Tender Request - Salary Mapping for Technical Legal Specialists with the Diakonia International Humanitarian Law Centre

Introduction 

Diakonia works with local partners and other strategic actors in over 25 countries for the fulfilment of the rights of all people to live a life in dignity. Diakonia’s mission is to change unfair political, economic, social and cultural structures that generate poverty, inequality, oppression and violence. Diakonia is a Swedish faith-based organisation established in 1966.  

The Diakonia International Humanitarian Law Centre is an independent expert group that provides rapid and in-depth advice on the laws of war to ensure the protection of persons in conflict zones worldwide. 

The Centre is part of Diakonia and is funded by Sida and ECHO. The Centre currently has regional teams based in Bamako, Beirut, and Jerusalem, which cover conflicts in the Middle East, West Africa, and emerging crises worldwide. Presently, there are also IHL Centre staff including legal specialists based in Sweden, UK, Switzerland, Italy, Germany and Australia. 

As a centre of excellence, we share knowledge about and promote international law relevant for situations of armed conflict through research, advocacy, and training with a view to maximizing humanitarian protection. Our rapid and in-depth analyses enable the humanitarian sector to respond to urgent needs and improve the inclusive understanding and application of international law. 

Through our progressive and inclusive approach, we aspire to secure the strongest possible protection for every person affected by armed conflict. No one should be left unprotected; no situation is beyond the law. 

Background 

With legal excellence being at the heart of our identity, it remains essential to the programme’s sustainability that we are able to attract and retain high quality technical legal staff. One component to securing such technical staff is to be able to offer a competitive salary and employment package.  

In March 2022 Diakonia approved a new salary policy, which provides principles for setting and reviewing salaries. The Policy states that Diakonia shall offer salaries and benefits in the mid-range of our sector in each context of operations. Adjustment of salaries due to changes in the labour market should be based on an analysis. The criteria for setting and reviewing salaries are: 

The degree of responsibility and complexity of the role 

For competitive positions, the market value of the expertise can be considered 

The salary structure of Diakonia 

The financial situation of Diakonia 

The application of the new salary policy is now needed, and specifically with regard to applying the above criterion of the market value of the expertise. This is the background for this assignment.  

Key questions and deliverables 

Identify and discuss the relevant definition(s) of the market of the expertise that Diakonia should consider, to determine what mid-range in this market and sector would be.   

Undertake a salary mapping of specialist global legal positions (human rights, international humanitarian law) within INGOs, as well as think tanks, (inclusive of management roles) in key strategic localities  

This will include the development of a smart methodology to facilitate the sharing of information from other INGOs and actors, including the offer to share analysis.  

Locations in focus are Geneva/Brussels/New York/Amman/Nairobi/London 

Additional information on Beirut and Jerusalem will also be helpful 

Review of existing salary scale in Diakonia and provide a short comparative analysis 

 Time 

The evaluation should be ready during the second quarter of 2023. 

5. Specification of requirements 

The tender shall: 

Outline the methodology to be applied. 

Specify the personnel participating and leading the assignment (CVs attached). 

Submit a time schedule for the assignment. 

Specify the total cost of the assignment. 

Specify experience from previous similar assignments, including specific focus on the NGO sector. 

The tenders will be evaluated on the basis of: 

Quality of tender, including proposed methodology 

Qualifications and experience 

Time and Price 

Role: Senior Legal Adviser 

Description:  A senior legal advisor is a highly experienced legal practitioner. They will have at least a LLM (or equivalent) and subsequent minimum 8 years of professional legal experience. They will perform a leading technical role within the organisation and be responsible for ensuring high quality legal work. Many, if not all, will also be qualified domestic legal practitioners/lawyers. 

Role: Legal Adviser 

Description: A legal advisor is a legal practitioner, with the experience and expertise to provide legal advice. Therefore, not only must they have the knowledge of the law, but also have the skillset and experience to tailor this information in a relevant and strategic manner. They will have at least a LLM (or equivalent) and subsequent minimum 4 years of professional legal experience. They will perform a leading technical role within the organisation and be responsible for ensuring high quality legal work. Many, if not all, will also be qualified domestic legal practitioners/lawyers.