National Legal Consultant

FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions.

• FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture
• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented member nations and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply
• Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold our values. FAO has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and FAO, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination
• All selected candidates, therefore, will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality
• The incumbent may be re-assigned to different activities and/or duty stations depending on the evolving needs of the Organization

Organizational Settings

FAO Partnership and Liaison Office in Azerbaijan

Reports to:

Ms Carmen Bullon, Legal Officer, and Mr. Bariz Mehdiyev , Assistant to the FAO Representative

Technical Focus:

Under the technical supervision of the Chief Development Law Service (LEGN), the operational supervision of the Assistant FAO Azerbaijan Representative, and in close coordination with other members of the project team, the consultant will undertake the following tasks, Overall, the project will contribute to improving animal and public health, food safety and agricultural competitiveness.

Tasks and responsibilities:

• Identify the relevant legislation for antimicrobial resistance (AMR), following the guidance document provided by LEGN. This includes, among others, veterinary legislation, veterinary medicines legislation, food safety, feed, animal production, crop production and pesticides, water quality, waste management and environmental protection. Prepare a folder with electronic copies of the legislation identified as relevant for AMR and antimicrobial use (AMU) and include it in an electronic folder to be submitted as a product of the consultancy.
• Identify regional level legal instruments relevant for AMR and how they are implemented into national legislation.
• Using the guidance document provided by LEGN, prepare a report (20-30 pages) with an analysis of national legislation relevant for AMR and AMU in Mozambique, including the identification of responsible agencies/entities, with recommendations for legal reform.
• Meet with the national project team and/or the national contact parts at the different Ministries to complete the collection of legislation and ensure consistency between the national assessments and the legal report.
• Revise the national assessments on AMR as necessary to include all the feedback collected. Collect and revise other materials which might support the purpose of this study, including the reports of the national workshops;
• At the request of the national team, participate in key meetings of the national working group on AMR and provide support on legal-related matters;
• If necessary, prepare draft amendments of existing legislation or draft new legislation and other recommended legal actions relevant for AMR and AMU in accordance with the decisions made on the basis of the recommendations for legal reform and feedback from relevant stakeholders collected during the validation meeting;
• If so requested, participate in regional discussions and meetings on potential good practices to identify and promote harmonized AMR regulatory responses;
• Support the project team in all matters related to AMR regulatory frameworks, including preparation of national reports including references to legislation.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements:

• University or master’s degree in law
• Experience and awareness related to the legislation regulating the agrarian sector
• At least 5 years’ experience in agriculture, natural resources or trade law.
• Excellent communication and report writing skills in English.
• National of Azerbaijan or resident in the country with a regular work permit.

FAO Core Competencies:

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Completes tasks in a timely, cost-effective way and/or escalated properly
• Computer skills and knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Ability to take initiative and accomplish tasks with minimum supervision
• Possibility of demonstrating ability for legal evaluation

Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency.