Position Available

Community Environmental Legal Officers (Kilifi, Lamu counties)

Who is Natural Justice?

Natural Justice is an African non-profit organization specializing in environmental justice. Natural Justice uses the law to support communities participate in decisions that affect their land, culture and environment. We are a close-knit and nurturing collective that places emphasis on facilitating opportunities for the professional and personal growth of its members.

Natural Justice has been working with communities, NGOs and government agencies in Kenya since 2009. Together with our partners, we conduct comprehensive research on environmental and human rights law, use community legal empowerment approaches, including community paralegals, to support communities protect their access to lands, resources and traditional knowledge, provide legal advice and training to project partners, comment on environmental impact assessments, and make submissions on law and policy. Our projects are carried out in Kenya under three programmatic streams: affirming community rights, defending community rights; and standing with communities. To learn more about the work of Natural Justice please refer to www.naturaljustice.org

What are we looking for?

Kenya has a number of laws that citizens can use when they, and their environments are affected by various projects. However, there is often a gap that exists between law and its implementation resulting in negative impacts on local people. To assist in narrowing this gap, we are seeking full-time community environmental legal officers to work with communities negatively affected by environmental issues and help them find remedies through the government administrative and regulatory institutions.

The community environmental legal officers will work with community members to collect and submit evidence of environmental impacts, facilitate discussions with relevant government institutions and liaise and collaborate with local civil society groups.

The successful candidates will join a team of community environmental legal officers, and

will be based in Kilifi and Lamu Counties. They will also work very closely with the Natural Justice Program Team based in Nairobi.

How to Apply

Applications should be submitted via email to admin.nbo@naturaljustice.org with ‘Community Environmental Legal Officer – Kilifi’ or ‘Community Environmental Legal Officer – Lamu’ as the subject line.

Applications must include:

1) A cover letter that indicates: a) why you believe environmental justice is important in Kenya, and b) why you feel you are the best candidate;

2) A detailed CV with three references; and

3) If available, two sample of your past written work (for example, articles or research reports written by you (not jointly written or edited by other people).

Please ensure that your application as a whole speaks to the required qualifications, experience, personal profile and key roles and responsibilities. Please do not apply if you do not meet the required experience.

Deadline: 2nd July 2021.

Given the focus areas, candidates from Kilifi and Lamu Counties are encouraged to apply.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Selection Criteria

Minimum qualifications and attributes:

  • KCSE Certificate and 5 years work-experience in a related field; and/or a Diploma with 3 years’ experience in a relevant field; and/or an undergraduate degree in a social science discipline, environmental/resource management or law;
  • Excellent knowledge of spoken and written English and Kiswahili for Coastal Team applications;
  • Good knowledge of Word, Excel and Power point and Internet use.

Desirable traits and attributes:

  • A postgraduate degree in social or environmental sciences or law;
  • Professionalism, strong work ethic, and personal initiative (“a self-starter”);
  • Keen interest in and commitment to advancing the rights of marginalized communities, particularly in relation to their environments;
  • Willingness and ability to travel often;
  • Critical and analytical thinking;
  • Ability to mobilize communities;
  • Strong oral and written communication skills

Closing Date

2 July 2021

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