Legal Specialist - Administrative Law

The Legal Group (LG)

LG advises UNOPS management, project offices, regional offices and other specialized units within UNOPS on institutional, commercial, and administrative law matters. Legal Advisors at UNOPS provide legal advice in the areas of public international law, dispute resolution, commercial law and administrative law. This legal advice covers a wide range of topics, including host-country agreements, privileges and immunities, disputes with external parties, advice on administrative law including administration of justice matters, administrative/HR law matters, engagements, partnership agreements, grants, procurement contracts and set-up of hosted initiatives, joint programmes and multi-donor trust funds, and collaboration with outside counsel, pro bono law firms and the UN Office of Legal Affairs (OLA) where required.

The Administrative Law Practice (ALP)

The ALP is responsible for assisting the General Counsel in advising the Executive Director on misconduct cases, including the imposition of disciplinary and non-disciplinary measures; this includes managing the related disciplinary/administrative processes underpinning these measures such as the review of investigation reports and other findings by the Internal Audit and Investigations Group (IAIG) in relation to UNOPS personnel members, issuing charge letters and preparing recommendation memorandums. The ALP also assists the General Counsel in advising the Executive Director on the legality of contested administrative decisions (submitted through formal Management Evaluation Requests by members of UNOPS personnel). The ALP also represents UNOPS in internal and external justice processes, including mediation proceedings, arbitration proceedings and proceedings before the UN Dispute Tribunal in regards to personnel disputes where personnel are contesting an administrative decision. Further, the ALP prepares legal advice on administrative law matters including complex and sensitive cases involving the interpretation and application of personnel policies and personnel contractual terms. In addition, the ALP regularly reviews contract/agreements and templates for UNOPS personnel and third-party labour hire arrangements. 

About the Role

The Legal Specialist is part of the LG’s Administrative Law Practice and reports to the Legal Advisor, Administrative Law. LG’s Administrative Law Practice manages key aspects of the internal justice system at UNOPS and advises UNOPS management on administrative law matters with a view to safeguarding the organisation against legal, financial and reputational risks. The Legal Specialist may also be required to provide other legal advice under the responsibility of LG as needed, including in connection with dispute resolution, institutional and commercial law matters. 

The Legal Specialist is a good communicator, open to challenges, and versed in handling complex legal issues in a fast-paced work environment. 

The Legal Specialist works closely with UNOPS country and regional offices as well as policy units and other specialized teams within UNOPS HQ that support UNOPS activities, which requires a good understanding of the diverse environment in which UNOPS operates.

Reporting to the Legal Advisor, Administrative Law, the Legal Specialist exercises their accountabilities largely autonomously, with designated authority provided by the General Counsel and in accordance with the instructions established by the General Counsel. 

The Legal Specialist is expected to identify and escalate highly complex and high risk matters to the Legal Advisor, Administrative Law.

Summary of key results:

1. Legal Advice and Representation 

2. Provide Other Support to UNOPS Operations

3. Policy and Institutional Development

4. Contribute to Knowledge Management and Capacity Building

• Support the Administrative Law Practice in providing legal advice in connection with a wide range of complex and straightforward personnel disputes and misconduct matters and a wide range of legal issues pertaining to personnel matters, including supporting the Legal Advisor in advising on all non-staff personnel matters, with a focus on providing timely, accurate, practice and high-quality legal advice. 

• Represent UNOPS before formal and informal dispute resolution mechanisms (ombudsman proceedings, United Nations Disputes Tribunal proceedings (including hearings), and arbitration proceedings pertaining to personnel disputes.

• Assist with the provision of other legal advice and representation support as needed including but not limited to supporting in the drafting of legal agreements and negotiating with external parties in relation to those agreements. 

• Provide technical guidance and support to Legal Senior Analysts, as directed by the Legal Advisor and as needed. 

• Assist with providing legal advice and assistance in connection with institutional, commercial and dispute law practice matters, as needed. 

• Assist with the review and negotiation of legal agreements, as needed. 

• Support the application, interpretation, adoption and development of corporate policies, guidelines and best practices of UNOPS. 

• Support regular reporting in the Administrative Law Practice’s databases and trackers, including maintaining overviews and databases of disputes handled by the Administrative Law Practice for audit and record keeping purposes and managing dispute deadlines.

• Support ongoing analyses of LG-related data to identify risks, opportunities and trends to inform policy and institutional development within UNOPS.

• Work closely, under limited supervision of the Legal Advisor and with relevant policy units within UNOPS, to advise on UNOPS legal framework including supporting the Legal Advisor in advising on legal and policy frameworks pertaining to individual contractors and other non-staff contract modalities. 

• Support corporate and cross-functional initiatives and contribute to ensure that internal policies, processes and systems are aligned with the overall regulatory framework, and are practical, relevant and add value to organizational operations.

4. Contribute to Knowledge Management and Capacity Building

• Contribute to legal knowledge and information management within the Administrative Law Practice and across the organization.

• Support in maintaining and actively sharing knowledge and information about administrative law matters and other related legal matters within LG so that it can be easily disseminated to relevant stakeholders throughout the organization.

• Keep abreast of internal and external developments and best practices.

• Develop and provide training on administrative law matters. 

• Support the Legal Advisor in the development of guidance notes for LG and to clients on legal topics. 

• Advanced university degree (master's or equivalent) in law is required.

• A first-level university degree in law (Bachelor’s or equivalent) from an accredited university in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

• Satisfaction of all requirements to practice law in a national jurisdiction of a UN Member State is required.

• Minimum of five (5) years of professional legal experience, defined as experience as a lawyer/counsel in administrative or international law, including legal analysis, legal advice, legal research and drafting of legal texts.

• Experience in administrative, employment or labour law is required.

• Experience in working with the status and the privileges and immunities of international organisations is desirable.

• Experience with Staff Regulations and Rules, policies and operations of the United Nations or other similar international organization is desirable.

• Legal experience at the United Nations is desirable.

• Demonstrated experience in communicating complex legal concepts across a range of audiences is required.

Contract type: Staff
Contract level: P3
Contract duration: One year initially, renewable subject to satisfactory performance and funding availability.

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.

• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.

• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures,  languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 

• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.

• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process.  If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions 

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 

• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.

• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.