Legal Assistant (Climate/Environment)

Volunteering Crisis & Emergency Response Environment Legal

Overview

Provide legal support for environmental damage assessment project in Ukraine.

You have:

• Minimum of 2 years of experience in legal assistance related to environmental issues.
• Strong understanding of environmental policies and regulations.
• Proficiency in drafting legal documents and reports.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
• Experience working in multicultural teams.

Contract

This is a UNV Community Volunteer contract. This kind of contract is known as National UN Volunteer. It is normally only for nationals. More about UNV Community Volunteer contracts.

The purpose of the Environmental Damage Assessment project is to enable the State Environmental Inspectorate to effectively fulfil its responsibilities in calculating the damage, losses, and harm caused to the environment and state natural resources within its jurisdiction, as a result of accidents, emergencies, military aggression, terrorism, or other criminal acts, particularly since the onset of martial law.

The project involves the establishment and operationalization of the Coordination Centre on Environmental Damage Assessment to enhance coordination and analysis of data on environmental damage, and support the development of effective regulatory frameworks. The Centre serves as a platform for expert collaboration and provides legal, technical, and organizational support to improve the national system for assessing environmental damage caused by military aggression and other emergencies. It facilitates the work of specialized expert groups focused on environmental monitoring, digital tools, legal reforms, gender mainstreaming, and forecasting of long-term environmental risks. Through the Centre’s activities, the project aims to strengthen institutional capacity, promote evidence-based policymaking, and support the integration of best international practices in environmental damage assessment and recovery efforts.

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager, the Legal Assistant will be responsible for advising the project "Mitigating the risks of long-term environmental disasters in Ukraine through the establishment of a Coordination Centre on Environmental Damage Assessment" in legal assistance related to environmental damage. The Legal Assistant will also provide overall support to the activities of the Coordination Centre on Environmental Damage Assessment, including assistance with legal, administrative, and organizational matters to ensure the Centre’s effective functioning. The Legal Assistant will work in close cooperation with the project team and relevant stakeholders to contribute to the structured implementation of the Centre’s mandate and to facilitate coordination among partners.

The Legal Assistant will be responsible for conducting the following activities:

• Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager, the Legal Assistant will be responsible for providing legal support to the project and supporting the overall functioning and activities of the Coordination Centre on Environmental Damage Assessment, including support to its expert working groups on environmental monitoring, digital tools, legislation, environmental control, gender mainstreaming in environmental policy, and risk forecasting related to environmental damage.
• Support the meetings of the Coordination Centre and the working groups, including preparation of draft documents, decisions, and other relevant materials.
• Perform general administrative and organizational tasks related to the project.
• Analyze the existing international experience and recommend best practices for the state authorities in environmental damage assessment.
• S/he will ensure provision of quality and timely services and processes for the Project.
• Perform various legal aid activities for the State Environmental Inspectorate and the Project Manager.
• Provide legal advice and guidance in areas covered by the expert working groups, including environmental damage assessment, environmental protection, environmental monitoring, digital tools, legislation, risk forecasting, and gender mainstreaming in environmental policy, as defined by the Project Manager.
• Assist in the organising the meetings, conferences, trainings for Project stakeholders.
• Participate in the meeting, conferences, trainings if required by the Project Manager.
• Prepare analytical papers if requested.
• Ensure that all project’s needs are met through the timely provision of legal services support under the supervision of Project Manager.
• Perform other duties as may be required by UNDP management.

The Legal Assistant will report to the Project Manager of the project “Mitigating the risks of long-term environmental disasters in Ukraine through the establishment of a Coordination Centre on Environmental Damage Assessment”. The Legal Assistant will provide written monthly reports on the progress of activities and the key challenges and opportunities, and deliverables reports as required.

• Accountability
• Adaptability and flexibility
• Creativity
• Judgement and decision-making
• Planning and organising
• Professionalism

• Self-management

• Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel.

• Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines.
• Sound security awareness.
• Has an affinity for with or interest in the SDG, green recovery, climate change, volunteerism as a mechanism for durable development, and the UN System.
• Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting, formulation, reporting skills.

As it is a national UN Community Volunteer's assignment, the volunteer shall organize his/her accommodation by themselves.

Entitlements of UN Community Volunteer:

The contract lasts for the period indicated in the vacancy with possibility of extensions subject to availability of funding, operational necessity and satisfactory performance. However, there is no expectation of renewal of the assignment.

Allowances: • Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA): A Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) is provided monthly to cover housing, utilities and reasonable cost of living expenses.

All the entitlements can be checked at https://app.unv.org/calculator

Medical and life insurance: • Medical insurance: The UN Volunteer will receive UNV provided medical insurance coverage. Coverage for UN Volunteers begins from the Commencement of Service and normally ceases one month after the last day of the UN Volunteer Contract date. • Life Insurance: UN Volunteers are covered by life insurance for the duration of the UN Volunteer assignment. If a UN Volunteer dies during the UN Volunteer assignment, the eligible designated beneficiaries will be entitled to receive a life insurance lump sum.

Leave entitlements: • Annual leave:  UN Volunteers accrue an entitlement to 2.5 days of Annual Leave per completed month of the UN Volunteer assignment. Unused accrued Annual Leave up to a maximum of 30 days is carried over in case of a contract extension within the same UN Volunteer assignment. Unused accrued Annual Leave may not be carried over in case of reassignment or a new assignment. • Learning leave: Subject to supervisor approval and exigencies of service, UN Volunteers may request up to ten working days of Learning Leave per consecutive 12 months of the UN Volunteer assignment, starting with the Commencement of Service date, provided the Learning Leave is used within the contract period • Certified Sick Leave: UN Volunteers are entitled to up to 30 days of certified sick leave based on a 12-month cycle. This amount is reset every 12-month cycle. • Uncertified Sick Leave: UN Volunteers receive seven days of uncertified sick leave working days in a calendar year. This amount will be reset at the established interval period.

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Potential interview questions

Added 1 year ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: unv.org