Legal Officer (Professional Staff Association), P3

Post title: Legal Officer (Professional Staff Association), P3
Department/Office/Agency: United Nations World Food Programme
Duty station: Rome, Italy
Applications deadline: 11 August 2016
Application link: http://i-recruitment.wfp.org/vacancies/16-0021730

At this level, job holders are fully qualified Legal Officers operating across an assigned area of work preparing and finalizing legal opinions and advice, except for complex and sensitive legal issues seeking clearance of Staff Association leadership. Job holders
normally work directly with the PSA President and may have responsibility as a team leader of supervising junior Legal Officers or short-term staff, as well as working with external lawyers. Work requires a complete understanding of the subject matter in the
context of the program. At this level, there is the ability to adapt policies, approaches and models to meet emerging needs of the target client community. Within established areas of responsibility, job holders exercise a high degree of independence. Client interface focuses on maintaining relationships and projecting the image of a credible/reliable partner. Established in the subject legal field, the impact of the work reflects directly on the professionalism of the job holder and the overall reputation of the PSA for high quality work.
The Professional Staff Association (PSA) Legal Officer, P3 handles matters related to the requirements of the staff. This will entail providing legal advice to members of the PSA, including the preparation of Appeals to the Executive Director, the FAO Appeals
Committee and the ILOAT. In addition, the incumbent would have a key role in reviewing draft WFP policies and directives and providing advice to the PSA Staff Council, to help formulate a position with a view to improve staff conditions of service.

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 five years or more of relevant progressively responsible experience in providing a wide range of legal services.
At least three years’ experience with UN employment law.
Proven experience with staff relations issues.
Strong knowledge of WFP/FAO Regulations, Rules and Manuals.
Good knowledge of UN entities and impact of their decisions on staff, such as the General Assembly, the International Civil Service Commission, the Joint Inspection Unit and the High Level Committee on Management.

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