ROLI Middle East and North Africa-ABA ROLI Program Director, Syria

Job Description

ABA ROLI seeks a Program Director (PD) to work on a judicial assessment and access to justice program in Syria. The program director will be based in Berlin, Germany, and regularly travel to the region to implement activities. The PD will be responsible and accountable for program implementation, management and oversight of strategic and tactical elements of the program. The PD will ensure compliance with all State Department, ABA, federal, state, and local laws/regulations while managing the program and ensure personal and program compliance with the FCPA.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Day-to-day management of assigned programs and that all programmatic requirements are being met/exceeded according the ABA, ROLI, and grantor requirements.
• Accountable for all timely, accurate, and compliant in-country programmatic monitoring and reporting.
• Oversees and is accountable for the development and deployment of substantive programming and activities, including, but not limited to, project work plans, managing/assisting volunteer legal specialists and consultants, and convening, organizing and participating in training opportunities within the host country.
• Establishes and enhances effective collaboration and relationships with local entities and other development partners (e.g., local bar association, law schools, NGO’s, governmental agencies, etc.) to fulfill program objectives within cost constraints and garner additional funding from partners.
• Maintains proactive communications with ROLI leadership to ensure timely and accurate updates on programs’ activities, achievements, and shortcomings. In area where program shortcomings are identified, creates and implements corrective action plans to improve performance against standards.
• Assists in identifying best practices derived from lessons learned.
• Collaborates with local and D.C.-based staff and local authorities to ensure that all programs and operations are compliant with all local laws/regulations and, if required, have received all regulatory licensing/registrations prior to offering the programs.
• Ensures compliance with all donor, ABA, federal, state, and local laws/regulations while managing the program(s). Ensures personal and program compliance with the FCPA.
• Provides leadership, coaching, counseling, feedback, performance appraisal, and, where appropriate, applies corrective actions to an assigned team.
• Performs other related duties as required.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Possession of a JD from an ABA-accredited law school and at least seven (7) years’ experience in program management or business operations which must have included international experience; OR,
• Possession of a Master’s degree from an accredited college or university and at least ten (10) years’ experience in program management or business operations which must have included international experience. NOTE: If law degree is from a non-U.S. law school, the degree program may not be required to be an ABA-accredited law school if the incumbent is not a U.S. citizen.
• Previous experience managing U.S. Government, USAID, NGO, or other similarly funded international grant programs.

• Previous experience in implementing international donor-supported programs which must have included responsibilities for supervision of a team, financial management, and compliance.

• 10 years of strong program management experience in relevant conflict contexts and issue areas; Experience implementing and overseeing grant-funded programs in complex, fluid, and remote-management contexts, preferred

• Fluency in English (knowledge of Arabic or French is a plus); and
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

About the Organization

The Rule of Law Initiative is a public service project of the American Bar Association dedicated to promoting legal reform efforts in over 40 countries around the world. The Rule of Law Initiative believes that rule of law promotion is the most effective long-term antidote to the most pressing problems facing the world community today, including poverty, economic stagnation, and crippling levels of corruption. The Rule of Law Initiative concentrates its technical legal assistance efforts in the following substantive areas: 1) Anti-corruption & public integrity; 2) Criminal law & combating trafficking in persons; 3) Gender issues; 4) Human rights & conflict mitigation; 5) Judicial reform; 6) Legal education reform; and 7) Legal profession reform. The Rule of Law Initiative enlists talented individuals who possess the skills and commitment necessary to effectively promote the rule of law in our host countries. We regularly seek experienced attorneys, judges, and law professors interested in lending their expertise to our programs for both long- and short-term pro bono assignments overseas. For more information please visit our website at www.abarol.org.