Head and Coordinator, Legal Transformation

at  The Commonwealth

THE VACANCY

The Commonwealth Secretariat seeks to appoint a Head and Coordinator, Legal Transformation in our Governance and Peace (GPD) Directorate. GPD is the lead directorate in the Commonwealth Secretariat for the promotion of democracy, human rights, rule of law and good governance in the Commonwealth. The directorate is responsible for programmes which foster greater adherence to Commonwealth political values, the conducting of fair, credible and inclusive elections and engagement with member countries through the Good Offices of the Secretary General
Reporting to the Assistant Secretary-General, the Head and Coordinator, Legal Transformation will direct and supervise the work of the Head of the Rule of Law Section and the Head of the Human Rights Unit, and any other Head the Secretary-General may assign from time to time. The post holder will carry out these duties under the supervision of the ASG and in close coordination and collaboration with other Sections and Directorates of the Secretariat and ensure that there is coordination and cohesion among all legal actors giving legal assistance to member countries, consistent with the goals and objectives of the Commonwealth Secretariat Strategic Plan.

Responsibilities of the Head and Coordinator, Legal Transformation includes (but is not limited to):

• Strategic Planning and Direction - Oversee strategic planning, direction, monitoring, and ensuring the effective delivery of services, setting clear objectives and goals for the Office.
• Collaboration and Partnership Development - Promote and strengthen collaboration between Human Rights Unit, Office of Civil and Criminal Justice Reform and the Rule of Law Section to complement work on promoting the rule of law and access to justice.
• Policy Development and Legal Advice - Provide strategic advice on Pan-Commonwealth, regional, and country issues to facilitate the development of integrated technical assistance and capacity-building programmes.
• Lead the provision of legal advice across programme areas, ensuring quality and timeliness.
• Human Rights Promotion - Devise and oversee delivery of capacity-building programmes to advance human rights and Commonwealth values. Support high-level meetings of member governments, providing relevant human rights-related material and presentations.
• Staff Management - Undertake all line management responsibilities for staff under post-holder’s supervision, including motivating, organizing, and managing team performance.

Please refer to the Job Description for full details of the responsibilities of this position.

To be considered, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• A degree in Law.
• An advanced postgraduate degree in Law.
• Possess the qualifications to be appointed as a High Court Judge in the jurisdiction of origin.
• Admission to the Bar in a Commonwealth jurisdiction and eligibility to practice law.
• A senior management experience of at least 15 years in managing legal professional staff and support staff in the civil service, public or private institutions or international development community.
• Extensive and in-depth knowledge of Constitutional law, Procedural law, Human Rights law, Justice Innovation and Administrative Law.
• Experience in policy development, legal tools, and new justice technologies.
• Experience in judicial and legal reform, development of legal policy and strategic management.

The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 56 member governments and provides guidance on policymaking, technical assistance and advisory services to Commonwealth member countries. We support governments to help achieve sustainable, inclusive and equitable development.
Please apply by submitting a CV and cover letter. Covering letters should be structured to address the key criteria required in the person specification, giving clear examples.
To join us, you must be a citizen of a Commonwealth country.

ABOUT US

The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 56 independent and equal countries.
It is home to 2.5 billion people, and includes both advanced economies and developing countries. 33 of our members are small states, including many island nations.
Our member governments have agreed to shared goals like development, democracy and peace. Our values and principles are expressed in the Commonwealth Charter.
The Commonwealth’s roots go back to the British Empire. But today any country can join the modern Commonwealth. The last two countries to join the Commonwealth were Gabon and Togo in 2022.

• Strategic Planning and Direction - Oversee strategic planning, direction, monitoring, and ensuring the effective delivery of services, setting clear objectives and goals for the Office.
• Collaboration and Partnership Development - Promote and strengthen collaboration between Human Rights Unit, Office of Civil and Criminal Justice Reform and the Rule of Law Section to complement work on promoting the rule of law and access to justice.
• Policy Development and Legal Advice - Provide strategic advice on Pan-Commonwealth, regional, and country issues to facilitate the development of integrated technical assistance and capacity-building programmes.
• Lead the provision of legal advice across programme areas, ensuring quality and timeliness.
• Human Rights Promotion - Devise and oversee delivery of capacity-building programmes to advance human rights and Commonwealth values. Support high-level meetings of member governments, providing relevant human rights-related material and presentations.
• Staff Management - Undertake all line management responsibilities for staff under post-holder’s supervision, including motivating, organizing, and managing team performance