General Counsel and Director, Office of Legal Services (OLS)

Mercy Corps


JOB DESCRIPTION

Background
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP:  we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.
UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
UNDP’s General Counsel and Director, Office of Legal Services (OLS), in the Bureau for Management Services (BMS/OLS), provides strategic legal services of the highest possible standard for UNDP, UNCDF and UN Volunteers. The General Counsel provides strategic legal advice to the Administrator, Associate Administrator, Director of BMS, the Executive Group and other headquarters units, regional centers and country offices, on all aspects of the mandate and operational issues, covering administrative, corporate and institutional legal matters. The legal services provided by BMS/OLS guide organizational priority-setting and decision-making within UNDP’s mission, as well as the overall framework of the Sustainable Development Goals and UNDP’s Strategic Plan.
The General Counsel leads and ensures efficient and effective management of the Office of Legal Services including its staff and financial resources. He/she works under the overall strategic guidance of the Administrator, reports to BMS Director and works closely with the Executive Group to ensure effective communication and information flow that facilitates smooth and predictable decision-making. The General Counsel also serves as the main interlocutor for UNDP’s liaison to the UN Office of Legal Affairs and represents UNDP’s interests and those of its affiliated funds in the HLCM Legal Network and the UNDG Legal Group.
Duties and Responsibilities:

Under the direct supervision of the Director, Bureau for Management Services, the General Counsel has the overall responsibility for the following areas:

  • Strategic legal advice, guidance and counsel to the Administrator and Executive Group
  • Prepare and negotiate standard and non-standard legal instruments, contractual arrangements and other agreements.
  • Effective management of the Office of Legal Services and its resources.
  • Keeps abreast of general conditions from a legal perspective that affect all UNDP offices/divisions and its affiliated funds, as well as the broader UN, and the specific issues that may have direct effect on UNDP and its affiliated funds.
  • Represent UNDP with other legal entities at meetings with other United Nations entities, Members States and national authorities and institutions.

The General Counsel is expected to:

1) Provide strategic legal advice, guidance and counsel:

  • Serves as the head of the corporate legal office and is responsible for providing the highest quality legal analysis and advice to the Administrator and the Executive Group on a wide range of complex and strategic issues in relation to UNDP operations in Headquarters, Regional Hubs and Country Offices.
  • Through the OLS staff, provides counsel to Headquarters units, Regional Hubs, Country Offices and other offices/unites, as well as to UNDP’s affiliated funds/offices.
  • Leads the development of a corporate legal strategy that promotes and protects organizational interests. Provides strategic advice during senior-level negotiations of complex contracts, and other legal instruments, agreements and arrangement with external partners (including but not limited to other United Nations organizations, civil society and the private sector).
  • Provides advice and counsel towards ongoing alignment and implementation of evolving programme initiatives, strategies and operational practices, from the corporate and institutional perspective.
  • Prepare and negotiate standard and non-standard legal instruments, contractual arrangements and other agreements.
  • Prepare and/or negotiate standard and non-standard legal instruments and contractual arrangements. including complex commercial contracts, agreements to implement UNDP operational and programmatic activities with various development partners.
  • Prepare and/or negotiate standard and non-standard legal instruments and agreements for the receipt of contributions, as well as settlement of claims arising therefrom, in accordance with the applicable policies and procedures as well as provide advice on questions of interpretation of such instruments and arrangements.
  • Prepare and/or negotiate in coordination with relevant regional and central bureaus and country offices, as appropriate, standard basic assistance agreements with countries, host country agreements, office agreements and other partnership agreements to support UNDP’s objectives and activities in accordance with existing policies and procedures, and provide advice on questions of interpretation and implementation of such instruments.

2) Effective management of the Office of Legal Services and its resources:

  • Formulates and implements the substantive work of the legal office under his/her supervision, determining priorities, and allocating resources for the completion of outputs and their timely delivery.
  • Plans and ensures timely performance planning, management and assessment of the team.
  • Leads a team of corporate counsels/legal specialists and support staff.
  • Monitors efficient use of resources, and ensuring compliance with established policies, rules and procedures.
  • Oversees and supports the effective, equitable and efficient operations of the office’s financial, human resource and administrative systems.
  • Promotes team work to ensure harmonization, collaboration, linkages and synergy and ensures that staff members are provided sufficient information, guidance and support to perform their duties and deliver results.
  • Ensures that the outputs produced by the legal office maintain high-quality standards; that reports are clear, objective and based on comprehensive data. Ensures that all outputs produced meet required standards before completion to ensure they comply with the relevant mandates.

