Deputy Director of Refugee Legal Aid Program

Saint Andrew’s Refugee Services, Cairo

Call for Applications: Deputy Director of Refugee Legal Aid Program

Founded in 1979, StARS is a refugee service provider in central Cairo that works to enhance the quality of life for refugees and vulnerable migrants through five broad program areas: education, psychosocial, legal, community outreach and unaccompanied youth and children support services. We provide high-quality services meeting the unaddressed needs of refugees, and we provide a safe and inclusive space for displaced people to come together as a community. We work for refugees, with refugees, to make rights recognition a reality.

StARS’ Mission: Driven by a commitment to solidarity and human dignity, StARS works both as displaced people and for displaced people to support the resilience and leadership of individuals and communities in their pursuit of an enhanced quality of life.

StARS’ Vision: StARS envisions a future where displaced people and the societies they join stand in solidarity, recognizing the strength and leadership of refugees. In this world, the displaced thrive with dignity, claiming their rights and enriching our shared human experience.

Standard of Professional Conduct: StARS and all its staff must adhere to the values and principles outlined in StARS’ Code of Conduct, Child Safeguarding Policy, and PSEAH policy.

Commitment to Gender, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: StARS is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, respectful, and safe work environment where all persons are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. StARS expressly prohibits and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or bullying in any work setting. We aim to increase the representation of women, people that are from country and communities we serve, and people who identify as races and ethnicities that are under-represented in global power structures.

We serve people from many places, including Eritrea, Ethiopia, Iraq, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

To learn more please visit our website: www.stars-egypt.org or our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/standrewsrefugeeservices?fref=ts

Description of the Program

The Refugee Legal Aid Program provides advice and representation to refugees seeking recognition by UNHCR through registration and refugee status determination procedures in Egypt, and assists refugees to address protection risks they face in Egypt and access durable solutions to safe third countries. The Refugee Legal Aid Program comprises a team of approximately 40 full-time staff, 10-12 volunteers, and a team of 20 staff and consultant interpreters.

Role

Under the supervision of the Director of the Refugee Legal Aid Program, the Deputy Director supports management of program services implementation focused on legal advice and representation to urban refugees in matters of refugee status determination, protection, and resettlement. The Deputy Director of the Refugee Legal Aid Program supports all matters relating to day-to-day running of services, staff supervision, and coordination with other StARS programs and partners. The Deputy Director of the Refugee Legal Aid Program supports the program’s Coordinators in introducing new services and implementing changes in services to respond to evolving needs and changes in UNHCR processing and the protection context.

Responsibilities

All duties are carried out under the supervision of the Director of the Refugee Legal Aid Program. The Deputy Director of the Refugee Legal Aid Program performs a range of duties including the following:

