Deputy Director

Post:  Deputy Director (full time)

No: 1 (Duty Station: Kathmandu)

Duration: 1 Year (renewable upon availability of funds and performance) 

The Public Defender Society of Nepal (PDS Nepal, National Implementing Partner for The International Legal Foundation (ILF)) is a not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization that upholds the human right to a fair trial and life and liberty, by defending poor, marginalized and vulnerable persons accused of criminal offenses, regardless of age, gender and ethnicity. It also works with the government to build its capacity to meet its legal obligation to provide criminal defense services to poor persons who cannot afford to hire private lawyers, so that all accused have equal access to competent defense lawyers. The primary mission of the organization is to ensure fair and effective access to justice, to develop a public defender system in Nepal and to work to develop the efficiency and sustainability of a Nepal public defender system. It focuses on the need for quality and meaningful legal representation for indigent accused in judicial and quasi-judicial tribunals. 

PDS-Nepal seeks qualified, dynamic and results oriented Nepalese citizen applicants for one (1) open position for full-time Deputy Director in Kathmandu Office. 

The Deputy Director is a member of the senior management team that develops and implements organizational fiscal, operational, human resource and advocacy policies. The Deputy Director works closely with the management team in managing the operations of the organization. The Deputy Director reports to the Executive Director.

Primary Responsibilities  

Successful candidate will: 

Specific duties include; but are not limited to:

• Oversight of all PDS-Nepal offices located throughout the country.  Each office is headed by an office head who reports to the Deputy Director. In addition to defense lawyers who provide direct legal services to clients in criminal cases, offices have paralegals and support staff.
• Oversight of the Training Department, the Data and Reporting Department, the Administrative and Human Resource Department, and the Finance Department.
• Oversight of hiring of PDS-Nepal staff.
• Oversight of criminal defense training for PDS-Nepal staff.
• Ensuring compliance by staff with PDS-Nepal criminal defense performance standards and other agency policies and procedures, and investigating complaints.
• Drafting content for the PDS-Nepal website.
• Engage in strategic planning and regularly assess accomplishments of organization.
• Planning and leadership in developing a sustainability plan for the organization, negotiating the plan with key stakeholders, and implementing the plan.
• Internal and external leadership of and advocacy for PDS-Nepal and its clients.
• Regular and timely monthly reports regarding PDS-Nepal’s activities to donors, the ILF, PDS-Nepal’s governing Board, and key stakeholders such as the Ministry of Justice and others by working with PDS-Nepal departments to collect, analyze and interpret data.
• Lead fundraising efforts, meet with donors, and draft proposals and reports. 

Finance

• Participate in the preparation of PDS-Nepal’s strategic and financial plan;
• Work with the Finance Director and Executive director on all budgets, funding proposals and financial reports, and provide valuable input into projected costs;
• Draft budget narratives in consultation with the Finance Director;
• Establish a grant tracking, reporting and compliance system to facilitate the oversight of grants;
• Review monthly reports, and any program and financial reports to ensure that the office is progressing according to grant log frame, timeline and budget;
• Monitor spending and keep the Executive director informed about budget verses actuals;
• Ensure the implementation of the financial policies and procedures in all PDS-Nepal offices, with the support of Senior Finance Officer. Propose revisions as necessary and appropriate;
• Work with and report to grantors and auditors;
• Ensure that contracts and other documents are up-to-date (including negotiating new leases when necessary) and that the rent and tax payments are handled in a timely manner;
• Stay in regular contact with the ILF’s director of finance and administration, and program director in New York, collaborate on relevant tasks, and seek advice and assistance and/or training where necessary and appropriate 

Administrative

• Oversee the human resources, information technology (IT), and administrative work of PDS-Nepal, including supervising all administrative staff in Kathmandu and the district offices;
• Ensure the continued development and implementation of the policies in the Employee Handbook in all PDS-Nepal offices;
• Work with the Executive director and Training and Legal Director to oversee and coordinate staff evaluations and staff development;
• Monitor organizational infrastructure and discuss necessary adjustments with the executive director to ensure effective operations as PDS-Nepal grows and develops;
• Organize office wide staff meetings to discuss administrative and legal issues and solutions;
• Coordinate with staff to ensure timely and accurate submission of timesheets and with the senior finance officer on accurate record keeping of timesheets;
• Negotiate and manage relationships and agreements with outside vendors and service providers;
• Ensure that PDS-Nepal is in legal compliance with the Government of Nepal’s laws, rules and regulations, and maintain a good relationship with the appropriate government actors;
• Responsible for all administrative coordination for training events organized by PDS-Nepal. 

Program 

• Work with the Executive director and Training and Legal Director to organize and manage legal staff including helping to ensure that lawyers and paralegals are engaged in organized and effective case intake and case management procedures, and that the office is operating efficiently;
• Monitor the data input into the electronic case tracking system (ECTS) to ensure that information is entered timely and accurately and the ECTS is operating effectively;
• Represent PDS-Nepal in outside meetings, communicate with key stakeholders, and organize meetings, seminars and events, as necessary and appropriate and as requested by the Executive director;
• Ensure effective internal and external communications; work closely with the communications officer/interpreter and NY office to prepare reports about ILF-Nepal’s work and document PDS-Nepal achievements in a compelling way to donors and stakeholders within the justice community
• Other tasks as requested by the Executive Director. 

NOTE:

• Successful candidates are expected to work full-time for PDS-Nepal, and no allow to work outside of PDS-N. 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Master degree in related field. Master degree with E-MBA will be given priority.
• Commitment to the idea of free legal assistance for any poor person accused of any crime required.
• Good computer knowledge with English and Nepali Typing and proactively encourage to learn finance software FundEZ and Quickbooks. 

SALARY: Salary commensurate with experience, subject to be apply tax. Other fringe and benefits are as per organization's policy. 

How to Apply

Interested candidates are requested to send their CV, including contact telephone number with thoughtful letter to the address below before 15 May 2017.

HR Department

PDS-Nepal

Surya Marg, House # 19

Babarmahal, Kathmandu

Post Box: 26461

Email: vacancy@pds-n.org  

• No telephone inquiries please. Only candidates short-listed for further exam and an interview will be contacted.
• Any Phone calls/canvasing would be disqualification of candidature.
• Successful candidates will be expected to start working from with in 15th of June 2017. 

Women and people from disadvantaged and minority groups are especially encouraged to apply. PDS-Nepal is an equal opportunity employer, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, caste, gender, ethnicity, or any other basis. 

Note: Please do not forget to mention "Application for Deputy Director" in the subject line / envelope.