Senior Legal Officer

    

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING APPLICATION DEADLINE\:  Please note that the deadline for applications is indicated in local time as per the time zone of the applicant’s location.

    

 

    

 

1. Organizational Setting

    

   The post is located in the Office of the Legal Counsel (OLC). OLC is responsible for providing legal advice and assistance to the Director General, to the bodies of WIPO Member States and to the Secretariat on constitutional, administrative, contractual, and general legal matters and in respect of the depository functions of WIPO-administered treaties, in harmony with statutory requirements and applicable law.  OLC also supervises the work of the WIPO Judicial Institute.

    

2. Purpose Statement

    

   The main role of the incumbent is to advise and act on legal aspects of human resources and administrative matters.

    

3. Reporting Lines

    

   The incumbent works under the supervision of the Head, Administrative Law Section.

    

     

    

 

The incumbent will perform the following principal duties\:

    

 

a.  Represent the Organization before the WIPO Appeal Board and the ILO Administrative Tribunal; prepare and review pleadings and other necessary documents submitted to these bodies.

    

 

b.  Assist in the resolution of legal questions relating to the preparation and application of the Staff Regulations and Rules and to disputes as to their application.

    

 

c.  Advise on legal aspects, and represent the Organization's interests in disputes relating to disciplinary matters.

 

 

d.  Provide advice on the legal acceptability of proposed actions and remedies for actions relating to personnel already taken with or without financial implications for the Organization.

    

 

e.  Provide legal advice on the Organization's grievance procedures and represent the Organization's interests in the rebuttal/appeal process related to the performance appraisal system.

    

 

f.   Perform other related duties as required.

    

 

    

 

Education

 

Essential

 

Advanced university degree in law.  A first-level university degree plus an additional two years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

 

 

Desirable

 

Specialization in administrative law.

    

 

Experience

 

Essential

 

At least seven years of relevant professional work experience in the area of law gained in an intergovernmental organization or national administration or by working for a law firm of which a minimum of four years must be in, or related to, administrative law.

    

 

At least four years of experience in litigation gained at the domestic or international level.  Experience in the application and interpretation of the staff regulations and rules of intergovernmental organizations or of comparable administrative legislation.

    

 

Desirable

 

Admission to the Bar in a national jurisdiction.

    

 

Experience of working in a UN common system organization.

    

 

Language

 

Essential

 

Excellent knowledge of written and spoken French and ability to draft legal texts in French; good knowledge of English.

    

 

Desirable

 

Knowledge of other UN official languages.

    

 

Job Related Competencies

 

Essential

 

Sound knowledge of applicable legal principles of international administrative law.
 

 

Ability to formulate legal opinions on complex questions and draft complex legal texts. 

    

 

Ability to conduct comprehensive legal research independently.

 

Ability to communicate complex legal subject matters to a diverse audience.

    

 

Negotiation skills.

 

Excellent organizational skills with the ability to work under pressure and to respect deadlines.

 

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and ability to maintain effective partnerships and working relations in a multi-cultural environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.

 

Competent user of Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint and the internet, and the ability to adapt quickly to new software.

    

 

Desirable

 

Knowledge of case law, practices and procedures applicable to UN common system organizations.

   

 

 

 

    

 

1. Communicating effectively.

2. Showing team spirit.

3. Demonstrating integrity.

4. Valuing diversity.

5. Producing results.

6. Showing service orientation.

7. Seeing the big picture.

8. Seeking change and innovation.

9. Developing yourself and others.

    

    

 

 

 

 

Mobility\:  WIPO staff members are international civil servants subject to the authority of the Director General and may be assigned to any activities, office or duty station of the Organization.  Accordingly, the selected candidate may be required to move from time to time to new functions and/or to another duty station.

 

 

 

Annual salary\:

 

Total annual salary consists of a net annual salary (net of taxes and before medical insurance and pension fund deductions) in US dollars and a post adjustment.  The post adjustment (cost of living allowance) is variable and subject to change without notice in accordance with the rates as set within the UN Common System for salaries and allowances.  The figures quoted below are based on the June 2019 rate of 66.1%

 

 

 

P4
Annual salary	$72,637
Post adjustment	$48,013
Total Salary	$120,650
Currency USD

 

 

 

Salaries and allowances are paid in Swiss francs at the official rate of exchange of the United Nations.

 

 

 

Please refer to WIPO’s Staff Regulation and Rules for detailed information concerning salaries, benefits and allowances.

 

 

 

Additional Information

 

 

 

Initial period of two years, renewable, subject to satisfactory performance.  No fixed-term appointment or any extension hereof shall carry with it any expectancy of, nor imply any right to, (further) extensions or conversion to a permanent appointment.

 

 

 

This vacancy announcement may be used to fill other posts at the same grade with similar functions in accordance with Staff Rule 4.9.5.

 

 

 

Applications from qualified women as well as from qualified nationals of unrepresented Member States of WIPO and underrepresented geographical regions are encouraged. Please click on the following links for the list of unrepresented Member States and the list of underrepresented regions and the WIPO Member States in these regions.

 

 

 

The Organization reserves the right to make an appointment at a grade lower than that advertised.

 

 

 

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By completing an application, candidates understand that any willful misrepresentation made on this web site, or on any other documents submitted to WIPO during the application, may result in disqualification from the recruitment process, or termination of employment with WIPO at a later date, if that employment resulted from such willful misrepresentations.

 

 

 

In the event that your candidature is shortlisted, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of an identification and of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WIPO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link\: http\://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and these will be reviewed individually.

 

 

 

Additional testing/interviewing may be used as a form of screening.  Initial appointment is subject to satisfactory professional references.

 

 

 

Additional background checks may be required.