Project Officer (Criminal Justice) (Open to all applicants)

Background

Viet Nam is undertaking significant legal and institutional reforms to strengthen the rule of law and improve access to justice for all. Guided by the 2013 Constitution and Party Resolutions No. 27-NQ/TW and 66-NQ/TW, these reforms aim to build a transparent, accountable, and people-centered justice system, with particular attention to legal harmonization, human rights integration, and improved services for vulnerable groups.

Within this context, the criminal justice system is being reformed to strengthen due process, enhance procedural fairness, and improve institutional efficiency. Key challenges include gaps in legal harmonization, inconsistent enforcement of procedural safeguards, and limited capacity among judges, prosecutors, investigators, defense lawyers, and legal aid providers to address particularly serious crimes, including gender-based violence, juvenile justice, and organized crime. Vulnerable populations—including women, children, ethnic minorities, and economically disadvantaged groups—face additional barriers to accessing justice. While progress has been made, ongoing capacity building is required, particularly in regions with limited judicial resources, to ensure the consistent application of fair trial standards.

Under the EU Justice and Legal Empowerment Programme Phase II (EU JULE II) and related initiatives, UNDP provides technical support to the Government to enhance the capacity, efficiency, and accountability of criminal justice institutions. Support focuses on strengthening institutional frameworks, promoting international best practices, improving procedural safeguards, building the capacity of judicial actors, and enhancing coordination among courts, prosecution offices, and investigation agencies. Special attention is given to promoting the right to a fair trial in particularly serious criminal cases, reinforcing adversarial principles, and supporting inclusive, rights-based access to justice.

The Project Officer (Criminal Justice) will play a key role in advancing these objectives by facilitating capacity building, promoting knowledge sharing, and supporting technical and policy interventions within the criminal justice sector. The role focuses on strengthening the skills, knowledge, and coordination of judicial actors to improve procedural fairness, accountability, and institutional performance. Key responsibilities include providing technical advice on criminal law and procedure, supporting reforms to strengthen procedural safeguards and due process, developing training tools, facilitating multi-stakeholder dialogue, and promoting evidence-based policy development. The Project Officer (Criminal Justice) ensures that human rights, accountability, and gender-sensitive approaches are integrated into all criminal justice interventions.

The Project Officer (Criminal Justice) will work under the technical guidance of the National Chief Technical Advisor (NCTA), with a matrix reporting line to the Project Manager, and will engage closely with Vietnamese legal and judicial agencies, UN partners, and other stakeholders to ensure the effective delivery of programme objectives and intended impact. 

Duties and Responsibilities

The Project Officer (Criminal Justice) will report directly to the Project Manager, who will serve as the primary supervisor for performance management, work planning, and delivery of results. The Project Officer (Criminal Justice) will also work under the technical guidance of the National Chief Technical Advisor (CTA), who provides substantive direction and quality assurance on thematic and policy matters.

The Project Officer (Criminal Justice) will be part of the core team implementing the EU JULE II and other related initiatives, working in close coordination with other Project Officers/Analysts, UNDP programme staff, and relevant government counterparts. This structure ensures accountability for delivery while maintaining technical coherence of programme activities.

Summary of key functions:

• Ensure effective implementation of criminal justice interventions under the State Component of EU JULE II and related UNDP initiatives, covering the full programme cycle from design and formulation to delivery, monitoring, and reporting
• Provide technical expertise and facilitate knowledge management in advancing criminal justice reforms Build and maintain strategic partnerships to ensure coherence and sustainability of criminal justice reforms
• Build and maintain strategic partnerships to ensure coherence and sustainability of criminal justice reforms

More specifically, the Project Officer (Criminal Justice) will:

i). Ensure effective implementation of criminal justice interventions under the State Component of EU JULE II and related UNDP initiatives, covering the full programme cycle from design and formulation to delivery, monitoring, and reporting. This includes:

