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COMMISSION FOR GENDER EQUALITY (CGE)
 
LEGAL RESEARCH SPECIALIST
Salary Level 11: R779 235.80 per annum (All-inclusive package)
Head Office – Johannesburg
 
The incumbent will report to the Head of Department: Legal and will support the Legal Department in ensuring the provision of effective legal services and coordination of the work of Legal Officers in the Nine Provincial Offices of the CGE, as well as supporting the HOD: Legal in the management and administration of the Legal Department. 
 
 
Requirements:  
  • B. Proc or LLB degree and Admitted as an Attorney of the High Court.
  • Three years post Admission experience, knowledge of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa and the operation of the Equality Courts.
  • Experience in Human Rights law litigation, civil litigation, family law litigation and legal research skills, wherein a good grasp of gender equality and other legal aspects applicable to the CGE mandate will be an added advantage. 
  • Project management and analytical skills.
  • Basic financial management skills.
  • People management and empowerment.
  • Stakeholder management.
  • Persuasive communication skills and the ability to work across hierarchies, with diverse levels of authority and stakeholders.
  • Service delivery innovation, honesty and integrity, client orientation and customer focus.
  • Adaptability and resilience, ability to manage deadlines and pressure.
  • Able to effectively use technology including Microsoft applications.
  • Knowledge and experience in mediation and conciliation processes.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, interpersonal skills and the ability to work independently, particularly in complaints handling. 
 
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Key Performance Areas:
Legal Services         
  • Conduct legal research on systemic matters, develop position papers and identify matters for strategic litigation. 
  • Investigate gender related complaints reported to the CGE and provide legal advice to the public where required.
  • Brief attorneys or counsel on behalf of CGE for the purposes of litigation.
  • Preparing reports to the parliament or international entities as required.
  • Appear on behalf of the complainants in the Equality Courts, Civil Courts and Family Courts, as well as litigating matters at the equality courts.
  • Liaise with legal officers to render advice/assistance on complex matters
  • Oversee complaints processes and assist in the monitoring of complaints.
  • Study court judgements that have an impact on the Commission.
  • Provide strategic direction on litigious and non-litigious matters to various Legal Officers in provinces.
  • Provide legal support to provinces and prepare presentations on various legal matters.
  • Prepare quarterly and annual reports for the Legal Department and assess monthly and quarterly reports of Legal Officers. 
  • Prepare investigative hearings when requested by Commissioners and monitor compliance with the CGE recommendations in investigative reports, as well as drafting investigative reports and legal opinions.
  • Draft Submissions of Bills to Parliament and engage stakeholders including parliament on CGE submissions.
 
Stakeholder management
  • Participate in the identification of stakeholders of the Legal Department, building stakeholder relations and nurturing collaborative trust with internal and external stakeholders.
  • Support mutual working relations for Commissioners, Management and Staff.
  • Participate in the engagement of like-minded human rights institutions in support of the Legal Department.
  • Coordinate stakeholder engagements for the Legal Department.
  • Manage stakeholder relations and collaboration for the Legal Department. 
  • Maintain a stakeholder database for the Legal Department.
  • Manage and attend stakeholder engagements initiatives for the Legal Department.
 
Office management   
  • Support the Legal Department in planning, implementing, reporting and tracking the performance of the office in relation to the achievement of planned performance measures.
  • Assist in the monitoring of compliance with institutional policies and procedures.
  • Assist in managing risk within the Legal Department.
  • Support a culture of operational efficiency in the Legal Department.
  • Work with other Teams in the CGE to ensure that the work of the Legal Department is in synch with other institutional operations. 
 
Information Management     
  • Manage the dissemination of information from the Legal Department to the institution. 
  • Support the Legal Department in adherence to principles of ethical conduct, transparency, fairness, equity and living internal values, as well as adherence to the internal code of conduct and ethics, in relation to information management.
  • Support the promotion of confidentiality in relation to privileged information in the Legal Department.
  • Facilitate effective communication within the Legal Department and across the CGE.
 

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Please submit the following: Letter of Motivation, submit a detailed CV with Certified copies of ID and academic qualifications; Provide the full names of three contactable Referees with full contact details (telephone details & e-mail addresses).
 
To the Commission for Gender Equality, Attention: info@affinityconsulting.co.za :  for enquiries contact 063 266 3930
 
Please note that no e-mail, faxes or late applications will be accepted. If you do not receive correspondence from the CGE within a period of a month after the closing date, consider your application unsuccessful. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted within two weeks of the closing date. Applicants with a foreign qualification must submit a SAQA evaluation report on the qualification. Background checks will form part of the selection process. Competency assessment tests may be administered to shortlisted candidates as part of the selection process. The CGE reserves the right not to fill these advertised positions. The CGE fully subscribes to the principles of Employment Equity and these principles will be applied in the appointment for these positions:
 
Closing date and time: 29 November 2021at 17:00
 
No late submissions will be considered.