Legal Service Officer

Job Summary

The Legal Officer coordinates and delivers comprehensive legal services for Medical Teams International's Ethiopia mission. The role manages active legal cases, provides expert counsel and court representation, ensures strict compliance with national and international laws, reviews institutional contracts, and champions organizational safeguarding and risk management principles across all operational departments.

Key Responsibilities

• Legal Case Management & Court Representation: Compile evidence, prepare statements, file legal pleadings, and represent the organization before courts, quasi-judicial bodies, police departments, and tribunals.
• Contract & Policy Review: Draft, review, negotiate, and monitor a wide range of agreements—including MoUs, partnership deals, procurement contracts, donor grants, and employment policies—ensuring full legal and institutional compliance.
• Legal Counseling & Risk Advisory: Interpret local and international laws and government directives affecting NGO operations, advise management on legal risks, and recommend robust mitigation strategies.
• Internal Investigations & Dispute Resolution: Investigate labor disputes, thefts, forgeries, and breaches of discipline; handle insurance claim settlements and conduct internal inquiries regarding misconduct.
• Safeguarding & Compliance Advocacy: Promote organizational commitments to child and vulnerable adult protection, prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (PSEAH), and deliver staff legal training on compliance and contract management.

Educational Qualification & Experience Requirements

• Education: Bachelor of Laws (LLB) Degree in Law, Commercial Law, or a related field of study.
• Experience: Minimum of 5 years of overall professional legal experience, with at least 4 years specifically in legal advisory or consulting positions (previous experience working with INGOs is an added advantage).

Required Skills & Competencies

• Exceptional negotiation, analytical, problem-solving, and representation skills.
• Fluent spoken and written proficiency in both English and Amharic.
• High ethical standards, emotional maturity, and integrity in representing humanitarian operations.
• Required Skill Tags: Communication, attention to detail, and organizational skill.