The International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. It is composed of 15 judges, elected by the General Assembly and the Security Council. The Court has a twofold role: first, to settle, in accordance with international law, through judgments which have binding force and are without appeal for the parties concerned, legal disputes submitted to it by States; and, second, to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by duly authorized United Nations organs and specialized agencies. The Court is the only principal organ of the United Nations not serviced by the Secretariat and has its own Registry, which provides judicial support to the Court and acts as a permanent administrative organ. The Registry is headed by a Registrar, elected by the Court. The incumbent is appointed by the Registrar with the approval of the President (Rules of Court, Art. 25). The position is located within the Office of the Registrar, and the incumbent reports directly to the Registrar.

Under the direct supervision of the Registrar, the incumbent provides secretarial and administrative support to the Office of the Registrar. This role requires strict confidentiality, adherence to protocol procedures, effective management of information flow, and diligent follow-up on deadlines and commitments. The incumbent also collaborates closely with – or in some instances under the supervision of – the Special Assistant to the Registrar and other staff members in the Registrar’s office. 1. Provide executive support to the ICJ Registrar: – Manage the Registrar’s calendar, and schedule of appointments and meetings; – Arrange travel and hotel accommodations and other logistics for the Registrar; – Maintain roster of key external contacts; update electronic mailing lists; – Answer and screen calls for the Registrar with tact and discretion; – Manage administrative files in the Office of the Registrar; – Research files, collect information and organize materials to meet the Registrar’s requests. 2. Provide administrative support to the ICJ Registrar: – Undertake the logistical, administrative and financial arrangements, to organize meetings, events, and workshops; – Organize and attend meetings and events, prepare minutes and summaries; – Prepare and assemble briefing materials for the for meetings, missions and other key events; – Organize and monitor the office filing system; – Follow up with the Registrar on deadlines and commitments. 3. Provide effective communication and information management support to the Office of the Registrar: – Facilitate flow of information and communication between the Registrar’s Office and other Departments and Divisions within ICJ and external organisations (e.g. embassy offices) outside ICJ; – Review, prioritize and route correspondence to and from the Office of the Registrar; take proactive follow-up action and keep the Registrar informed; – Respond to and/or direct inquiries to appropriate units for timely action/response; – Prepare routine correspondence and interoffice circulars; review documents and reports to ensure spelling, punctuation and format are correct; – Maintain and organize up to date hard and electronic files for easy access and retrieval; ensure safekeeping of confidential materials; – Assist in the preparation and finalization of informal translations; act as informal interpreter as required. 4. Provide support to the Registrar’s external relations activities: – Facilitate the Registrar’s interaction with various external partners through written, verbal and electronic communication, and through collaborative and proactive relationships with counterparts and colleagues in partner offices; – Receive and greet high ranking officials/visitors; – Ensure protocol matters, receive high ranking visitors/officials, coordinate logistical arrangements related to visits. 5. Contribute to knowledge building and knowledge sharing: – Provide administrative support for effective knowledge management and sharing within the Registry; Build and share knowledge and experience related to administrative and operations support. 6. Other tasks: – The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Registrar’s Office.

Professionalism: Demonstrates ability to perform a broad range of administrative functions; is able to take initiative and demonstrates ability to make appropriate linkages in work requirements and anticipates next steps. 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. Commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects 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. 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 own position. Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings. Planning and organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies. Identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required. Allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work. Foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning. Monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary. Uses time efficiently. Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments. Delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards. Operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules. Supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments. Takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.

Certificate of Secondary Education or equivalent is required. University degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Public Relations, Law and similar areas is desirable. Additional secretarial/administrative training is desirable.

Not available.

A minimum of seven (7) years of experience in general office support or related areas is required. The minimum number of years of relevant experience is reduced to five (5) for candidates with a first-level university degree or higher. Experience working in an international judicial institution is desirable. Experience working in or with the United Nations common system or similar international organizations is desirable. Experience working with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems is desirable.

English and French are the working languages of the Court. Excellent command of English and French (Advanced language competence – UN Level III) is required. Knowledge of Dutch and/or other official UN languages is an asset.

Assessments shall include a desk review of applications and, where necessary, an interview.

This is an internal job opening following the reclassification of the position. Only current staff members of the International Court of Justice with fixed-term or continuing appointments are eligible to apply. The Court is an equal opportunity employer and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons with disabilities, to apply. Pursuant to United Nations Staff Rule 4.4, applicable to the Registry, staff in the General Service and related categories shall be recruited in the country or within commuting distance of the seat of the Court, irrespective of their nationality and of the length of time they may have been in the country. A staff member subject to local recruitment shall not be eligible for the allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment.

In accordance with the ICJ Staff Regulations and Rules, 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 ICJ 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. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Applicants are urged to carefully follow 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 based on the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable 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 in Inspira will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

ICJ does NOT charge any fees or request money from candidates at any stage of the recruitment process, nor does it concern itself with bank account details of applicants. Requests of this nature allegedly made on behalf of ICJ are fraudulent and should be disregarded.