Job title: Legal Project Manager: Western Cape

Reports to Chief Legal Officer

Position Type: Full time

The holder of this position will be responsible for strategically managing projects and campaigns and supervising the work of the project team. This position requires an experienced manager with legal qualifications, strong leadership skills and outstanding communication abilities. Working to tight deadlines and in a team environment is vital. 

Attributes and abilities

• Excellent networking skills

• A commitment to high quality client service 

• Demonstrable experience in public interest campaigning

• Extensive legal and business writing skills

• Team Management skills

• Ability to provide quality assurance and support

• Excellent communication ability, both written and oral

• Drafting of legal documents 

• Conduct legal research/ investigations

• Extensive case building experience 

• Excellent organisational-, administrative and record keeping skills

• Energized, self-starter

• Highly motivated

• Leadership qualities

• A civil action and activist mindset

• Strategic and conceptual orientated individual

• Lateral thinker

• Diligent and pays attention to detail

• Interest in social and economic justice and human rights

• Excellent mediation abilities

• Ability to stand for OUTA’s vision, mission and mandate

Duties and responsibilities

·         Strategically developing, designing and leading assigned projects in conjunction with the project team that includes but are not limited to researchers, investigators, legal advisors and communication- and marketing personnel.

·         The implementation of campaign strategies and action plans that are in line with OUTA’s mandate.

·         Assist organisational growth through relevant project selection, coordination and management of assigned projects.

·         Responsible for the organised, neat and presentable manner of filing and administration of files

·         Manage and supervise the in-house project management tool, ProofHub.

·         Responsible for general day-to-day administrative duties as required

·         Diligently represent OUTA when interacting with external legal counsel and third parties

·         Determine timelines for the project team taking into account various stages of case building (and litigation when applicable), campaigns and actively managing such timelines

·         Manage and supervise project team to identify relevant / pertinent issues when planning cases and its timelines

·         Manage and supervise the project team in determining the case’s framework and the legal route to be taken

·         Support, give guidance and manage the quality of the work of the project team

·         Understand and manage the project team’s dynamics and encourage good relationships

·         Alert the Chief Legal Officer to conflicts and possible requirements for discipline

·         Advise the Chief Legal Officer on training possibilities for the project team

·         Supervision of assigned litigious matters and the relevant counsel

·         Drafting of expert opinions and reports.

·         Providing hands-on expert advice, support and representation to members, including communities and civil society organisations, on projects that fall within OUTA’s mandate.

·         Providing expert input on relevant bills and legislation, as appropriate.

·         Provide project specific legal research of a high quality

·         Responsible for the integrity and legal relevance of legal research/ investigations

·         Responsible for all legal research/ investigations pertinent to case-building including but not limited to the study of case law, legislation and interpretation thereof

·         To stay abreast of legal developments

·         Keep abreast of latest news, information and techniques specific to the assigned project.

·         Identify relevant/ pertinent issues when planning cases

·         Ensure the correct information required is obtained to support cases

·         Determine the case framework and assist in deciding the legal route to be taken

·         Drafting and/or vetting of court documents and applications, legal letters, pleadings, complaints (both civil and criminal) etc.

·         Providing advice/ guidance to and/or drafting answers for the Chief Legal Officer

·         Represent OUTA through public speaking and to the media on campaign issues.

·         Facilitate the utilization of available news items and media resources on our website and social media platforms.

Required Experience

• Project Management experience is essential

• Admitted Advocate / Attorney

• 5 years’ postadmission experience with magistrate / high court litigation or similar experience

• Masters’ degree or further tertiary education advantageous

• In depth understanding and knowledge of public and administrative law

• Extensive knowledge of relevant legislation, including but not limited to Procedural and substantive (Criminal and Civil) Law, the Companies Act, PFMA, PAJA, PAIA and the         Constitution

Job Location

Cape Town Office: Adderley Street, Cape Town, South Africa.

Kindly submit your resume to jobs@outa.co.za Only those candidates deemed most qualified by the hiring manager will be contacted to interview within 21 days of submission. Should you not receive feedback within 14 days of our acknowledgement of receipt of your CV, please accept that your application will not have met with our approval to go through to the next round of the interview process.

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