Org. Setting and ReportingThe United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. Corporate Services Division (CSD) is the guardian of UNEP's corporate interest, mitigating its exposure to risk and supporting the organization with management tools, plans and related capacity building. It oversees UNEP's efficient and effective management, in line with UNEP's accountability requirements, rules, regulations and UN core values. This post is located in UNEP's Corporate Services Division (CSD) Legal Unit, at the Nairobi duty station. Under the supervision of the Director, CSD, the incumbent will be responsible for the following duties: Responsibilities• Lead and manage the work of the Legal Unit, CSD, aligned to key performance indicators (KPI) for client service and case management of all work streams under the Unit, ensuring timely and high-quality provision of legal advice and services to the Executive Director, senior management, divisions and regional offices and UNEP-administered multilateral environmental agreements as necessary. • Independently handle a wide range of multi-discipline, highly complex, and often sensitive and / or conflicting legal matters involving issues relating to international, public, private, contract and administrative law, from interpretation to application of instruments. • Provide authoritative legal advice on diverse range of highly complex or novel substantive and procedural questions on UN administrative regulations and rules, which may include those related to administration, staff relations and management, institutions support, procurement and legal partnership agreements with donors, implementing partners and multi-stakeholders platforms and initiatives as well other operational matters. • Review, draft and negotiate agreements and legal instruments, including Memoranda of Understanding, Host Country Agreements, Donor Agreements, and other implementing legal agreements between UNEP, Member States and external partners in a timely manner with solution-driven approaches, while adhering to internal controls. • Advise on risk management, compliance and accountability frameworks and contribute to the formulation of internal policies, administrative instructions and standard operating procedures. • Organize and supervise research studies and the preparation of legal opinions, as well as perform extensive legal research and analysis on highly complex or novel legal issues /questions and prepare studies, briefs, reports, and correspondence. • Manage conduct and discipline cases using an effective case management system that keeps track of progress; acts as the key liaison officer for investigations managed by the Office of Internal Oversight services (OIOS); leads on management of assessments and investigative cases to be handled directly by UNEP. • Supervise the defense and pursuit of claims on behalf of the organization; negotiate dispute settlements and prepare legal documentation relating to such settlements. • Represent, supervise the representation of the organization before the Management Advice and Evaluation Section (MAES) in the Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance (DMSPC) and Office of the Under-Secretary-General (OUSG) and the United Nations Dispute Tribunal (UNDT). • Provide legal guidance on the interpretation and application of the UN Charter, UN staff regulations and rules, UN financial regulations and rules, administrative issuance's and internal policies . • Serve on various standing boards, committees, ad hoc working groups and task forces, as required; promote the work of the UN and represent the organization at meetings, conferences and seminars. • Leads team members efforts to collect and analyze data and provides insight to identify trends or patterns for data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting. Ensures that everyone can discover, access, integrate and share the data they need. • Perform any other related duties assigned. CompetenciesPROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of international national and international public law both substantive and procedural. Ability to apply legal expertise to analyzing a diverse range of complex and unusual legal issues and problems and in developing innovative and creative solutions in prosecuting complex criminal cases. Strong analytical skills and ability to conduct comprehensive legal research on a range of issues, including those of a unique and/or complex nature; proficiency in legal writing and expression and ability to prepare legal briefs, opinions, indictments or legal submissions/motions, and a variety of legal instruments and related documents. Ability to lead and cross-examine witnesses and make substantial legal arguments before Chambers of Judges. Discretion and sound judgment in applying legal expertise to sensitive, complex legal issues. Strong negotiating skills and ability to influence others to reach agreement. Ability to work under tight deadlines and handle multiple concurrent projects / cases. Demonstrated knowledge of contemporary international relations, the UN system and its organizational interrelationships, with proficiency in leveraging artificial intelligence as a supporting tool. The ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management. 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. TEAMWORK: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others' ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect one's own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings. CLIENT ORIENTATION: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be \"clients\" and seeks to see things from clients' point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients' needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients' environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client. 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. JUDGEMENT/DECISION MAKING: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly; gathers relevant information before making a decision; considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization; proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; checks assumptions against facts; determines the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary. EducationAn advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in public international, or international corporate law or related fields is required. A first level university degree in law in combination with two (2) additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is desirable. Job - Specific QualificationAdditional training in public international law, institutional law or international administrative law is desirable. Work ExperienceA minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in law, including legal analysis and negotiation in an international or multicultural setting is required. At least five (5) years of experience in the drafting, reviewing, negotiating, and developing of international agreements and other legal instruments, such as Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs), Host Country Agreements, and Conference Agreements between the UN and Member States or other stakeholders, is required. Experience in reviewing administrative instructions, legal representation in matters related to the UN or a similar international organization’s internal justice system, including coordination and preparation of responses, is required. Experience in reviewing legal partnership agreements with donors, implementing partners and multi-stakeholders and providing legal advice including on any contractual and/or commercial claims made against the organization is required. Experience in leading/ conducting independent assessments under strict confidentiality, of conduct and discipline related cases with legal advice to senior management is required. A minimum of three (3) years of experience in managing a legal office or unit and supervising the work of legal officers within the UN system or a similar international organization, including responsibility for work planning, strategic planning, and preparation of financial or administrative documents, is required. Experience of preparing, coordinating and delivering trainings on international law, including UN regulations and rules or from similar international organization is desirable. Experience providing legal advice at the senior management level on complex institutional or operational matters is desirable. Experience with legal risk management and compliance in organizational decision-making is desirable. Experience in data analytics or related area such as using artificial intelligence in legal practice is desirable. LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English is required. There are no additional desirable languages. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult https://languages.un.org for details).