3) Knowledge Management and Representation:

  • Keeps abreast of general conditions from a legal perspective that affect all UNDP offices/divisions and its affiliated funds, as well as the broader UN, and the specific issues that may have direct effect on UNDP and its affiliated funds.
  • Represent the Organization before the internal system of justice, handling cases at the first stage of formal appeal (management evaluation stage) and at the court of first instance (UN Dispute Tribunal).
  • Serves as the organization’s focal point for international tribunals and courts and law enforcement authorities globally.
  • Represents UNDP and its affiliated funds at international, regional, inter-agency meetings, seminars and conferences; provides programmatic/substantive expertise on legal issues, and/or holds programmatic/substantive and organizational discussions with representatives of other institutions.
Competencies
Core Competencies – UNDP Core Competencies can be found here.
  • Achieve Results – LEVEL 4: Prioritize team workflow, mobilize resources, drive scalable results/strategic impact
  • Think Innovatively – LEVEL 4: Easily navigate complexity, encourage/enable radical innovation, has foresight
  • Learn Continuously – LEVEL 4: Create systems and processes that enable learning and development for all
  • Adapt with Agility – LEVEL 4: Proactively initiate/lead organizational change, champion new systems/processes
  • Act with Determination – LEVEL 4: Able to make difficult decisions in challenging situations, inspire confidence
  • Engage and Partner – LEVEL 4: Construct strategic multi-partner alliances in high stake situations, foster co-creation
  • Enable Diversity and Inclusion – LEVEL 4: Create ethical culture, identify/address barriers to inclusion

People Management 

UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

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Cross-Functional & Technical competencies 
Legal – Knowledge of applicable legal framework:
  • Understanding of the legal norms as applied to the United Nations in general, and to UNDP in particular. This includes an understanding of the structure, functioning and operations of UNDP within the broader UN system and the application of international treaties, including the UN Charter, GA resolutions, the relevant basic country assistance agreement and UN system-wide legal instruments, as well as an understanding of the internal legal framework (financial regulations and rules, policies, and procedures) of UNDP.
Legal – Legal advocacy and presentation skills:
  • The ability to articulate and present legal analysis orally, both in a persuasive and objective format and for a variety of different audiences (e.g. the governments, administrative tribunals, arbitrators, management, donors, and other partners). This skill requires an ability to identify lines of argument, anticipate counter-arguments, interact in a dynamic and engaging way about legal issues, as well as the ability to think on one’s feet and strategically, in a solution-oriented manner, when confronted with new facts or issues within the context of a discussion or presentation.

Business Direction & Strategy – Strategic Thinking:

  • Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP’s objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities; linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions
  • Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight in order to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UNDP

Business Direction & Strategy – Systems Thinking:

  • Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP’s objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks, and opportunities; linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions
  • Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight in order to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UNDP

Business Direction & Strategy – Negotiation and Influence:

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  • Ability to reach an understanding, persuade others, resolve points of difference, gain advantage in the outcome of dialogue, negotiate mutually acceptable solutions through compromise, and creates ‘win-win’ situations.

Business Direction & Strategy – Effective Decision Making:

  • Ability to take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one’s authority, area of expertise and resources

Business Management – Resource Management:

  • Ability to allocate and use resources in a strategic or tactical way in line with principles of accountability and integrity
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
  • Advanced university degree in Law (LLM or J.D.) with specialization in public international law is required. National Bar Exam is considered an asset.
  • A first level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in the abovementioned field, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration lieu of the advanced university degree.
  • Passing the National Bar Exam is considered an asset.
Experience:
  • A minimum of 15 years (with advanced university degree) or 17 years (with Bachelor’s degree) of relevant professional and managerial experience in a law function within the public, private and/or not-for-profit sector at both national and international levels, is required
  • Strong understanding and knowledge of the United Nations system, including the privileges and immunities of international organizations, and international administrative law as practiced in international organizations is an asset.
  • Experience in a private practice or as in-house counsel in a large organization is desired.
  • An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential. Staff members appointed to the current position are required to submit a financial disclosure statement upon assignment or appointment and annually thereafter.
  • Excellent research, legal writing and drafting skills are required.

Language Requirements:

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  • Fluency in English is required
  • Knowledge of another UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French Russian or Spanish) is considered an asset.

Please note that continuance of appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.

Disclaimer
Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment.
UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.
Applicant information about UNDP rosters
Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.
Non-discrimination
UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.
UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.
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