Legal Land Expert

Legal Land Expert

GIZ-Internal/External Vacancy Announcement #010/2022

Integrated Land Use Planning

Livelihood and social harmony in rural and urban communities anywhere depend on access to and proper utilization of land. However, the excessive use of land resources has led to resource depletion, loss of biodiversity, conflicts and internal displacements. This is also true for Ethiopia. The intervention aims to improve the institutional capacities of and regulatory framework for national and regional authorities on integrated land use planning in areas with high land competition in accordance with international human rights standards and by improving the education and training opportunities for integrated land use planning professionals at different levels.

Contract duration:                            Until March 31, 2023   

Responsibilities & Tasks

• Advising the national level on the creation of the legal basis for integrated land use planning as well as implementing regulations at regional and local level;
• Strengthening the legal, institutional, and administrative framework responsible for integrated land use planning at the at federal, regional and municipal/communal level;
• Deal with legal issues and provide legal advice on staffing and institutional matters to ensure compliance with applicable laws, instructions, regulations and procedures;
• Facilitate stakeholder consultation workshops concerning land use and natural resource access and use regulations;
• Propose necessary amendments to policies, regulations, procedures, contracts and agreements to ensure state-of-the-art;
• Interpret laws, instructions, regulations and procedures to the partners at the federal and regional level;
• Monitor the implementation of applicable laws, instructions, regulations, and procedures;
• Assist technical department in developing legal and regulatory provisions (decrees and instructions) of the entity in charge of land use;
• Draft legal texts regarding the institution and give legal advice on texts, instructions, regulations, and procedures;
• Analyze applicable international laws to natural resources and ensure partner offices comply with them;
• Assist the capacity building of integrated land use planning institutions;
• Perform other related duties and tasks as assigned.

Qualifications

• A Master’s Degree of equivalent in Law (i.e. Land Law or Environmental Law)
• Thorough knowledge of environmental and natural resources law and policies of Ethiopia
• Thorough knowledge of the Ethiopian land administration system including drafting proclamation, regulations, directives and policies
• Thorough knowledge of international and regional conventions and agreements relating to land governance
• Working knowledge of land regularization and administration programs

Professional experience

• 7+ years of professional experience
• A minimum of 5 years’ experience in land administration and tenure, land policy, legal land experience or other relevant experience (for Land Administration Expert)
• Demonstrated legal drafting experience
• Familiarity with the FAO VGGTs and the World Bank LGAF methodology will be an advantage

Other knowledge, additional competencies

• Good level of knowledge in the MS Office package and MS Teams
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral in English and Amharic
• Knowledge of the land governance system in Ethiopia
• Familiarity with the human rights-based approach
• High degree of creativity, initiative, integrity and accountability
• Conceptual and creative thinking and independent initiative
• Good interpersonal skills and team spirit
• Previous GIZ work experience advantageous