Legal Advisor (Belarus)

Position description

Do you want to work in a human rights organization that makes a concrete and positive difference for vulnerable people around the world? And do you have master’s degree in law and a focus on accountability for human rights violations and international crimes?

Then DIGNITY can offer you an exciting opportunity, as we have a vacant position as legal advisor in our department for Prevention and Accountability (P&A).

The position is temporary and terminates on September 30, 2026.

Since 1982, DIGNITY has worked for a world free of torture and violence. We are a human rights and development organization that also runs a rehabilitation clinic in Denmark. We prevent torture and violence, treat traumatized victims, and document serious human rights violations so that those responsible can be held accountable.

In our P&A department, we have gathered our work on advisory and advocacy on torture and human rights. Here, we have a particular focus on strategic and knowledge development as well as consultancy and capacity building of DIGNITY’s international partners within torture prevention, documentation, accountability, and advocacy. The department has approx. 15 legal and healthcare employees and a smaller number of associated consultants. The department is managed by the director of the department and her deputy head.

The position is placed within our International Accountability Platform for Belarus (IAPB) which is a part of our P&A department. You can read more about the work within the IAPB-platform on our website.

About the position

The work on the platform is carried out by approx. 15 consultants and employees, who work closely with Belarusian and international human rights organisations in the implementation of their mandate. The platform is managed daily by a head of platform who resides in Austria. You will work closely together with colleagues who – like you – are working from our head office in Denmark as well as with colleagues and consultants abroad. The director of the P&A department works from our head office in Denmark.

As legal advisor your primary tasks are:

• Conduct and contribute to legal research to support the development of the IAPB’s analytical products, including issues of international criminal law, international human rights law and other national and international laws.
• Prepare briefs and updates on legal and factual issues for internal and public products, including for IAPB’s website.
• Organise and coordinate meetings and trainings with partner organisations online and in-person to ensure that the collection of evidence adheres to international standards and best practices.
• Manage work processes with partner organisations, acting as a focal point for issues related to the handling of evidence, ensuring compliance with legal standards, and managing consent-related matters.
• Provide support in establishing, maintaining, and improving the collection and ingestion of witness evidence, including updating and where necessary drafting IAPB’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Support the coordination of content creation for IAPB’s new website.

We offer you:

• A job in a dynamic organization with a global outlook and a strong professional focus, where all activities are driven by the desire to make a positive difference for victims of human rights violations.
• An opportunity to become part of an international team of committed and highly skilled colleagues with a focus on setting the best framework for collaboration and joint learning.
• Flexible working hours and an emphasis on a good balance between work and private life.

Qualifications

Skills

We expect you to have a master’s degree in law, preferably with a specialization in international human rights law (IHRL), international humanitarian law (IHL) or international criminal law (ICL).

We also expect that you have:

• A minimum of 5 years of practical legal experience with international human rights law and/ or international criminal law.
• Experience in organising meetings and capacity building events.
• A minimum of 5 years working with human rights organisations, ideally at both the national and international level.
• Proficiency in English language, including excellent legal drafting skills.

Competency in written and oral Belarusian and/or Russian will be considered a distinctive asset.

It is also important that you have:

• Excellent strategic thinking and with strong organizational and inter-personal skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team in an inter-disciplinary environment and across different cultures.
• Excellent oral communication skills, and ability to communicate effectively with different target audiences.
• Ability to work across a broad portfolio, manage complex workload and be responsive to evolving demands.
• Cultural and context sensitivity, high ethical standards, and diplomatic skills.
• and that you are resourceful, creative, collegial, empathic, and respectful.

Terms of employment

The position is placed in DIGNITY’s department for Prevention and Accountability Department with reference to the head of the IAPB-platform.

Your place of employment is Copenhagen at our main address at Bryggervangen 55, 2100 Kbh. Ø.

Because the position is placed in our head office in Copenhagen we expect you to have a civil registry address in Denmark during the full employment. Please note that the position will not be filled on a consultancy basis.

Expected entry is May 1, 2025, or as soon as possible thereafter (depending on whether a residence and working permit in Denmark must be obtained).

The position terminates on September 30, 2026.

Your working hours are 37 hours per week.

The employment is based on the Danish collective agreement for academics in the state. We offer a gross monthly salary level of DKK 44-46,000 depending on experience and skills. In addition, 17.1% in employer-paid pension that is set aside.

For non-Danish candidates, please notice that we do not offer coverage of cost in connection to a move to Denmark. We assist you in applying for a Danish residence and work permit, and upon arrival in Denmark we offer assistance through external consultant in regard to Danish taxation, cration of a bank account and similar basic requirements for residence in Denmark.
 

Application instructions

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