Legal Officer, P3

WFP seeks candidates of the highest integrity and professionalism who share our humanitarian principles.

Selection of staff is made on a competitive basis, and we are committed to promoting diversity and gender balance.

Are you interested in providing legal advice to our Headquarters, Regional Bureaux, and Country Offices on all aspects of the contractual and constitutional law? Are you ready to change and save the lives of the world's most vulnerable people? If yes, this opportunity is for you.
 

What are we looking for?

We are looking for a Legal Officer at a P-3 level located in the Legal Office (LEG) of the World Food Programme’s Headquarters in Rome, Italy.  You will be assigned to the Contractual and Constitutional Law Branch (LEGC) which provides advice in relation to governance, partnership, international law, general contractual law and operational legal issues. You may, however, work on assignments in other areas of activity within LEG based on business needs and expressed personal interests.

Under the general supervision of the Senior Legal Officer, you will be responsible for the following duties:

• Contribute to the determination of strategy and approach to legal matters.
• Contribute to the development of the Organisation’s regulatory framework.
• Provide legal advice on a wide range of issues, including drafting and negotiating contracts. 
• Provide advice on liability exposure and risk mitigation.
• Participate in negotiations and settlement of claims and disputes with public and private entities.
• Undertake legal research and analysis and prepare legal opinions, studies, briefs, reports and complex correspondence.
• Develop new legal modalities within the framework of WFP’s normative guidelines. In particular, the incumbent will participate, in a multi-disciplinary context, in the development of cash-based solutions, an expanding component of WFP’s food-assistance response.
• Provide legal support to various standing boards, committees, working groups and task forces and represent the organization at meetings, conferences and other events.
• Build productive partnerships with other Legal Offices across the UN system.
• Take responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives in all areas of work, to ensure equal participation of women and men.
• Other as required.

Academic:

• You have an advanced university degree in law or a university degree in law with relevant experience and  training in private, commercial or public law.
• You are qualified to practice law or admitted to practice by a recognized national or state bar or law society or have  equivalent experience of professional legal practice.

Professional Experience:

• You have at least five years of relevant progressively responsible experience as a lawyer in a law firm or in a private-sector legal department with international exposure or in an international organization in the area of contract and commercial law.
• Experience in financial transactions, public and/or private international law will be considered a plus.

Technical Skills & Knowledge:

• You demonstrate the ability to draft contracts ad-hoc that are appropriate to contractual counterparty and context.
• You have strong analytical and problem-solving skills. 
• You demonstrate the ability to take independent decisions.
• You have strong business acumen and the ability to think strategically.
• You have solid communication, negotiation and interpersonal skills.
• You have strong time management and priorities management skills.
• You have the adaptability and ability to work on a wide range of legal issues.
• General knowledge of UN system policies, rules, regulations and procedures will be considered a plus. 

Language:

• You are fluent in oral and written English and French (proficiency/Level C). 
• An intermediate knowledge (Level B) of another official WFP language i.e. Arabic, Chinese, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish will be considered a plus.

Mobility is and continues to be a core contractual requirement in WFP. This position is however classified as “non-rotational” which means the incumbent shall not be subject to the regular reassignment process unless the position is reclassified as rotational. Selected candidate will be employed on a fixed-term contract with a probationary period of one year. He/she will be required to travel abroad sometime to remote and difficult locations.

WFP offers an attractive compensation and benefits package, including basic salary, post adjustment, relocation entitlement, travel and shipment allowances, 30 days’ annual leave, home leave, an education grant for dependent children, pension plan and medical insurance. For more details please visit icsc.un.org
 

August 4, 2020

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide.  The mission of WFP is to help the world achieve Zero Hunger in our lifetimes.  Every day, WFP works worldwide to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly women and children, can access the nutritious food they need.

Female applicants and qualified applicants from developing countries are especially encouraged to apply

WFP has zero tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.