Ethics Advisor, Case Management (Retainer)

Senior Legal

Overview

Support case management for protection against retaliation requests.

You have:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in a relevant field such as law, criminology, social sciences, public administration, human resources, investigations, corporate ethics or related field is required.
• Minimum 7 years of experience in organizational ethics, OR law is required, including in either corporate compliance, personnel misconduct, investigations, employee relations or other ethics-related areas
• Experience with legal or ethics-related document drafting and analysis is required
• Fluency in English is required.
• Working-level knowledge of French or Spanish would be an asset.

Contract

This is a IICA-3 contract. This kind of contract is known as International Individual Contractor Agreements. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's an external contract. It usually requires 7 years of experience, depending on education. More about IICA-3 contracts.

Background Information - Job-specific

Background information

UNOPS is committed to fostering an organizational culture of ethics and a harmonious and inclusive work environment. The Ethics Office (ETO) is integral to this effort, and has an overall mandate to act as an independent office pursuant to its establishment as per ST/SGB/2007/11. Overall, the role of the ETO is to cultivate and nurture an organizational culture of ethics, integrity and accountability, and thereby enhance the trust in, and the credibility of UNOPS, both internally and externally.

More specifically, the ETO is responsible for developing standards, training and education on ethics issues, providing independent, impartial and confidential ethics advice to individuals and management in ethics related dilemmas, identifying key ethical risks and developing, implementing and monitoring policies and procedures, for ethical risk management and prevention of unethical behavior as well as safeguarding personnel by providing protection against retaliation.

The organization requires the services of Ethics Advisors that shall be on a retainer contract to help with fluctuations in workload.

The Ethics Advisors will focus on case management of requests for protection against retaliation.

The Ethics Advisors report to the Director of the Ethics Office.

Please note that the selected candidates who will successfully undergo the assessments will be offered a remote working contract for 1 year (renewable subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance) but proposed a work package only when a specific opportunity arises.

Functional Responsibilities

Case management in relation to cases of protection against retaliation under guidance of the Director of the Ethics Office - Conduct preliminary (prima facie) reviews of whistleblower protection against retaliation cases, including speaking with reporters and other relevant parties and examining submitted documentation, requiring in-depth understanding of the UNOPS regulations, rules and policies as well as the international administrative legal framework and jurisprudence. - Recommend and draft requests for measures to safeguard reporters’ interests while the review is ongoing. - Where the preliminary review results in a determination of no prima facie retaliation, draft a formal memorandum to the reporter outlining the legal reasoning and analysis for the determination. - Where the preliminary review results in a determination of prima facie retaliation, draft a formal memorandum to the Internal Audit and Investigations Group (IAIG), mandated to undertake the investigation into the retaliation allegation, detailing the allegations and conclusions.

• Upon receipt of the investigation report, make an independent review of the report and related to documentation, make a final determination of the case, and inform the reporter of the outcome.
• Draft recommendations on managerial intervention or corrective measures, where appropriate.
• Ensure and promote consistent ethical advice and compliance with ethics-related policies, especially the ones related to whistleblowing mechanisms and retaliation through the provision of advisory on sensitive cases.
• Consult and liaise with stakeholders, including Senior stakeholders as applicable, during the implementation phase of the revised whistleblower mechanism.
• Contribute to improving standard operating procedures and internal policies related to handling of protection against retaliation requests.

Competencies

Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organization. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organization.(for levels IICA-2, IICA-3, LICA Specialist- 10, LICA Specialist-11, NOC, NOD, P3, P4 and above) Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.

Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles. Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role). Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries. Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements. Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving. Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

Education- Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in a relevant field such as law, criminology, social sciences, public administration, human resources, investigations, corporate ethics or related field is required. - A combination of a Bachelor’s degree with an additional 2 years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the education requirements outlined above.

Experience - Minimum 7 years of experience in organizational ethics, OR law is required, including in either corporate compliance, personnel misconduct, investigations, employee relations or other ethics-related areas - Experience with legal or ethics-related document drafting and analysis is required

Language - Fluency in English is required. - Working-level knowledge of French or Spanish would be an asset.

Contract type, level and duration

Contract type: ICA Retainer Contract level: I-ICA 3 (ICS-11) Contract duration: One year initially, renewable subject to satisfactory performance and funding availability

For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link: https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements.aspx

** IMPORTANT INFORMATION ** Retainer positions are not full-time positions. They constitute a contract whereby the Retainer may be requested to provide a specific output/deliverable within a specified period of time, on short notice. When holding a retainer contract, individuals may receive ad-hoc requests from the UNOPS project teams or country offices, and the quantity of requests will vary depending on the current needs. UNOPS shall have no obligation to obtain any minimum quantity of services from the Individual Contractor during the duration of the retainer ICA. It is possible to have multiple consultancy contracts with or outside UNOPS, as long as it is declared to the UNOPS Ethics Office.

Additional Information

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce.

• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience requirements outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to considering all candidates in a fair and transparent manner, and we value diverse perspectives and experiences, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals with diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.

• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions

• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses ( they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

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Potential interview questions

Added 11 months ago - Updated 11 months ago - Source: jobs.unops.org