International Programme Lawyer

Position: IRLI Programme Lawyer (Judiciary), Malawi

Location: Lilongwe, Malawi

Hours of work: Full time

Salary: €40,000 - €45,000, commensurate with experience [plus benefits, detailed below]

Reports to: Malawi Country Director

Organisation Overview

Irish Rule of Law International (IRLI) is a civil society organisation supported by both branches of the legal professions across the island of Ireland. We work to strengthen justice systems that uphold human rights across multiple jurisdictions. Our current programmes strengthen access to justice in Malawi, advance survivor-centred justice in Tanzania, and support anti-corruption and accountability in Zambia. We also deliver a small number of projects, both in our programme countries and elsewhere, in cooperation with pro bono, civil society, and human rights partners.

IRLI was established in 2007 by the Law Society of Ireland and the Bar Council of Ireland. The Law Society of Northern Ireland and the Bar of Northern Ireland joined as partners in 2015. We are further supported by the Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Ireland, and the European Union.

We operate from offices in Dublin, Ireland, and Lilongwe, Malawi, with one staff member also currently based in Lusaka, Zambia. We adopt a multidisciplinary approach. Our work is locally driven, grounded in priorities identified by stakeholders, and delivered in partnership with communities through strong alliances with local organisations. Since our beginnings, we have collaborated with academics, judges, legal practitioners, policymakers, and civil society to deepen collective understanding of the relationship between the rule of law, democracy, sustainable development, and human rights.

Organisation Values

• Participation: We are rooted in partnership and collaboration, built on shared learning and mutual respect. We listen to and are guided by partner needs and priorities.
• Humility: We approach our work with openness and respect, aware that our role is to support, and learn from those closest to the issues.
• Compassion: We are committed to strengthening justice systems where all people are treated with dignity, where they can place their trust and feel protected.
• Integrity: We act with honesty, transparency and fairness, holding ourselves and our partners to the highest ethical standards.
• Justice: Justice and equality guide everything we do, ensuring fairness for people is not just an aim but a standard.

Position Summary

IRLI has progressively grown through the years, expanding both its programme portfolio and stakeholder partnerships. The organisation is now at an exciting stage having recently completed its 2026 – 2030 strategic plan, secured multi-annual funding from the European Union, and is developing its renewed five-year proposal to the Embassy of Ireland, Malawi. The IRLI Programme Lawyer (Judiciary) will be expected to contribute to the development of this proposal, providing the successful candidate with an opportunity to help shape IRLI’s future work with the Judiciary of Malawi and other criminal justice sector stakeholders. A broad programme base has been established, ranging from access to justice, institutional capacity strengthening, and legal education.

The role of IRLI Programme Lawyer (Judiciary) was developed in 2015 to offer technical support to the Malawi Judiciary. The role entails working closely alongside the Malawi Judiciary under a Memorandum of Understanding, and with three stakeholders in particular: the Chief Registrar of the High Court and Supreme Court of Malawi, the Head of the Malawi Judiciary Development Programme, and the Chair of the Malawi Judiciary Training Committee. Working alongside all three, the successful candidate will offer technical support to the Judiciary in areas such as: capacity strengthening, internal coordination, judicial visits, court user committee meetings.

The role is under the direct supervision of the Country Director in Malawi, and the Director of Programmes, based in Ireland.

Online information session

Please note that an online information session will take place on Wednesday, 3rd June, from 5:30 to 6:30 pm (GMT). Members of the IRLI executive team will provide an overview of the organisation’s work, its value and impact, and the countries in which it operates. The session will be an opportunity to ask any questions you may have.

You can join the session via the following Teams link:

https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/351556833871959?p=m8AWVvEHLFKjMRLorC

Role and responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Country Director, the IRLI Programme Lawyer (Judiciary) will have the following tasks and responsibilities:

