Job Description
Title: Senior Legal & Policy Analyst
Strategic Issues & Research Council
Application Deadline: January 15, 2025
Salary Range: $4000 - $4500
OVERVIEW OF THE ROLE
We are seeking a highly motivated and detail-oriented senior Legal & Policy Analyst with a strong legal background to spearhead cutting-edge research and advocacy initiatives. In this role, you will delve into complex legal, policy, and regulatory landscapes to provide insights and strategies to counteract anti-rights, anti-gender, and anti-democratic forces
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Research & Analysis:
- Conduct in-depth legal research and comparative policy analysis on existing bills, laws, regulations, and other legislative drafts.
- Monitor legislative developments and trends in areas of Women’s rights, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, gender justice, and democratic governance.
- Analyze the implications of proposed legislation and policy changes for key stakeholders.
2. Advocacy & Strategy
- Develop policy proposals, advisory notes, and strategic recommendations to advance SIRC’s mandate.
- Support anti-rights mitigation efforts through the preparation of comprehensive policy briefs, research materials and presentations for stakeholders.
- Leverage networks to access and influence legislative processes within Parliamentary and Ministerial levels.
3. Thought Leadership
- Act as a spokesperson for SIRC, representing the organization in media, conferences, and public forums where relevant,
- Collaborate with the team to develop creative and non-convention solutions to systemic rights violations, including curing defective legislation.
- Publish research outputs tailored for both academic and general audiences.
4. Resource Development & Capacity Building
- Maintain and organize a repository of legal and policy resources, including memos, reports, and reference materials.
- Mentor and support internal teams and external partners in understanding and navigating complex legal and policy landscapes.
REQUIRED SKILLS & EXPERIENCE
- A deep understanding of socio-political and legal issues in Kenya, Uganda, and Anglophone Africa, particularly in relation to women, girls, and LGBTQIA+ communities.
- At least 7+ years of experience in legal research, policy analysis, advocacy, or litigation, focusing on SRHR, gender justice, or human rights.
- Proven experience working on rights-based initiatives in East Africa; broader regional experience is an added advantage.
- A master’s degree in law, Political Science, Human Rights, or a related field (preferred).
- Demonstrated publication record, with research outputs geared toward diverse audiences.
- Strong analytical, strategic thinking, and problem-solving abilities.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to simplify complex legal concepts.
- Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
- Ability to work independently while managing multiple projects in a fast-paced
PREFERED QUALIFICATIONS
- Familiarity with East Africa’s SRHR, human rights, and gender advocacy networks. Connections across the African continent are a bonus.
- Demonstrated success in leading campaigns or strategies to counter rights rollbacks.
- Media and public speaking experience, with a track record of effective representation in high-stakes environments.
- Proficiency in legal research tools and software.
WHAT WE OFFER
- Competitive monthly salary: $4,000 - $4,500
- Comprehensive health insurance.
- Annual leave.
- Annual wellness stipend.
- Financial support for professional development and capacity-building initiatives.
HOW TO APPLY
Interested candidates are encouraged to submit their Cover letter, resume and two samples of their writings outlining their qualifications and interest in the position to executivesupport@thesirc.com copied to updates@thesirc.com. SIRC intends to fill this position by 15th January 2025 and applications will be considered on a rolling basis.
About the Organization
SIRC is a women-led, intersectional, feminist team of brave African mavericks working behind the scenes in East Africa to preemptively slow down, minimize, and ultimately erase the impact of anti-gender, anti-rights, and anti-democracy (opposition) groups in the region. While quite lean, the SIRC team monitors online and offline opposition discussions, performs investigative background research, forewarns civil society partners, and launches relevant fact-checking and narrative change campaigns in Kenya and Uganda.
Among other duties, our day-to-day work entails detecting problematic bills, policies and laws, analyzing worst-clause scenarios, and pre-emptively designing corresponding strategies to counteract rollbacks on rights, laws, policies, and practices.
