Legal Specialist, Office of the Executive Director (OED), Copenhagen, Denmark, P-3

Position Summary:

The post is administratively located in the UNFPA Legal Unit (LU), Office of the Executive Director (OED). The post is geographically located in Copenhagen, co-located with UNFPA’s Procurement Services Branch (PSB).

The post incumbent reports to the Chief, LU, OED. (Communication is done by Google Hangout, telephone, video-conference, email and other appropriate means.)

Job Purpose:

The procurement of goods and services, and in particular the procurement of reproductive health pharmaceuticals and medical devices, constitutes a core function of UNFPA, mandated by the Executive Board in a number of Board decisions and in the financial regulations approved by the Board. Under the mandate of UNFPA, such procurement may be undertaken for and on behalf of UNFPA as well as on behalf and at the request of third parties (such as governments, including their Ministries of Health; inter-governmental organizations; or non-government organizations, such as social marketing organizations). In addition, UNFPA conducts procurement for administrative purposes. UNFPA procurement currently amounts to a volume of approximately US$340 Million per annum. Procurement by its nature is a high risk operation that requires the availability of legal support and advice.

In consideration of the foregoing, the principle job purpose is to make it possible for the LU to provide practical, real-time and sound legal advice on legal issues relating to all phases of procurement (from the planning stage, through the solicitation, evaluation, selection and contracting stages, to transportation and delivery). For that reason, the post is co-located with PSB, UNFPA’s principal business unit in charge of procurement, but reports in substance to the Chief, LU/OED. By availing of main-streamed legal support and advice in its procurement operations, UNFPA will mitigate the risks inherent to procurement and will increase their efficiency and robustness.

As a Legal Specialist in LU/OED, the post incumbent will also provide non-procurement related legal support and advice as from time to time assigned by the Chief, LU.

Requirements:

Qualifications and Experience 

Education: 

• Advanced university degree in law.

Knowledge and Experience:

• Admitted to practice law in a national jurisdiction.

• Five (5) years relevant experience in the practice of law. Experience in commercial transactions in an international setting an asset.

• Excellent legal communications and drafting skills in the English language.

• Excellent capability to manage risk.

Languages:

Excellent written and oral proficiency in English.