Back Legal Officer, P3, Geneva

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The Legal Officer is a member of the protection or legal team either at Headquarters (within the Division of International Protection or in a Regional Bureau), or in a Country or Sub-Office and may, depending of the size and structure of the Office, be Head of the Protection or Legal Unit. He/she may report to the Senior Protection or Senior Legal Officer, Head of Sub-Office or to the Assistant Representative for Protection. In smaller Offices, the post may report directly to the Representative. The incumbent has direct supervisory responsibility for protection or legal staff who may include community services, registration, resettlement and education. He/she provides functional protection oversight to information management and programme staff; and supervises protection standards, the provision of legal and policy advice, operational procedures and practices in protection delivery at local or country level. The incumbent also acts as an advisor to senior management in designing a comprehensive protection strategy and represents the organization to authorities, UN sister agencies, partners and other stakeholders on protection doctrine and policy.

The Legal Officer is relied upon by the Office to plan, lead and coordinate quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern. This includes ensuring that operational and advocacy responses in all sectors are shaped in a protection optic, mainstream protection methodologies and integrate protection safeguards. Another important function of the position is to ensure that persons of concern are involved with the Office in making decisions that affect them, whether in accessing their rights or in identifying appropriate solutions to their problems. To achieve this, the incumbent will need to build and maintain effective interfaces with communities of concern, authorities, protection and assistance partners as well as a broader network of stakeholders who can contribute to enhancing protection.

FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT

Accountability

• Protection principles and international law as relevant to persons of concern to UNHCR are promoted.
• Quality legal support and protection advice provided.
• UNHCR's policies, standards and doctrine are consistently and coherently applied, and adapted to the country context.

Responsibility

• Monitor the development of law and doctrine.
• Advocate for proper interpretation of law and doctrine as well as in the development of standards of protection.
• Provide legal advice on these issues and drafting of position papers and guidelines on pertinent legal and operational issues.
• Provide guidance and support in the formulation of protection strategies.
• Liaise with DIP, Division and Bureau work units and external actors to enhance awareness of protection principles.
• Engage with external partners and stakeholders, including governments, non-governmental organizations, international organizations, etc, on issues related to legal protection principles and related international law.
• Handle individual cases and situations raising special questions of application or interpretation of international law, refugee and human rights law.

Authority

• Represent Office in meetings within UNHCR and with external counterparts.
• Prepare protection documents and policies in cooperation with supervisor.
• Participate in the development of project proposals and project implementation.

ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

• Undergraduate degree (equivalent of a BA/BS) in Law, preferably with focus on Human Rights, Refugee Law and/or International Humanitarian Law plus minimum 6 years of previous work experience relevant to the function. Graduate degree (equivalent of a Master¿s) plus 5 years or Doctorate degree (equivalent of a PhD) plus 4 years of previous relevant work experience may also be accepted.
• Excellent legal research, analytical and drafting skill.
• Excellent knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES

• Completion of UNHCR learning programmes on protection would be an asset or any other equivalent external courses.
• Knowledge of additional UN languages.