LEGAL OFFICER (OPT), P3

Posting Title : LEGAL OFFICER (OPT), P3
Job Code Title : Legal Officer (oPt)
Department/ Office : UNRWA – Legal Affairs – Headquarters Gaza
Location : Jerusalem (East) West Bank Fie
Posting Period : 21 June 2023-18 July 2023
Job Opening number : 23-LEG-UNRWA – Legal Affairs-212169-R-Jerusalem
(East) West Bank Fie (E)
Staffing Exercise : N/A
United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity
Org. Setting and Reporting
UNRWA, the largest United Nations operation in the Middle East with over 30,000 staff
working across five areas of operation, is looking for highly committed personnel wishing to
make a change.
If you are looking for a rewarding opportunity to make a tangible difference for one of the
most vulnerable communities in the world, UNRWA would like to hear from you.
This post focuses on the provision of legal advice and assistance for the Agency’s operations
in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank (including East Jerusalem), referred to as the Occupied
Palestinian Territories (oPt), on matters relating to general law, including all types of
contracts entered into by the Agency and administrative and employment law; and on
questions of public international law, including the constitutive, legislative and other
instruments governing UNRWA activities and operations, as well as international human
rights, humanitarian and refugee law. The incumbent will be based in the General Law Unit of
the Department of Legal Affairs, whilst working across both the General and International
Law Units of the Department and will coordinate with personnel, including with Legal
Officers from Field
Offices, as needed, in order to provide legal advice specific to the oPt context.
The Legal Officer reports to the Principal Legal Officer (General Law).
Responsibilities
– Assists in providing legal input into development and implementation of Agency strategy
and policy, in particular in relation to the Agency’s operations in the oPt.
– Provides legal advice and assistance on matters relating to all aspects of the internal
administration of justice, administrative law and other relevant issues relating to Agency
personnel in the oPt, in particular through handling administrative and disciplinary cases and
drafting submissions to the Agency’s Dispute Tribunal and/or the UN Appeals Tribunal.
– Drafts, reviews and assists in the negotiation of all types of Agency contractual modalities,
including contracts for procurement of goods and/or services, memoranda of understanding
with partners and funding agreements for the annual oPt Emergency Appeals.
– Advises on the status, mandate, privileges and immunities and related responsibilities of the
Agency and its personnel within the Agency with a particular focus on the oPt as may be
required.
– Upon request, reviews and provides legal input on relevant communications, including press
releases and official statements, concerning Agency operations in the oPt.
– Assists in engagement with international human rights mechanisms, including with regard to
protection issues relating to Palestine refugees in the oPt and/or the Agency globally.
– Assists in providing legal advice, training and outreach on the interpretation and application
of international civil service law, relevant public international law, including the constitutive,
legislative and other instruments governing UNRWA activities and operations, international
human rights, humanitarian and refugee law, particularly as it relates to protection of Palestine
refugees in the oPt, status and mandate of the Agency, privileges and immunities of the
Agency and its personnel, and humanitarian principles.
– Advises on resolution of contractual and tortious claims against the Agency, including
overseeing, supporting and conducting negotiations, settlement and arbitration with a
particular focus on oPt.
– Advises on the interpretation and application of the Agency’s regulatory framework, in
particular UNRWA Area and International Staff Regulations, Rules and associated
administrative issuances, Financial Regulations and Organizational Directives.
Competencies
UN Core Values of Integrity, Professionalism and Respect for Diversity, and Core
Competencies of Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results apply by
default. Default managerial competencies may apply.
i. Persuading and Influencing
ii. Relating and Networking
iii. Analyzing
iv. Planning and Organizing
v. Adapting and Responding to Change
For guidance on how to prepare for competency-based interviews: https://careers.un.
org/lbw/home.aspx?viewtype=AYI
Education
Advanced University degree (Master’s or equivalent) from an accredited educational
institution in law, public international law, commercial international law or a related
discipline, is required.
Job Specific Qualifications
Work Experience
At least five years of relevant work experience in law is required.
At least one year of professional work experience as a lawyer in a legal office of an
intergovernmental organization or government, with emphasis on legal analysis, research and
writing is required.
Unless already serving as an international staff member in the UN Common System, a
candidate for an international post must have a minimum of 2 continuous years of relevant
international experience outside UNRWA, and outside the country(s) of which the candidate
is a national or holds citizenship, a passport or a national identity number, is required.
Advanced University degree (Master’s or equivalent) from an accredited educational
institution in law, public international law, commercial international law or a related
discipline, is required.
At least one year of professional experience with the UN system and familiarity with its
practices is desirable.
Knowledge of the history and contemporary situation of the oPt is desirable.
Working knowledge of Arabic or another official language of the United Nations is desirable.
Languages
Excellent command of written and spoken English is required.
Working knowledge of Arabic or another official language of the United Nations is desirable.
Assessment
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be
followed by competency-based interview.
Special Notice
Type of Contract and duration: 1 year project funded, with the possibility of further extension.
The Legal Officer may be required to travel occasionally in the Agency’s area of operations
and to work outside of normal working hours.
Applicants have to complete the Personal History Profile (PHP) in Inspira in order to be
considered. The PHP should be completed with full relevant work experience as per the
requirements in the Job Opening, in order to be considered.
A roster may be created from the selection exercise, and successful candidates may become
eligible for an appointment to the same post or a similar post.
UNRWA welcomes applications from qualified candidates with disabilities.
Join our eco-friendly organization dedicated to environment sustainability and targeting to be
plastic free by 2025.
Equivalency may apply.:
NB: Work experience alone or formal qualifications with no relevant work experience are not
considered an acceptable combination.
UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions from UN member states,
regional bodies, business foundations and individual contributions. The mission of UNRWA
is to help Palestine refugees achieve their full potential in human development under the
difficult circumstances in which they live.
For more details on UNRWA, please visit: https://www.unrwa.org/United Nations
United Nations Considerations
Staff members are subject to the authority of the Commissioner-General of UNRWA and to
assignment by him or her.
UNRWA is committed to achieving gender parity at all levels of staffing under the current
UN-wide gender agenda and strongly encourages applications from qualified applicants from
under-represented groups.
At UNRWA, 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. UNRWA is committed to creating a diverse and
inclusive environment of mutual respect. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with
disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when
requested and indicated in the application.
UNRWA Considerations
UNRWA staff are expected to uphold the highest standards of efficiency, competence,
neutrality, impartiality and integrity. This includes respect for and commitment to human
rights, diversity and non-violent means of dealing with all kinds of conflict. Only persons who
fully and unconditionally commit to these values should consider applying for UNRWA jobs.
Candidates will not be considered for employment with UNRWA 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. Candidates who
have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for
employment. The Agency may disqualify applicants who have separated for reason of
misconduct, who left a UN Agency while misconduct processes were pending, or who appear
on the UN Sanctions List.
UNRWA is a non-smoking work environment.
Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment
platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the
Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side
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.