Legal Specialist

The Legal Group (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 spans various topics, including host-country agreements, privileges and immunities, disputes with external parties, administrative/HR law, partnership agreements, grants, procurement contracts, and the establishment of hosted initiatives, joint programs, and multi-donor trust funds. It also involves working with outside counsel, pro bono law firms, and the UN Office of Legal Affairs (OLA) as needed.

The Legal Specialist is a member of LG’s Dispute Resolution Practice and reports to the Legal Advisor, Dispute Resolution. S/he plays a key role in contributing to the Practice’s work by providing timely, high‑quality dispute resolution advice in the context of UNOPS projects worldwide, with the objective of protecting the organization from financial and reputational risks.

Under the overall supervision of the Legal Advisor, the Legal Specialist manages an assigned portfolio of complex disputes with a high degree of independence and professional judgment. S/he is responsible for keeping the Legal Advisor informed of material developments and risks, seeking guidance as appropriate, and escalating matters of significant complexity, sensitivity, or institutional importance.

The Legal Specialist is also expected to contribute substantively to the Practice’s institutional learning and capacity‑building efforts. In addition, s/he may be required to provide other legal advice under the responsibility of LG as needed, including in connection with administrative, institutional, and commercial law matters.

The Legal Specialist works closely with UNOPS country and regional offices, as well as policy units and other specialized teams, and is expected to demonstrate a strong understanding of the diverse operational environment in which UNOPS operates. S/he is a strong communicator, open to challenges, and capable of handling complex legal issues in a fast‑paced environment.

In exercising these functions, the Legal Specialist acts within the delegated authority of the General Counsel and in accordance with applicable instructions and internal frameworks. 

The Legal Specialist is expected to travel from time to time, as required by operational needs.

1. Provide Dispute Resolution Advice

• Under the supervision of the Legal Advisor, independently manage a portfolio of complex disputes between UNOPS and external parties arising from commercial contracts.

• Serve as the lead legal officer on assigned matters, responsible for developing case strategy, identifying and mitigating legal risk, coordinating with external counsel, and advising project offices and other internal stakeholders.

• Lead UNOPS’ representation in settlement negotiations, mediations, conciliations, and arbitration proceedings, as delegated, ensuring that legal processes are effectively managed and institutional interests are safeguarded.

• Prepare or review draft submissions, correspondence, legal opinions, and other legal documents to ensure alignment with institutional frameworks.

• Keep the Legal Advisor informed of key developments and escalate matters of significant complexity or institutional sensitivity as needed.

• Contribute to legal risk mitigation by engaging early in potential disputes, assessing legal exposure, and shaping resolution strategies that align with UNOPS’ operational and institutional objectives.

1. Provide Other Support to UNOPS Operations 

• Advise on legal issues relating to UNOPS’ privileges and immunities.

• Review and negotiate legal agreements with external parties.

• Contribute to the application and interpretation of internal policies and the UNOPS legal framework.

• Provide legal advice on other institutional, administrative, or commercial law matters under LG’s responsibility, as required.

1. Contribute to Business Efficiency

• Contribute to regular reporting on UNOPS’ legal risk exposure and support the development and maintenance of systems for tracking and analyzing dispute trends, outcomes, and costs.

• Analyze dispute-related data to identify systemic risks, inefficiencies, and opportunities for early intervention, and advise on improvements to internal processes or practices.

• Collaborate with other legal advisors, project teams, and policy units to find timely, legally sound solutions to operational challenges across different contexts.

• Contribute to the development and refinement of the UNOPS regulatory framework and internal guidance materials, drawing on lessons learned from disputes and formal proceedings.

• Support corporate and cross-functional initiatives aimed at improving the alignment of legal, policy, and operational systems, ensuring that procedures are practical, consistent with UNOPS’ legal framework, and responsive to delivery realities.

 4.   Contribute to Knowledge Management and Capacity Building

• Contribute to institutional learning by capturing insights and lessons from dispute resolution activities and integrating them into guidance materials, legal tools, and policy recommendations.

• Develop or contribute to internal legal training sessions, briefings, and workshops to build capacity within the Legal Group and across operational teams.

• Engage in cross-practice knowledge-sharing to improve legal awareness and strengthen risk mitigation at project and country office level.

• Maintain and update internal repositories, templates, and knowledge products related to dispute resolution and legal risk management.

• Monitor external developments in arbitration, public international law, and commercial dispute resolution and share relevant trends and best practices with colleagues and stakeholders.

*This position can be based either in Copenhagen or remotely (home-based). For remote roles, please note that the individual is expected to work during Copenhagen working hours.

Required

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in Law or related fields with 7 years of relevant experience OR

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in any of the above or related fields with 5 years of relevant experience is required

Required

• A minimum of five (5) years of professional legal experience in international commercial dispute resolution is required. Relevant dispute resolution experience may include roles as legal counsel in a law firm, in-house legal advisor, legal officer in an international organization, or other positions involving the management, coordination, or resolution of commercial disputes.

Desired

• Prior experience as a lawyer in a  law firm representing clients in international commercial and/or investment arbitration is highly desirable. 

• Experience in infrastructure and construction-related disputes is a strong asset.

• Experience advising on the privileges and immunities of the United Nations or other international organizations is a strong asset.

• Experience providing legal advice within or in support of a government agency, international organization, or comparable public-sector institution is an asset.

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
• Please note that UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. 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. 
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience requirements outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to considering all candidates in a fair and transparent manner, and we value diverse perspectives and experiences, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals with diverse 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.

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here. 
• For more details about the contract types, please click here.
• 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.