Legal and Technical

• Provide legal counselling and assistance to refugees regarding their applications for UNHCR registration, refugee status determination, protection, and resettlement, particularly on complex and sensitive cases. The Deputy Director is expected to maintain a caseload of clients in Refugee Status Determination, protection, or resettlement matters.
• Provide legal and technical guidance to the Refugee Legal Aid Program Coordinators on the development of services, improving service quality, and efficiency of services and internal systems.
• Monitor and support smooth functioning of the Refugee Legal Aid Program services to ensure interventions are provided in a timely and effective manner, and to ensure adherence to and consistency with the Refugee Legal Aid Program’s established guidelines and procedures.
• Support development and review of Refugee Legal Aid Program manuals and policies and procedures, ensuring staff maintain a standard of quality of services and productivity to maximize the availability of legal services to refugees and vulnerable migrants.
• Ensure program monitoring and evaluation systems are in place, that programming is reviewed based on results and emerging needs, and prepare and support the implementation of new services through needs assessments, work plans, and proposals.
• Provide technical and legal guidance on country-of-origin information in support of individual refugee and protection claims, as well as for general organizational research purposes.
• Maintain detailed knowledge and understanding of the current political and social situations in the countries of origin of StARS’ clients, as well as in the country of asylum.
• Maintain good working knowledge of UNHCR guidelines, processes, and procedures.
• Ensure systems are in place for Refugee Legal Aid Program staff to assess legal and extra-legal client needs and refer to other StARS programs or external organizations as appropriate.
• Ensure that comprehensive case management practices are adhered to, including maintaining and updating electronic databases and records for each client, and keeping detailed notes of all casework activities.
• Support the Director of the Refugee Legal Aid Program to guide recruitment processes, and support Refugee Legal Aid Program management with recruitment of senior staff positions within the program, and within other StARS programs as needed.
• Support oversight of development and regular review and updates to induction training programs for new staff and volunteers to ensure consistency in the quality of legal advice and services provided to clients.
• Coordinate with Director of the Refugee Legal Aid Program and program Coordinators to arrange ongoing training for Refugee Legal Aid Program staff and volunteers on UNHCR Registration, Refugee Status Determination, protection, resettlement, and legal matters, as needed.
• Support coordination with StARS’ Community Outreach Department on training and supervision program for community paralegals supported by StARS and working at partner refugee-led organizations.
• In coordination with the Community Outreach Department, support system to deliver legal workshops for refugee communities.
• Support development and enhancement of systems of coordination with other StARS service programs, particularly the Psychosocial and Unaccompanied Children and Youth Departments, with the aim of offering StARS clients with holistic and integrated services.
• Adhere to the Nairobi Code of Ethics, the StARS Policies and Procedures Manual, and the StARS Code of Conduct, while ensuring compliance by all RLAP staff and volunteers.

Supervisory

• Direct supervision of two Refugee Legal Aid Program Coordinators.
• Provide feedback on case strategies and recommendations for further action, and provide direction to Refugee Legal Aid Program staff on country-of-origin information research and legal analysis.
• Support the supervision of the Refugee Legal Aid Program administrative staff.
• Undertake other supervisory duties as needed in accordance with available supervisory capacity with the Refugee Legal Aid Program.
• Assist the Director of the Refugee Legal Aid Program in the development of supervision procedures and mechanisms and ensure consistent supervision practices are implemented in a regular and timely manner across all levels within program.
• Carry out regular performance evaluation and annual appraisals for Coordinators under their supervision.
• Ensure that all Refugee Legal Aid Program staff and volunteers carry out tasks in accordance with StARS’ policies, procedures, and standards, in particular ethics, conduct, confidentiality, anti- discrimination, and the prevention of sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse.
• Coordinate with the Director of the Refugee Legal Aid Program to ensure promotion of self-care among staff and volunteers.
• Oversee and administer approval of staff leave and reimbursements, and implementation of disciplinary measures.
• Ensure high quality legal advice and representation and a refugee rights-based approach.

Policy and Advocacy

• Monitor policies and developments affecting refugees in Egypt, inclusive of the anticipated implementation of a national asylum system, paying special attention to vulnerable or marginalized groups.
• Identify advocacy priorities affecting StARS’ clients, and in coordination with the Director of the Refugee Legal Aid Program, advocate, particularly with UNHCR, on salient protection issues related to the refugee community.
• Support the Director of the Refugee Legal Aid Program to work with the Policy and Advocacy Coordinator to develop advocacy plans and strategies, and to develop evidence-based advocacy tools.
• Ensure streamlined data gathering and monitoring tools are maintained to inform strong evidence-base for advocacy strategies.

Finance and Administration

• Undergo probation and regular performance appraisals.
• Become and remain familiar with StARS’ financial policies and procedures, and ensure Refugee Legal Aid Program Coordinators adhere to StARS’ financial policies and procedures.

