LEGAL OFFICER

Contract

This is a P-4 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 7 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 90,970 USD and 117,287 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

Org. Setting and Reporting Organizational Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of Mission in the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) Laayoune. The Legal Officer reports to the Chief of Staff under the overall supervision of the SRSG. The Legal Officer is responsible for the provision of timely and effective legal expertise and advice on a wide range of legal issues affecting the Mission’s mandate and activities, in accordance with the applicable legal framework, to protect the interests of the Mission and the Organization, minimizing liabilities, and promoting successful outcomes.

Responsibilities Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Legal Officer will be responsible for the following duties:

• Provides legal advice on a wide range of issues affecting the Mission’s mandate and activities, including public international, private and administrative law matters, as well as issues of constitutional and other national law as they affect the Mission or the mandate.
• Provides legal advice and expertise on the interpretation of the Mission’s mandate, the legal status of the Mission and its members, including in areas such as privileges and immunities and Status of Forces/Status of Mission Agreements.
• Advises on aspects of the Mission’s operational activities, including the Mission’s rules of engagement and directives on the use of force and related guidelines, and on matters relating to international law.
• Suggests effective approaches and innovative solutions to legal issues that arise in the Mission.
• Advises on administrative, personnel and contractual matters, including issues relating to the accountability of personnel, procurement matters, third party claims, as well as legal questions involving the interpretation or application of UN regulations and rules.
• Advises on, drafts and reviews agreements, institutional and operational modalities, major contracts, legal submissions and other legal documents and provides advice on and participates in negotiations for the settlement of claims and disputes.
• Liaises with, and participates in, meetings and discussions with representatives of government and other institutional entities, other UN agencies, funds and programmes, as well as other internal and external actors and organizations.
• Participates in administrative boards and committees, including in relation to the procurement process, claims and property management, and in ad hoc working groups and task forces, as required.
• Supervises and provides guidance to the work of junior officers as required. (N/A)
• Performs legal research and analysis, prepares legal opinions, studies, briefs, reports and correspondence.
• Collects and analyzes data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting.

• Performs other duties, as assigned.

  Competencies •Competencies

Professionalism: Expert knowledge of all relevant rules and regulations, policies, procedures and operations of the United Nations, as well as of the applicable jurisprudence. Ability to apply legal expertise to analyzing a diverse range of complex and unusual legal issues and problems, both individual case and policy-related and to develop innovative and creative solutions; Analytical skills and ability to conduct comprehensive legal research on a range of issues, including those of a unique and/or complex nature; proficiency in legal writing and expression and ability to prepare legal briefs, opinions, legal submissions/motions, and related documents. Discretion and sound judgment in applying legal expertise to sensitive, complex legal issues. Strong negotiating skills and ability to influence others to reach an agreement. Ability to work to tight deadlines and handle multiple concurrent projects/cases. Knowledge of UN system, organization, and interrelationships The ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management. Shows pride in work and achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively. Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately. Asks questions to clarify and exhibits interest in having two-way communication. Tailors language, tone, style and format to match the audience. Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timelines for delivery of products or services to clients.

Education Education Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in international law. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is an advantage.

Work Experience - A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in law, including legal analysis, research and writing is required.

• Experience at the international level within the United Nations common system or similar international organizations is desirable.

• 2 years or more of experience in data analytics or related area is desirable

  Languages English and French are the working languages of the UN Secretariat, For the post advertised, fluency in English and French is required; knowledge of Arabic is desirable.

  Assessment Previously rostered candidates are not subject to any further assessment and as such, will not be invited for such an assessment.

  Special Notice This "Recruit from Roster" job opening is only open to roster applicants who are already placed on pre-approved rosters, following a review by a United Nations Central Review Body. Only roster applicants who were placed on rosters with similar functions at the same level are considered to be eligible candidates. Eligible applicants receive an email inviting them to apply. Rostered applicants are encouraged to apply only if they are interested and available to take up the position at the duty station/s specified in the Job Opening. Applying to this job opening carries an expectation to accept the offer, if selected. MINURSO is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

  United Nations Considerations According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.

Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.