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.

Regional Legal Officer

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The Regional Legal Officer is a member of the protection or legal team in a Regional Office and may, depending on the size and structure of the Office, be Head of the Protection or Legal Unit. He/she may report to the Senior Regional Protection or Senior Legal Officer, or to the Assistant Regional Representative for Protection. In smaller offices, the post may report directly to the Regional Representative.  The incumbent has direct supervisory responsibility for protection or legal staff who may include community services, registration, resettlement and education. He/she provides functional protection oversight to information management and programme staff, and supervises protection standards, the provision of legal and policy advice, operational procedures and practices in protection delivery at country and regional levels. The incumbent also acts as an advisor to senior management in designing a comprehensive protection strategy and represents the organization to authorities, UN sister agencies, partners and other stakeholders on protection doctrine and policy.

The Regional Legal Officer is relied upon by the Office to plan, lead and coordinate quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern. This includes ensuring that operational and advocacy responses in all sectors are shaped in a protection optic, mainstream protection methodologies and integrate protection safeguards. Another important function of the position is to ensure that persons of concern are involved with the Office in making decisions that affect them, whether in accessing their rights or in identifying appropriate solutions to their problems. 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.

FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT

Accountability

- Protection principles and international law as relevant to persons of concern to UNHCR are promoted.
- Quality legal support and protection advice provided.
- UNHCR's policies, standards and doctrine are consistently and coherently applied, and adapted to the country and regional contexts.

Responsibility

- Monitor the development of law and doctrine in the region.
- Advocate for proper interpretation of law and doctrine as well as in the development of standards of protection.
- Provide legal advice on these issues and drafting of position papers and guidelines on pertinent legal and operational issues.
- Provide guidance and support in the formulation of protection strategies.
- Liaise with DIP, Division and Bureau work units and external actors to enhance awareness of protection principles.
- 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.
- Handle individual cases and situations raising special questions of application or interpretation of international law, refugee and human rights law.

Authority

- Represent Office in meetings within UNHCR and with external counterparts.
- Prepare protection documents and policies in cooperation with supervisor.
- Participate in the development of project proposals and project implementation.

ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

- Undergraduate degree (equivalent of a BA/BS) in Law, preferably with focus on Human Rights, Refugee Law and/or International Humanitarian Law plus minimum 6 years of previous work experience relevant to the function. Graduate degree (equivalent of a Master's) plus 5 years or Doctorate degree (equivalent of a PhD) plus 4 years of previous relevant work experience may also be accepted.
- Excellent legal research, analytical and drafting skill.
- Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES

- Completion of UNHCR learning programmes on protection would be an asset or any other equivalent external courses.
- Knowledge of additional UN languages.


This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR Regional Legal Officer positions. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates 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
M003L3 - Judgement and Decision Making Level 3
X001L3 - Analytical Thinking Level 3
X006L3 - Policy Development & Research Level 3
X007L3 - Political Awareness Level 3

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.

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.

Please note that the closing date for vancancies in the Addendum 2 is Sunday 16 December 2018 (midnight Geneva time)