Jobs – Advocacy and Legal Officer at Caritas Uganda

Job Title: Advocacy and Legal Officer

Caritas Uganda is the Social Services and Development Commission of the Uganda Episcopal Conference, a corporate body under the Trustees Incorporation Act. Founded in 1970, Caritas Uganda’s main function is in the areas of social services and development, research and advocacy and organization coordination and development with the main goal of poverty eradication, peace building, good governance, and empowerment of the marginalized.

In pursuit of its main goal, Caritas Uganda has entered into a joint programme, code named “the Uganda Governance and Poverty Alleviation Program (UGOPAP)” which aims at improving livelihoods through good governance, increased food security and incomes based on sustainable and market oriented agricultural production. The program is implemented in Central and Eastern parts of Uganda. The program design is based on three key areas namely Family level – Theme 1: Strengthening Family Livelihoods; Community Level – Theme 2: Strengthening Rural Organizations and Society level – Theme 3: Strengthening Rural Development; implemented by Caritas Uganda, Central Archdiocesan Provincial Caritas Association (CAPCA), Eastern Archdiocesan Development Network (EADAEN) and Community Integrated Development Initiative (CIDI) Soroti.

About UGOPAP Program:

Caritas Uganda in the consortium (UGOPAP) has the major role of championing advocacy at the National level; with the major aim of influencing policy formulation and implementation for pro-small holder farmers. To achieve its objectives, one of the strategies employed by Caritas Uganda is the formation of the Uganda Farmers Common voice platform (a platform of CSOs working in areas of Agriculture or working towards protection and enhancement of the small holder farmer’s rights); which platform has grown to have Regional Chapters (Northern, Eastern, Central and Western parts of Uganda). Caritas Uganda will utilize its national advantaged position to enhance advocacy and lobby capacity of implementing partners individually and collectively and to spearhead advocacy and lobby at higher levels.

Job Summary: The Caritas Advocacy and Legal Officer will take lead of the function (under Uganda Governance and Poverty Alleviation Programme) to support the organization in realizing its objectives of poverty reduction among communities in Uganda.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• The jobholder will be responsible for Feeding into and help implement Caritas Uganda/Uganda Farmers Common Voice Platform (UFCOVP) Advocacy Strategy, ensuring that it is firmly grounded in evidence from our programmes and a good analysis of our advocacy targets at the national and local levels.
• The officer will provide research and analysis on key policy and legal related debates, and produce, briefing notes and other materials on key Caritas Uganda focus Advocacy areas, Lead advocacy efforts on specific advocacy priorities, and represent Caritas Uganda in high profile policy-making platform/ Forums, think-tanks, academic partners, the media and the public.
• He/she will work closely with other Caritas/Uganda Farmers Common Voice Platform Members to support the development of Caritas Uganda/UFCOVP advocacy strategies and activities for Advocacy priority areas
• Work closely with other Caritas Uganda/ UFCOVP national steering Committee to develop coordinated advocacy and public campaigns themes. He/she shall work with the other Caritas Uganda Staff to organize advocacy forum both at National and Local levels
• Provide content for Caritas Uganda/UFCOVP key communications material including website, and annual report
• Offer legal and policy advice to both the National and the regional Uganda Farmers Common Voice platform on key policy and other emerging issues.
• Assist programme partners and where necessary common voice advocacy platform members in their advocacy and lobby initiatives including training them in appropriate legal matters
• Actively collaborate with networks within the Catholic Church and other like-minded civil society organizations for the good of small holder Farmers in Uganda
• Document and share success stories and lessons learned
• Provide technical skills and guidance in legal advocacy to (build advocacy capacity of) Uganda Episcopal Conference, CU and partner organisations to influence change in obstacles to attainment of smallholder farmer rights to agricultural e.g. rights to land, information etc.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• The applicant should hold a degree(s) preferably at Masters Level in Laws, Development Studies, Social Science, International Development, Mass Communication, Public Policy or relevant subject(s).
• A minimum of four years’ demonstrated working experience in a reputable organisations;
• Responsible for policy design, analysis and interpretation, writing and production of reports, policy briefs and publications, providing related legal guidance.
• The jobholder should have experience in policy campaigns and dialogues with Governments at local, National and International levels, should have a proven capacity to influence decision makers
• Ability to develop and manage strategic relationships to achieve common goals and objectives in a consortium setting, and familiarity with National and Global Development goals and programmes especially those geared towards improving Agriculture in Uganda.
• Working knowledge of the Uganda National Development Plan, Government Programs and Systems; a good working knowledge of NGOs and other development agencies will be an added advantage;
• Good communication and social skills;
• Excellent analytical and computer skills (MS Word, Excel, Access, Power Point etc);
• Must be hard working, trust-worthy and having a high level of integrity and respect.

How to Apply for the job:

All candidates who suit the above mentioned portfolio should send their applications to the Secretary General at Uganda Catholic Secretariat (UCS), Plot 672, Hanlon Road-Nsambya Hill. P.O. Box 2886, Kampala, Uganda. A fully updated CV and copies of academic transcripts and certificates should be provided; and three professional referees, one of whom should be a former employer

Deadline: 29^th August, 2014