Senior Legal Officer

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

To provide independent, authoritative and practical legal advice and legal services to enable the Organization to implement its mission of global public health consistently with its mandate and to protect the Organization's resources, reputation, integrity and its responsibility to its Member States.

To provide legal review and input, during the planning and implementation of WHO's activities, so as to facilitate effective cooperation among those taking part - Member States, international bodies, international officials, collaborating institutions, individuals and commercial entities; to ensure that the activities are carried out on a firm legal basis; to protect the Organization's legal interests and defend it from legal action.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

The incumbent will be part of the Office of the Legal Counsel (LEG), assigned to the International Administrative Law (IAL) team, working largely independently, under the general supervision of the Principal Legal Officer, IAL, the first level supervisor. The work environment requires a high degree of independence and collaboration, i.e. not only within the IAL team, but also with other LEG colleagues, colleagues in other departments at the three levels of the organization and persons outside WHO.

(1) Legal advice and services related to international administrative law, administrative, personnel and internal justice matters to WHO, IARC, UNAIDS and ICC. This includes:

- to provide high quality legal advice (i.e., accurate, comprehensively researched, clearly presented, and including - when possible - options informed by clear legal/political risk assessment) to internal bodies, DGO, HRT, senior human resources officials and other managers on legally sound courses of action that will avoid costly administrative/personnel errors, and that comply with WHO's regulations, rules and policy and ILOAT jurisprudence. Areas of work include: recruitment (e.g., secondments, staff on loan or transfer); staff benefits (e.g. pension and staff health insurance); legal ramifications of wide-ranging human resource issues (e.g., disciplinary proceedings and departmental reorganizations); salary/benefit/insurance issues; conflicts of interest of staff and awards. The advice gives decision/policy makers well-researched information and options for the purpose of: avoiding negative legal implications of a course of action/decision under consideration; mitigating legal risks and/or resolving an existing problem taking into account not only legal but also policy and practical considerations.

(2) Advice on privileges and immunities (P&I) matters to WHO, UNAIDS, IARC and ICC. This includes:

- advice to HQ, ROs and WRs on cases relating to P&I of the Organization and staff, in particular in the context of judicial proceedings and the inviolability of WHO's documents and archives. Advice on interpretation of host agreements, including co-leading on host agreements high level negotiations. This work will help safeguard the Organization's interests and ensure the correct implementation of agreements with governments.

(3) Representation of WHO, IARC, UNAIDS and ICC before the ILOAT:

(a) Prepare well-researched, well-written, persuasive and comprehensive submissions to the ILOAT in defence of WHO. This work should ensure that the Organization's decisions are well defended before the ILOAT.

(b) Being well-informed, on an ongoing basis, of developments in ILOAT jurisprudence and in common system practices/policies in the area of employment law in the international civil service and using the ILOAT jurisprudence as a forecasting tool for risk assessment. This involves: reviewing the complainants' legal arguments; consulting with senior managers to gather facts; researching jurisprudence; deciding on the strategy and legal arguments necessary to best represent the Organization's interests; and preparing legal submissions (including a Reply and a Surrejoinder) that are legally sound, well-reasoned and persuasively presented.

(4) Representation of the Office of the Legal Counsel on WHO internal committees or bodies, including the Staff Health Insurance Global Oversight Committee and Staff Health Insurance Global Standing Committee.

(5) General protection of WHO's legal interests in specific areas, such as WHO's collaboration in "cooperative ventures", e.g., collaborating centres, use of WHO's name and emblem; co-sponsorship of meetings and various forms of partnerships, and general legal questions confronting international organizations.

(6) Participate in LEG's work related to WHO governing bodies, including advice on international administrative law questions and WHO legal framework arising during and relating to meetings of the World Health Assembly, the Executive Board and PBAC.

(7) Management: Effectively supervise and coordinate the work of more junior staff and personnel (consultants, APW) in IAL. Ensure effective teamwork, both within LEG and in projects with colleagues throughout the Organization. Perform all other related duties as assigned and as may berequired by the exigencies of the work of the Office.

(8) Serve as deputy to the Principal Legal Officer, IAL, when requested.

(9) Other functions of a legal nature as may be required by the exigencies of the work of the Office.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential: Post-graduate degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in law.
Desirable: Specialization in international law, and in particular in international administrative law.

Experience

Essential: Ten years of experience as a lawyer, of which at least seven years' experience performing legal functions within an international organization or a government. Proven experience in the presentation and communication of legal considerations to non-lawyers in a time-sensitive and comprehensible manner.
Desirable: Practical litigation experience. Experience working in the jurisdictional set-up of the United Nations system. Experience in advising on the legal ramifications of a wide range of issues arising in an international organization (legal risk assessments, settlement negotiations, disciplinary matters, privileges and immunities, etc.).

Skills

- Sound demonstrated knowledge of and experience in all aspects of the law of the international civil service. This includes the jurisprudence/procedures of one or more administrative tribunals at the international level, and of the legal structures, texts and principles applicable in an international organization.

- Good communication skills, including ability to present legally authoritative and complex ideas clearly and persuasively within WHO and before the Administrative Tribunal of the ILO and to stakeholders and partners.

- Excellent skills in analyzing and organizing facts, legal and policy considerations and in presenting clear, convincing, politically and practically sensible advice, services and support.

- Ability to develop, plan, coordinate, direct and manage LEG/IAL's work, with the highest degree of independence.

- The experience and judgment necessary to evaluate risks/benefits/opportunities to WHO, to protect WHO's interests and avoid costly errors.

- Ability to present legally sound and well-reasoned legal arguments, including submissions to appeals bodies, and skill in analyzing and organizing policy considerations and facts.

- Excellent interpersonal skills.

- Sound knowledge of international administrative law, including jurisprudence and procedures of one or more administrative tribunal at the international level.

- Excellent skill in analyzing and organizing facts and in presenting clear, logical and legally sound opinions and proposed solutions.

- Drafting skills in English and French, in particular, for submissions before the competent Tribunal (i.e. excellent legal drafting skills in both languages).

- Computer skills and ability to work with minimal clerical assistance.

WHO Competencies

Teamwork
Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
Communication
Producing results
Moving forward in a changing environment
Creating an empowering and motivating environment

Use of Language Skills

Essential: Expert knowledge of English. Expert knowledge of French.
Desirable: Intermediate knowledge of another WHO official language.

REMUNERATION

WHO salaries for staff in the Professional category are calculated in US dollars. The remuneration for the above position comprises an annual base salary starting at USD 90,664 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance, as applicable), a variable post adjustment, which reflects the cost of living in a particular duty station, and currently amounts to USD 6188 per month for the duty station indicated above. Other benefits include 30 days of annual leave, allowances for dependent family members, home leave, and an education grant for dependent children.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• This vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar positions at the same grade level

• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.

• A written test may be used as a form of screening.

• In the event that your candidature is retained for an interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.

• Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to WHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and Manual.

• Staff members in other duty stations are encouraged to apply.

• For information on WHO's operations please visit: http://www.who.int.

• WHO is committed to workforce diversity.

• WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter into practice.

• WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.

• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.

• WHO has a mobility policy which can be found at the following link: http://www.who.int/employment/en/. Candidates appointed to an international post with WHO are subject to mobility and may be assigned to any activity or duty station of the Organization throughout the world.

• Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.