Senior Legal Associate (Office for Switzerland and Liechtenstein)

Please refer to regulation 16 of the APPC Procedural Rules and Regulations. Senior Legal Associate (Office for Switzerland & Liechtenstein)

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

Under the supervision of the Head of Office for Switzerland & Liechtenstein, the Senior Legal Associate (Office for Switzerland and Liechtenstein) is responsible for supporting the drafting of positions on legislative proposals, legal interventions in court, legal interventions with competent administrative bodies, with a view to enhance the protection of refugees and persons of concern, and to promote international and regional refugee law principles. To achieve this, the Senior Legal Associate (Office for Switzerland and Liechtenstein) will need to build and maintain effective interfaces with the authorities, the relevant courts, protection partners as well as a broader network of stakeholders who can contribute to enhancing protection and the communities of concern.

FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT

Accountability

- Promotion of protection principles and international law as relevant to persons of concern is undertaken.
- Assistance is provided in preparing legal advice and guidance.

Responsibility

- Monitor the development of law and doctrine.
- Contribute to advocacy towards proper interpretation of law and doctrine as well as in the development of standards of protection.
- Assist in the drafting of legal advice, position papers and guidelines on pertinent legal issues.
- Support engagement with the Federal Administrative Court and other relevant courts.
- Support cooperation with universities and other partners on legal issues.
- Participate in initiatives to capacitate authorities, relevant institutions and NGOs to strengthen relevant national legislation and their implementation.
- Provide legal advice and support as needed on individual cases; liaise with competent authorities to ensure the issuance of personal and other relevant documentation.
- Consistently apply international and national law and UNHCR policies and standards.
- Contribute to measures to identify, prevent and reduce statelessness.
- Facilitate effective information management through the provision of disaggregated data on populations of concern and their problems. 
- Assist in the development of project proposals and project implementation.
- Provide inputs to the formulation of protection strategies and reporting related to protection activities.
- Liaise with RR Brussels, DIP, and Bureau work units and external actors to enhance awareness of protection principles.
- Undertake other relevant functions as required and/or delegated by the Head of Office.

Authority

- Participate in meetings within UNHCR and with external counterparts at the relevant level.
- Draft protection documents and policies in cooperation with supervisor.

ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

- Completion of secondary school.  Certificate/ training in Public Law, International Law, International Relations or related field is required.
- Excellent legal research, analytical and drafting skills.
- Job experience relevant to the function: 11 years.
- Good knowledge of the Swiss asylum and nationality system and law as relates to UNHCR's mandate.
- Good knowledge of international refugee and human rights standards.
- Good knowledge of Swiss actors in this field.
- Good skills in managing sensitive relations with counterparts and partners as well as cross-cultural sensitivity.
- Excellent communication skills orally and in writing in German, French, English are essential. Italian would be very desirable.


DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES

- Completion of UNHCR learning programmes on protection would be an asset or any other equivalent external courses.
- Good computer skills.
- Previous UNHCR or international experience would be a strong asset. C001L2 - Accountability Level 2
C002L2 - Teamwork & Collaboration Level 2
C003L2 - Communication Level 2
C004L2 - Commitment to Continuous Learning Level 2
C005L2 - Client & Result Orientation Level 2
C006L2 - Organizational Awareness Level 2
M003L2 - Judgement and Decision Making Level 2
X001L2 - Analytical Thinking Level 2
X006L2 - Policy Development & Research Level 2
X007L2 - Political Awareness Level 2 Knowledge of English, French and German is mandatory.
Knowledge of Italian is desirable. Closing date for submissions or applications is 3 September 2019.