Associate Legal Officer

Contract

This is a UNV International Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as International UN Volunteer. It is normally internationally recruited only. More about UNV International Specialist contracts.

This post is in UNEP’s Law Division which is the lead Division charged with carrying out the functions of UNEP in the field of environmental law and environmental governance. The Law Division promotes the contribution of environmental dimension of sustainable development through law, national and international governance, and related policy issues, including those related to Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs). The UN Volunteer will work under the direct supervision of the Principal Legal Officer who is responsible for providing legal advice on the mandate and international status of UNEP, its Governing Bodies, its rules of procedure, and UN resolutions that are applicable to its work as well as legal and procedural advice to the secretariats of multilateral environmental agreements, inter-governmental platforms and other bodies to which UNEP provides support.

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of the Principal Legal Officer, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks: • Provide legal advice on the mandate and international status of UNEP, its Governing Bodies, its rules of procedure, and UN resolutions that are applicable to its work. • Provide legal advice to the secretariats of multilateral environmental agreements, inter-governmental platforms, and other bodies to which UNEP provides support. • Advise on the correct terminology to be used in the official documents of UNEP. • Provide legal support to subsidiary processes of the UN Environment Assembly, Intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC) to develop a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment. • Conduct research into and provide advice on questions of public international law and related questions including provisions of the UN Charter, other UN organs, UN Conventions and Treaties, and other international organizations. • Strengthen knowledge of International Law.

Results/expected outputs

• Conducting research into international law and procedure, including the work of the Principal Organs of the United Nations that is relevant to the work of UNEP. • Drafting of legal opinions on questions of international law and procedure. • Providing legal and procedural support to and attending inter-governmental meetings on the environment.

• Professionalism • Integrity • Teamwork and respect for diversity • Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in a work environment. • Planning and organizing • Communication • Flexibility • Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity, and self-reliance, and commitment towards UNEPs mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values.

progressively responsible role in law, including legal analysis, research and writing is required. • Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting, formulation, reporting skills. • Accuracy and professionalism in document production and editing.

The Republic of Kenya is an equatorial nation on the coast of East Africa, neighboring Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, and the Indian Ocean. Kenya has two levels of Government; National Government and 47 sub-national Governments called Counties. Kenya is a multi-party state with Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches. Kenya’s population of more than 45 million is growing at an annual rate of 2.2%. The country’s GNP per capita estimated at purchasing power parity (PPP) is $975, and the GNP is growing at an average rate of 0.1% annually. More than 26% of Kenya’s people live below the international poverty line of $1 per day. Kenya’s main food crops are “maize, wheat, pulses, roots and tubers.” (FAO).

Nairobi is a modern metropolitan city where most basic goods and services, health facilities, public transport, telecommunication and banking services, and educational facilities are readily available. The city is widely connected through its main airport, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, and the smaller Wilson Airport. Air transport is also available to many up-country destinations. The city is home to some 3,000 UN personnel mainly attributed to the fact that it serves as the headquarters for both the UN-HABITAT and UNEP. The socio-economic and cultural background of the immediate society the UNV would be living and working in is diverse and prevailing security conditions at the place of assignment is mod-est. The topographic and climatic features of the assignment location is a highland cool and warm tropical climate