Refugee Legal Aid Program, Resettlement Senior Legal Officer

Saint Andrew’s Refugee Services, Cairo

Call for Applications: Refugee Legal Aid Program, Resettlement Senior Legal Officer

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: Refugee Legal Aid Program

The Refugee Legal Aid Program provides advice and representation to refugees seeking recognition by UNHCR through refugee status determination procedures in Egypt, assists refugees in accessing resettlement to safe third countries, and advises refugees on protection matters. The Refugee Legal Aid Program is seeking a Resettlement Senior Legal Officer to assist and advise vulnerable refugees in resettlement processes, and protection matters.

Role

Under the supervision of the Director of Refugee Legal Aid Program and the Resettlement Coordinator, the Resettlement Senior Legal Officer is responsible for the provision of legal advice to urban refugees in matters related to protection, and representation in resettlement. This includes: the reviewing of refugee cases to identify those of heightened vulnerability fitting UNHCR’s resettlement criteria or needing protection interventions; preparation and review of detailed legal briefs in support of claims for resettlement; and communicating with UNHCR, IOM, and others concerning client cases and additional support. The Resettlement Senior Legal Officer is also expected to contribute to advocacy efforts regarding the urban refugee population and to supervise and train volunteer staff. The Resettlement Senior Legal Officer is a member of a team of approximately 15 legal staff and reports to the Resettlement Coordinator.

Role

All duties are carried out under the supervision of the Resettlement Coordinator.

Legal and Technical

• To develop and supervise the screening and intake of potential clients for representation in resettlement matters.
• To maintain good working knowledge of UNHCR policies and procedures in resettlement and protection matters.
• To oversee the review and preparation of resettlement referrals to the UNHCR Resettlement Unit.
• Review and oversee identification of protection cases and relevant interventions.
• To manage regular referrals of resettlement cases to UNHCR’s Non-Syrian and Syrian Resettlement Units and to manage follow-up communication and inquiries regarding resettlement cases.
• To provide general legal counseling and assistance to refugees regarding their applications for registration, protection, and resettlement before UNHCR through the Refugee Legal Aid Program’s on-call services.
• To undertake country of origin research in support of individual claims and for general organizational research purposes and to maintain good working knowledge of the current political and social situations in the countries of origin of StARS’ clients.
• To assess extra-legal client needs and refer to other StARS teams or external organizations as appropriate.
• To undertake comprehensive case management practices including maintaining and updating electronic databases and records for each client, and keeping detailed notes of all casework activities.
• To engage with refugee community-based organizations in providing training and follow-up support, as well as participating in open-floor meetings and information sessions.
• To adhere to the Nairobi Code of Ethics, the StARS Policies and Procedures Manual, and the StARS Code of Conduct.

Programmatic

• To assist the Resettlement Coordinator in development and implementation of team policies and procedures.
• To assist other members of the Refugee Legal Aid Program and StARS programs regarding issues related to the urban refugee population.
• To provide case reporting data to the Director of Refugee Legal Aid Program as requested in order to accurately report work to senior management, funders, and others.
• To attend and contribute to Refugee Legal Aid Program meetings and other staff meetings.
• To build and maintain strong relationships with refugee communities in Cairo.
• To build and maintain relationships with StARS psychosocial and education staff and operational partners.
• To communicate with refugee communities, other service providers, and UNHCR to facilitate the communication of accurate information leading to the fulfillment of refugee rights.

Supervisory

• To assist the Resettlement Coordinator in the recruitment of volunteer legal advisors and other staff.
• To assist the Resettlement Coordinator in conducting intensive two-week training for new volunteers four to five times per year.
• To supervise volunteer legal advisors in resettlement and protection legal work, including providing written and oral feedback on written submissions and other work.
• To assist the Resettlement Coordinator in the management of volunteer caseloads and the provision of case-specific advice.
• To engage proactively in promoting self-care among volunteers and other staff.
• To ensure high quality legal advice and representation and a refugee rights-based approach.

Finance and Administration

• To monitor and maintain strong financial records and procedures as per StARS financial rules and ensure proper financial documentation of all activities.
• To undergo probation and regular performance appraisals.

