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Senior Regional Legal Officer

Stockholm

  • Organization: UNHCR - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
  • Location: Stockholm
  • Grade: Mid level - P-4, International Professional - Internationally recruited position
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Legal - Broad
  • Closing Date: Closed

Before submitting an application, UNHCR staff members intending to apply to this Job Opening are requested to consult the Recruitment and Assignments Policy (RAP, UNHCR/HCP/2017/2 and the Recruitment and Assignments Administrative Instruction (RAAI), UNHCR/AI/2017/7 OF 15 August 2017.

Senior Regional Legal Officer

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
Under the supervision and guidance of the Deputy Regional Representative (Protection), the Senior Regional Legal Officer manages primarily the Liaison Office for Lithuania consisting of an NOB Associate External Relations/Communications Officer and an NOB Associate Legal Officer, Estonia with a P-2 Associate Legal Officer and Latvia, which is covered directly by the incumbent although a request for the creation of a P-2 Associate Legal Officer has been made. The incumbent is responsible for the supervision, management and coordination of Implementing Partners in all three countries covered. The incumbent acts as an advisor to the senior management in designing a comprehensive protection strategy and contributes extensively to the development of the Regional Representation's (RR) Focus Plan, particularly based on his/her technical expertise in the area of law and policy. This includes ensuring that operational and advocacy responses are shaped in a protection optic and that UNHCR's AGD- and participatory policies and approaches are fully integrated into the RR's strategic plan, processes and outputs.

Another important element of the functions is to ensure that persons of concern are involved in the identification of needs and gaps and in the development of plans and activities aimed at improving their protection and integration. Estonia and Latvia are hosting over 200,000 stateless persons of concern to UNHCR and the incumbent is responsible for working to reduce the number of stateless in the region in a very sensitive political environment. To achieve this, the incumbent will need to build and maintain effective interfaces with communities of concern, authorities, protection and assistance partners as well as a broader network of stakeholders who can contribute to enhancing protection and solutions. The incumbent will coordinate activities related to integration efforts in the countries covered and work closely with the Regional Programme/Integration Officer, PA and AGD focal point and the Associate Resettlement Officer in shaping and implementing country specific programmes.

The incumbent provides functional protection guidance to the RR's External Relations/Public Information staff covering the Baltic countries and supervises protection standards, the provision of legal and policy advice, operational procedures and practices in protection delivery in respect of the countries covered. Specifically, the incumbent prepares and reviews drafts of RR legal positions, such as judicial interventions and law comments, and provides the Deputy Regional Representative (Protection) and/or Regional Representative with final versions for clearance.

The incumbent serves as the RR's senior adviser on technical policy and legal issues vis-à-vis relevant middle management government counterparts, and partner and civil society organizations.

FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT

Accountability
- Protection principles and international and European law, as relevant to persons of concern to UNHCR, are promoted.
- UNHCR¿s protection and legal work is guided by a coherent strategy to provide quality protection advice.
- UNHCR¿s policies, standards and doctrine are consistently and coherently applied, and adapted to the respective country contexts. 

Responsibility
- Monitor developments in the areas of international refugee protection the reduction and prevention of statelessness, and protection of stateless persons, in the countries covered vis-à-vis international and European (in particular EU) standards and UNHCR policies and positions, to assess and analyse the extent of compliance and gaps to be addressed. 
- Undertake missions to the countries of the region covered in order to assess protection or other situations of concern to UNHCR and take or propose appropriate action as necessary.
- Gather, analyse and disseminate information on political, legal, social and economic developments which have a bearing on UNHCR protection activities in the area in order to promote the adoption of appropriate protection policies and activities.
- Monitor and influence the development of national and/or regional laws, policies and processes, as appropriate, for example through the participation in legislative working groups, the preparation of comments on law and policy proposals and submissions to UN and European human rights monitoring bodies. Specifically, review and clear the comments and positions on legislative proposals and judicial interventions.
- Promote the adoption by the countries covered, of appropriate international and European protection policies and practices to ensure compliance with the accepted standards and initiate or support the remedial action required to correct any breaches or failures.
- Provide prompt, principled and accurate guidance and advice on the interpretation and application of international and European instruments relating to persons of concern, global protection positions and policies and, as required, on the development of situation/country-specific guidance.
- Develop background and general policy planning papers on protection issues of concern to UNHCR, prepare the necessary material for the development of new policies, plans and procedures for use in the formulation and/or implementation of UNHCR protection activities in the region.
- Engage with external partners and stakeholders, including governments, non-governmental organizations, international organizations, etc. on issues related to legal protection principles and related international law.
- Monitor and support the initiatives of the relevant non-governmental organizations with a view to ensure that their activities, initiatives or resolutions support UNHCR¿s efforts in the region to protect refugees and find solutions for them.
- Organize expert and other meetings on specific issues, including preparation of background research materials, and support and take part in training activities (for authorities, judges, lawyers and civil society representatives) in the region, focusing on thematic areas and skills prioritized in the Regional Representation's Plan.
- Handle individual cases and situations raising special questions of application or interpretation of international law in the areas of international refugee protection and statelessness.
- Contribute extensively to the Regional Representation's development of its protection and durable solutions strategies, priorities and Focus Plans. 
- Ensure that the Regional Representative, the Deputy Regional Representative (Protection), the Europe Bureau, as well as the Division of International Protection, are kept continually informed of general developments in the field of international protection in the area covered. 
- Perform any other duties as required.

