Director of Dispute Settlements and Legal Affairs - African Union

Purpose of Job

Responsible for the operations of the entire directorate/department. Plan, develop and implement strategic policies while promoting inter-directorate/department collaboration. Provide technical and strategic advice to the Secretary-General and to the AfCFTA’s Institutions by providing support to all technical directorates.

Main Functions

• Develop and maintain operating rules and procedures.
• Provide technical leadership and ensure efficient functioning of all Divisions.
• Ensure overall management of the directorate/department personnel, budget, performance, quality, discipline and training in conformity with relevant rules and procedures in force.
• Determine and execute the overall strategy of the directorate.
• Develop and oversee policy development guidelines.
• Prepare and oversee integrated programmes of overall activities of the Directorate.
• Build and maintain a strategic plan to form good working relations with another directorate/department.
• Develop and maintain regular working relations with top level stakeholders in appropriate agencies of Member States and partners.
• Organize coordination meetings between the organization and other relevant organizations.
• Ultimately responsible for preparing periodic financial and budget execution reports and annual financial statements and other reports.
• Promote awareness and training of best practices in area of expertise.
• Prepare periodic financial and budget execution reports and annual financial statements and other reports.

Specific Responsibilities

• Provide legal advice on AfCFTA agreements and other issues of international law and the law of international institutions as they may arise to the Secretary General and the AfCFTA Secretariat
• Provide legal opinions relating to the interpretation of the AfCFTA Agreement, Protocols, Rules and Regulations of the AU, as well as, other legal instruments;
• Oversee the Division that serves as Secretary to the Dispute Settlement in, prepares reference material on AfCFTA law, and carries out technical assistance and outreach activities
• Support different Directorates and staff by providing legal and other guidance to staff in carrying out their duties, setting objectives required, reviewing output (e.g. legal and other work) and performance of the staff, supporting the development of the knowledge and skills of staff, and ensuring appropriate staff training plans are in place and executed
• Provide legal review of documents and advice in administrative, strategic as well as operational matters (notably in the area of conflict of interest, intellectual property, governance procedures, AfCFTA, procurement, contracts and grants, Staff Regulations and other regulations
• Assist the AfCFTA State Parties in drafting and giving legal effect to instruments and agreements they may negotiate and conclude within the legal framework of the AfCFTA Agreement
• Cooperate with representatives of national authorities and relevant stakeholders and provide support in development, review and implementation of various legal instruments and guidelines.
• Liaising with AUC, AU legal institutions, other AU Organs and stakeholders to ensure implementation of best practices in legal and trade disputes settlements.
• Assess the legal implications of the activities and decisions of all deliberative, advisory and administrative bodies related to the AfCFTA Secretariat and to participate in the meetings of these bodies as necessary.
• Supervision of staff and management of performance appraisal for staff under supervision
• Perform any other related duties as may be assigned.

Academic Requirements And Relevant Experience

Master’s degree in International Law (Public International Law, Private International Law, International Organizations Law) or relevant disciplines

A minimum of fifteen (15) years of progressively responsible professional work experience out of which eight (8) years of this should be at managerial level managing professional staff in a national, regional, continental, or international organization.

Required Skills

• Management experience and ability to relate and facilitate interactions with others;
• Ability to think critically and solve problems;
• Ability to communication orally and in writing;
• Reports writing and presentation skills;
• Excellent interpersonal skills, the ability to organize and motivate others and to work in a multi-cultural environment;
• Planning, organizational and reporting skills;
• Ability to negotiate diplomatically;
• Ability to delegate the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority; with regard to performance management and professional development;
• Conscientious in observing deadlines and achieving results;
• Familiarity with international and regional policy processes and policy analysis in the relevant area; and
• Proficiency in one of the AU Official working languages (Arabic, English, French, Kiswahili, Portuguese and Spanish), fluency in another AU language is an added advantage

Leadership Competencies

Strategic Focus

• Developing Organizational Capability

Change Leadership

Strategic Risk Management

Core Competencies

Building Partnerships

• Drives Accountability Culture

Learning Orientation

• Communicating with impact

Functional Competencies

• Conceptual Thinking

Job Knowledge and information sharing

Drive for Results

Fosters Innovation