Project Judicial and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Specialist

UNDP; Islamabad; On-site; PKR 1,800,000 - 2,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Leadership role

Job summary

UNDP Pakistan invites applications for a Project Judicial and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Specialist.

The role provides technical leadership on judicial reform, access to justice, and ADR, engaging with government counterparts and judicial institutions to design, implement, and monitor interventions that enhance case management and digital justice while promoting survivor-centred and gender-responsive approaches.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in Law or related field; fluent in English and Urdu.
• Minimum five years (with Master’s) or seven years (with Bachelor’s) in judicial reform or ADR.
• Experience with computers, office software, and web-based systems.
• Experience designing, implementing, and monitoring justice interventions.
• Strong knowledge of gender-responsive and survivor-centred justice.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership on judicial reform and ADR initiatives.
• Support policy reviews, needs assessments, and strategy documents.
• Lead capacity development, training modules, and practice tools.
• Strengthen mediation/ADR mechanisms and institutional coordination.
• Ensure interventions are people-centred and aligned with national priorities.

Skills

Rule of Law

Human Rights

Policy Development

Governance

Project Management

Stakeholder Engagement

Gender-Responsive Justice

Survivor-Centred Justice

Analytical Thinking

Capacity Building

Education

Master's degree in Law/Related field

First-level university degree + 2 years experience

Job description

Organizational context

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Rule of Law Programme in Pakistan aims to strengthen the rule of law and ensure equal access to justice and security services, particularly for women and marginalized groups. The programme collaborates with government and justice sector institutions to enhance peace and stability by aligning interventions with national strategies for justice reform and improved service delivery. This role supports the programme's objectives at federal and local levels, working in partnership with various justice sector entities.

Job purpose

The Project Judicial and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Specialist will provide crucial technical support to the UNDP Rule of Law Programme in Pakistan, focusing on judicial reform, access to justice, and ADR. This role involves liaising with government counterparts and judicial institutions to offer advisory services for designing, implementing, and monitoring interventions. Key contributions include enhancing judicial capacity, improving case management, advancing digital justice initiatives, and promoting gender-responsive and survivor-centred justice approaches. The specialist will contribute to programme activities, foster institutional ownership, and ensure alignment with national priorities and best practices, ultimately aiming to restore public confidence and improve justice service delivery across Pakistan, with a particular emphasis on vulnerable populations.

Responsibilities

The Project Judicial and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Specialist will provide specialized technical leadership and advice on judicial reform and access to justice, leading the design, planning, and implementation of related interventions. This includes supporting judicial institutions in reviewing and strengthening policies, procedures, and operational frameworks to enhance efficiency and accessibility. The role involves providing technical inputs for needs assessments, policy documents, and strategies, ensuring interventions are people-centred and gender-responsive. The specialist will oversee judicial capacity development, case-flow management, and judicial performance improvement, and guide the development of training modules and practice tools. Additionally, the role entails leading technical support for mediation and ADR mechanisms, including assessing and strengthening existing systems, and providing guidance for capacity development of relevant actors. The specialist will also lead technical support for gender-responsive judicial reform and survivor-centred justice, integrating these approaches into policies and procedures, and strengthening institutional coordination and partnerships within the justice sector.

Education

An advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in Law, Judicial Studies, Governance, Criminology, Development Studies, or a related field is required. Alternatively, a first-level university degree with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be considered. Fluency in English and Urdu is also required.

Work experience

A minimum of five years of relevant professional experience (with a Master's degree) or seven years (with a Bachelor's degree) in judicial reform, access to justice, alternative dispute resolution, or justice-sector governance is required. Experience with computers, office software, and web-based systems is also necessary.

Skills

Core Competencies: Achieve Results, Think Innovatively, Learn Continuously, Adapt with Agility, Act with Determination, Engage and Partner, Enable Diversity and Inclusion. Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies: Rule of Law & Human Rights, Criminal Justice Systems, Systems Thinking, Partnerships Management, Project Management, Communication.

Required languages

English, Urdu