Authority
- Represent the Regional Representation in meetings within UNHCR and with external counterparts.
- Apply relevant international and European standards and existing doctrine to relevant situations.
- Initiate, design and negotiate new legal and policy positions at the country/regional level as appropriate.
- Clear submissions to the UN Human Rights Treaty Body Bodies.
- Develop project proposals and oversee project implementation.

ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

- Advanced university degree in Law/International  Law, Political Science with law as a major subject, with preference for International  Law, Human Rights or Refugee Law.
- Minimum 10 years (12 years with university degree), of previous job experience relevant to the function of which 5 years should be in an international capacity.
- Excellent legal research, analytical and drafting skills.
- Excellent knowledge of English; knowledge of a Scandinavian language essential.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES
- Proficiency in additional  relevant UN language or one or more languages relevant to the Nordic/Baltic region;
- Completion of UNHCR¿s Protection Learning Programme and the Management Learning Programme. C001L3 - Accountability Level 3
C002L3 - Teamwork & Collaboration Level 3
C003L3 - Communication Level 3
C004L3 - Commitment to Continuous Learning Level 3
C005L3 - Client & Result Orientation Level 3
C006L3 - Organizational Awareness Level 3
M001L3 - Empowering and Building Trust Level 3
M002L3 - Managing Performance Level 3
M006L3 - Managing Resources Level 3
M005L3 - Leadership Level 3
M003L3 - Judgement and Decision Making Level 3
M004L3 - Strategic Planning and Vision Level 3
X006L3 - Policy Development & Research Level 3
X001L3 - Analytical Thinking Level 3
X007L3 - Political Awareness Level 3

Before applying to this position, we strongly encourage colleagues to read the country specific FAQs information leaflets which can be found  on the Intranet under Staff Resources > Duty of Care. The information leaflets are specifically designed to answer some of the key questions potential applicants might have before deciding to apply. 

Strong analytical skills in conducting research and developing policy papers, law comments and judicial interventions. Capacity building of governmental-, NGO partners, judges and legal representatives. Proven record of excellent management and interpersonal skills.
Fluency in Russian language essential.
Excellent knowledge of UNHCR Mandate including in regards to stateless.
Excellent legal drafting skills.
Knowledge of the European asylum acquis.
Experience in both legal and protection work with UNHCR including hands on technical legal advice to Government institutions.
Knowledge of EU law essential. 
Experience in using FOCUS and RBM, as well is partnership management essential.
Experience in working in the region essential Mixed migration with irregular migrants, asylum seekers and refugees and victims of trafficking using the same routes.
Underdeveloped reception and integration conditions for asylum seekers and refugees.
Participation in the EC¿s relocation programme. However, a high number of refugees arriving in the Baltics through relocation have moved onwards to other countries due to the lack of integration prospects.
High Number of Stateless populations in Estonia and Latvia not recognised as such by the Governments.
Little awareness amongst local populations in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia about refugees.
Limited capacity within NGOs in the area of refugees and asylum seekers. Excellent living conditions although housing in central Stockholm is difficult to get by.  Frequent mission travel in the Baltic countries. There are no specific security issues of concern to UNHCR at the moment in any of the countries covered. Frequent travel in the region is to be anticipated. The Snr. Regional Legal Officer is working under the direct supervision of the Deputy Regional Representative at RRNE.
Under the supervision and guidance of the Deputy Regional Representative (Protection), the Senior Regional Legal Officer manages primarily the Liaison Office for Lithuania consisting of an NOB Associate External Relations/Communications Officer and an NOB Associate Legal Officer, Estonia with a P.2 Associate Legal Officer and Latvia, which is covered directly by the incumbent although a request for the creation of a P.2 Associate Legal Officer has been made. The incumbent is responsible for the supervision, management and coordination of Implementing Partners in all three countries covered. The Incumbent acts as an advisor to the senior management in designing a comprehensive protection strategy and contributes extensively to the development of the Regional Representation's (RR) Focus Plan, particularly based on his/her technical expertise in the area of law and policy.

Please note that the closing date for all vacancies in the September 2017 Compendium is Monday 6 November 2017 (midnight Geneva time).

This vacancy is now closed.
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