Organisational Context

The Office of the Prosecutor is responsible for the independent and impartial investigation and prosecution of individual perpetrators of crimes within the Court’s jurisdiction, in a manner complementary to national jurisdictions. Under the direction of the Prosecutor, the External Affairs Unit (EAU) supports the Office’s external engagements with a view to enhancing political support and understanding for its mandate and work. The EAU also supports the Office’s operational cooperation and complementarity needs and relations with external stakeholders. Reflecting these aims, the EAU comprises three components: (a) External Relations; (b) Judicial Cooperation; and (c) Complementarity and Civil Society.

The Complementarity and Civil Society team works in close collaboration with other parts of the Office, and seeks to support the management of OTP’s external networks and strengthen its relations with civil society organizations (CSOs) and other relevant interlocutors. The Complementarity and Civil Society team provides support to the work and coherence of action with respect to regular engagement with CSOs and implementation of complementarity activities, notably in implementation of the initiatives outlined in the Office’s Policy on Complementarity and Cooperation. The Complementarity and Civil Society team is also responsible for the development and implementation of the Office’s complementarity programme in Colombia with focus on thematic priorities in support of domestic judicial proceedings addressing international crimes.

Duties and responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Legal Officer responsible for the complementarity and civil society component of EAU, the incumbent will be responsible for performing the following duties:

• To provide legal, policy and advisory support to EAU in the implementation of relevant OTP Policies and practical guidance, including the preparation of memos particularly related to judicial developments in situation countries, with focus on national proceedings concerning Gender base Crimes (GBC) and Crimes Against and Affecting Children (CAAC) in Colombia and other national jurisdictions as necessary;

• To provide legal advice and support to EAU particularly with respect to GBC and CAAC, including in the development of the Office’s complementarity activities in Colombia and other situations, and preparation of briefings and reports;

• To contribute to the development and implementation of GBC and CAAC-focused training curricula, analytical, and practice tools;

• To directly support EAU with long-term deployment to support GBC and CAAC-specific analytical activities and complementarity efforts, including by engaging with national authorities and relevant stake holders as necessary;

• To keep abreast and inform the Office, as appropriate, of relevant contextual, judicial and practical developments with respect to GBC and CAAC in Colombia and other aspects of that and other situations as necessary;

• To assist with building awareness related to GBC and CAAC work across OTP, including through coordination of relevant aspects of the OTP Focal Point network;

• To contribute to EAU’s ongoing monitoring and evaluation efforts to ensure robust implementation of the Policy on Complementarity and Cooperation and other Office’s policies;

• To provide legal expertise and contribute to the design of specific training with regard to engagement with witnesses especially children, victims of sexual or gender-based crimes, and vulnerable persons; and

• To liaise with external networks on issues relating to GBC, CAAC, and others, to ensure EAU and relevant OTP colleagues benefit from these external resources, activities, and opportunities.

Essential Qualifications:

Education:

An advanced university degree in Law, is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience is accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years (7 years with a first level university degree) of relevant professional experience related to the investigation and prosecution of gender based crimes and / or crimes against and affecting children is required.

• Demonstrated experience in organizing and delivering technical trainings focused on working with children, highly preferred.

• Professional experience in international or domestic criminal law or experience in working in judicial affairs is highly desirable.

Knowledge, skills and abilities:

• Strong background in legal research and writing, required.

• Strong research and analysis skills (contextual, factual and legal);

• Substantial familiarity with relevant ICC jurisprudence and OTP Policies, particularly the 2023 Children’s Policy and the 2023 Policy on Gender-based Crimes;

• Familiarity with human rights instruments and relevant international guidelines related to children’s rights in the context of legal processes;

• Understanding and application of concepts of intersectionality and trauma-informed approaches in the context of the investigation and prosecution of international crimes;

• Excellent drafting and argumentative skills;

• Excellent communication and inter-personal skills;

• Excellent communication, diplomatic and negotiation skills;

• Strong computer and IT skills and demonstrated ability to respect confidentiality / data security measures;

• Strong planning and organizational skills with flexibility and ability to adjust in a highly dynamic environment;

• Ability to manage conflicting priorities and work effectively under tight deadlines, and with substantial travel obligations;

• Ability to work in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds

• Tact, discretion and accuracy in handling confidential information;

• Professional and personal integrity.

Knowledge of languages:

Fluency in either of the working languages of the Court, English or French, is required. Working knowledge of the other is desirable. Working knowledge of Spanish would be considered high desirable. Another official language of the Court would be considered an asset (Arabic, Chinese and Russian).