Development Law Specialists – LAC Region

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• 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 Setting

The FAO Legal Office ensures that FAO’s activities are carried out in accordance with its Constitution and the other Basic Texts of the Organization, in a manner consistent with its status as an inter-governmental organization of the United Nations system, and that its relationships with governments, organizations and individuals are on a sound legal basis.

The Development Law Service of the Legal Office (LEGN) provides legal advisory services to governments on food and agriculture and natural resources (including land, water, fisheries and aquaculture, plants, animals, food, forestry, wildlife, environment, climate change and biodiversity), as well as general agricultural issues (institutions, trade, economic reform).

It is anticipated that LEGN will need to retain external specialists to assist it to deliver technical legal support for various FAO projects and other activities in the Latin-American and Caribbean region. The purpose of this call for expressions of interest is to identify suitably qualified specialists who may be invited to undertake short-term assignments for LEGN. This call is aimed at specialists with various levels of experience, in particular, Advanced Development Law Specialists and Junior Development Law Specialists, to support LEGN’s work in the areas listed under Technical Skills below. Depending on the needs of the Service, Legal Specialist may be located at FAO’s Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (Chile), sub regional or country offices in the Latin America and Caribbean region, or home based. The assignments may cover a number of activities, or be dedicated to a specific project or other activity. Although focussed on support for LEGN’s activities in RLC, candidates included on the roster following the present selection process may be considered for assignments in other regions.

Candidates who have already been informed of their inclusion on the LEGN roster do not need to resubmit their application to this Call for Expressions of Interest. Those who have responded to earlier calls are advised to resubmit their applications if they wish to be considered under the present call. Applicants already included on the Legal Office roster should not reapply.

Notwithstanding this call for expressions of interest, individual Vacancy Announcements may be issued for specific assignments where this is deemed appropriate.

Reporting Lines

The Development Law Specialist reports to the Senior Legal Officer (Chief) LEGN and/or the LEGN Legal Officer outposted to RLC.

Technical Focus

Legal research and advisory services to governments in relation to food and agriculture and management of renewable natural

Resources in the Latin-American and Caribbean region.

LEGN is particularly interested in identifying qualified candidates to support its work in the areas of:

• Fisheries and aquaculture law to address illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, including through the

implementation of the Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and

Unregulated Fishing (PSMA) and instruments relating to IUU fishing;

• Responsible governance of tenure of land, fisheries and forestry, in particular to support the implementation of the

Voluntary Guidelines for the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National

Food Security and related global instruments and commitments; and

• Food security, nutrition and the right to adequate food, in particular to support the implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines to Support the Progressive Realization of the Right to Adequate Food in the Context of National Food Security.

More generally, LEGN is seeking to identify candidates who are able to cover the following areas of law or the legal aspects of one or more of the following technical fields:

• Agricultural law, including agricultural health (food safety, plant health and veterinary legislation; antimicrobial resistance),

sustainable agricultural production (seeds, pesticides, organic agriculture and other marketing schemes) and other areas

of agriculture law (supply chain regulatory mechanisms, contract farming, agricultural finance, cooperatives and other

farmers’ organisations, agricultural insurance schemes);

• Forestry, wildlife, pastoralism;
• Fisheries and aquaculture;
• Sustainable land management;
• Sustainable water management;
• Social protection in rural areas and decent rural employment;
• Food and nutrition security, right to adequate food, school food and nutrition;
• Gender-sensitive and responsible governance of tenure;
• Climate change law as it relates to agriculture, fisheries and, forestry;
• Enabling environment for responsible investments in agriculture and food systems.

Tasks and responsibilities

The tasks and responsibilities of each selected Legal Specialist will be defined in the Terms of Reference for the specific assignment. Legal Specialists working with LEGN are normally called upon to provide advice contributing to the progressive development of national systems of law, to review draft legislation, or participate in or lead legal drafting projects, to analyse, evaluate and explain various alternative laws or legal systems or legal approaches. They undertake their tasks within FAO’s Results Based Management framework for the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and the FAO Policy on Gender Equality.

Advanced Development Law Specialists work under the overall supervision and guidance of senior Legal Officers, but are expected to undertake tasks with technical independence, according to the deadlines and deliverables established under their Terms of Reference. The nature of the tasks and responsibilities they will typically be assigned are:

• advise countries on possibilities for legislative assistance;
• review relevant policies and laws;
• undertake gap analyses against international legal instruments;
• provide legal technical advice;
• prepare draft legislation and regulations;
• prepare project concept notes, and designing projects involving different relevant technical units, as well as regional, subregional and national FAO offices;
• prepare, review and update workplans;
• represent LEGN at internal and external meetings, undertake field missions, conduct training and other capacity development activities, and brief the Chief LEGN and the designated LEGN officer on outcomes and results achieved;
• undertake capacity development activities and provide legal support and assistance in the development of project outputs;
• review the work of national and/or junior personnel, and provide inputs on and technical review and clearance of
• work and reports carried out by them;
• prepare materials, undertake legal research, prepare legal notes, reports and written advice;
• prepare or contribute to legal publications and analyses.

Junior Development Law Specialists work under the close supervision and guidance of Legal Officers and their programme of work. The nature of the tasks and responsibilities they will typically be assigned are:

• prepare project concept notes;
• support the design of projects involving different relevant technical units, as well as regional, subregional and national FAO offices;
• prepare, review and update workplans;
• support the preparation for, and delivery of, training and capacity development activities;
• prepare materials, undertake legal research, prepare legal notes, reports and written advice;
• prepare or contribute to legal publications and analyses;
• attend internal and external meetings, and brief the Chief LEGN and the designated LEGN officer on outcomes and results achieved.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• University Degree in law.
• Work experience: Advanced Legal Specialists: At least five years of relevant legal work experience; Junior Legal Specialists: At least one year of relevant legal work experience.
• For consultants in the Latin-American and Caribbean region, working knowledge (Level C) of Spanish and limited knowledge (Level B) of English or French.
• For PSAs in the Latin-American and Caribbean region, working knowledge (Level C) of Spanish. Level B of English or French is desirable.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

Applicants for assignments as Advanced Legal Specialists should clearly indicate their specific technical expertise in their application in particular in the areas of fisheries and aquaculture and governance of tenure law as highlighted above.

Applicants for assignments as Junior Legal Specialists should have demonstrated interest in the technical areas listed above, as well as strong analytical, legal research and writing skills.

Selection criteria

• Extent of knowledge and experience on legal issues relating to a relevant technical field the Latin-American and Caribbean region;
• Extent of experience in developing national legislative and regulatory measures to implement international agreements, codes, guidelines or other instruments;
• Ability to carry out legal research and analysis;
• Ability to write clear and concise reports and to draft legal texts, legislative and regulatory instruments;
• Extent of experience of different legal systems and working and living in different countries, including developing countries and countries of the Latin-American and Caribbean region;
• Work experience with international or regional organizations or other entities in a relevant field;
• Experience of working and living in low- or middle income countries is an asset.

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