SENIOR LEGAL OFFICER

Contract

This is a P-5 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 10 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 182,823 USD and 229,119 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

UNTSO was the first peacekeeping operation established by the Security Council, in its resolution 50 (1948), and continues to represent the commitment of the Organization to assist in the implementation of the 1949 Armistice Agreements and their attendant ceasefires. In its resolution 73 (1949), the Council requested the Secretary-General to arrange for the continued service of such UNTSO personnel as might be required in observing and maintaining the ceasefire, as requested by the Council in its resolution 54 (1948), and as might be necessary in assisting the parties to the Agreements in the supervision of the application and observance of the terms of those Agreements. UNTSO ’s activities are implemented in Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and the Syrian Arab Republic.

This position is located in the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) in Jerusalem. The Senior Legal Officer reports directly to the UNTSO Head of Mission (HoM). The Senior Legal Officer is a recognized expert in one or more areas of concentration and provides high-level in-house legal counsel capacity for principled, authoritative legal advice, guidance and representation in all aspects of the Mission's mandate and activities, including highly complex or novel legal matters, effectively determines strategy and approach to legal issues and develops innovative solutions to issues that arise, contributes to the development of policy, directives, guidelines and best practices, and demonstrates professional leadership, persuasiveness and diplomacy to generate consensus. The Senior Legal Officer provides independent legal advice and works collaboratively within the Mission Leadership Team.

Responsibilities

The Senior Legal Officer is responsible providing to the Head of Mission and senior management timely, accurate, understandable and actionable analysis, advice advocacy regarding legal issues of organizational, operational and administrative significance, including the interpretation and application of national, international and administrative law, as well as UN regulations, to assure legal compliance, accountability and transparency, including: •Identifying and analyzing substantive legal issues and related risks relating to the implementation of the mission’s mandate and formulating legal solutions that advance mission and organizational priorities and objectives. •Assuring the legal status, privileges and immunities of the mission and its members. •Establishing and maintaining effective legal working relations and the operational interface with host government officials (ministries, authorities and agencies), other UN peace operations in the region (e.g., UNDOF, UNIFIL, UNFICYP, UNSCO, UNSCOL and UNOSE-S), the diplomatic community, regional and sub-regional actors and organizations as well as UN and inter-governmental agencies, funds and programs. •Formulating, negotiating and preparing legal solutions to complex strategic, managerial and operational issues, including negotiating and drafting of major contracts and agreements, and managing the legal aspects of procurement matters and third-party claims. •Preparing and defending legal opinions and advice, as well as related decisions of the Head of Mission. •Providing inputs for the Secretary-General’s briefings and reports, and promoting the system-wide work of the Organization that addresses core UN values and objectives. •Conducting investigations and preparing legal submissions and other legal documents, including for the administration of justice system and the accountability of personnel. •Serving on various standing and ad hoc boards, committees, working groups and task forces, and representing the mission at meetings, conferences, seminars, etc. •Coordinating with Office of Legal Affairs (OLA), UNHQ to assure legal coherence. •Performing other duties as assigned by HoM.

Competencies

•Professionalism: Knowledge of public international law, in particular in the field of the law of international organizations. Ability to apply legal expertise to analyzing a diverse range of complex and unusual legal issues and problems and in developing innovative and creative solutions. Strong 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 opinions and a variety of legal instruments and other, related documents. Ability to explain complex issues and defend principled positions in meetings, including meetings of political bodies and senior managers. Discretion and sound judgment in applying legal expertise to sensitive, complex legal issues. Strong negotiating skills and ability to influence others to reach agreement. Ability to work to tight deadlines and handle multiple concurrent projects/cases. Knowledge of the UN system, its organizations and their interrelationships. Shows pride in work and in 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.

•Creativity: Actively seeks to improve programmes or services; offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs; promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas; takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks “outside the box”; takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things; is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches.

•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 timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

Managerial Competencies: •Leadership: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow; empowers others to translate vision into results; is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support; anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions; drives for change and improvement; does not accept the status quo; and shows the courage to take unpopular stands.

•Judgement/Decision-Making: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly; gathers relevant information before making a decision; considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization; proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; checks assumptions against facts; determines that the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; and makes tough decisions when necessary.

Education

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

Job - Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible professional experience in law, including legal analysis, research and writing, is required.

At least two years of professional legal experience working in the legal office of a government department or ministry or of the secretariat of an international organization are desirable

Professional legal experience advising on questions of international law, including regarding privileges and immunities, is desirable.

At least two years of professional experience working with the UN, a specialized agency of the UN or a related intergovernmental organization are desirable.

Experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.

Languages

French and English are the working languages of the UN Secretariat. For this job opening, fluency in English (both oral and written) is required; knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.

Assessment

Not available.

Special Notice

• This position is temporarily available for six months with the possibility of extension. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment.

• While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post.

• Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station.

• This temporary job opening may be limited to “internal candidates,” who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15.

• Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply.Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation.

• Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as "retirement." Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service.

The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or underrepresented in the UN Secretariat as of 31 Sept 2023, are strongly encouraged to apply: Afghanistan, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Belize, Brunei Darussalam, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Djibouti, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malta, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Monaco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Oman, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Qatar, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vanuatu.

An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential.

At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application.

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.

Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process.

By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions.

Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile 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.