National Legal Specialist

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 Members 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 FAO's values
• FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination　　
• All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality
• FAO staff are subject to the authority of the Director-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the Organization.

Organizational Setting

The FAO country offices assist governments to develop policies, programmes, and projects to achieve food security and to reduce hunger and malnutrition. The FAO is committed to supporting the development of the agriculture, fisheries, and forestry sectors while protecting the environment through the sustainable use of natural resources.

The GCP/505/ROK project works globally and locally to facilitate the implementation of the Codex Alimentarius standards, especially those related to minimizing foodborne antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through containment, monitoring, and surveillance. This project also assesses the use and impact of Codex standards related to AMR. The implementation of these standards will improve foodborne AMR management in 6 focus countries, including Cambodia. The results will then be used to plan effective interventions to promote the adoption of Codex standards in other regions and countries.

Reporting Lines

The National Legal Specialist will work under the overall supervision of the FAO Representation in Cambodia and the technical supervision of the Chief Development Law Service (LEGN). The incumbent’s activities will be conducted in close coordination with the Lead Technical Officer (LTO), the FAO Regional Officer, the Global/Regional Project Coordinators, other members of the project team, and in collaboration with the relevant governmental entities of Cambodia. The National Legal Consultant will support the review and revision of national legislation regarding the implementation of the Codex Code of Practice to Minimize and Contain Foodborne AMR (CoP AMR) as well as other Codex guidelines and standards pertaining to AMR.

Technical Focus

• Knowledge of the country and its stakeholders involved with national legislation addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and antimicrobial use (AMU).
• Experience in facilitating national public health initiatives.
• Proven ability to network sensitively, cooperatively, and productively with multiple stakeholders.
• Knowledge of Codex, food safety law, AMR, and AMU.

Tasks and Responsibilities

• Become familiar with the Pilot Legal Assessment Tool (Legal Tool) for the implementation of the CoP AMR.
• Follow the guidance of the International Legal Consultant and the Legal Office to collect and analyse all relevant national legislation for AMR according to the Legal Tool.
• Provide copies of all selected legal instruments in local languages.
• Prepare a national legal report based on the guidance of the Legal Office with conclusions and recommendations for legal reform.
• Organize a workshop to present the results of the national legal report and to help prioritize legal reforms.
• Support the requested revisions of the AMR-related legislation identified in the report and, to this purpose; (i) establish and support a legal drafting working group; (ii) prepare draft legislation based on the recommendations of the working group; (iii) facilitate a participatory process for legal reform involving all relevant stakeholders; (iv) support the organization and development of field missions of the International Legal Consultant, as necessary, and participate in all activities during the mission; (v) help organize validation workshops and finalize draft legislation; (vi) prepare final reports based on annotated versions of the draft legislation, which provide concrete recommendations for the approval and implementation of the final legislation.
• Support the project team in all matters related to AMR regulatory frameworks, such as the preparation of national reports that include references to legislative actions.
• Provide feedback on the implementation of the Legal Tool with concrete proposals for improvement and implementation.
• At the request of the LTO or the Legal Officer, undertake any tasks relevant to the achievement of the legislative deliverables of the project.
• Perform other related duties as requested by the FAO.

Selection Criteria

• Candidates will be assessed according to the following criteria:

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree in law or related fields.
• Experience and awareness related to legislative regulations.
• At least 5 years of relevant experience in the public health/food safety domain and trade law.
• Prior experience with the UN and/or international organizations is an asset.
• Cambodian national.

FAO Core Competencies

• Results-focused
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building effective relationships
• Commitment to knowledge sharing and continuous improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Strong command of spoken and written English.
• Experience in developing legal reports and documents.
• Ability to conduct legal evaluations.
• Computer skills in Office applications including Excel, Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to plan, organize, and administer on-the-job, independent, staff training sessions.
• Knowledge of the administrative policies and procedures of the United Nations and International Organizations.
• Effective communication skills that emphasize teamwork.

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