Systemic Justice is looking for a Legal Programme Manager (Remote)

About Systemic Justice

Systemic Justice works to radically transform how the law serves communities campaigning for racial, social, and economic justice. We believe that those most impacted by systemic injustices should be at the centre of efforts to dismantle them. That’s why we partner with communities to co-create and co-implement litigation strategies and litigate cases that challenge the structures perpetuating inequality and harm.

Our approach

Strategic litigation is a powerful tool for systemic change, especially when combined with advocacy, campaigning, and policy work. We do strategic litigation differently by:

• centring communities and following their lead throughout the legal process;

• broadening access to judicial remedies for those fighting for justice and equality;

• building lasting partnerships that transform traditional power dynamics in legal advocacy; and

• supporting communities to use litigation as a tool in their broader pursuit of justice.

Our work

We strengthen the capacity of organisations and movements fighting for justice by:

• co-creating resources and tools on strategic litigation and how it can be used by communities;

• providing knowledge-building and learning opportunities on strategic litigation;

• supporting communities to understand and engage with legal strategies and legal processes; and

• fostering connections between movements and legal practitioners.

We partner with communities to develop and pursue strategic litigation cases that:

• challenge systemic inequalities and rights violations;

• establish precedents and make other contributions that benefit broader movements for justice;

• transform how strategic litigation serves communities’ needs; and

• build communities’ capacity to engage with legal processes.

We promote more equitable models of legal advocacy by:

• creating spaces for knowledge sharing and coordination amongst legal practitioners;

• building communities of practice focused on justice-oriented litigation;

• supporting the adoption of community-centred approaches; and

• fostering collaboration between movements and legal professionals.

Through this integrated approach, we aim to fundamentally reshape how the law can be used as a tool for justice – moving from traditional lawyer-led strategic litigation to true partnership with communities fighting for transformative change.

The role

Job description

The Legal Programme Manager will lead initiatives to build knowledge and power within communities working on racial, social, climate, and economic justice in the Council of Europe region. This role focuses on co-creating and delivering resources, tools, and learning opportunities that strengthen communities’ capacity to identify whether and how strategic litigation can be used to further their goals and build their confidence in engaging with strategic litigation in their campaigns. The Legal Programme Manager is often the first point of contact between communities and Systemic Justice, making them a key bridge between grassroots movements and our strategic litigation work.

The person in this role will play a crucial part in building trust and understanding with potential partners while embodying our values and community-centred approach to strategic litigation. The Legal Programme Manager will also be responsible for coordinating our Community of Practice work, which involves managing a shared space for discussion, learning, and information sharing amongst legal practitioners working on racial, social, climate, and economic justice issues, and supporting them in the delivery of projects.

Key practices

We are looking for candidates who demonstrate competency in the following key practices:

Legal knowledge building

Support communities in strengthening their knowledge in strategic litigation, their understanding of Systemic Justice’s approach, and how it can be used to effectively support movement building and share systemic change by:

• developing, facilitating, delivering resources, tools, and learning journeys that build communities’ understanding of strategic litigation;

• creating accessible legal education materials that demystify strategic litigation, legal processes, and complex legal concepts;

• designing learning experiences that centre community knowledge building and experiences with legal processes;

• supporting integration of accessibility-by-design principles across all resources and activities;

• building communities’ capacity to engage confidently with legal processes while maintaining their autonomy and leadership;

• supporting understanding of how legal tools can complement communities’ existing strategies and ability to assess how strategic litigation could advance their goals;

• managing and facilitating workshops and training sessions on legal processes;

• co-facilitating the strategic litigation journey and supporting communities as they transition to case building with other members of the legal team;

• evaluating the effectiveness of educational materials and programmes and making improvements based on community needs and feedback; and

• providing insights and contributing to the continuous development of our outreach strategy and community-driven approach to strategic litigation.

Culturally sensitive community support

Build collaborative partnerships through inclusive engagement with, and facilitating support for, justice-focused communities, including by:

• leading outreach and engagement processes with organisations, movements, and collectives working on racial, social, climate, and economic justice issues across the Council of Europe region;

• developing strong, supportive relationships with community partners based on trust and mutual respect;

• providing support that respects and amplifies community leadership;

• navigating diverse cultural contexts and community needs with awareness and sensitivity;

• facilitating knowledge sharing between the legal team, communities, and legal partners; and

• upholding principles of anti-oppression and intersectionality in our engagements.

