Programme Officer – Legal Empowerment & Aid

About the role

The Programme Officer will provide legal advice, representation and litigation services to clients while supporting programme planning, implementation and community mobilisation across Kituo Cha Sheria’s Legal Empowerment and Aid Programme (LEAP). The role sits within the public‑interest litigation team and contributes to community empowerment through legal‑aid outreach and capacity‑building of paralegals.

Key responsibilities

• Deliver legal advice, draft pleadings, affidavits and legal opinions for client cases.
• Represent clients in court and manage case files from intake to resolution.
• Support programme design, budgeting, monitoring and donor reporting.
• Lead community legal‑aid outreach, public education sessions and training of community paralegals.
• Engage stakeholders, build partnerships and contribute to fundraising initiatives.
• Document lessons learned and contribute to organisational learning.

Required profile

• LL.B degree and Postgraduate Diploma in Law from a recognised institution.
• Admission as an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya with a current practising certificate.
• Minimum three (3) years post‑admission experience in litigation, legal aid or public‑interest work, preferably in an NGO or human‑rights setting.
• Demonstrated experience in community outreach, stakeholder engagement and capacity‑building of paralegals.
• Strong knowledge of human‑rights law, access to justice and safeguarding vulnerable groups.

Required skills

• Legal research, analysis and drafting of court documents.
• Project and programme management, including planning, budgeting and monitoring.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, able to simplify complex legal concepts for diverse audiences.