Communication and Reporting

• To communicate regularly with the Director of Refugee Legal Aid Program and the Resettlement Coordinator, reporting on all major issues and developments in the field and within the Refugee Legal Aid Program.
• To become familiar with the Refugee Legal Aid Program’s database program and accurately record and follow up on all relevant case management
• To promote information sharing within the Refugee Legal Aid Program and StARS on all issues affecting the populations we serve.

Qualifications and Experience

The ideal candidate will be energetic, articulate, and comfortable interacting with diverse segments of society. She or he will have demonstrated a firm commitment to human rights and refugee issues.

Essential qualifications

• English being the official language of UNHCR Cairo and StARS, the Resettlement Senior Legal Officer must be fluent in oral and written English.
• Fluency in Arabic or a refugee language is an advantage.
• Master’s degree in a related field (international development, international law, development studies, Middle East Studies) OR a qualified lawyer in any jurisdiction (J.D., LLB or equivalent) OR a minimum of one year of experience in representing refugees in the resettlement or RSD processes OR two years’ experience providing direct representation to indigent people in any setting.
• Excellent legal research and drafting skills.
• Knowledge of UNHCR guidelines and procedures, especially resettlement criteria.
• Knowledge of the general protection situation and vulnerabilities of refugees in Egypt.
• A demonstrated commitment to and sensitivity toward vulnerable or displaced people.
• Ability to live and work in a fluid security environment.
• Proven experience drafting client affidavits and legal arguments.
• Ability to exercise sound legal judgment, well organized, self-motivated, and reliable.
• Demonstrated compassion for refugees and displaced people.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a team as well as individually.
• A positive attitude and sensitive manner when dealing with clients including a range of interviewing skills for dealing with challenging scenarios, particularly in advocating for survivors of violence, trafficking, torture, and Sexual Gender Based Violence.

Desirable Characteristics:

• Experience designing and conducting training sessions for non-technical audiences.
• Managerial experience or familiarity with volunteer oversight.
• Life and work experience in the Middle East or Egypt or with an urban refugee population.

Working Hours: The Resettlement Senior Legal Officer 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: Resettlement Coordinator

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: 10 September 2025

Anticipated Starting date: As soon as possible

To apply: Please send your Cover Letter and CV and brief legal writing sample for RLAD to applications@stars-egypt.org using the subject line “Resettlement Senior Legal Officer”. 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.

Qualifications and Experience

The ideal candidate will be energetic, articulate, and comfortable interacting with diverse segments of society. She or he will have demonstrated a firm commitment to human rights and refugee issues.

Essential qualifications

• English being the official language of UNHCR Cairo and StARS, the Resettlement Senior Legal Officer must be fluent in oral and written English.
• Fluency in Arabic or a refugee language is an advantage.
• Master’s degree in a related field (international development, international law, development studies, Middle East Studies) OR a qualified lawyer in any jurisdiction (J.D., LLB or equivalent) OR a minimum of one year of experience in representing refugees in the resettlement or RSD processes OR two years’ experience providing direct representation to indigent people in any setting.
• Excellent legal research and drafting skills.
• Knowledge of UNHCR guidelines and procedures, especially resettlement criteria.
• Knowledge of the general protection situation and vulnerabilities of refugees in Egypt.
• A demonstrated commitment to and sensitivity toward vulnerable or displaced people.
• Ability to live and work in a fluid security environment.
• Proven experience drafting client affidavits and legal arguments.
• Ability to exercise sound legal judgment, well organized, self-motivated, and reliable.
• Demonstrated compassion for refugees and displaced people.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a team as well as individually.
• A positive attitude and sensitive manner when dealing with clients including a range of interviewing skills for dealing with challenging scenarios, particularly in advocating for survivors of violence, trafficking, torture, and Sexual Gender Based Violence.

Desirable Characteristics:

• Experience designing and conducting training sessions for non-technical audiences.
• Managerial experience or familiarity with volunteer oversight.
• Life and work experience in the Middle East or Egypt or with an urban refugee population.

Working Hours: The Resettlement Senior Legal Officer 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.