Legal Officer Job at CEFROHT

Resident Administrator Job

Work Hours: Full-time, 08 hours per day

Salary: Attractive

Job Deadline: 15 April 2026

Number of Jobs: 01

Hiring Entity: CEFROHT

CEFROHT

Location: In Uganda

Job Details:

JOB DESCRIPTION
LEGAL OFFICER – CENTER FOR FOOD & ADEQUATE LIVING
RIGHTS(CEFROHT)
PURPOSE OF THE POSITION
Provide legal support (advisory, research, and litigation) across all three organizational
domains: Food Security, Food Safety, and Food Sovereignty.
Assist Head of Program (Social Justice and Strategic Litigation)
• To conduct both strategic public interest litigation and pro-bono litigation for
communities adequate living rights particularly land rights and legal support for
agroecology.
• Conduct legal research and advocacy to prevent diet related Non-Communicable
diseases
• To litigate against unfair trade laws in agrifood frameworks at national, regional and
international level including World Trade, African Free Trade and EAC trade
regimes.
• Legal empowerment to facilitate legal & policy advocacy, social accountability &
mobilization
• Advance a human rights-based approach to food, nutrition, trade, and investment
systems
SCOPE
The position is key to CEFROHT’s ability to advance social justice in food and agriculture,
nutrition, trade, and investment systems. It aims to create an enabling legal and policy
environment that promotes, respects, and guarantees economic rights, the right to food,
nutrition, and health in the food, health, and trade systems. The Legal officer’s role therefore,
will be; Assist Head of Social Justice and Strategic Litigation Program to conduct legal action
research and to offer legal advisory on all issues of economic rights, and rights to food,
nutrition, and health as well as define rights to adequate food, public health and trade, as well
as redress to violations of such rights through both strategic and pro-bono litigation. Promote
social accountability and legal empowerment among duty bearers and rights holders anchored
on human rights.
This position reports to the Head of Social Justice and Strategic Litigation Program
Key Result Areas:
Under the direct supervision of the Head of Social Justice and Strategic Litigation Program,
the incumbent is required to perform the following functions:
1. Coordinates with and assists the Head of Litigation Program (HLP) to ensure efficient
judicial support services to the judicial offices.
2. In cooperation with the HLP, she/he acts as the focal point on all judicial support services,
including interpretation, translation, transcription, AV recordings, and trial management-
related issues.
3. Attends the hearings before the court and aids before and during the hearings in cooperation
with the Court Officers; he/she provides secretariat support to legal teams.
4. Assists in the formulation of internal policies and directives for the litigation program
5. Is responsible for content management of the CEFROHT website so far as litigation
postings are concerned.
6. Advises the CEFROHT Communications’ department on issues of litigation and right to
food
7. Provides legal advice to vulnerable community groups on issues of food, nutrition, public
health law, and economic rights as and when required;
8. Assists in drafting periodic litigation reports to the HLP
9. Assist Litigation Program in administering legal research, advisory, and litigation activities,
ensuring availability of appropriate resources to the litigation teams.
10. Contribute to the development, design, and planning of litigation projects so that projects
have a clear and feasible strategy towards impact that is in line with CEFROHT’s mission
and strategy.
11. Develops and implements food industry monitoring strategies
12. Monitors and supports the organization in countering food industry interference in the
three thematic areas of food security, food safety, and food sovereignty
13. Drafting the relevant pleadings and ensuring that documents are served to the court in
time.

Key Performance Indicators
To facilitate tracking of the job holder’s performance during the year, the following
performance indicators have been identified and agreed upon:
1. Petitions and affidavits are adequate and appropriate, and hard copies of the same are kept
under safe custody.
2. Follow-up plan of activities on court proceedings and communications.
3. Plan of communication activities on the litigation program.
4. Plan of activities on legal empowerment and advisory towards vulnerable groups, local
governments, policy makers & CSOs.
5. Plan of activities on legal policy advocacy and social accountability
6. Draft and submit periodic food industry monitoring reports.
Essential Competencies
• Professionalism: In-depth knowledge of criminal procedures and court management;
analytical skills, discretion, and sound judgment in problem-solving; demonstrated
planning and organizational skills; ability to draft legal and policy papers and work under
pressure. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence
and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments,
observing deadlines, and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than
personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges;
remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender
perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
• Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly
interprets messages from others, and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and
exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style, and
format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping
people informed.
• Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits
input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places
team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group
decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for
team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
Education
• At least a first-level university degree in law from a recognized University
Work Experience
• A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in law or relevant
experience, including litigation, legal analysis, research, and writing, is required;
• Prior experience in supporting court management services is desirable.
• Prior experience in human rights, public health law, and policy advocacy is highly desirable