Senior Legal Advisor at the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) - African Union (AU)

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is a specialized technical institution of the African Union established to support public health initiatives of Member States and strengthen the capacity of their public health institutions to detect, prevent, control and respond quickly and effectively to disease threats.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Senior Legal Advisor - Saving Lives and Livelihoods Programme

Location: HQ - Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Grade: AUP3 Step 1
Supervisor: Programme Manager – Saving Lives and Livelihoods

Background Information

• The African Union, established as a unique Pan African continental body, is charged with spearheading Africa’s rapid integration and sustainable development by promoting unity, solidarity, cohesion and cooperation among the peoples of Africa and African States as well as developing a new partnership worldwide. Its Headquarters is located in Addis Ababa, capital city of Ethiopia.
• The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) was officially launched in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on January 31, 2017. The Africa CDC is Africa’s first continent-wide public health agency and envisions a safer, healthier, integrated and stronger Africa, where Member States are capable of effectively responding to outbreaks of infectious diseases and other public health threats. The agency mission is to strengthen Africa’s public health institutions’ capabilities to detect and respond quickly and effectively to disease outbreaks and other health burdens through an integrated network of continent-wide preparedness and response, surveillance, laboratory, and research programmes.
• Africa CDC has been at the forefront of the continent’s fight against the pandemic. The agency has set a goal to vaccinate 60 percent the continent’s population before the end of 2024. To achieve this ambitious and critical goal, the Africa CDC and the Mastercard Foundation are launching “Saving Lives and Livelihoods,” “partnership for COVID-19 Vaccination in Africa.” The planned Saving Lives and Livelihoods partnership is a unique initiative due to its scope and scale, the critical topics it focuses on, as well as the way it will be governed.

Job Description Summary

• The Senior Legal Advisor will provide legal advisory services to the Africa CDC staff, The Saving Lives and Livelihoods Programme (SLL), and Regional Collaborating Centres (RCC).

Major Duties and Responsibilities
The Senior Legal Advisor shall:

• Draft legal texts and memoranda to ensure that the interests of the Saving Lives and Livelihoods are protected, ideals of the African Union are not compromised and offer advice on issues and disputes that may arise from their application;
• Provide senior legal services to the Saving Lives and Livelihoods Programme to ensure legality in decision-making and compliance with the AU rules and regulations;
• Liaise with relevant Africa CDC Divisions and assist in drafting and validating Legal frameworks;
• Conduct legal research and offer legal opinions on matters raised by Africa CDC;
• Review and assist in drafting administrative contracts and agreements such as Memorandums of Understanding, Grant Agreements, Letters of Agreements, contracts of engagement of personnel, consultants and contracts awarded for the procurement of goods or services;
• Participate in meetings of relevant legal nature on behalf of the Saving Lives and Livelihoods Programme;
• Advise on Legal Issues relating to conflict prevention, management, and resolution;
• Provide legal advice on the interpretation of legal texts relating to administrative and institutional matters;
• Liaise with the Office of the Legal Counsel in negotiating Agreements where Africa CDC is a party;
• Follow up agreements with partners and the Office of the Legal Counsel;
• Perform any other SLL related activities as requested by the Programme Manager; and
• Represent Africa CDC in a professional manner that creates a positive image and enhances the credibility of the organization.

Qualifications and Work Experience Required

• Master’s Degree in Law with emphasis in the area of Global Health Law, Public Health Law, Public International Law, Administrative Law, Labor Law, and 7 years of work experience. The candidate needs to have at least 3 years of experience in supervisory position in legal institution.

Or

• Bachelor’s Degree in Law with emphasis in the area of Global Health Law, Public Health Law, Public International Law, Administrative Law, Labor Law, and 10 years of work experience. The candidate needs to have at least 3 years of experience in supervisory position in legal institution.

Required Skills and Competencies
Functional Skills:

• Knowledge of legal policies, practices and procedures and ability to apply them in an organizational setting
• Ability to identify issues, formulate opinions, make conclusions and recommendations in individual and team settings
• Demonstrable skills in identifying challenges, opinion formulation, and in documenting conclusions and recommendations.
• Demonstrable legal writing skills and writing skills required to prepare responses for inquiries, reports, proposals, etc.
• General knowledge of office administrative support procedures and processes
• Demonstrated computer skills, including excellent word-processing capabilities, proficiency with e-mail and internet applications as well as experience in using office software applications such as MS Excel, Power Point and Word.

Personal Abilities:

• Analytical and problem solving abilities
• High ethical standards and an uncompromising sense of integrity
• Ability to build strong relationships internally and with external actors
• Proven ability to use clear, concise language in correspondence as well as creating and adapting content to fit the appropriate audiences for written briefs and reports
• High level of autonomy at work with a profound team spirit.
• Ability to work under pressure, with minimal supervision, and in a culturally diverse team
• Adaptive, patient, resourceful, resilient, and flexible.

Language Requirement:

• Applicants must be proficient in at least one of the African Union working languages (English, French, Arabic, Spanish, or Portuguese).
• Knowledge of two or more of African Union working languages would be an added advantage.

Tenure of Appointment:

• The appointment will be made on a fixed term contract for a period of three years.
• The first three months will be considered a probationary period, thereafter, the contract will be renewed annually subject to satisfactory performance and fund availability.

Gender Mainstreaming:

• The AU Commission is an equal opportunity employer and qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply.

Remuneration
Indicative basic salary of US$37,453 (AUP3Step 1) per annum plus other related entitlements e.g. Post adjustment of US$17,228.38 (46% of basic salary per annum), Housing allowance of US$22,932 per annum, Thus a total of US$77,613.38 per annum plus Gratuity of 15% of Gross salary per annum.

Application Closing Date
10th July, 2022.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Click here for more details (PDF)

Note

• To apply for this post, click on the link above, complete our online application form, and submit your CV and cover letter in two different documents, which should be prepared before applying as they will be considered in the application process.
• The cover letter should be no more than two pages long and explain why you are interested in this post and how your skills and experience make you a good fit.
• The document should be saved in MS Word in the following format: Your First Name-Your Last Name-Document Name-Date (mmyy) e.g., Pat-Jones-CV-062022-AFENET or Pat-Jones-CoverLetter-062022-AFENET.

Queries:

• If you have any queries on any aspect of the appointment process, need additional information, or would like to have an informal discussion, please email at [email protected] in the first instance.