ICCL is recruiting a new Legal and Policy Officer

The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) is recruiting a Legal and Policy Officer to work as part of our team of human rights activists.

About the Role

The Legal and Policy Officer will work as part of the ICCL team, with a focus on research and policy programmes in the area of criminal justice reform, procedural rights, emergency powers and policing, and the prevention of torture and ill-treatment in detention, in addition to providing legal support across other areas of ICCL’s work.

About ICCL

ICCL is the foremost civil liberties organisation in Ireland with a long and successful track record of defending human rights and civil liberties, including at times when the political climate was often hostile to their protection. Fully independent of government and fearless in our advocacy for human rights, we have been at the forefront of many of the key human rights debates in Irish society, making a significant impact on law, policy and public opinion.

About our work in the area of criminal justice

Since our foundation in 1976, ICCL has been focused on fair trial and due process rights. We are committed to progressive reform of Irish law and policy in relation to all stages of the criminal process in line with international human rights standards, with a particular emphasis on suspects’ rights and victims’ rights. ICCL supports judicial reform in line with international standards and best practice. ICCL has also been a leading voice for reform of Irish policing and we are committed to ensuring the ongoing implementation of the report of the Commission on the Future of Policing.

Role Purpose

• Contribute to the research and policy work of the ICCL with a focus on criminal justice reform, procedural rights, emergency powers and policing, and the prevention of torture and ill-treatment in detention
• Develop and maintain high-level relationships with government and statutory bodies, academia, the legal community, media and civil society organisations
• Contribute to the wider work of ICCL on the protection of human rights by providing legal support on core areas of work, as requested
• Participate as a member of the ICCL staff team

Specific Objectives of the Role:

• Carry out original research and analysis as part of ICCL’s research programme with a focus on criminal justice reform, procedural rights, emergency powers and policing, and the prevention of torture and ill-treatment in detention
• Draft policy submissions and generate policy content for ICCL
• Monitor and report on relevant legal and policy developments
• Provide legal support to the ICCL team, as requested
• Represent the ICCL nationally and internationally
• Engage in advocacy and representational work that effectively promotes the ICCL’s objectives in this area

Person Specification:

The ICCL offers a dynamic and flexible working environment and the chance to use your skills and knowledge to make a genuine difference. Applicants will be assessed against the following essential / desirable requirements and are encouraged to use their applications to provide examples of the manner in which they meet these criteria.

Essential Requirements

Education:

• A law degree from an accredited university.
• An advanced academic qualification in law/human rights law or a closely related field.

Experience and skills:

• Demonstrated understanding of Irish legal frameworks, legislative processes, and regulatory bodies.
• Good working knowledge of international (UN, Council of Europe, EU) and domestic (Irish) human rights and equality standards.
• Professional experience in a research, policy or advocacy role.
• First-rate legal research, drafting and writing skills and a proven capacity to produce high-quality work to tight deadlines.
• Capacity to integrate into a small high-performance staff team.
• Excellent organizational and administrative skills, including experience of project management and strong computer literacy.
• Ability to handle an environment where the volume of outputs required can be daunting on occasion and where the requirement for quick response times may shift priorities.
• Excellent communication skills, in particular clear and concise writing skills.
• Commitment to the values of ICCL.

Desirable requirements:

• Experience of lobbying and advocacy work at a national or international level.
• Experience of media engagement.
• Direct professional experience of engagement with international human rights mechanisms.

Salary range: €40,000-€47,000 depending on experience.

Further Information

ICCL provides equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment in relation to access to employment, conditions of employment, training or experience for or in relation to employment, promotion or re-grading or classification of job, and in other employment decisions without discrimination on grounds of gender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race or membership of the Traveller community.

We believe that diversity is crucial in our work, and we want to hear from those who have been impacted by these issues. ICCL welcomes applications from people with disabilities, those who belong to minoritised or over-policed communities or areas, and those who have been affected by social and structural injustice. We also recognise that some applicants from these backgrounds may face barriers to accessing or progressing in our sector. If you meet some, but not all, of the job requirements and come from a less privileged background, we strongly encourage you to apply.

This role requires applicants to have the right to work in Ireland.

Application Process

Please submit in PDF form an (i) updated CV outlining your academic qualifications, work experience and any other relevant experience and (ii) a cover letter outlining how you meet the requirements outlined above to info@iccl.ie by 9am Monday 7 July 2025.

To ensure that your application is received applicants must put ‘ICCL Legal and Policy Officer – Application’ in the subject line of the email.

Please name your CV and Cover Letter as lastname-firstname-CV/ lastname-firstname-Cover Letter and include both as attachments to your email.

Failure to comply with these requirements will result in automatic disqualification from the application process.