Project management and organisation

Effectively manage multiple projects, including the Community of Practice for legal practitioners, legal knowledge building initiatives, and outreach to communities by:

• designing and coordinating engaging Community of Practice activities that foster collaboration and knowledge sharing amongst legal practitioners, including online and in-person gatherings, workshops, and drop-in sessions;

• developing and maintaining systems for practitioner engagement and resource sharing;

• ensuring that Building Knowledge and Power workstreams incorporate intersectional and decolonial approaches that recognise diverse needs, experiences, and perspectives;

• planning and executing community outreach strategies to build relationships with potential partners;

• creating work plans that balance community education, practitioner engagement, and relationship building;

• managing project budgets and resources across multiple workstreams;

• tracking process and impact across different areas of work, including community outreach and engagement;

• coordinating effectively with internal teams and external partners;

• maintaining organised documentation of community engagement and practitioner activities;

• adapting project plans based on participant feedback and emerging needs;

• designing and implementing monitoring systems to assess programme effectiveness.

Anticipated impact in first six months

In your first six months, we expect you to grow from learning our community-driven approach to our legal work to independently leading community engagement and knowledge sharing with practitioners. You will progress from learning about our work and building relationships to taking ownership of key programmes and ultimately driving meaningful engagement with both communities and practitioners.

This timeline outlines your journey, with success measured not just by concrete deliverables, but by how effectively you help bridge the gap between communities and strategic litigation while fostering meaningful collaboration amongst legal practitioners.

In the first and second months: onboarding and integration

• Develop a deep understanding of Systemic Justice’s approach to strategic litigation and our community-driven work.;

• Build relationships with team members and begin to understand communities in our network. ;

• Learn about the existing Community of Practice programme and engage with current members.;

• Review and understand existing work plans, resources, tools, and learning materials, and begin in undertaking workplan tasks. ;

• Shadow team members in community conversations and practitioner engagements.;

• Begin mapping key stakeholders and potential community partners;.

• Familiarise yourself with current systems, processes, documentation, and ways of working at Systemic Justice; and

• Engage with our values of anti-oppression, intersectionality, and justice through team discussions and reflect on how these values manifest in our daily work.

In the third and fourth months: taking ownership

• Begin to independently manage the Community of Practice including activities and member engagement;

• Take the lead on organising and facilitating practitioner knowledge sharing sessions;

• Hold conversations with potential community partners and refer them to relevant support within or outside Systemic Justice;

• Review and assess the effectiveness of current resources and learning materials;

• Develop proposals for enhancing community education and engagement approaches. ;

• Create project plans for upcoming community learning activities;

• Build independent relationships with key stakeholders;

• Identify opportunities for improving systems and processes including tracking impact and gathering feedback; and

• Develop a clear understanding of our operational values by practicing sustainable work habits, fostering trust and transparency, and taking personal responsibility in your role.

In the fifth and sixth months: driving results

• Lead the development of new resources and tools based on community needs;

• Design and implement improvements to the Community of Practice programme, and engage in longer-term planning;

• Establish strong relationships with new community partners;

• Successfully coordinate and deliver community learning initiatives;

• Demonstrate a measurable increase in community and practitioner engagement;

• Implement enhanced systems for tracking impact and gathering feedback;

• Begin developing longer-term strategic plans for knowledge building work;

• Show clear evidence of building trust with communities and practitioners;

• Contribute insights and recommendations for programme development based on learnings; and

• Embody our values and culture in every aspect of your work, especially in how you centre communities and collaborate with team members to deliver our mission.

Qualifications and experience

At Systemic Justice, we distinguish between legal programmes and legal casework. Our casework involves direct partnerships with communities to develop and pursue strategic litigation cases that challenge systemic inequalities. However, this role is focused on our legal programmes, which create the conditions that enable more communities to engage effectively with strategic litigation as a tool for change. This role will not be directly handling or developing specific legal cases.

Through legal programmes, we build knowledge, foster connections, and strengthen collective power, enhancing both individual cases and the broader ecosystem of community-centred strategic litigation.

While our casework and legal programmes are closely coordinated, the Legal Programme Manager role is specifically dedicated to building the capacity of communities and promoting collaboration amongst practitioners, rather than being involved in the direct development or management of cases.

Who should apply:

• community organisers;

• adult educators;

• legal empowerment practitioners;

• NGO programme managers; or

• social justice facilitators.

Successful candidates will share a strong commitment to community leadership, the ability to connect with diverse groups, and a passion for making strategic litigation more accessible and valuable to justice movements.

