Human Rights And Gender (Hrg) Legal Specialist

Centre For Communication Impact; Pretoria; On-site; ZAR 400 000 - 500 000; Full time

Job summary

A South African NPO is seeking a Human Rights and Gender Legal Specialist to lead Access to Justice activities. The ideal candidate will be an admitted attorney with at least 5 years of experience in human rights law. Responsibilities include overseeing legal officers, leading national campaigns, and engaging with stakeholders. This role aims to enhance legal literacy and advocate for justice in a dynamic environment. Applications must be submitted via email, with a closing date of 26 September.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of experience in human rights law or access to justice programming.
• Strong understanding of South African legal frameworks regarding human rights.
• Experience in leading teams and supervising legal officers.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and execution of national Access to Justice activities.
• Oversee Legal and Advocacy Officers and paralegals at the SR level.
• Develop and implement national legal literacy campaigns.

Skills

Human rights law

Legal aid experience

Team leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Advocacy skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Law (LLB)

Master's in Human Rights or related field

Job description

Overview

Position title : Human Rights and Gender (HRG) Legal Specialist

Description : Position : Human Rights and Gender (HRG) Legal Specialist.

Reporting : Position reports to the HRG Technical Lead.

Duration : October st of March (Extension depending on funding availability).

Organisational Background : Centre for Community Impact (CCI) formerly known as Johns Hopkins Education in South Africa (JHHESA), is a South African local Health and Social Behaviour Change and Communication organisation, registered as a local Non‑Profit Organisation (NPO) in the Kingdom of Eswatini.

CCI has a history of addressing Gender Based Violence (GBV), HIV, TB and STIs, and aims to be a human rights-based organisation that uses evidence to localise policies into impactful actions and to advance gender equality, health, and social development.

Position Summary : The HRG Legal Specialist should be an Admitted Attorney who provides national leadership, coordination and technical oversight for all Access to Justice activities within the HRG Programme at CCI.

This role ensures legal literacy, case management, and redress mechanisms are implemented effectively across all SRs and Implementing Partner Organisations (IPOs).

The HRG Legal Specialist provides technical leadership and oversight for all Access to Justice activities nationally, manages SR-level Legal and Advocacy Officers and paralegals, and liaises with justice sector stakeholders to strengthen referral pathways and systemic advocacy.

The role contributes to harmonised, evidence‑based legal interventions and national advocacy and reform agendas.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership and Oversight of Access to Justice: Lead design, planning, and execution of national Access to Justice activities; liaise with Global Fund Prime Recipients to standardise approaches; align legal interventions with human rights and gender integration efforts; translate survey findings into actionable strategies; serve as principal legal advisor to CCI's HRG programme.
• Oversight of Legal and Advocacy Officers and Paralegals: Manage and mentor SR-level officers; oversee paralegals; develop and implement SOPs; conduct performance reviews.
• Legal Literacy and Capacity Development: Lead national legal literacy campaigns targeting sex workers and key populations; coordinate paralegal trainings; build capacity of SR and community‑level actors; ensure materials align with SA law and international human rights principles.
• Case Management and Redress Mechanisms: Establish or strengthen national case management systems; ensure referrals to legal aid, psychosocial services, and health facilities; monitor patterns of violations to inform advocacy; compile quarterly summaries and analyses.
• Multi‑Sectoral Advocacy and Stakeholder Engagement: Coordinate dialogues with SAPS, prosecutors, magistrates, traditional leaders, and health service providers; engage with AIDS councils and human rights forums; develop policy briefs and talking points; represent CCI in technical groups and donor forums.
• Programme Planning, Monitoring, and Reporting: Integrate Access to Justice activities into work plans; define and track KPIs; contribute to donor reports; ensure cost‑effectiveness within the budget.
• Policy Reform and Knowledge Generation: Use programme evidence to inform advocacy for decriminalisation and law reform; document best practices; contribute to research outputs and publications.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Law (LLB) or Human Rights; Master's in Human Rights or related field.
• At least 5 years of experience in human rights law, legal aid, or access to justice programming within HIV, GBV, or key populations contexts.
• Experience in team leadership, supervising legal officers and paralegals.
• Strong understanding of South African legal frameworks on human rights, HIV, and GBV; familiarity with police, courts, commissions.
• Experience with donor‑funded programmes (Global Fund, PEPFAR) and multi‑sector collaborations.
• Excellent facilitation, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement skills.

Application Process

Interested candidates should submit an updated CV with 3 contactable references to the CCI Human Resources Office at

Please use the job title of the position you are applying for as the subject line of your email.

Only email submissions will be accepted or considered.

The closing date for applications is 26 September.

Late applications will NOT be accepted or considered.

Note: If you have not heard back from CCI's Human Resources Office after 15 October, please consider your application unsuccessful.

Note: The role’s closing date has passed as of 29 September.