Ukraine: Senior Legal Adviser

About the Team: 

Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the armed conflict with the Russian Federation has been marked by widespread human rights violations, including the large-scale deportation and forcible transfer of Ukrainian children. This role is for a Senior Legal Advisor for the project ‘No Child Forgotten: Strengthening Child-Sensitive Justice and Protection Responses to Deportation in Ukraine”. The project focuses on documenting, analysing, and strengthening evidence related to the deportation of children, enhancing evidence collection and trauma-informed, child-sensitive investigative methodologies to support accountability for these crimes and contribute to ongoing European and international justice efforts. The role will provide essential integrated, long-term support to organisations responding to the deportation of Ukrainian children, building their capacity to engage with children throughout the justice process in a child-sensitive and trauma-informed manner.

We are seeking a Senior Legal Adviser to join our International team. The Senior Legal Adviser (Child Justice) provides specialist legal expertise, strategic and operational advice, and support to civil society and other Ukrainian partners related to child-friendly justice for deportation-related crimes. The role will lead the substantive work of the team including the development of SOPs and conducting training programmes for beneficiaries. The role will closely build relationships to maintain local contacts, situational awareness, and opportunities for cooperation with organisations, bodies and authorities working on CAAC, as well as other relevant national and international stakeholders.

Full / Part-time: Full-time

Location: Ukraine (On a rotational deployment cycle)

The Role: 

• Provide ongoing legal advice, support, and mentorship to the Ukrainian civil society, and justice authorities.
• Develop child-friendly best practices for the documentation of deportation-related crimes.
• Identify and develop investigative tools, protocols and guidelines, as well as other documents, to be employed to ensure a child-sensitive approach throughout all aspects of investigations and prosecutions.
• Design and conduct training on child-friendly documentation and approaches to justice.
• Develop and support advocacy activities related to the deportation of children and other conflict-related crimes against and affecting children.
• Engage with international and national accountability mechanisms and human rights bodies.
• Promote the adoption of child-sensitive practices in civil society and investigative and prosecutorial authorities engaged in CAAC cases.
• Maintain and develop working relationships with key persons and organisations working on conflict-affected crimes against and affecting children.
• Coordinate with other GRC teams to ensure a child-sensitive approach is mainstreamed throughout all activities.
• Identify opportunities for project development and engagement with external partners/donors.
• Record and report Child Justice Team activities and achievements in line with MJT procedures.

Your Background: 

• 10+ years’ experience in the documentation, investigation and/or prosecution of international crimes, including crimes against and affecting children.
• Specialised expertise on crimes against and affecting children, and demonstrable experience developing child-friendly justice approaches.
• Experience and knowledge of international criminal law, international human rights law, and international humanitarian law.
• Knowledge on integrating child-friendly, trauma-informed and victim-centred justice into work practices.
• Strong interest in CAAC, child rights violations, and integration of child-sensitive approaches into international core crimes, including child-friendly justice frameworks.
• Ability to mentor junior team members, and work creatively to achieve desired outcomes.
• Ability to work effectively with the whole range of criminal justice actors.
• Administratively competent, organised and confident multitasking.
• Practical experience in working with high volumes of sensitive material and with the requisite skills for collating, sharing, and working with such material.
• Fluent in English, both written and verbal skills.

How to Apply: 

Please submit your CV and a short cover letter (in English) to Application Form - Senior Legal Adviser by the 6th March 2026.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.