Job Vacancy Office of Legal Affairs (OLA), March 2012

Job Vacancy Office of Legal Affairs (OLA)
Position: Legal Officer, P4
Department/ Office Office of Legal Affairs
Duty Station NEW YORK
Closing Date: Tuesday, 15 May 2012
Job Opening number 12-LEG-OLA-23181-R-NEW YORK (O)
United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity

Org. Setting and Reporting
This position is located in General Legal Division in the Office of Legal Affairs of the United Nations. The incumbent will be under the general supervision of the Director of the General Legal Division and, unless otherwise provided, the immediate supervision of Principal and Senior Legal Officers of the Division.

Responsibilities
The Incumbent will be responsible for the following duties:
- Provide legal advice on diverse substantive and procedural questions of considerable complexity, which may include those related to administration and management, institutions support, procurement and contracts, peacekeeping and other operational matters, separately administered Funds and Programmes, etc.
- Perform extensive legal research and analysis and prepares legal opinions, studies, briefs, reports, and correspondence.
- Provide legal advice and guidance on substantive and procedural questions of law regarding the interpretation of, and changes to, securities laws and regulations .
- Draft, prepare and negotiate substantial and complex commercial contracts, including brokerage, custody and master record keeping contracts for use by the United Nations and its separate Funds and Programmes, including the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF) relating to the purchase and sale of securities, futures, options, currencies, swaps, derivatives and other financial instruments.
- Provide legal support and guidance on brokerage, custody, master record keeping and securities lending arrangements relating to assets of the UNJSPF and of the United Nations, including advising on the trading, clearing and settlement of securities, custody and separation of assets issues, data management, indemnities, confidentiality, intellectual property rights and ensuring conformity with the Standard Operating Investment Policy and Procedures of the Investment Management Division and the UNJSPF

Regulations and Administrative Rules.
- Identify the various categories of legal risks, such as operational, security and insurance risks, which apply to the UNJSPF’s activities and which the UNJSPF’s control objectives and associated features are designed to meet.
- Provide legal advice on procurement issues, including the development, implementation and interpretation of the UN Financial Regulations and Rules, and the review of bidding documents for the procurement of goods and services by the Organization and its separately funded Funds and Programmes.
- Provide legal advice on the interpretation and application of staff regulations and rules, including the review of administrative decisions; prepares draft amendments to the staff regulations and rules; prepares draft administrative issuances or amendments thereto and verifies their consistency with the existing staff regulation and rules; prepares analyses and evaluations of human resources policies and practices.
- Provide legal advice and assist in the negotiation and settlement and, where necessary, the adjudication and arbitration, of claims and disputes arising from activities of the Organization, including its Funds and Programmes, private third party claims arising from peace-keeping or similar operations, or commercial claims and disputes arising from UN contracts.
- Represent the General Legal Division in various ad-hoc inter-departmental committees, working groups and task forces.
- In the absence of the Senior Legal Officer, supervise, as assigned, junior attorneys and provide guidance in their work.

Competencies
Professionalism:
In depth theoretical knowledge of international law , including, international finance law as applicable to international organizations (especially the United Nations). Strong skills in analyzing complex and novel issues in international law and applying a comparative law perspective. Excellent skills in drafting under pressure a broad range of documents of a legal nature, including commercial finance contracts and briefing notes and reports on legal issues. Demonstrated expertise in matters involving investment of assets, securities markets and investment products. Understanding of portfolio management and the trading, clearing and settlement of securities. Demonstrated ability to provide oral briefings on complex legal issues to legal and non-legal audiences. Sound negotiation skills. Understanding of the UN system, organization and interrelationships. Fully proficient computer skills and ability to use relevant software applications, in particular information databases, internet/intranet services, library sources, etc. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

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.

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.

Education
Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Law. A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Admitted to practice law in at least one national jurisdiction is desirable.

Work Experience
Minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible legal experience in the legal office of an international organization or a Government, in a law firm, or in a private or non-governmental organization is required. Such legal experience should include experience in the following areas: (i) working with or in a financial institution advising on issues relating to securities, futures, options, derivatives and other financial instruments; (ii) arbitration/ litigation in a national jurisdiction, and (iii) working in or familiarity with another national jurisdiction (outside the applicant’s own country of nationality).

Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations. For this position, fluency in English is required. Working knowledge of French is desirable.

Assessment Method
Competency-based interview and/or other assessment method.

Special Notice
- Extension of appointment will be subject to budgetary approval.
- Staff 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.

United Nations Considerations
The United Nations shall place 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. (Charter of the United Nations – Chapter 3, article 8). The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

No Fee
THE 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.




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