• Conducting ongoing analysis of the political, legal, and social situation and preparing substantive inputs for programme documents, research, and policy dialogues on criminal justice.
• Translating programme priorities into actionable interventions and ensuring they are implemented with quality and consistency.
• Applying RBM tools, setting targets, and monitoring achievement of results, including substantive evaluation of impact and timely adjustment of activities.
• Preparing reports, briefing notes, and documentation for strategic meetings (e.g., Steering Committee, justice sector coordination) related to the thematic area of criminal justice.
• Coordinating with Vietnamese criminal justice agencies, UN partners, and other stakeholders to ensure effective programme delivery, performance monitoring, and integration of lessons learned

ii). Provide technical expertise and facilitate knowledge management in advancing criminal justice reforms, by:

• Supporting reforms to strengthen procedural safeguards, due process, and fair trial standards in line with national priorities and international human rights commitments.
• Strengthening institutional and human capacity of judges, prosecutors, investigators, defense lawyers, and legal aid providers through training, mentoring, and capacity development initiatives.
• Identifying innovative approaches, including digital solutions, to improve the efficiency, transparency, and accountability of criminal justice services.
• Synthesizing best practices, lessons learned, and comparative experiences from Viet Nam and internationally to inform reforms and support evidence-based policymaking.
• Contributing to advocacy, communication, and awareness-raising initiatives to enhance public understanding of criminal justice procedures, rights, and services.

iii). Build and maintain strategic partnerships to ensure coherence and sustainability of criminal justice reforms, by:

• Engaging with Vietnamese criminal justice institutions, development partners, UN agencies, civil society, and the private sector in line with programme priorities.
• Conducting research and analysis on potential partners, preparing briefs on areas of collaboration, and identifying opportunities for new interventions.
• Supporting inter-agency and multi-stakeholder coordination mechanisms to improve policy dialogue, service delivery, and accountability within the criminal justice sector

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization

Competencies

Core Competencies:

• Achieve Results: Level 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
• Think Innovatively: Level 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements 
• Learn Continuously: Level 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
• Adapt with Agility: Level 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible 
• Act with Determination: Level 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
• Engage and Partner: Level 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: Level 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

Business Direction & Strategy    

• System Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.
   

Business Management    

• Results-based Management: Ability to manage the implementation of strategies, programmes, and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results. Knowledge and understanding of relevant theories, concepts, methodologies, instruments, and tools
• Working with Evidence and Data: Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions and supporting decision-making 
• Partnerships Management: Build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies
• Communication: Communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience. Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels

Partnership management    

• Relationship management: Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding 

Ethics 

• Legal Analysis and Report Writing: Ability to apply legal analysis to a diverse range of complex issues, and express themselves clearly; ability to communicate well, to all levels of staff and contractors/consultants, governments et.al. 

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in Law or related field is required.
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the above fields in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• Minimum of 2 years (with Master’s degree) or 4 years (with Bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible experience in the field of Law, Judiciary or related areas is required. 

Required skills:

• Experience in the use of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc), data management, and web-based monitoring and reporting systems.

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section:

• Experience in the implementation of development projects in the areas of Criminal and Judicial Reform is highly desirable.
• Experience with Vietnamese and international legal frameworks related to Criminal Justice (criminal procedure, penal law, access to justice, rights of accused/defendants, alternatives to detention, etc.).
• Experience with analyzing legal, institutional, and policy issues and providing practical, actionable recommendations.
• Experience in coordinating and maintaining working relationships with Vietnamese government counterparts, UN agencies, civil society organizations, and/or other development partners.
• Experience with drafting reports, policy briefings, and preparing training materials.
• Experience in developing training materials, delivering training, or providing technical assistance for training of judicial personnel or justice sector institutions.
• Proven understanding of comparative approaches to justice reform, legal empowerment, human rights, and gender-responsive programming.
• Experience working in diverse teams and multicultural environments.
• Experience with supporting justice-related advocacy and public awareness initiatives, with a focus on rights-based approaches.

Required Languages     

• Fluency in Vietnamese and English is required.

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination. 

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles. 

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

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