Legal Consultant

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

WFP celebrates and embraces diversity. It is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status or disability.

ABOUT WFP

The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity, for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of extreme weather shocks.

At WFP, people are at the heart of everything we do and the vision of the future WFP workforce is one of diverse, committed, skilled, and high performing teams, selected on merit, operating in a healthy and inclusive work environment, living WFP's values (Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity, and Inclusion) and working with partners to save and change the lives of those WFP serves.

To learn more about WFP, visit our website: https://www.wfp.org and follow us on social media to keep up with our latest news: YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok.

WHY JOIN WFP? 

• WFP is a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.
• WFP offers a highly inclusive, diverse, and multicultural working environment.
• WFP invests in the personal & professional development of its employees through a range of training, accreditation, coaching, mentorship, and other programs as well as through internal mobility opportunities.
• A career path in WFP provides an exciting opportunity to work across the various country, regional and global offices around the world, and with passionate colleagues who work tirelessly to ensure that effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people across the globe.
• We offer an attractive compensation package (please refer to the Terms and Conditions section of this vacancy announcement).

CONTEXT AND BACKGROUND

The World Food Programme (WFP) Legal Office (LEG) provides legal advice and support to Headquarters, Regional Offices and Country Offices on all aspects of WFP operations, helping ensure that activities are conducted in accordance with the applicable legal framework and that legal risks are appropriately identified and managed. LEG supports WFP's global humanitarian mandate through the provision of practical, solution-oriented legal services across a broad spectrum of institutional, operational and corporate matters. The Legal Office is composed of three specialized branches: the Administrative and Employment Law Branch (LEGA), the Contractual and Constitutional Law Branch (LEGC), and the Maritime, Transport and Insurance Law Branch (LEGM).

The Administrative and Employment Law Branch (LEGA) provides advice to management on all aspects of the employment relationship between WFP and its employees, including the development, interpretation and application of WFP's employment framework, appropriate contractual modalities and conditions of service, conduct and discipline matters, contentious employment matters, claims and dispute settlement, and privileges and immunities of WFP personnel.

The Contractual and Constitutional Law Branch (LEGC) provides legal advice on governance and constitutional matters, including the interpretation and application of WFP's constitutional and regulatory framework. LEGC also advises on public international law, privileges and immunities, Basic Agreements, partnerships with governments, United Nations entities, non-governmental organizations and private-sector partners, fundraising, data protection, information technology, intellectual property, treasury and finance operations, cash-based transfer programmes, innovation initiatives and related dispute resolution proceedings.

The Maritime, Transport and Insurance Law Branch (LEGM) provides legal support to WFP's global supply chain and common services operations. Its work includes legal advice on procurement, logistics, shipping, aviation, overland transport, construction, engineering, leasing, real estate and insurance matters. LEGM also supports the management of claims, commodity losses and operational disputes, provides legal risk mitigation advice, and represents WFP in dispute resolution proceedings relating to matters within its area of responsibility.

The Legal Consultant will be assigned to the Contractual and Constitutional Law Branch (LEGC). The role will be diverse and will involve providing legal advice and working on a variety of matters covered by LEGC, including related to private-sector partnerships.

The Legal Consultant may, however, work on assignments in other branches and areas of activity within LEG, based on business needs and expressed personal interests.

GENERAL INFORMATION

• Title of Post: Legal Consultant
• Grade: LEV I
• Unit: LEGC
• Division/Country Office: Legal Office
• Duty Station: Rome
• Duration of assignment: 11 months

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

Under the general supervision of a Legal Officer, the Legal Consultant will be responsible for the following key duties:

• Undertake extensive legal research and analysis; handle a range of multi-disciplinary complex legal matters, including interpretation and application of various legal instruments, to facilitate the provision of quality legal services.
• Review legal documents, identify and analyze important issues, presenting findings and recommendations for internal review to contribute to the decision-making process.
• Prepare or assist in the preparation of legal opinions or advice on a wide range of legal issues, background papers, studies, memoranda, reports and other legal documents. 
• Negotiate and prepare agreements and contracts with public and private entities including governments, other UN organisations, non-governmental organizations and private sector partners, financial institutions, digital payment providers and other commercial entities, and assisting with contractual interpretation and disputes to meet unique client needs.
• Identify potential liabilities, particularly vis-à-vis third parties, and assist in the management of risks in WFP’s activities to facilitate well-informed decisions.
• Prepare and assess briefs of evidence to contribute to legal analysis and solutions.
• Service and/or assist senior legal officers in servicing committees, task forces, expert working groups and other bodies with legal advice and preparation/review of legal documents to contribute to the formulation of WFP’s position.
• Take responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives in all areas of work; and
• Other, as required.

KEY COMPETENCIES (not all-inclusive)

• Articulate and concise legal thinking and drafting.
• Comprehensive and thorough legal research.
• Timely preparation of sound written analysis on a variety of legal matters, including without limitation matters pertaining to commercial, contractual, international, and public law.
• Effective application of legal expertise, delivering practical legal advice that is easily understood by internal clients in non-legal functions, fostering better collaboration and decision-making.
• Adaptability and flexibility in engagement, demonstrating the ability to adjust legal approaches in response to changing circumstances and operational expectations.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

Education: Advanced university degree in law, or first university degree in law with additional relevant experience and training, preferably with a focus on private commercial law, finance law and/or public international law.

Work Experience: At least three years of relevant professional experience as a lawyer in a law firm in a private-sector legal department with international exposure or in an international organisation in the area of finance and commercial law.

Skills: 

• Technical knowledge of, and experience in, finance and commercial law and demonstrated ability to draft contracts ad-hoc that are appropriate to contractual counterparty and context.
• Solution-oriented mindset, proactive approach, and passion for finance and commercial matters.
• Strong communication skills and commercial acumen.
• Adaptability and ability to work on a wide range of legal issues.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, effectively prioritizing tasks and meeting tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience and/or knowledge of technology law, intellectual property and data protection law is a plus.
• Familiarity with UN system policies, rules, regulations, and procedures is a plus.

Languages: Fluency (level C) in oral and written English is required. Fluency (level C) in oral and written French and/or Spanish is an asset.  Intermediate (level B) of another UN language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian) is also an asset. 

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS
The deadline for applications is 8 November 2026

WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK

WFP Leadership Framework guides to the common standards of behavior that guide HOW we work together to accomplish our mission.

Click here to access WFP Leadership Framework

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

WFP is committed to supporting individuals with disabilities by providing reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process. If you require a reasonable accommodation, please contact:  global.inclusion@wfp.org

NO FEE DISCLAIMER

The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.

REMINDERS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

• All applications must be submitted exclusively through our online recruiting system. We do not consider CVs or applications sent by email, LinkedIn, or any other channel.

• We strongly recommend that your Workday profile is accurate and complete, and that all sections are filled in, including your employment history, academic qualifications, language skills, and UN grade (if applicable). Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application.

• If you experience technical issues while submitting your application, you may contact us at global.hrerecruitment@wfp.org. Please note that this email is only for technical issues with an application - unsolicited applications or documents sent to this inbox will not receive a reply.

• At the application stage, the only required documents are your CV and Cover Letter. Additional documents (passport, certificates, recommendation letters, etc.) may be requested later in the process.

• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the recruitment process.

All employment decisions are made on the basis of organizational needs, job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse, all forms of discrimination, any kind of harassment, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. Therefore, all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.