Essential qualifications:

• demonstrated experience working with communities fighting for racial, social, climate or economic justice;

• strong track record of developing and delivering learning programmes or resources for diverse audiences;

• experience managing projects, programmes, and events with multiple workstreams and stakeholders;

• excellent facilitation and group coordination skills;

• strong written and verbal communications with the ability to make complex information accessible;

• demonstrated commitment to anti-oppression, intersectionality, and justice in previous work;

• experience working in or with social movements and grassroots organisations;

• proven ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a remote team environment;

• excellent interpersonal and communication skills with ability to build trust across difference and cultural contexts;

• comfort navigating a scaling organisation and being part of a founding legal team; and

• fluent in written and verbal English, additional languages highly valued.

Compensation and benefits

At Systemic Justice, we believe in providing comprehensive support that enables our team to thrive both professionally and personally. We are committed to sustainable working practices and fostering an environment where everyone can do their best work while maintaining wellbeing.

Compensation:

• competitive salary range between 53.000 - 65.000 euros;

• flexible working;

• fully remote position;

• flexible working hours to accommodate European time zones;

• technology and home office setup allowance; and

• focus on sustainable working practices.

Team support:

• regular team retreats to connect and collaborate in person;

• opportunities to co-work in person with team members; and

• inclusive and supportive team culture.

Additional benefits:

• 10% pension contribution.

We strive to be transparent about our benefits. Our goal is to create conditions where every team member feels supported, valued, and able to contribute their best while maintaining a healthy work-life integration.

While Systemic Justice is registered in the Netherlands, our team is employed on local employment contracts within the jurisdiction they live and work. Payroll is also run locally.

This role is offered as a 12-month fixed-term contract with the possibility of extension, subject to funding and organisational needs. Periodic travel across the Council of Europe to engage with communities, partners, and team members is required.

Candidates must be based in the European Union or the UK, and have the right to work in their country of residence.

Application process

We strive to make our recruitment processes transparent, accessible, and mindful of candidates’ time and energy. Below you’ll find our timeline and what to expect at each stage.

Key dates:

• Candidate FAQ Session: 16 December 2024 at 18:00 CET. Register here.

• Application deadline: 20 December 2024 at 23:59 CET.

• First round interviews (online): 13-14 January 2024.

• Candidate assignment: week of 20 January 2025.

• Second round interviews (in person): 27 – 28 January 2025.

• Decision communicated: week of 10 February 2025.

• Desired start date: anytime from February 2024.

The candidate FAQ session is an opportunity to learn more about the role, ask any questions you may have about the recruitment process, and gain a deeper understanding of our values and work.

How to apply:

Your CV/resume.

Instead of a traditional cover letter – a written response to these four questions:

1. We believe that those most impacted by injustice should be leading efforts to dismantle it. Tell us about a time when you’ve put this principle into practice in your work. What specific steps did you take to ensure communities had genuine leadership and agency in the process?

2. Our work is guided by an intersectional approach that recognises how different forms of oppression and discrimination overlap and reinforce each other. Share an example of how you’ve applied an intersectional lens in your work with communities or organisations.

3. We operate with a strong commitment to anti-oppression in both our external work and internal practices. Tell us about a time when you’ve had to identify and address oppressive practices within an organisation or project.

4. Our work is grounded in the expertise, leadership, and lived experiences of those most impacted by racial, social, and economic injustices. Share an example of developing a resource, training, or learning programme. How did you ensure it was inclusive, culturally responsive, and met the actual needs of the people it was meant to serve?

Our work is rooted in our foundational values of anti-oppression, intersectionality, and justice. We invite anyone who does not have lived experience with systems of oppression to reflect on their suitability for this role before applying, and to address this as an introduction to their responses to the above questions if they choose to apply.

Equal opportunities statement

Systemic Justice is deeply committed to building an organisation that reflects the communities with which we work. We understand that creating transformative change requires bringing together diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise. When we say we want to transform how the law works for communities fighting for justice, we mean transforming who has access to legal careers as well.

Decisions related to hiring, compensation, training, evaluating performance, and termination are made fairly and transparently. We provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified candidates and employees. This commitment to equity extends across every aspect of our employment practices and organisational culture.

We strongly encourage applications from people with lived experience of the injustices we work to address, as well as people who examine their unconscious bias and take responsibility for creating diverse, equitable, inclusive work environments.

We recognise that people from marginalised communities often hesitate to apply for positions unless they meet all the criteria. We want to emphasise that we are committed to supporting growth and development. If you are excited about this role and our mission, we encourage you to apply, even if you don’t meet every qualification listed.

Contact information

Should you require accommodations during the interview process or for any queries regarding this role or the application process, please contact:

Iyobosa Irabor
Co-Head of Operations (HR, People and Culture)
iyobosa@systemicjustice.ngo