Legal And Inclusivity Expert

Vacancy Announcement

Position: Legal and Inclusivity Expert

Project: European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES) - European Response to Electoral Cycle Support in Ethiopia II

Duty Station: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Contract Type: Consultancy

Duration: 44 months

Application Deadline: 07th of August 2025

About ECES and EURECS II

ECES is a not-for-profit private foundation headquartered in Brussels with a global remit. ECES promotes sustainable democratic development through the provision of advisory services, operational support and management of large projects in the electoral and democracy assistance field. ECES works with all electoral stakeholders, including electoral management bodies, civil society organizations involved in voter education and election observation, political parties, parliaments, media, security forces, religious groups and legal institutions confronted with electoral disputes resolution

The European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES) is implementing the second phase of the European Response to Electoral Cycle Support (EURECS II) in Ethiopia. This project aims to contribute to inclusive, transparent, and credible electoral processes, and strengthen the capacities of electoral stakeholders.

Position Summary

To provide specialized legal advice and contribute strategically and operationally to project design, planning, coordination, implementation, and monitoring. The role ensures that legal aspects are embedded within the project’s workflow and that legally related outputs are delivered efficiently and on time.

Key Responsibilities:

Legal Advisory (50%)

• Conduct legal research and provide analysis and advice on matters relevant to the project’s scope (e.g., constitutional law, administrative law, electoral law, procurement law, international human rights law).
• Draft, review, and revise legal documents including contracts, partnership agreements, terms of reference, legal memos, and policy briefs.
• Advise on legal risks associated with programmatic activities and recommend mitigation strategies.
• Support stakeholder engagement through legal briefings and capacity-building activities.
• Ensure project compliance with national legal frameworks and relevant international standards.

B. Project Management (50%)

Project Planning & Design

• Contribute to the development of detailed annual and quarterly work plans and ensure legal activities are fully integrated and resourced.
• Participate in the development of project strategies and theories of change, incorporating legal risk analysis and compliance measures.

Activity Coordination & Execution

• Coordinate implementation of legal and cross-functional project activities in collaboration with thematic leads, consultants, and partners.
• Track project deliverables and ensure timely completion of legal outputs in line with overall timelines and donor requirements.
• Organize and manage project events such as legal workshops, roundtables, consultations, and training sessions.

Team and Stakeholder Coordination

• Act as focal point for legal components within the project team and serve as liaison to relevant legal or institutional partners.
• Coordinate input from consultants and contractors involved in legal deliverables and oversee their outputs against agreed scopes of work.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting

• Develop and apply tools to monitor progress of legal-related components, including KPIs and performance benchmarks.
• Draft and contribute to periodic reports (monthly, quarterly, annual), focusing on both legal outcomes and project delivery indicators.
• Assist in identifying challenges, delays, or legal risks affecting implementation and proactively suggest solutions.

Budget and Procurement Support

• Provide technical input into procurement and recruitment processes from a legal and compliance perspective.
• Support the development and legal clearance of procurement documents, consultant ToRs, and service contracts.
• Monitor legal-related expenditures and ensure budget alignment with project objectives.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Advanced degree in Law (LL.M or equivalent); additional qualification in project management (e.g., PMP, PRINCE2, Agile) is a strong asset.
• At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in legal advisory roles, with at least 2 years in project or program management functions.
• Demonstrated experience in managing legal reform, access to justice, governance, or rule-of-law programs.
• Knowledge of Ethiopian Law.
• Familiarity with international donor-funded project frameworks (EU, UNDP, World Bank, etc.).
• Excellent communication, planning, and coordination skills.
• Ability to perform effectively under high pressure, hardship conditions and long working hours
• Strong leadership and coordination ability
• Proven planning, analytical and problem-solving skills
• Attention to detail and results orientation
• Sound judgment and political sensitivity

Language Requirements

• Fluency in English (written and spoken) is required.
• Knowledge of Amharic is mandatory.

Requirement Skill

• Analytical skills
• Communication
• Attention to detail
• Problem solving

Skills Required:

• Legal / Law