Senior Regional Legal Officer

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 P3 Regional Legal Officer (covering Denmark, Iceland and acts as focal point for a selection of thematic priorities), the P1 Assistant Legal Officers covering Estonia, Finland and Norway, respectively, and the NOB Associate Legal Officer covering Sweden. 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 solutions situation. 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.

The incumbent provides functional protection guidance to the RR's External Relations/Public Information staff 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 and 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. 

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:

- Graduate degree (equivalent of a Master¿s) in in law/international law, political science with law as a major subject, with preference for international law, human rights or refugee law  plus minimum 8 years of previous job experience relevant to the function of which 5 years should be in an international capacity. Undergraduate degree (equivalent of a BA/BS) plus 9 years or Doctorate degree (equivalent of a PhD) plus 7 years of previous relevant work experience may also be accepted.
- Excellent knowledge of English; knowledge of a Scandinavian language essential.
- Excellent legal research, analytical and drafting.

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
M006L3 - Managing Resources Level 3
M004L3 - Strategic Planning and Vision Level 3
M002L3 - Managing Performance Level 3
M003L3 - Judgement and Decision Making Level 3
X006L3 - Policy Development & Research Level 3
X001L3 - Analytical Thinking Level 3
X007L3 - Political Awareness Level 3 <p>The UNHCR workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages and opinions. UNHCR seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity.</p>
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See below for this postion's Operational Context
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For those people applying for High Risk Duty Stations, we strongly encourage them – before deciding to apply- to read the country specific security and welfare country profiles which can be found on the Intranet under Support Services - Duty of Care (https://intranet.unhcr.org/en/support-services/duty-of-care.html). Ensuring staff are better informed is part of the increased attention UNHCR is paying to Duty of Care.

Staff after having applied to High Risk Duty Stations will have access to country specific information webinars with Field Safety Section (FSS) and Staff Welfare Section (SWS) colleagues and provided with a tool to test their psychological preparedness for serving in High Risk Duty Stations. Applicants who applied for a position in a High Risk country will receive, after the deadline for applications has expired, a joint invitation from the Staff Welfare Section (SWS) and the Field Safety Section (FSS) to participate in these webinars. During the Webinars, latest updates on security and well-being will be provided, and FSS and SWS will address questions raised by participants. Applicants are highly encouraged to benefit, when applicable, from all measures as they provide most up-to-date security and well-being information helpful to assess staff’s readiness to serve in a High Risk Duty Station. A Staff Welfare Officer will also be available, if and when required, to discuss with interested applicants the results of the psychological preparedness tool as well as readiness for assignment in High Risk Duty Stations.

- University degree in Law (preferably with a specialization in international law, human rights and/or refugee law), Political Science, Social Science or related field.
- Excellent knowledge of the international, EU law, Council of Europe legislative and institutional frameworks and standards in the areas of asylum and the prevention and reduction of statelessness is essential;
- Knowledge of the legal and institutional frameworks in Iceland, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden in the areas of asylum, durable solutions and statelessness;
- Demonstrated excellent legal, analytical and drafting skills in the context of research, law comments and judicial interventions is essential;
- Minimum of 10 years' experience from previous work in the any or all of the fields of asylum, legal and/or social assistance to refugees and/or stateless persons including within a civil society organization, the judiciary or a government institution;
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills as well as political awareness, to enable a professional representation of UNHCR vis-à-vis the national authorities and civil society organizations; Fluency in English and a Scandinavian language is essential;
- Capacity building of governmental-, NGO partners, judges and legal representatives. Proven record of excellent management and interpersonal skills.
- Excellent knowledge of UNHCR Mandate including in regards to stateless.
-Experience in using FOCUS and RBM, Experience in working in the region desirable. The Regional Representation for the Northern Europe (RRNE) is an advocacy operation focusing on support for the development of asylum/refugee/integration laws, policies, and practices, capacity building and cross-fertilization of good practices.
Within the protection unit of the RRNE, this position covers the 5 Nordic States. The incumbent supports,  supervises, and manages five dedicated and experienced Associate Legal Officers and is responsible for leading, monitoring and supporting developments, assessing and analyzing the national legal frameworks, practices and policies in the area of asylum, durable solutions and statelessness vis-à-vis international and European legal standards and UNHCR positions. Based on the assessment and analysis of national and sub regional-practices, the incumbent keeps RRNE abreast of developments and advises on responses required. This analysis and advice also serves as a basis for the protection assessment, strategic planning and setting priorities for the Nordic countries, and helps identifying best practices for promotion in the NE region.
The protection environment is challenging with several restrictions introduced by the Nordic countries to curb the arrival of asylum seekers and refugees. Excellent living conditions although housing in central Stockholm is difficult to get by.  Frequent mission travel to the Nordic countries. Security requirements are specific to UN security phase 1, which is in place in Northern Europe The office is covering eight countries with presence only at the Regional Representation in Stockholm Sweden and at the Liaison Office in Vilnius Lithuania and Copenhagen, Denmark.The incumbent will be required to undertake frequent mission to Nordic countries. The incumbent will work under the supervision of the Deputy Regional Representative. Sweden offers good standard and quality of living, however finding housing can be challenging.

Please note that the closing date for all vacancies in the September 2018 Compendium is Thursday 18 October  2018 (midnight Geneva time).