Criminal Justice Specialist
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) · Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is recruiting a Criminal Justice Specialist in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on a 6-month International Personnel Service Agreement (IPSA-11). The Specialist will mentor Tanzania’s Anti-Human Trafficking and Child Protection Task Force on investigating and prosecuting serious and organised crime, especially online child sexual exploitation and abuse. The vacancy is open to internal and external applicants.
Background
This role is part of a project financed by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and the European Union and managed by UNDP, which addresses serious and organised crime (SOC). Tanzania faces several challenges with Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (CSEA), in particular online child abuse. One strand of the project strengthens Tanzania’s ability to respond to the domestic and international dimensions of human trafficking and child protection. With SOC project support, Tanzania has set up a cross-agency Anti-Human Trafficking and Child Protection Task Force (AHTCPTF), which handles some of the most challenging cases in the country.
The Criminal Justice Specialist will support these cases and work with the Government of Tanzania and other partners to establish good practice, new techniques, processes and systems that improve investigation, prosecution and support to victims, and that can be scaled up across Tanzania. The Specialist will provide technical expertise to the AHTCPTF to manage NCMEC and other intelligence referrals into Tanzania, and help it build systems to prioritise high-risk cases and to investigate and prosecute them.
Duties and Responsibilities
Tap each area to see the detailed duties.
01Mentor Task Force leaders on investigations
Mentor the Head of the Task Force and other leaders to lead a team responsible for developing and progressing investigations through methods including traditional and technical evidential capture.
- Provide strategic mentoring and leadership support to the Head of the Task Force and supervisory officers.
- Strengthen leadership capacity in the planning, prioritization, and oversight of investigations.
- Guide investigators in the effective use of traditional investigative techniques and digital evidence gathering methodologies.
- Support the development of operational plans and investigative strategies for complex cases.
02Complex investigations and human rights standards
Mentor the Task Force to manage complex investigations and prosecutions to ensure that they are carried out thoroughly in accordance with international human rights standards and relevant Tanzanian legislation.
- Provide case-based mentoring on the management of serious and complex investigations.
- Support investigators and prosecutors in applying human rights-based approaches throughout the investigative and prosecution process.
- Advise on compliance with relevant Tanzanian laws, policies, and procedural requirements.
- Promote best practices in evidence management, case documentation, and prosecution preparation.
03Online reports and high-risk offenders
Guide and support the Task Force to triage online reports, assess intelligence, and carry out investigations and prosecutions against individuals assessed as high-risk online offenders targeting vulnerable persons.
- Guide and support in the assessment and prioritization of online reports and intelligence referrals.
- Support the identification and development of investigative leads from digital intelligence sources.
- Mentor Task Force personnel in conducting online investigations targeting high-risk offenders.
- Strengthen coordination between investigators and prosecutors to facilitate effective case progression.
04International evidence
Guide and support the Task Force to secure international evidence and its successful use in court proceedings.
- Advise on processes for obtaining evidence through international cooperation mechanisms.
- Support the preparation of requests for mutual legal assistance and other international evidence-gathering measures.
- Guide investigators and prosecutors on evidentiary requirements for admissibility in court.
- Facilitate engagement with relevant international law enforcement and judicial counterparts, where appropriate.
05New investigative techniques
Guide and support the continued use and implementation of new investigative techniques and assist the Task Force to address barriers to their effective application.
- Promote the use of video-recorded interviews of suspects, witnesses, and victims in accordance with legal requirements.
- Support the application of forensic and scientific evidence, including DNA, where appropriate.
- Assist in the standardization and effective use of investigation files, procedures, and case management tools.
- Identify and recommend solutions to operational, legal, or institutional barriers affecting the use of innovative investigative techniques.
06Support to NPS prosecutors
Guide and support the NPS prosecutors assigned to the Task Force to prepare online cases for prosecution, including cases involving online child sexual exploitation and abuse, and strengthen the use of new evidential techniques.
- Mentor prosecutors on the preparation and presentation of digital evidence in court.
- Support the development of prosecution strategies for online-facilitated offences.
- Strengthen the use of emerging evidential techniques and digital forensic products in prosecutions.
- Identify challenges affecting successful prosecution outcomes and support the development of practical solutions.
07Performance monitoring and lessons learned
Guide and support the Head of the Task Force in developing performance monitoring systems and mechanisms for capturing lessons learned.
- Guide and assist in establishing performance monitoring and reporting frameworks for the Task Force.
- Support the conduct of quarterly case review and case management meetings.
