United Nations
Job title:
LEGAL OFFICER
Company
United Nations
Job description
This position is located in the secretariat of the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC). Reporting to the Executive Secretary, the Legal Officer maintains close contact with stakeholders and partners and directs legal policies in the areas under his/her responsibility, to ensure that they are relevant to the needs of the Commission, common system organizations and Member States, and ensures that the legal work assigned to him/her is carried forward in an expeditious and professional manner.ResponsibilitiesWithin delegated authority the Legal Officer will be responsible for the following duties: • Provides legal advice to the Executive Secretary and other staff in the ICSC Secretariat on a wide range of legal matters related to the mandate of the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) including the interpretation and application of constitutive, legislative, and other instruments governing the ICSC’s functioning, procedures, and methodologies. • Supports legal officers in the common system organizations in litigation related to the implementation of ICSC decisions or recommendations. • Prepares legal opinions/advice on diverse substantive and procedural questions, which may include those related to administration and management, institutions support and interactions with the General Assembly and participating organizations of the United Nations common system. • Conducts extensive legal research and analysis and prepares or assists in the preparation of legal opinions, studies, briefs, reports, and correspondence. • Undertakes review of legal documents, instruments, or other material; identifies important issues, similarities, and inconsistencies, etc. • Handles and assists in the provision of legal advice on a wide range of issues relating to the work of the ICSC, including relevant agreements and other collaborative arrangements with international organizations, members of the United Nations system and external actors, administrative and management issues. • Drafts and reviews complex contracts, agreements, institutional and operational modalities and other legal documents and participates in negotiations and settlement of claims and disputes. • Provides legal advice on the interpretation and application of financial and staff regulations and rules, including the review of administrative decisions and the drafting of administrative issuances. • Serves on various standing boards, committees, ad hoc working groups and task forces, as required; promotes the work of the United Nations and represents the ICSC at meetings, conferences, seminars, etc. • Performs other duties as assigned.CompetenciesProfessionalism: • Knowledge of public international law, including the Charter of the United Nations and the law of international organizations. Familiarity with the institutions and organization of the UN system; • Analytical skills and ability to conduct legal research on a range of relatively complex and intricate issues; • Proficiency in legal drafting and ability to draft clearly and well under time pressure; • Ability to apply good legal judgment in the context of assignments given; • Negotiating skills; • Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; • Shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges;. 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 audience; • Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed. Teamwork: • Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; • Solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; • Places team agenda before personal agenda; Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect his/her own position.EducationAdvanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in public international law is required. A first-level university degree in public international law in combination with two additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.Job – Specific QualificationNot available.Work ExperienceA minimum of seven years of progressively responsible professional experience in law, including legal analysis, research and writing, is required. Professional legal experience advising on issues of public international law relating to international organizations and on questions of international civil service is desirable.LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, excellent written and spoken English is essential. Knowledge of French is desirable. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantageAssessmentEvaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by a competency-based interviewSpecial NoticeAt 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. Staff members appointed to the current position are required to submit a financial disclosure statement upon assignment or appointment and annually thereafter.United Nations ConsiderationsAccording 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 FeeTHE 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.
Expected salary
Location
New York City, NY
Job date
Sat, 17 Aug 2024 04:01:23 GMT
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