Communication and Reporting

• Communicate regularly with the Director of the Refugee Legal Aid Program, reporting on all major issues and developments in the field and within the program.
• Support the Director of the Refugee Legal Aid Program to build and maintain strong relationships with refugee communities and refugee-led organizations in Egypt.
• Support the Director of the Refugee Legal Aid Program on communication with UNHCR and other service providers to facilitate the transmission of accurate information leading to the fulfillment of refugee rights.
• Contribute to the preparation of donor narrative progress reports, and grant proposals, and submit activity reports as requested.
• Support the Director of the Refugee Legal Aid Program to ensure program activities respond to project indicators and regularly monitor progress on activity implementation.
• Ensure adequate administrative processes are in place for accurate and timely reporting to donors.
• Promote information-sharing within the Refugee Legal Aid Program and StARS on all issues affecting the populations served by StARS.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Technical

• English being the official language of UNHCR Egypt and StARS, the Deputy Director of the Refugee Legal Aid Program must be fluent in oral and written English. Fluency in Arabic or a refugee language is an advantage.
• LLB, LLM, JD or equivalent legal education and practical experience as a legal advocate.
• Three years of experience in supervising delivery or legal advice and representation, ideally to refugees and asylum seekers or other marginalized groups.
• Ability to exercise sound legal judgment, analyze and solve problems, to be well organized, self-motivated, and reliable, and to obtain information necessary to accomplish duties.
• Ability to express technical concepts in a non-technical environment.

Personal

• Ability to lead, motivate, supervise, guide, support, and discipline staff, and cooperate with peers.
• Belief in and commitment to rights-based service provision.
• Belief in and commitment to non-discrimination on the basis or gender, race, disability, religious belief, gender identity, and sexual orientation.
• Ability to prioritize work, multi-task, and meet deadlines while handling conflicting priorities in a fast-paced environment working with limited resources.
• Commitment to community-centered approach to service provision.
• A positive attitude and collaborative approach to dealing with clients, staff, and volunteers.

Working Hours: The Deputy Director of the Refugee Legal Aid Program is expected to be at work for 40 hours per week, between the hours of 9am and 5pm, from Sunday to Thursday. Longer hours, evening and weekend work are sometimes necessary. Work will be conducted both in StARS premises and also in refugee communities and centers.

Reporting to: Director of the Refugee Legal Aid Program

StARS salaries are standardized per position according to a pay scale and are not negotiable based on the individual experiences and qualifications of the candidate. StARS salaries are competitive with the local market. Position salary will be discussed at the shortlisting and interview stage.

This position is subject to a three-month probationary period, at which time the employee’s performance will be reviewed and probation may be extended.

Closing date for applications: 18 October 2025

Anticipated Starting date: 1 December 2025

To apply: Please send your Cover Letter and CV and brief legal writing sample to applications@stars-egypt.org using the subject line “Deputy Director of Refugee Legal Aid Program”. All applications should provide contact information for two professional/academic reference (referees will only be contacted after interviews).

Note: Only short-listed applicants will be contacted for an interview.

StARS salaries are standardized per position according to a pay scale and are not negotiable based on the individual experiences and qualifications of the candidate. StARS salaries are competitive with the local market. Position salary will be discussed at the shortlisting and interview stage.

Requirements

Technical

• English being the official language of UNHCR Egypt and StARS, the Deputy Director of the Refugee Legal Aid Program must be fluent in oral and written English. Fluency in Arabic or a refugee language is an advantage.
• LLB, LLM, JD or equivalent legal education and practical experience as a legal advocate.
• Three years of experience in supervising delivery or legal advice and representation, ideally to refugees and asylum seekers or other marginalized groups.
• Ability to exercise sound legal judgment, analyze and solve problems, to be well organized, self-motivated, and reliable, and to obtain information necessary to accomplish duties.
• Ability to express technical concepts in a non-technical environment.

Personal

• Ability to lead, motivate, supervise, guide, support, and discipline staff, and cooperate with peers.
• Belief in and commitment to rights-based service provision.
• Belief in and commitment to non-discrimination on the basis or gender, race, disability, religious belief, gender identity, and sexual orientation.
• Ability to prioritize work, multi-task, and meet deadlines while handling conflicting priorities in a fast-paced environment working with limited resources.
• Commitment to community-centered approach to service provision.
• A positive attitude and collaborative approach to dealing with clients, staff, and volunteers.