Legal Advisor

UNOPS is in the process of establishing a Sustainable Infrastructure Impact Investments (S3I) Office in Helsinki, Finland. The S3I Office is a dedicated and integrated subsidiary within UNOPS with a significant degree of operational independence. The S3I Office bolsters UNOPS’ current business model by enhancing UNOPS’ brand as an innovative player in inclusive infrastructure, providing forward-looking strategic advisory services to UNOPS’ existing clients, and drawing new partners from the private sector to expand UNOPS’ portfolio of initial investments while catalyzing resources to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  

The S3I Office activities focus on enhancing private sector engagement in target markets, crowding in commercial investment into regions of the world that historically have had trouble attracting capital. These activities help S3I develop a strong track record of commercially viable projects, build a new set of inclusive investment capabilities, and secure project implementation roles. Through this endeavor, S3I will also convene a broad range of investment partners, including donors, development finance institutions (DFIs), multilateral development banks (MDBs), and private institutional investors to drive progress toward the SDGs.  

The goal of S3I is to catalyze investments in inclusive infrastructure by developing, brokering, managing, and investing in high-quality, socially and environmentally responsible, and commercially viable transactions, in the domains of affordable housing, renewable energy and health infrastructure. 

• In the short-term, S3I makes minority investments in infrastructure projects best aligned with UNOPS’ mission and serves as a pipeline for UNOPS-led deal management services. Deal management, in this context, is the fee-based provision of project management and procurement services toward inclusive infrastructure projects. By engaging with the private sector, UNOPS uses its investing activities to address the lack of bankable infrastructure projects, while diversifying and expanding its deal management portfolio.   

• In the long-term, the S3I Office could bolster its self-sustainability by developing and scaling other revenue streams that would complement its investing and deal management functions. These could include fund management, development impact advisory, and due diligence advisory work, and would enable S3I to operate more broadly with private sector participants and projects in a way that UNOPS cannot currently.  

S3I is fully committed to equal opportunity employment, including gender parity, and lack of bias in relation to candidates’ national, religious, sexual and other backgrounds.

Under the supervision of the Chief Executive, the Legal Advisor provides timely legal advice, counsel, and guidance to support the feasibility, development, construction, finance and management of the S3I Office’s global infrastructure investment portfolio.  

The incumbent will act according to the S3I management framework and related annexes, as well as to the UNOPS legislative framework, including where relevant, delegations of authority applicable to the role.

• Provides legal guidance on transaction structuring when brokering deals with potential partners;

• Supports the drafting and negotiation of project and corporate finance loan and security documentation, including tax equity related agreements; 

• Drafts, reviews and supports negotiating contracts and agreements for the S3I Office, including purchase and sale, joint venture, shareholder, membership, contribution and similar equity agreements;

• Ensures compliance to regulatory and/or legal requirements relevant to the S3I Office operations;

• Reviews new S3I engagements with a focus on identifying legal risks and opportunities;

• Conducts legal review and support negotiation of project agreements with S3I Office funding sources;

• Provides support in the review and implementation of the UNOPS regulatory framework and coordinating and reviewing audit responses.  Where appropriate, assist in the follow-up on the implementation of audit recommendations;

• Advises risk mitigation strategies for the S3I Office infrastructure deals;

• Ensures consistency across transactions and compliance with policies; 

• Reviews material project contracts including offtake agreements for bankability, present finding to management;

• Contributes to legal knowledge and information management within the team and across the organisation;

• Provides regular feedback to clients on legal issues, risks and possible areas of improvement in coordination with external legal advisors (as needed); Selects and manages sophisticated outside legal counsel;

• Keeps abreast of external legal developments and best practices in project finance space;

• Legal training to relevant personnel and clients as needed. 

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in law;

• 2 additional years of relevant work experience, in combination with a relevant first level university (bachelor’s degree or equivalent), may substitute for the requirement of a master’s degree.

• Admission to practice to law in any national jurisdiction is required.

• Holds at least seven years of relevant experience either within a law firm or as in-house counsel supporting utility scale renewable energy-related project finance and M&A transactions on behalf of project developers, equity investors and financing parties.  

• Experience drafting, reviewing and negotiating sophisticated financing and M&A documentation, including term sheets, commitment letters, loan agreements, security documentation, purchase and sale agreements, joint venture, shareholder and similar agreements.

• Experience researching and analyzing applicable laws and regulations; conducting due diligence reviews; and managing transaction closings.

• Strong track record in investment portfolio oversight and fund management as well as compliance procedures.

• In-depth knowledge of inclusive infrastructure investment and current trends. Knowledge of affordable housing and renewable energy sectors is an asset.

• Proven ability to collaborate with and oversee diverse and senior teams.

• Demonstrated theoretical knowledge of law and the application of legal principles, concepts and policies to the review, examination and processing of a range of legal issues and documents; Proficiency in legal drafting and ability to draft accurately, clearly and concisely under time pressure.  

• Excellent communication skills and ability to relay complex legal concepts across a range of audiences.  

• Demonstrated field experience in a development context is an advantage. 

• Excellent writing and oral skills in English. Working knowledge of French or Spanish would be an asset.

Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement

Contract level: IICA 3
Contract duration: Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance

The selected candidate will be offered a highly competitive and tax-free (in Finland) remuneration package.

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  
• Due to the COVID19 outbreak, starting dates may be extended.

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns.
Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.