Legal Affairs Officer

VN Category (INT / EXT / EOI):

Job Category:

This is an external vacancy notice open to external candidates and WTO staff. It is posted on the WTO internal as well as external career site. Eligible WTO staff on short-term, fixed-term or regular contracts and interns must apply through the Workday internal career site.

This is a Fixed-term contract funded through the regular budget. The duration will be two years with the possibility of extension, unless specified in the vacancy notice.

The WTO seeks to attract and retain staff members offering the highest standards of competence, efficiency and integrity and to build an organization that is representative of the Members and People it serves. As an equal opportunity and inclusive employer, the WTO gives full regard to competence and welcome applications from qualified candidates irrespective of age, disability status, gender, nationality, race, religion, sexual orientation, social origin or any other characteristic. Applications from non-represented Members (link) are particularly encouraged for all positions.

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The Secretariat of the WTO is seeking to fill a Legal Affairs Officer position in the Trade and Environment Division.

The Trade and Environment Division oversees all matters at the intersection of trade and environment at the WTO, including servicing the committees on Trade and Environment (CTE) and the Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT). 

General Functions

Reporting to the Director of the Division, and under the supervision of the Head of the Environment Section, the incumbent will support committee and analytical work in the area of trade and environment, including the trade-related aspects of climate change, circular economy, biodiversity, sustainable value chains, and plastics pollution and sustainable plastics trade. The incumbent should also have sufficient expertise and flexibility to be able to work on TBT-related issues as may be required.

• Support Members' work on trade and environment, including to service Committees and bodies under the purview of TED; drafting technical reports, information notes, briefs, summaries, talking points and other outputs on issues related to substantive areas of the Division's work;
• Conduct legal and/or policy research and analysis on trade and environment issues;
• Deliver technical assistance and training on trade and environment, prepare diagnostic reports and contribute to the development of training materials.
• Participate in and provide support to the Division's activities, including to cooperate with multilateral environmental agreements and other stakeholders; and contribute to keeping the Division abreast of relevant developments in legal, sustainable development, policy and knowledge in trade and environment.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

An advanced university degree in international trade law, economics or other relevant field.

Knowledge and Skills:

Technical Knowledge and Skills:

• Good knowledge of the interface between trade and the environment and WTO-related trade and environmental policies.
• Excellent technical, analytical, and policy-oriented research skills; experience with legal and/or regulatory analysis is an asset.
• Excellent policy-oriented research skills.
• High level of drafting skills, including the ability to draft a broad range of outputs such as speeches, technical reports, information and briefing notes and talking points to tight deadlines is required.
• Good knowledge of the operation of inter-governmental committees is an asset.
• Good knowledge of the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade, particularly in the areas of environmental standards and regulations that affect trade in goods.
• Digital proficiency including the ability to use AI is an asset.

Behavioural Skills:

• Ability to work swiftly and accurately and meet strict deadlines, while paying close attention to details.
• Ability to communicate information clearly to a broad range of specialist and generalist audiences.
• Ability to work as a member of a team, relating to others, while working independently to achieve his/her objectives.

Organisational Competencies:

• Communication for Results
• Effective Collaboration
• Cultivating Progressive Growth
• Professional Accountability
• Relevant Digital Proficiency
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Work Experience:

Minimum of three years' relevant working experience is required, including on environment-related issues.

Languages:

Excellent speaking and writing skills in English; good knowledge of an additional working language (French or Spanish) would be an asset.

Additional Information:
 
Only applications from nationals of WTO Members will be accepted. 

The recruitment process will be undertaken as per Administrative Memorandum No. 976 (OFFICE(16)/15) on Staff Promotions and external recruitment through Vacancy Notices.

The initial fixed-term contract for positions up to grade 10 shall normally be two years, which shall be probationary, as per Administrative Memorandum No. 997 (OFFICE(23)/4) on Probation Policy. For Director positions, the Policy on evaluation of directors apply as per Administrative Memorandum No. 978 (OFFICE(17)/29).

The WTO may use various communication technologies such as video or teleconference for the assessment and evaluation of candidates. The recruitment process may also involve the use of various forms of testing, assessment centres, interviews and reference checks. 

Applicants may be required to sit a written examination. 

Applicants will be contacted directly if selected for an interview. 

Candidates not selected whose performance in the selection process nevertheless shows them to be suitable for a similar position may be kept on a roster for up to 24 months, and may subsequently be called upon as and when the need arises for additional resources.

All applicants are encouraged to apply online as soon as possible after the vacancy has been posted and well before the closing date – Geneva (Switzerland) time – stated in the vacancy announcement. 

PLEASE NOTE THAT APPLICATIONS RECEIVED AFTER THE CLOSING DATE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. 

The WTO is a non-smoking environment.