Job Summary

Every employee of IRI is responsible for carrying out the Mission of IRI and demonstrating the Core Values in their day-to-day operations. The Core Values, which are IRI’s foundational building blocks include:

Excellence– We believe in quality results delivered by investing in people. Freedom– We believe in exploration and experimentation to be agile and responsive. Respect- We believe in trust, empathy, and empowering people. Teamwork- We believe in diversity, inclusion, and the power of global collaboration. Transparency– We believe in open communication and clear decision-making. Accountability- We believe in personal responsibility as the foundation of success.

The International Republican Institute (IRI) is seeking a Legal Advisor for the upcoming Strengthening Civic Engagement in Kazakhstan activity funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The Legal Advisor will serve as the technical lead for Objective 3 of the activity (enhance the regulatory environment to allow civil society to maximize their contributions to society) and will provide legal analysis and guidance when needed to achieve the other objectives of the activity. This position will be based in Astana, Kazakhstan, and report to the Chief of Party for Kazakhstan. This role is contingent on funding and USAID approval. The anticipated start date of the award and this role is October 2024 but subject to change.

Position Requirements

• Minimum 8 years of experience working in democracy and governance, civil society, legal affairs, or other applicable fields; at least 3 years’ experience with policymaking and law‐drafting in Kazakhstan.
• Deep understanding of the political and economic situation in the region and of the current political and civic environment in Kazakhstan.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and experience in collaborating with a wide range of stakeholders, including civil society, think tanks, government agencies, and international donors.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct legal analysis and produce high‐quality written material in a simple format for a variety of audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to research and analyze Kazakhstan’s operating environment and make adjustments to project activities in response to opportunities or obstacles.
• Strong leadership, management, administrative, presentation, reporting, and analytical skills and the ability to implement activities with diverse subject matter.
• Ability to work independently and as a member of a team to coordinate and lead the efforts of other professionals to effectively address Institute needs.
• Clear and concise communication skills (written and oral) in English.
• Must have professional-level English and Kazakh proficiency, both written and oral; Russian language skills preferred.
• A law degree applicable to Kazakhstan’s legal context is required.
• Knowledge of USG funder regulations preferred.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities

• Serve as a subject-matter expert on legal affairs for the project, including by maintaining a deep understanding of the legal and regulatory environment for the civil society sector and civic actors.
• Provide assistance to a diverse range of civic actors and civil society organizations in understanding and complying with local legal requirements.
• Analyze existing and draft legislation and develop informative materials.
• Lead the development and implementation of relevant activities, including planning, facilitating, and leading trainings.
• Liaise directly with local partners to plan and organize programmatic activities under their purview.
• Brainstorm, research, and design new program interventions consistent with IRI program objectives and available budgets.
• Establish, maintain, and develop productive working relationships with project participants, CSOs, government officials, other relevant stakeholders, and colleagues, including DC and field-based staff.
• Maintain an understanding of funder and IRI policies and procedures related to grant compliance and oversight.
• Monitor and evaluate the performance of IRI and partner organizations’ program activities, identifying successes and failures and recommending program adjustments accordingly, and drafting relevant language for the purpose of reporting on these successes and recommendations to USAID.
• Liaise with monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) staff to conduct MEL efforts for assigned activities, including but not limited to follow-up calls to IRI’s programming partners, intensive data collection on IRI and partner activities, writing activity reports, and tracking outcome-level results.
• Travel from time-to-time, independently and/or as part of a team, to various locations throughout Kazakhstan to support IRI’s programmatic objectives.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Education

Required

JD or better.

Experience

Required

8 years:

Minimum 8 years of experience working in democracy and governance, civil society, legal affairs, or other applicable fields; at least 3 years’ experience with policymaking and law‐drafting in Kazakhstan. Deep understanding of the political and economic situation in the region and of the current political and civic environment in Kazakhstan. A law degree applicable to Kazakhstan’s legal context is required. Knowledge of USG funder regulations preferred.

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