Legal Officer P2, LEGA (2 positions)

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

WFP celebrates and embraces diversity. It is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status or disability.

ABOUT WFP

The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity, for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

At WFP, people are at the heart of everything we do and the vision of the future WFP workforce is one of diverse, committed, skilled, and high performing teams, selected on merit, operating in a healthy and inclusive work environment, living WFP's values (Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity, and Inclusion) and working with partners to save and change the lives of those WFP serves.

To learn more about WFP, visit our website: https://www.wfp.org and follow us on social media to keep up with our latest news: YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok.

WHY JOIN WFP?

• WFP is a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.

• WFP offers a highly inclusive, diverse, and multicultural working environment.

• WFP invests in the personal & professional development of its employees through a range of training, accreditation, coaching, mentorship, and other programs as well as through internal mobility opportunities.

• A career path in WFP provides an exciting opportunity to work across the various country, regional and global offices around the world, and with passionate colleagues who work tirelessly to ensure that effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people across the globe.

• We offer an attractive compensation package (please refer to the Terms and Conditions section of this vacancy announcement).

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The Legal Office is organized in three branches that advise on the various aspects of WFP’s work:

• The Administrative and Employment Law Branch (LEGA) provides advice to management on all aspects of the employment relationship between WFP and its employees;
• The Contractual and Constitutional Law Branch (LEGC) provides advice on all aspects of WFP’s internal governance, private sector contributions, commercial and other contractual activities, including also cash-based transfer programmes, treasury functions and communications; and
• The Maritime, Transport and Insurance Law Branch (LEGM) provides advice on all aspects of WFP’s supply chain activities, including Procurement (Food, Goods & Services), maritime, aviation, logistics (inland transportation, storage and warehousing), United Nations Humanitarian Response Depots and insurance.

WFP is seeking to fill two Legal Officer P2 positions in LEGA, based at Headquarters in Rome, Italy. The incumbent will contribute to the provision of legal advice and services supporting WFP offices globally. Work is normally undertaken under the guidance of more senior Legal Officers, with opportunities to develop legal advisory, analytical, drafting, advocacy and litigation skills within an international organization. The positions will be involved in:

• Providing legal support and advice on the development, interpretation and application of WFP’s employment framework.
• Providing legal support and advice on appropriate contractual modalities and conditions of service for deployment of personnel and technical expertise from private and public sectors.
• Assist in advising on matters concerning conduct and discipline including at the investigation and disciplinary stages.
• Assist in handling contentious matters arising in connection with WFP's various contracts of employment, including the negotiation and settlement of claims and representation of WFP before administrative tribunals and other adjudicatory bodies.
• Assist in advising on the privileges and immunities of WFP personnel.

While LEGA will be the base branch for these two Legal Officer P2 positions, please note that the Legal Office is adopting a pooled service arrangement for posts at this level aimed at promoting inter-branch engagement and expanding staff knowledge and skills. This includes an expectation to undertake up to 50% of work on matters pertaining to the other branches of the Legal Office.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

Under the general supervision and guidance of a more senior Legal Officer in LEGA, the Legal Officer P2 will be responsible for the following duties:

• Undertake legal research and analysis on legal issues of a substantive and procedural nature.
• Review a variety of legal documents, including agreements, memoranda of understanding and contracts, in order to identify relevant legal issues and risks and ensure compliance with the applicable legal framework and jurisprudence.
• Assist in preparing legal advice on the interpretation and application of WFP's Regulations, Rules, Policies and Procedures, as well as applicable conventions, resolutions and agreements.
• Draft legal documents including opinions, reports, memoranda, submissions, agreements and contracts.
• Provide legal support in representing WFP in administrative or tribunal proceedings and arbitration.
• Assist in the assessment of disciplinary cases
• Assist in the assessment of appeals
• Assist in the preparation of litigation submission for WFP
• Assist in the preparation, negotiation and settlement of claims and disputes involving WFP and its personnel.
• Identify legal risks and potential liabilities and assist in developing practical risk mitigation measures to support informed decision-making.
• Assist in reviewing administrative decisions and providing legal interpretations relating to the application of WFP's legal framework.
• Support senior Legal Officers in servicing committees, task forces, expert working groups and other bodies through legal research, drafting and legal advice.
• Perform other related duties as required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

Education:

• Advanced university degree in law, or first university degree in law with additional relevant experience and training in private, commercial, or public law.
• Must be qualified to practice or admitted to practice by a recognized national or state bar or law society.

Experience:

• At least three years of progressively responsible experience practicing law within a law firm, an international organization, a governmental service, or a company.
• Prior litigation and/or employment law experience are assets.

Languages:

• Fluency in oral and written English
• Intermediate knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish) or Portuguese (one of WFP’s working languages).

KNOWLEDGE&SKILLS:

• Ability to work autonomously with minimum supervision.
• Tact and a high degree of discretion and confidentiality.
• Knowledge of, and ability to apply, legal principles, concepts, procedures and terminology for the review, examination and processing of a range of legal documents.
• Knowledge of various legal research sources and techniques, and ability to interpret and apply legislative instruments and draft legal papers.
• Clear, concise and persuasive legal analysis and drafting skills.
• Business acumen.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

• These are an International Professional positions (non-rotational) and are open to all nationalities.
• Mobility is and continues to be a core contractual requirement in WFP. This position is however classified as "non-rotational" which means the incumbent shall not be subject to the regular reassignment process unless the position is reclassified as rotational. The selected candidate will be employed on a fixed-term contract with a probationary period of one year. This position is open to both internal and external candidates.
• WFP offers an attractive compensation and benefits package in line with ICSC standards (http://icsc.un.org) including basic salary, post adjustment, relocation entitlement, visa, travel and shipment allowances, 30 days’ annual leave, home leave, an education grant for dependent children, a pension plan, and medical insurance.
• The selected candidates will be required to relocate to Rome, Italy to take up this assignment.

WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK

WFP Leadership Framework guides to the common standards of behavior that guide HOW we work together to accomplish our mission.

Click here to access WFP Leadership Framework

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

WFP is committed to supporting individuals with disabilities by providing reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process. If you require a reasonable accommodation, please contact: [email protected]

NO FEE DISCLAIMER

The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.

REMINDERS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

• All applications must be submitted exclusively through our online recruiting system. We do not consider CVs or applications sent by email, LinkedIn, or any other channel.

• We strongly recommend that your Workday profile is accurate and complete, and that all sections are filled in, including your employment history, academic qualifications, language skills, and UN grade (if applicable). Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application.

• If you experience technical issues while submitting your application, you may contact us at [email protected]. Please note that this email is only for technical issues with an application - unsolicited applications or documents sent to this inbox will not receive a reply.

• At the application stage, the only required documents are your CV and Cover Letter. Additional documents (passport, certificates, recommendation letters, etc.) may be requested later in the process.

• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the recruitment process.

All employment decisions are made on the basis of organizational needs, job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse, all forms of discrimination, any kind of harassment, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. Therefore, all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.