Irish Council for Civil Liberties: Policy Officer (Policing and Justice) – deadline 20 March 2023

ICCL are recruiting a full-time Policing and Justice Policy Officer to work as part of its team of human rights advocates. The Policy Officer will work as part of the ICCL team, working on research and policy programmes in the area of criminal justice and policing reform.

The role exists to contribute to the research and policy work of the ICCL, particularly in the areas of policing reform and protest rights, and more broadly in ICCL’s wider work on human rights and criminal justice.

About ICCL

ICCL is the foremost civil liberties organisation in Ireland with a long and successful track record of defending human rights and civil liberties, including at times when the political climate was often hostile to their protection. Fully independent of government and fearless in its advocacy for human rights, ICCL has been at the forefront of many of the key human rights debates in Irish society, making a significant impact on law, policy and public opinion.

About ICCL’s work in the area of criminal justice

Since its foundation in 1976, ICCL has been focused on fair trial and due process rights. ICCL is committed to progressive reform of Irish law and policy in relation to all stages of the criminal justice process in line with international human rights standards. ICCL supports judicial reform in line with international standards and best practice. ICCL has also been a leading voice for reform of Irish policing and continues to support the reform process. ICCL is committed to the implementation of the report of the Commission on the Future of Policing, including by ensuring new policing legislation is in line with its recommendations and with human rights law. ICCL is keen to learn from lessons in Northern Ireland on police reform and is working with sister organisation, the Committee on the Administration of Justice, (CAJ), on a shared lessons learned project. ICCL is currently engaged in a number of international research and awareness raising projects in the area of procedural rights and victims’ rights, supported by the European Commission.

Key Responsibilities

• Carry out original research and analysis as part of ICCL’s research and policy programme in the area of policing, broader criminal justice reform and the right to protest.
• Draft policy submissions and generate policy content for ICCL across the areas of policing reform, the right to protest and broader criminal justice matters.
• Develop and maintain high-level relationships with government representatives, statutory bodies, academia, the legal community, media and civil society organisations. Organise high-level seminars on the topic of policing reform.
• Write high-quality reports on the police reform process and the right to protest in Ireland.
• Monitor and report on relevant legal and policy developments in area of criminal justice.
• Represent ICCL nationally and internationally at conferences and in the media.
• Engage in advocacy and representational work that effectively promotes ICCL’s objectives in this area.

What ICCL are looking for:

ICCL offers a dynamic and flexible working environment and the chance to use your skills and knowledge to make a genuine difference. Applicants will be assessed against the following essential / desirable requirements and are encouraged to use their applications to provide examples of how they meet these criteria.

Essential Requirements

• Qualification in law, human rights, or a related discipline.
• Good working knowledge of international (UN), regional (European) and domestic (Irish) human rights and equality standards and frameworks.
• At least two years’ experience in a legal, research, policy or advocacy role.
• First-rate legal research and drafting skills.
• An excellent level of communication skills across the board, especially clear and concise writing skills.
• Proven capacity to produce high-quality work to tight deadlines.
• Capacity to integrate into a small high-performance staff team while able to work without collaboration or close supervision on occasion.
• Excellent organisational and administrative skills, including experience of project management.
• Ability to handle an environment where the volume of outputs required can be daunting on occasion and where the requirement for quick response times may shift priorities.
• Strong computer literacy.
• Commitment to the values of ICCL.

Desirable Requirements

• Experience of lobbying and advocacy work at a national or international level.
• Experience of media engagement.
• Direct professional experience of engagement with international human rights mechanisms.

Salary range: €40,000 - €47,000 depending on experience, with the minimum of the range being the standard starting point for a candidate who has the requisite minimum of two years relevant experience.

Link here to more information on the role