Who is Natural Justice? 

Natural Justice is an organisation rooted in the struggles of communities in Africa. As a team of pioneering lawyers and legal experts, we specialise in human rights and environmental law in pursuit of social and environmental justice. 

Natural Justice strives to enhance the collective rights of people and protect the sacred relationships that indigenous peoples and local communities have with nature. Our work is informed by the values, knowledge and self-determination of the communities whom we stand in solidarity with. 

Through legal empowerment, research, policy influencing and litigation, and as part of coalitions and campaigns, we support communities to know the law, use the law and shape the law. 

Natural Justice has three main pillars: Affirming and Securing Rights to Lands, Resources and Knowledge; Defending Rights against Environmental and Social Impacts; and Standing with Communities. 

To learn more about the work of Natural Justice please refer to www.naturaljustice.org. 

What are we looking for? 

Natural Justice seeks a lawyer to join its Southern Africa hub as a Programme Officer under the Standing with Communities Programmatic Stream. The hub works across South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, and Mozambique. The successful candidate will be primarily based within the Standing with Communities Stream but will work across all three work streams in the Hub to provide legal support to Indigenous peoples and local communities, particularly in relation to environmental rights, climate justice, indigenous rights, land rights and human rights.  

They will work with a passionate team of staff within the hub and frequently collaborate with staff across the organisation. They will be expected to work with the support staff, including finance, communications, monitoring and evaluation and research staff.  

The Programme Officer must have a keen interest in supporting Indigenous people and local communities in the context of the climate crisis, throughout the countries we work in. They will be expected to foster long-term, committed relationships with communities, build connections to community partners and work in consortiums and partnerships with other civil society organisations.  

Their knowledge and experience should include a background working with communities, providing legal support and strengthening their rights. 

Natural Justice is a Pan African organisation.  For this role, preference is given to those applying from Southern African countries, particularly those countries supported by the Southern African team. The successful candidate must be legally permitted to perform work in South Africa. 

What’s on offer? 

Natural Justice is a close-knit and nurturing collective that places emphasis on facilitating opportunities for the professional and personal growth of its members. Joining Natural Justice will also give the successful candidate a chance to work with a passionate and professional team across Africa, and support the candidate to gain valuable national and regional experience. 

Natural Justice will offer a nationally competitive salary commensurate with skill and experience, including medical aid, pension and risk benefits and access to a laptop and technical support. The position is for permanent, full-time employment, subject to the availability of funding.  

The successful candidate should ideally be based in Cape Town or open to possible relocation to Cape Town, with regular travel nationally and regionally, and occasional travel internationally. They are expected to begin work as soon as possible.  

The Programme Officer will work closely with staff across the programmatic streams and will report directly to the Standing with Communities Programme Manager and the Hub Director. They will assist with the implementation of the organisation’s strategy, projects and activities (including timelines and deliverables).   

The key roles and responsibilities  

The Programme Officer will be expected to, amongst other things: 

• Support local communities in Southern Africa affected by, for example, large-scale extractives, infrastructure and other projects, by providing legal empowerment training and support.  

• Support the implementation of biocultural community protocols and other legal empowerment tools that seek to assert the land, biocultural, customary, indigenous, cultural and heritage rights of local communities.   

• With support of the Senior Programme Officer and Programme Manager, provide high quality legal advice and support to communities Natural Justice works with, environmental defenders, and its partners. 

• Undertake legal research, write submissions and provide opinions on environmental and climate justice issues. 

• Link the legal empowerment work of communities to key litigation that Natural Justice is involved in. 

• In collaboration with hub staff, provide support to community environmental legal officers (incl. training, developing and implementing reporting and management structures).  

• Support the work of the hub in relation to research and submissions on law and policy. 

• Support the Hub through proposal development, reporting, monitoring and evaluation and research.     

• Form and maintain good working relationships with all key partners including communities, government entities and donors. 

• Collaborate with Natural Justice staff in the other countries.  

Requirements 

• Completed legal qualification. Admission as an attorney or advocate in any southern African country would be preferred.  

• Two years’ experience in a legal environment or community development environment. 

• Knowledge and understanding of South Africa’s constitutional and administrative law, including human rights, land & environmental law.  Additional familiarity with Botswanan, Namibian and/or Mozambican law will be an advantage. 

• Experience working with marginalised communities and/or Indigenous communities will be advantageous. 

• Experience in legal empowerment methodologies is highly advantageous.  

• Good legal research skills in law, policy and social issues. 

• Sound written and oral communication skills. 

• Ability to grasp quickly and accurately new and complex concepts. 

• Ability to work under pressure and as part of a team. 

• Ability to balance priorities and co-ordinate work effectively in order to meet deadlines and deal with high workloads. 

• Ability to travel regularly.  

• Conviction in and commitment to community rights, constitutionalism and principles of environmental justice. 

• Sound emotional intelligence skills to enable interaction with persons from all sectors of the society. 

• Proficiency in English. Fluency in another local language or Portuguese would be advantageous.  

Application process 

Deadline: 06 October 2024 

Please email your application Nomvuzo Ranelo at nomvuzo@naturaljustice.org with the following subject line: “SA: Programme Officer Standing with Communities Rights”. 

Applications must include: 

1. A motivation letter that indicates: a) why you are interested in this position and what inspires you about environmental justice; and b) aspects of your background that demonstrate the required competence for this role; 

2. A detailed CV with three contactable references; and 

3. Two samples, if possible, of your past written work (for example, articles or research reports). 

Please ensure that your application as a whole speaks to the required qualifications, experience, personal profile and key roles and responsibilities. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. 

Shortlisted candidates will be expected to take part in at least one interview. Should it be necessary, Natural Justice may require a second which may involve a short, written exercise and presentation on a relevant issue pertaining to the job.   

Natural Justice is an equal opportunity employer that supports the development of young, African legal and human rights professionals and promotes inclusivity and diversity. Women and candidates from marginalised communities are encouraged to apply. 

Best of luck!  

The Natural Justice Team