- Facilitate the identification, documentation, and dissemination of key lessons, challenges, and good practices.
- Support the preparation of periodic performance reports and recommendations to inform criminal justice system reforms and improvements.
The incumbent also performs other duties within their functional profile as needed for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Reporting line
The Criminal Justice Specialist reports directly to the UNDP SOC Project Manager and works closely with the Task Force leadership in Mainland Tanzania, the technical lead at the National Prosecutions Service (NPS) and other law enforcement agencies as relevant. When required, the Specialist also supports the Government SOC Project Coordinators on work with justice authorities. All materials developed during the assignment remain the property of UNDP.
Qualifications and Requirements
Education
- Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in Security Studies, Law, Public Administration or a relevant field; or
- A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s) in the same fields with an additional two years of qualifying experience, in lieu of the advanced degree.
Experience
- At least 7 years (with a Master’s degree) or 9 years (with a Bachelor’s degree) of experience in the intelligence-led investigation or prosecution of serious and organised crime, child protection, digital and cyber crime, financial crime, or intelligence and covert tactics and strategies.
Required skills
- Demonstrated experience in advising criminal justice institutions on reforms, including performance management, monitoring and evaluation, development of improvement plans, and use of data and key performance indicators to improve criminal justice outcomes.
- Demonstrated experience in improving investigation and prosecution functions through the design and implementation of innovative approaches, operational improvements, capacity-building initiatives, and mentoring of teams handling serious crime cases.
- Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of relevant national and international legal frameworks, including human rights-compliant law enforcement practices, investigative methodologies, enforcement techniques, and intelligence-led policing approaches.
- Experience of effectively building cross-agency partnerships and delivering through them.
- Experience and knowledge of best practice in laws and processes for the protection and support of vulnerable victims and witnesses, including children and women surviving sexual abuse or human trafficking.
Desired skills
- Experience and technical expertise in online CSEA systems, including NCMEC, and a strong understanding of the cyber landscape, emerging techniques and associated threats.
- Experience in research, analysis and performance management of law enforcement or criminal justice systems, including the use of key performance indicators and development of recommendations.
- Experience in managing sensitive intelligence products and their dissemination to relevant partners.
- Experience in research and analysis of law enforcement or criminal justice systems and delivering recommendations.
- Experience with computers, office software (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and web-based management systems, and advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages.
Languages
- Fluency in English is required.
- Working knowledge of another UN language is desired.
Core competencies
- Achieve Results (Level 3): Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact.
- Think Innovatively (Level 3): Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems.
- Learn Continuously (Level 3): Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences.
- Adapt with Agility (Level 3): Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands.
- Act with Determination (Level 3): Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results.
- Engage and Partner (Level 3): Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration.
- Enable Diversity and Inclusion (Level 3): Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity.
Cross-functional and technical competencies
- 2030 Agenda: Peace: Rule of Law, Security and Human Rights; Access to Justice.
- Business Management – 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.
- Business Management – Monitoring & Evaluation: Systematically monitor results of strategies, programmes and activities; give managers and stakeholders regular feedback on planned versus actual results; make independent judgements against set criteria and benchmarks; knowledge of M&E frameworks, concepts, methodologies, systems, processes and tools; anticipate clients' upcoming needs and concerns.
- Business Direction and Strategy – System Thinking: Use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and how altering one element can affect other parts of the system.
- Business Development – Knowledge Generation: Research information and turn it into useful knowledge; apply existing concepts to new situations and develop new concepts and approaches; knowledge of relevant concepts, models and theories.
- 2030 Agenda: Rule of Law, Security and Human Rights: Rule of Law; Human Rights Mainstreaming.
UNDP tiered application process: who can apply
Many UNDP, UNCDF and UNV vacancies use a tiered process to support personnel already in the Organization:
- Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff on permanent (PA) or fixed-term (FTA) appointments whose posts will be abolished, or whose contracts will end or not be renewed, during 2026.
- Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff on permanent (PA) or fixed-term (FTA) appointments.
- Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff on temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers.
- Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates.
This vacancy is marked open to internal and external applicants.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should apply online through the official UNDP careers portal (Job ID 37531) before 13 November 2026, 7:59 am (East Africa Time).
UNDP may select more than one candidate from this vacancy and may consider applicants for other similar positions at the same grade.
UNDP is an equal opportunity employer and encourages qualified applicants from all backgrounds. Employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role. UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination or abuse of authority, and all selected candidates undergo relevant checks. Read UNDP’s guidance on using AI responsibly in recruitment and its data privacy statement.
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