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.

The UNV volunteer will work for the Legal Unit, in UNEP’s Corporate Services Division. The UNV will provide legal support, advice, and opinion on a variety of issues of international, public, private, administrative, and environmental law and other matters requiring legal input, including interpretation and application of instruments. The UNV contributes to other UNEP and legal corporate activities within his/her field of expertise

Under the direct supervision of the Senior Legal Officer, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks: 1. Provision of legal support to UNEP through the Corporate Services Division /Legal Unit i. Serve as Associate Legal Officer supporting the provision of corporate legal advice to UNEP through the Corporate Services Division/Legal Unit, and contribute to the work of the Corporate Services Division / Legal Unit providing the necessary assistance, as required; ii. Review and draft legal instruments and other agreements and amendments, and when deviations from UN/UNEP templates are requested by counterparts provide legal advice with regard to those instruments including agreements with implementing partners; iii. Support the review of the due diligence process of potential partners, both non-for-profit and for-profit entities; iv. Support Corporate Services Division’s work on audit processes by oversight bodies, including the review of recommendations and their implementation; v. Support the work of the focal point for the Corporate Services Division/Legal Unit on the UNEP Intranet page (WeCollaborate).

2. Support the development and/or revision of legal template instruments and conduct legal research i. In coordination with relevant offices, support the development of new and/or review of existing legal agreements templates; ii. In coordination with relevant offices, support the revision of UNEP policies and their implementation, and the drafting of summaries and/or briefing notes relating to policy matters; iii. Support the Legal Units by the preparation of a compendium of core legal advice delivered by the Legal Unit with a view to ensure consistency for the benefit of UNEP; iv. Under the guidance of legal officers, conduct research on legal issues pertaining – inter alia – to general international law, international organization, privileges and immunities, multilateral environmental agreements, etc., and draft legal notes and memos for the use of the Legal Unit.

Results/Expected Outputs • Facilitates sound legal services and representation, and, in accordance with applicable legal policies, rules, and practices, protects the interests and minimizes liabilities of the Organization. • Provides independent, accurate, and comprehensive research and notes. • Contributes to carefully conceived studies, recommendations, as well as well-written legal and other documents (agreements, notes, memos, reports, etc.). • Contributes to successful negotiation and resolution of problems/issues. • Improves efficiency in interactions with all parties involved in any of the legal activities being performed.

Communication Planning and Organizing Professionalism Working in Teams

corporate law, including the drafting and review of legal instruments, exposure to the practice and interpretation of public international law, partnerships with public/private sector actors, legal analysis, research, and writing.

The Republic of Kenya is an equatorial nation on the coast of East Africa, neighboring Somalia, Ethi-opia, Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, and the Indian Ocean. Kenya has two levels of Government; Na-tional Government and 47 sub-national Governments called Counties. Counties are further divided into sub-counties. Kenya is a multi-party state with Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches. Kenya’s population of more than 40 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 modest. The topographic and climatic features of the assignment location is highland cool and warm tropical climate.