• Location: Dakar (preferred) or for exceptional candidates, other travel hubs in West Africa
• Status: Full-Time
• Reports To: ?? Senior Legal and Policy Director
• Salary: $56,500 – 62,000 USD

Inclusive Development International is seeking a proactive, experienced legal professional and advocate for the position of Senior Legal and Policy Associate — Africa. We are seeking an innovative thinker and creative problem-solver, who has deep experience working with communities in Africa.

About Inclusive Development International
Inclusive Development International (IDI) works to advance social, economic and environmental justice by supporting communities around the world to defend their human rights and environment in the face of harmful corporate activities. Through research, case work and policy advocacy, we hold corporations and development finance institutions accountable to their human rights and environmental responsibilities. We also provide training and resources for fellow human rights defenders to strengthen the global movement for corporate accountability. Our strategy revolves around investigations that unravel the investment and supply chains behind harmful industries to help affected communities and social movements pursue winning advocacy strategies. We bring our knowledge—grounded in years of experience supporting communities to defend their rights—to global policy arenas where we advocate to close accountability gaps and make business and human rights standards enforceable. Learn more at: https://www.inclusivedevelopment.net

The Opportunity
IDI advises and accompanies communities in pursuing their advocacy goals, which can include:
• securing remedies for displacement and other human rights impacts caused by large-scale investment projects;
• stopping irresponsible projects that pose unmanageable human rights risks; and
negotiating the terms on which a project can proceed on their land, including agreements to avoid harm and secure development benefits.

The need for this work has become even more urgent in the context of the energy transition in which mining is set to increase exponentially on the lands of Indigenous peoples and other land-based communities with customary land tenure.
The Senior Legal and Policy Associate will contribute to this work in Africa. In particular, they will be instrumental in shaping and executing IDI’s strategy and methodology in accompanying communities who wish to claim their rights and negotiate the terms of investment projects that affect their land and livelihoods. The strategy will be grounded in both IDI’s Follow the Money approach to advocacy and the measures laid out in IDI’s proposal for a Just Alternative to Development Forced Displacement.
The Senior Legal and Policy Associate will also contribute to IDI’s other case work within the African continent. This includes advocacy efforts to secure remedy through ongoing mediation and other accountability processes with companies, investors, development finance institutions and governments.
In addition, the Senior Associate will contribute to training and supporting civil society advocates to implement IDI’s Follow the Money advocacy approach. The Senior Associate will also contribute to our policy advocacy to advance a just energy transition and strengthen access to effective remedy for investment-related harms.


What You’ll Do
Case Work
The Senior Associate will support IDI’s case work within the African continent. This includes:
• Working with IDI’s Legal and Policy team, along with NGO and community partners, to design and implement holistic « follow the money » advocacy strategies to advance community rights and goals;
• Accompanying communities and NGO partners to engage in community-company mediation processes to seek remedy for past harms and address ongoing impacts and human rights violations;
• Supporting communities at risk of displacement by mining to defend their rights and interests, including by assisting them in obtaining the information and advice they need to advance their advocacy goals, and accompanying them in advocacy and negotiation;
• Supporting NGO and community partners to collect evidence of human rights risks and violations and adverse environmental impacts;
• Drafting or reviewing a range of advocacy materials, and participating in meetings with advocacy targets, such as companies, banks, and investors.


Strategic Support and Training
In addition to contributing to IDI’s main case work, the Senior Associate will also be involved in providing training and strategic support to our NGO partners. This includes:
• Contributing to IDI’s training activities intended to strengthen the capabilities of local NGO partners to support communities to defend their rights and hold corporations and financial institutions accountable;
• Providing short-term advice and strategic support to NGO partners, including participants of IDI’s Follow The Money training course;
• Contributing to IDI’s Follow the Money initiative by reviewing research investigations into the investment and supply chains behind harmful projects and companies, and identifying and communicating viable advocacy strategies; and
• Building and strengthening relationships with NGO partners across the African continent.


Policy Advocacy
In addition to the above-mentioned responsibilities, the Senior Associate will support IDI’s policy work to advance a just energy transition, drawing on insights and lessons learned from casework. This may include:
• Representing IDI, and supporting community and NGO partners, in policy advocacy forums and civil society networking and strategy meetings;
• Drafting and reviewing policy submissions, articles and publications;
• Contributing to the development of policy advocacy and campaign strategies to advance a just energy transition and strengthen the human rights regulation and compliance of corporate and financial actors.

What You’ll Bring
Qualifications
• A law degree or equivalent professional legal experience;
• At least six years of experience in the field of corporate accountability, business and human rights, environmental justice, or a related field within sub-Saharan Africa;
• Significant experience working with and supporting grassroots NGOs and communities in the human rights context within sub-Saharan Africa, including collecting primary evidence of human rights or environmental risks and abuses;
• Significant experience facilitating community-led strategy development and decision-making,
• Significant experience in advocacy, engagement and/or negotiation with companies, institutions or governments on human rights or environmental issues.

Competencies
• Fluency (or, at minimum, professional proficiency) in English and French;
• Excellent research and writing skills, including the ability to write clear and compelling legal and policy documents, with high attention to detail and accuracy;
• Ability to work collaboratively with team members and partners, along with the confidence to lead projects and work independently;
• Project management skills and experience;
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to foster respectful relationships with a range of stakeholders including local communities, NGO partners, and financial, governmental and institutional advocacy targets;
• Ability to manage time effectively, assess priorities, and maintain an achievable workload, including by setting boundaries with team members and partners;
• Ability to travel regularly to remote locations in various countries across the African continent and elsewhere, as needed.
• Ability to contribute to organizational fundraising efforts as needed, including supporting proposal drafting and funder reporting.

What You Can Expect
• A commitment to your health and wellness and to your growth and professional development.
• To be part of a collaborative and supportive legal and policy team.
• Opportunities to work closely with senior leadership and contribute meaningfully to IDI’s long-term sustainability.
• To join an organization that strives to live its values of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion-and to create an environment where everyone belongs and contributes fully.


Compensation and Benefits
Inclusive Development International is committed to providing competitive, equitable and transparent compensation for staff. The salary range for this position will be $56,500 – $62,000 USD and is based on demonstrated competencies and responsibilities in accordance with our Compensation Framework.
Inclusive Development International provides generous paid time off, paid parental leave, comprehensive medical/dental/vision insurance, wellness support, professional development opportunities and other benefits.

Working Arrangement
The Inclusive Development International team is globally dispersed, with most employees working on a fully remote basis. Our main office is located in North Carolina, USA. We have staff members in Conakry, Guinea and Nairobi, Kenya within the African continent. This position works on a remote basis and is open to applicants based in Dakar, or for exceptional candidates, other West African travel hubs.
You must have obtained legal authorization to work and live in the country from which you wish to work. Inclusive Development International is unable to sponsor work visas.

Management Responsibilities
None to begin with, however, the Senior Legal and Policy Associate may be expected to manage 1-2 staff or contractors within the first year.
Travel
Regular local and international travel is expected for this position, primarily within Africa, and particularly remote parts of Guinea.
Application Deadline: January 12, 2026.

How to Apply
Interested candidates should submit each of the following with their application. English language applications only, please.

• Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Tailored Cover Letter
• Writing sample in either English or French (or both), preferably relevant to the job description
• Incomplete applications will not be considered.


Shortlisted candidates will be asked to complete a writing test as part of our selection process.
We are committed to providing a supportive, inclusive, and accessible work environment. Please let us know if you require accommodations during the application process or interview.

Inclusive Development International is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, national origin, ethnicity, religion, age, disability, class or other personal characteristics protected by law.