• Liaise regularly with the Chief Registrar of the High Court and Supreme Court, the Head of the Malawi Judiciary Development Programme, and the Chair of the Malawi Judiciary Training Committee to support the Judiciary in strategy implementation.
• Provide technical support to the Judiciary as required.
• Support institutionalisation and sustainability of Judiciary training programmes and various capacity strengthening initiatives.
• Support the Judiciary with materials, logistics, and technical support with regards to capacity strengthening initiatives and activities.
• Support policy reform and advocacy initiatives aimed at strengthening fair trial rights, alternatives to detention, access to justice, and reduction of prison congestion.
• Represent IRLI in relevant justice sector coordination meetings, technical working groups, stakeholder forums, and donor engagements as delegated. Work with Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Manager to ensure all required MEAL is reported for donor reports.
• Monitor developments in criminal justice, human rights, and judicial reform in Malawi and provide strategic recommendations to IRLI management.
• Support data quality assurance, analysis, learning, and utilisation for adaptive programme management and donor reporting.
• Contribute to programme evaluations, impact assessments, and evidence generation for donor and other reports.
• Oversee budget on allocated activities.
• Assist the IRLI team in general in the organisation and implementation of general programme activities where the need arises.
• Fundraising, donor engagement, Grant/proposal writing and report writing for IRLI activities.

These roles and responsibilities provide a framework for the role and should not be regarded as a definitive list.

Qualifications

Essential

• Qualified solicitor/barrister/lawyer/attorney with at least 2 years’ post-qualification experience in criminal law or human rights law and with a strong, demonstrable understanding of justice reform and legal development processes.

  Persons who are not qualified lawyers, but who hold a master’s degree or higher in law or human rights will be considered eligible for the role if they demonstrate extensive experience working in a legal/development/human rights context.

Desirable

• Programme management and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) experience

Person Specification

Essential Requirements

• Excellent diplomacy and negotiation skills.
• Strong ability to motivate others.
• Ability to adapt quickly to a new cultural environment.
• Exceptional time management and problem-solving skills.
• Team spirit, flexibility, commitment to IRLI’s values and human rights, initiative and creativity to further develop IRLI’s programme and activities.
• Ability to work independently but also as part of a team.
• Excellent managerial and organisational skills.
• Excellent communication skills, written and oral.
• Fluency in written and spoken English.
• Excellent computer and data analysis skills (i.e. Word, Excel, PowerPoint etc.).
• Full Driving Licence.
• Commitment to the programme for a minimum of one year [subject to the probationary period].

Desirable Requirements

• Experience preparing, working with, and managing budgets.
• Experience in proposal/report writing.
• Experience working in the Global South.
• Fluency in Chichewa.

Terms and conditions

• Full time work hours 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday with 30 minutes for lunch per day.
• Annual leave is 25 days per year. Staff may be entitled to 2 Mental Health days per year, upon written request to the Country Director. In addition, the Malawi office closes one half day per month.
• In addition to the statutory public holidays in Malawi, IRLI gives 3 company days per year, during the Christmas and New Year period.
• In addition to annual leave, up to 4 travel days per year are provided to non-Malawi national staff for travel to their home country.
• One return flight is provided per year for non-Malawi national staff for travel to their home country.
• Medical Insurance is provided.
• Professional development opportunities, with up to 5 days study leave per annum and up to €1,700 per annum contribution towards work related professional development fees, agreed with the Country Director.
• If international travel to Malawi to take up the post is required, a contribution will be made to reasonable pre-departure costs, as well as payment of a flight to Malawi to begin work and payment of a flight home when the role concludes.
• Payment of all visas required to work in Malawi.
• The salary figure above reflects inclusion of the mandatory pension payment for Malawian national staff.

How to apply

The deadline for submission of applications is Friday 12th June 2026 at 17:00 GMT.

Candidates will be contacted, if they are shortlisted for interview and to arrange a time, no later than 17:00 GMT on Friday 19th June 2026.

Interviews will take place on Wednesday 8th July and second interviews, if necessary, will take place during the week commencing 13th July between 09:00 and 17:00 GMT (either in person or online, depending on the candidate’s location).

Please submit:

1. A curriculum vitae.

The CV must be no more than three pages in length and use font size no smaller than 11.

It should include the names and contact details of two referees (who will not be contacted without seeking permission).

1. A cover letter.

The letter must be no more than two pages in length and use font size no smaller than 11.

Please describe why you are interested in the position and summarise your relevant experience and suitability for the post.

Failure to adhere to the length and font size requirements listed above risks automatic disqualification of applications.

• Only applications received through careers@irishruleoflaw.ie will be considered.
• All applications must be submitted with the email subject line “IRLI Programme Lawyer (Judiciary), Malawi”
• Any applications which do not meet the stipulated requirements risk being rejected.

Any queries should be directed to IRLI at ebolger@irishruleoflaw.ie