Org. Setting and ReportingThis position is located in the Codification Division of the Office of Legal Affairs. The Principal Legal Officer reports to the Director. ResponsibilitiesWithin delegated authority, the Principal Legal Officer will be responsible for the following duties: • Formulates and implements the substantive work programme of the Division under his/her supervision in connection with the legal activities concerning the progressive development of international law and its codification carried out within the framework of the International Law Commission, Sixth (Legal) Committee of the General Assembly and its subsidiary organs as envisaged in article 13.1(a) of the Charter of the United Nations, as well as the Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law. Oversees the management of activities undertaken by the Division, ensures that programmed activities are carried out in a timely fashion and co-ordinates work in the different areas both within the Division and Department, and with other organizations of the United Nations System, as appropriate. • Prepares, coordinates and supervises research activities on various complex and topical subjects of international law requiring a wide range of multi-disciplinary approach and understanding of their policy implications, legal publications and documentations for the International L aw Commission, Sixth Committee, special and ad hoc committees. • Provides substantive servicing to the International Law Commission, Sixth Committee, special and ad hoc committees, assisting the Chair and the Bureau of these bodies with organization, planning and conduct of the meetings, and responds to queries from government delegates in the course of the meetings. • Coordinates the implementation of the United Nations Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law, including the organization of training courses and fellowship programmes, as well as the United Nations Audiovisual Library of International Law. • Leads, supervises and carries out the work programme of the Division under his/her responsibility. Co-ordinates the work carried out by different work units under the Division, provides substantive reviews of the drafts prepared by others; and participates in inter-departmental committees for coordination of the work of the main committees. • Reports to intergovernmental bodies on budget/programme performance and on substantive issues, as appropriate, particularly those presented in biannual and/or annual reports. • Ensures that the outputs produced by the Division maintain high-quality standards; that reports are clear, objective and based on comprehensive data. Ensures that all outputs produced under his/her supervision meet required standards before completion to ensure they comply with the relevant mandates. • Assists the Director in preparing the work programme of the Division, determining priorities, and allocating resources for the completion of outputs and their timely delivery. • Undertakes or oversees the programmatic and administrative tasks necessary for the functioning of the Division, including preparation of budgets, reporting on budget/programme performance, evaluation of staff performance (PAS), interviews of candidates for job openings, evaluation of candidates and preparation of inputs for results-based budgeting. • Recruits staff, taking due account of geographical balance. • Manages, guides, develops and trains staff under his/her supervision. • Fosters teamwork and communication among staff in the Division and across organizational boundaries. • Leads and supervises the organization of meetings, seminars, etc. on substantive issues. Manages the substantive preparation and organization of such meetings or seminars. • Participates in international, regional or national meetings and provides programmatic and substantive expertise on an issue or holds programmatic and substantive and organizational discussions with representatives of other institutions. • Represents the Division at international, regional or national meetings. Competencies• Professionalism: Comprehensive and in-depth theoretical knowledge of international law, as well as practical application of legal principles, concepts and policy to a range of legal issues in the area of public international law. In-depth knowledge of the process of progressive development of international law and its codification is essential. Outstanding analytical and drafting skills. Proven ability to design research projects, conduct and supervise such research on a variety of complex and intricate international law issues with special emphasis on areas relevant to progressive development and codification of international law. Demonstrated ability to prepare and supervise the preparation of legal briefs and studies on multi-dimensional, complex and sensitive legal issues and instruments under negotiation.. Ability to apply UN rules, regulations, policies and guidelines in work situations. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. • Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed. • Planning& Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently. Managerial Competencies • Leadership: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow: empowers others to translate vision into results; is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support; anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions; drives for change and improvements; does not accept the status quo; shows the courage to take unpopular stands. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing. • Managing Performance: Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority; makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member; accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches task to skills; monitors progress against milestones and deadlines; regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff; encourages risk-taking and supports creativity and initiative; actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff; appraises performance fairly. EducationAdvanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in law, with focus on public international law is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. A doctorate with a published thesis in public international law is highly desirable. Job - Specific QualificationNot available. Work ExperienceA minimum of fifteen (15) years of progressively responsible work experience in public international law with emphasis on its progressive development and codification, including several years at the international level, is required. Work experience providing substantive support to governmental or intergovernmental bodies in connection with public international law is desirable. Work experience supervising an office, unit or section, or comparable leadership position, is desirable. Work experience with policies, procedures and operations of the United Nations or similar international organizations is desirable. Having published on topics related to public international law is desirable. Work experience in organizing international law training courses or seminars is desirable. LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French is desirable. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage. AssessmentEvaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview. Special NoticeStaff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures. Staff members appointed to the current position are required to submit a financial disclosure statement upon assignment or appointment and annually thereafter. At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or under-represented in the UN Secretariat as of 30 November 2024, are strongly encouraged to apply: Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Belize, Brunei Darussalam, China, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Germany, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Libya, Liechtenstein, Malta, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Monaco, Nauru, Oman, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vanuatu. United Nations ConsiderationsAccording to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date. No FeeTHE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.