual graduates compete for limited spots in top firms, often leading many to abandon mainstream legal practice for unrelated fields due to mismatched skills and unclear pathways. This uncertainty is exacerbated by socioeconomic pressures and a demanding curriculum heavy on rote learning but light on practical skills for emerging areas such as tech law, fostering a pervasive dread of unemployability despite strong academic performance. Compounding these fears are glaring support issues: inadequate mentorship, with young lawyers struggling to acquire essential informal skills for professional integration, leaving students without guidance on niche selection or networking in a profession that values connections over credentials alone. Access to internships remains a nightmare, hindered by financial barriers, remote locations, and a lack of structured opportunities, delaying real-world exposure until late in one's degree. Programme Objectives: Your Roadmap to ThrivingThe THRIVE Campus Community isn't a one-off event; it's a sustained movement to:Raise awareness of THRIVE's resources among law students.Grant exclusive access to opportunities, training, and mentorship for standout legal careers.Embed THRIVE's presence in South-West Nigerian universities, empowering student ambassadors and supporting the community through several programmes, internships, funding support among others.Our ultimate mission? To see you, every law student, THRIVE.Scope: Where It's Happening FirstPhase One kicks off in six powerhouse universities across South-West Nigeria:University of Ibadan (UI)University of Lagos (UNILAG)Lagos State University (LASU)Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU)Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba (AAUA)University of Ilorin (UNILORIN)Each campus will host five ambassadors – one per level (100 to 500) with a regional brand rep!How to Join: Your Step-by-Step GuideGetting involved is straightforward, inclusive, and open to all law students at these universities. Here's how:1. Indicate Your InterestCreate an account on Thrive here. Ensure you proceed to your profile page and update your university details using either of the following: University of Ibadan (UI), University of Lagos (UNILAG), Lagos State University (LASU), Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba (AAUA), University of Ilorin (UNILORIN).2. Drive Referrals for Ambassador StatusOnce signed up, rally your mates! Share the link in faculty chats, WhatsApp groups, and social media. Make sure to invite people using your invite link. Get it from your profile page.Track your referrals, the student with the highest number per level (100–500) on each campus becomes the Level Ambassador for each level. This shows us you are willing to represent Thrive to support your level and there are super cool incentives for you.The top referrer across all South-West universities? That's your Regional Ambassador, extra perks await!3. Secure a RecommendationAfter the application closes in November, we will send an email to the students with the highest number of referrals per level for each school. If you get any email from us, approach your LSS (Law Students' Society) or LAWSAN (Law Students Association of Nigeria) President for a letter vouching for your leadership and engagement.This adds weight to your application, ensuring fairness and merit.4. Timeline to WatchWeeks 1–2: Partnerships with LSS/LAWSAN Presidents confirmed.Week 3: Applications open, fliers hit noticeboards, social media buzzes.Weeks 4–6: Submit and refer away!Week 7: Recommendations reviewed, ambassadors announced.Week 8: Receive your welcome kit.Week 9+: Dive into activities.Applications are merit-based, with inclusivity at the core, no level plays second fiddle.Awareness and Publicity: Spreading the WordWe're teaming up with LSS/LAWSAN Presidents for maximum reach. Expect:Digital fliers on Instagram, Twitter (X), and Telegram.Print versions pinned to faculty boards.Amplified shares in school groups, your Presidents are on board to hype it up. We have been in touch with them and we could see their passion to see you succeed!Perks for Ambassadors: What You Stand to GainAs an ambassador, you're not just repping THRIVE, you're investing in your future:Branded Merch: THRIVE T-shirt, water bottle, jotter, and pen, style meets utility.Exclusive Internships: Paid opportunities with THRIVE and partner firms, based on performance.Commitment Rewards: School fees scholarships for top performers.Event Invites: Priority access to trainings, webinars, and networking dos.Recognition: Certificates to boost your CV.For all community members? Seamless access to THRIVE's MVP tools, plus a supportive network.Planned Activities: Hands-On GrowthOnce you're in, the real fun begins. Expect a calendar packed with value:Mentorship for Postgraduate Scholarships: Guidance on overseas apps, essays, funding, and interviews.LSS/LAWSAN Support: Co-hosting moots, debates, and society events.Webinars Galore: Sessions on CV drafting, job hunting, personal branding, niche selection (e.g., fintech law), and career pivots.Competitions: Essay and public speaking showdowns with prizes.Workshops: Masterclasses on snagging competitive internships.Networking Events: Fireside chats with seniors from top firms.Career Fairs: On-campus expos linking you to recruiters.Thrive Courses: Free modules on everything from NYSC prep to legal tech.These aren't lectures – they're interactive, practical, and Nigeria-focused.What We Expect: A Two-Way StreetFrom Ambassadors and Community Members:Dedication, accountability and willingness to succeed!Promote via socials and referrals.Organise and participate in career activities.Use and showcase THRIVE tools like the Legal Connections Game.Offer feedback for continuous improvement.Embody our values as brand reps.Conclusion: Your Time to Thrive is NowThe THRIVE Campus Community Programme isn't hype, it's a lifeline for Nigeria's next generation of legal eagles. In a sector ripe for disruption, it arms you with resources to sidestep the scramble and soar. Sign up now and update your university details in the profile section.

Thrive Admin
Oct 11
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