Jobs and Careers

JOB DESCRIPTION : 

The primary objective of the assignment is to conduct an assessment of the Judicial Code and to support the development of recommendations to further amend the ethics and disciplinary framework to enhance transparency and accountability, both internally and externally.

The deliverables outlined below are subject to be amended by USAID and/or the JSSP team during the assignment. All deliverables must be submitted in English unless otherwise noted.
- Presentation and other materials developed for the event/conference where the results of the Assessment will be presented to stakeholders (Armenian).
- Input to the gap analysis and recommendations, action plan for JSSP interventions, and draft handbooks. (These deliverables will be led by an international expert.)

This position reports to the Deputy Chief of Party. The designated Activity Lead will serve as primary point of contact. The proposed level of effort for this assignment is up to 20 consultant/days. The authorized work week is five days per week and eight hours per day. The estimated period of assignment is from June 1, 2024, to August 31, 2024 in Yerevan, Armenia.

RESPONSIBILITIES : 

In furtherance of this assignment, the Consultant will:
- Conduct assessment of the domestic system of judicial ethics and discipline, including 2020 amendments to the Judicial Code, by-laws, and practice in this field;
- Support an international consultant in the development of an assessment and gap analysis with recommendations for changes to the Judicial Code and disciplinary framework to enhance transparency and accountability, both internally and externally;
- Support the development of presentation and other event/conference materials (both in English and Armenian);
- Participate in the presentation of findings and stakeholder discussions;
- Conduct interviews with judges, advocates, monitoring CSOs, MOJ, and other stakeholders to elicit feedback on proposed changes;
- Provide feedback on draft recommendations and action plan for improving ethics and disciplinary framework as requested by international expert;
- Support the development of handbooks explaining the codes and commentaries on key ethical canons to promote integrity.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS : 

- Language: fluency in Armenian, professional working English (required);
- Education – degree in Law (required); advanced degree in Law (preferred);
- Experience – minimum 5 years experience in judicial reform or justice sector development in Armenia (required), specifically with an international organization (preferred); previous work in the field of judicial testing and selection (preferred);
- Knowledge – working knowledge of the structure and functioning of the Armenian judiciary and related frameworks currently in force (required); familiarity with international best practices in ethics and discipline (preferred);
- Skills – legal research and writing (required); analytical and problem solving (required); ability to work independently (required).

APPLICATION PROCEDURES : 

Prospective candidates who are interested in the position should submit their applications by sending a detailed CV and a brief cover letter to: armeniajssp@armeniajssp.com. The deadline for applications is 31 May 2024, or until the position is filled. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Only pre-selected candidates will be contacted for an interview. To facilitate the process, we kindly request applicants to refrain from making phone calls.

Please clearly mention in your application letter that you learned of this job opportunity through Career Center and mention the URL of its website - www.careercenter.am, Thanks.

OPEN TO/ ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA : 

Only Armenian citizens are eligible for this position.

ABOUT : 

The USAID Project on Justice Sector Support in Armenia (JSSP) supports the Government of Armenia to establish a fair and equitable justice system and increase public confidence in the rule of law. JSSP works with multiple justice sector institutions to: (1) establish effective and efficient court administration and case management systems; (2) support self-regulatory institutional capacity development for judicial institutions; (3) improve legal and professional education; and (4) facilitate implementation of justice sector reform through collaborative action.

USAID’s Integrity Systems and Rule of Law Assessment (July 2019) revealed gaps in SJC procedures and capacity to conduct fair judicial candidate selection, performance evaluation, and discipline. Addressing these and other shortcomings is critical to reducing flashpoints for corrupt practice, fostering greater accountability, and instilling greater public confidence. Objective 2 aims to ensure fair judicial candidate selection, performance evaluation, and discipline, as well as build the capacity for the judiciary’s effective internal (judicial actors) and external (public) communications. Accordingly, and on parallel tracks, JSSP planning to work hand in hand with the SJC to (1) improve processes for testing, selecting, and evaluating judges, and (2) design and implement a strategic communications plan for the SJC that validates and addresses public concern.

At this stage, JSSP will pursue either an independent or joint (with the SJC) assessment of the 2020 amendments to the Judicial Code to determine what additional improvements to the ethics and disciplinary framework are required to enhance transparency and accountability, both internally and externally.

It is anticipated that the above-referenced assessment will yield recommendations for introducing enhanced processes for screening, investigating, and resolving disciplinary complaints; updating the Code of Conduct as necessary; developing handbooks explaining the codes and commentaries on key ethical canons to promote integrity; and/or educating judges on their ethical responsibilities and obligations under the Judicial Code and Code of Conduct. As a next step, JSSP is planning to develop an action plan to implement such recommendations in future years. While the action plan’s scope and depth will ultimately depend on the level of SJC cooperation, JSSP is confident that it can develop model processes and resource materials in any event.