Historique

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is supporting Malawi’s electoral process through the Malawi Electoral Cycle Support Project. A Legal unit was created before the Tripartite elections with the aim of establishing an electoral dispute resolution system as well as providing legal advice to ensure the integrity of the electoral process. Following the Tripartite elections the legal unit continued to provide legal support and Court representation to the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) for all the electoral petition cases. To keep assisting with this support, UNDP is seeking the services of a highly qualified legal adviser with a valid practicing license for Malawi

Devoirs et responsabilités

Provide legal representation to MEC in different Courtrooms

• Manage and update the electoral petition cases with the highest standards of impartiality and objectiveness;
• Attend Court hearings (High Courts and Supreme Court);
• Draft affidavit, reply affidavit, skeleton arguments and submissions;
• Provide regular update on the status of the petition process;

Provide legal support

• Provide legal analysis in respect to all relevant aspects of electoral laws, regulations and a wide range of multi-discipline and conflicting legal matters that may arise;
• Provide legal opinions based on the clear analysis of the Constitution, electoral laws and laws of Malawi in general;
• Advise in the interpretation and application of the Constitution and electoral laws;
• Assist in the development and drafting of legal documents, regulations and MOU;
• Conduct legal research including international comparative analysis;
• Develop, as requested, technical briefing papers and presentations on key legal issues;
• Provide legal analysis of key issues as requested;
• Produce and deliver oral and written presentations on legal issues as requested;
• Draft and produce regular progress reports and event based reports as requested;

Compétences

Core Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism

Functional Competencies:

Job knowledge/Technical Expertise

• Extensive experience in providing legal analysis;
• Demonstrable knowledge of the Judiciary system in Malawi;
• Excellent organizational skills;
• Ability to handle effectively multiple legal tasks without compromising quality, team spirit and positive working relationships;
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills;

Professionalism

• Demonstrate professional competence and expert knowledge of the pertinent substantive areas of work.

Team Work

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

Ethics and Values

• Demonstrate and safeguard ethics and integrity.

Organizational Awareness

• Demonstrate legal knowledge and sound judgment;

Appropriate and Transparent Decision Making

Demonstrate informed and transparent decision making

Qualifications et expériences requises

Education:

• Advanced Degree (Master) in law;

Experience:

• Five years of legal experience in Malawi
• Valid practicing license for Malawi;
• Excellent knowledge and demonstrated experience in providing legal analysis;
• A minimum of three years of legal practice.
• At least three years of Litigation and Mediation experience;
• Court experience;
• Ability to work effectively in a team;
• Knowledge in electoral processes;

Language:

• Fluency in oral and written English is essential;
• Knowledge of local languages is considered an advantage