Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Codification Division of the Office of Legal Affairs (OLA).The Legal Officer reports to the Director of the Codification Division, the Principal Legal Officer or, at times, the Senior Legal Officer.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority and depending on location, the Legal Officer will be responsible for the following duties: • Handles a range of issues related to international law, including the interpretation and application of constitutive, legislative and other instruments governing United Nations activities and operations, in consultation with senior Legal Officers. • Conducts extensive legal research and analysis and prepare studies, comparative studies, briefs, reports and correspondence, as requested by the General Assembly or its subsidiary legal bodies. • Undertakes basic or extensive review of legal documents, instruments, or other material; identifies important issues, similarities, and inconsistencies, etc. • Prepares or assists in the preparation of drafts of background papers, studies, reports, legislative texts and commentaries on those texts, teaching materials, in particular for the trainings undertaken under the Programme of Assistance and legal publications, in the field of international law. • Facilitates at least one four-week training programme in international law away from Headquarters under the Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law, and assists in its preparation and organization, including proposing and inviting lecturers, logistical and administrative arrangements (i.e. procurement, delegation of authority), updating training materials, completing relevant reports, drafting relevant cooperation arrangements, delivering presentations during the programme, and selecting participants. • Prepares or assists in the preparation of legal opinions/advice on a wide range of international law issues, including the Charter of the United Nations, General Assembly resolutions and decisions involving, inter alia, issues relating to substantive and procedural issues arising during meetings of United Nations organs and subsidiary organs. • Prepares or assists in the preparation of agreements with governments and other entities. • Services or assists senior colleagues in servicing diplomatic conferences, commissions and committees, including preparation of background materials, summaries of issues and views of delegations, meeting reports, etc. • Provides legal advice on human resources matters; reviews administrative matters. • Prepares or assists with the preparation of international law seminars and symposia, lectures on various legal issues at such events. • Provides guidance to more junior staff. • Performs other duties as assigned.

Competencies

• Professionalism: Theoretical knowledge of international law and instruments; demonstrated ability to apply legal principles, concepts and policy to a range of legal work and issues, mainly in the area of public international law, necessary to perform the duties and responsibilities required by the position; analytical skills and ability to conduct legal research on a range of relatively complex and intricate public international law issues; proficiency in legal writing and ability to prepare background papers and studies on a variety of legal issues and instruments; demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment in the context of assignments given; and proficient in computer skills and, in particular, use of relevant software applications and information databases, Internet/Intranet services, library sources, etc; communication (spoken and written) skills including clear and concise drafting skills in accordance with relevant editorial standards. Knowledge of United Nations staff and financial regulations and rules. 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. • 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 & 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.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in international law is required. A first-level university degree in law in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Qualifying years of experience are calculated following the receipt of the university degree in law recognized by the United Nations.

Job – Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in law, including legal analysis, research and writing is required. Experience in public international law at the national or international level is required. Experience in drafting international law background papers with emphasis on the progressive development of international law and its codification is required. Experience with an international organization is desirable. Experience in publishing articles on topics of public international law is desirable. Experience in teaching or lecturing on subjects of public international law is desirable. Experience in organizing and facilitating international law training courses or seminars is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French is desirable. Knowledge of Spanish is desirable. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

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. Pursuant to section 7.11 of ST/AI/2012/2/Rev.1, candidates recruited through the young professionals programme who have not served for a minimum of two years in the position of their initial assignment are not eligible to apply to this position. For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or under-represented in the UN Secretariat as of 29 Feb 2024, are strongly encouraged to apply: Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Belize, Brunei Darussalam, China, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Germany, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Libya, Liechtenstein, Malta, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Monaco, Nauru, Oman, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vanuatu.

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.