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 Setting:

For more than four decades, FAO has been working with the Government of the Philippines, civil society, community-based organizations and the private sector to address challenges in the agriculture, fisheries and forestry sector. Joint efforts have included increasing sustainability in agricultural production, promoting value-adding practices, improving post-harvest management, enhancing productivity and increasing the resilience of agriculture-based livelihoods to natural disasters, climatic hazards and armed conflict.

Reporting Lines:

The National Legal Consultant will be under the overall guidance of the FAO Representative in the Philippines and Assistant FAO Representative (Programme), direct supervision of the National Project Development and Coordination Specialist and PU Socio- Economic & Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Climate Change Adaptation (CCA), and Environment and Natural Resources (ENR)/ Forestry Team Leader, and technical supervision of the HQ Legal Officer.

Technical Focus:

FAO is currently providing technical assistance to the Philippines on the development the country’s Geographical Indications (GI) through its TCPf Project on “Support to development of Geographical Indications in the Philippines as instrument of sustainable rural development (TCP/PHI/3703/C1)”. The project aims to improve the incomes of smallholder farmers through the development of GI value chains, improved market access, and increased recognition of Philippines’ GI by consumers in relevant markets, while also promoting environmental and social sustainability. It also aims to upgrade the institutional infrastructure for the grant of GIs in the DA in the areas of capability building, assistance to potential applicant/communities and development of standards/protocols.

Tasks and responsibilities

The National Legal Consultant will carry out the following main tasks:

1. Prepare a report with an analysis of GI relevant legislation in the country, paying attention to the decentralization of roles and duties. Include in the report– a review of the proposed legislation and implementing regulations and procedures for the protection of GI products in the Philippines as well as recommendations to improve the draft legislation;
2. Coordinate and closely liaise with the members of the Philippine Senate and House of Representatives, and officials and staff of the Department of Agriculture and the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines to discuss the importance of introducing a dedicated national legislation for the protection and promotion of GI products in the Philippines and abroad;
3. Provide legal guidance on the creation and registration of the GI Associations for the pilot GI products, tentatively the Kulaman Coffee and the Cordillera Heirloom rice;
4. Review the draft constitution and by-laws of the two GI Associations that are being organized for the pilot GI products under the project and follow up in the administrative/legal process for the Associations applications for their registration;
5. Prepare and submit an end-of-assignment report in English according to FAO's guidelines; and
6. Perform other tasks that may be assigned by the FAO Representative.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements
• University degree (Master Degree preferred) in Law, or other related courses;
• At least eight (8) years of experience in the practice of the legal profession and the implementation of rural development programmes/projects; and
• National of the Philippines 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
• Knowledge of FAO and UN system experience would be an advantage
• General knowledge and skills in the use of standard office software, such as MS Office (Word, Excel, Power Point).
• Language requirement: Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and Tagalog

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