The Assistant Legal Officer will provide support to the legal team by conducting research, reviewing policies, and assessing legal frameworks with a focus on health, education, policy and human rights law.
The role requires a keen interest in policy development, legal research, and analysis of laws and policies relating to health, education, human rights, social justice, and related areas.
The candidate will contribute to projects that review and shape laws and policies to align with best practices and international human rights standards.
Responsibilities
Legal Research:
Conduct in-depth legal research on national and international laws, policies, and best practices, particularly related to health, international development and human rights
Review existing legal frameworks and policies to assess compliance with human rights standards
Assist in the identification of gaps in existing policies and suggest areas for reform
Policy Review & Analysis:
Analyse laws, regulations, and policies, with an emphasis on their impact on development and human rights
Draft reports, briefs, and legal opinions on policy implications and legal reforms
Support the development of new policy proposals that align with human rights principles
Human Rights Advocacy:
Assist in the preparation of advocacy materials aimed at advancing human rights legislation or challenging existing legal frameworks
Monitor and document human rights violations and provide legal analysis to support advocacy
Corporate Governance:
Assist in ensuring the organization complies with statutory obligations, governance policies, and internal controls.
Support the legal team in board meeting preparations, board documents and minutes and general board support
Legal Documentation:
Support the drafting of legal documents, contracts and policy papers
Assist in reviewing legal submissions to ensure they meet required standards
Stakeholder Engagement:
Liaise with external stakeholders, including human rights organizations, government agencies, and international bodies, to gather information and collaborate on legal and policy reforms
Attend relevant meetings, forums, and workshops to represent the legal team and gather insights on emerging issues
Data Protection and Privacy Compliance
Support the implementation of the Nigeria Data Protection Act and other applicable privacy laws across organisational projects.
Assist in reviewing data processing activities for compliance with applicable data protection requirements.
Support the preparation and maintenance of Records of Processing Activities (ROPAS), privacy notices, consent documentation and other privacy compliance records.
Assist in conducting Privacy Threshold Assessments (PTAs), Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAS) and Legitimate Interest Assessments (LIAS), as needed.
Monitor developments in data protection laws and emerging regulatory guidance relevant to SCIDAR's operations.
General Legal Support:
Provide administrative and legal support to the legal team as needed
Assist in preparing materials for legal training sessions or presentations
Stay updated on emerging human rights trends and legislative changes
Provide risk advisory services to ensure prevention, identification and mitigation of legal risks
Required Competencies
Core requirements
Demonstrated interest in policy review and development, research and human rights advocacy;
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex information in a clear and concise manner;
Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team;
Strong attention to detail and commitment to upholding high ethical standards;
Compelling evidence of interest in and commitment to the mission of SCIDaR;
Fast learner, open to learning from peers, subordinates, and supervisors collaboratively and at a rapid pace.
Ability to synthesise complex legal issues into practical recommendations.
Basic understanding of data protection and privacy laws.
Strong organisational and document management skills.
Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
Excellent time management and prioritisation skills.
Education and Experience
Bachelor's degree in Law (LLB) and BL
Demonstrated experience in preparing reports, documenting findings into research papers or publications;