Thailand Legal Assistance Center Manager

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.

Background: Since 2005, IRC, in collaboration with UNHCR, is implementing an innovative project to promote the rule of law and improve access to justice in refugee camps along the Thai-Burmese border. The project seeks to enhance legal services provision for Burmese refugees in Thailand through legal counseling for individual cases, information dissemination, and capacity building of community leaders, camp-based justice officials, CBOs, community members and Thai officials.

Scope: The Legal Assistance Center (LAC) Manager – Tak Province directly manages and provides technical support to all LAC staff on the implementation of the project in the Tak project camps (Mae La, Umpiem Mai, and Nupo camps), including: legal counselling and case facilitation services; training, capacity building and information dissemination among refugees and local stakeholders on protection and access to justice issues; a range of camp capacity building initiatives; and a range of RTG engagement and research and advocacy initiatives (ensuring close integration of all aspects of the project’s work in all sites, with special attention paid to the Tak camps). In addition, the Manager performs a key liaison role in establishing and developing linkages and good community relations between the LAC project, community beneficiaries, CBOs, NGOs, Thai authorities, Thai civil society organizations and other related organizations in Tak Province as well as donors.

Responsibilities: • Directly manage the implementation of the project in the three Tak project camps, ensuring integration of all project activity amongst the camps. • Oversee the daily management and administration of the office, including management of all LAC staff in Tak Province and in cooperation with the LAC Coordinator, LAC Program Advisor, and other LAC management, participate in LAC staff, volunteer and intern selection, hiring, promotion and dismissal process. • Work with the LAC Coordinator, LAC Program Advisor, and LAC Manager from other sites to develop, maintain, and ensure compliance with LAC plans, strategies and policies. • Directly manage budget spending in Tak Province in discussion with the LAC Coordinator and LAC Program Advisor • With the support of the LAC Coordinator, LAC Program Advisor, and other LAC Managers assess and document the protection environment and refugee justice practices in the Tak camps and coordinate closely with the UNHCR field office in Tak and other relevant stakeholders to relay information on developments in the protection situation in the camps and to refer serious cases for action in the Thai justice system or other venues. • Work with the LAC Coordinator, LAC Program Advisor, and LAC Manager to participate in the identification of areas for research and advocacy for the LAC project in all project camps. • Work with the LAC Coordinator and other LAC Managers to design and implement capacity building for LAC staff and camp based assistants. • Support project dialogue and interaction with all project stakeholders, including central Royal Thai Government, donors (all in partnership with the LAC Coordinator and Senior Protection Coordinator), and lead dialogue and interaction with provincial RTG officials, refugee leadership and justice bodies, Thai and refugee civil society organizations, and NGOs, as well as other IRC programs at the field level. • Assist the LAC Coordinator in representing LAC to provincial officials, at relevant working groups, to local stakeholders, and to other designated meetings, conferences, and workshops as needed. • Perform other duties as requested by supervisor and other senior management.

Requirements: • Graduate or Advanced degree in law. • At least 4 years of international experience, preferably in developing countries or refugee situations. • At least 2 years of comprehensive project management and coordination experience, including in protection and access to justice related programming. • Experience in organizational development and capacity building. • Proven ability and significant experience in managing a diverse and highly skilled program team in a cross-cultural setting. • Excellent communications, negotiation, decision making and administrative skills. • Ability to handle multi-task and sensitive issues • Ability to travel • Computer literate

Specific Security Situation/Housing: Full accompanied

How to apply:

Please apply online: www.ircjobs.org or http://tbe.taleo.net/NA2/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=IRC&cws=1&rid=7509 .