The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. Corporate Services Division (CSD) is the guardian of UNEP's corporate interest, mitigating its exposure to risk and supporting the organization with management tools, plans and related capacity building. It oversees UNEP's efficient and effective management, in line with UNEP's accountability requirements, rules, regulations and UN core values. This post is located in UNEP's Corporate Services Division (CSD) Legal Unit, at the Nairobi duty station. Under the supervision of the Director, CSD, the incumbent will be responsible for the following duties:

• Lead and manage the work of the Legal Unit, CSD, aligned to key performance indicators (KPI) for client service and case management of all work streams under the Unit, ensuring timely and high-quality provision of legal advice and services to the Executive Director, senior management, divisions and regional offices and UNEP-administered multilateral environmental agreements as necessary. • Independently handle a wide range of multi-discipline, highly complex, and often sensitive and / or conflicting legal matters involving issues relating to international, public, private, contract and administrative law, from interpretation to application of instruments. • Provide authoritative legal advice on diverse range of highly complex or novel substantive and procedural questions on UN administrative regulations and rules, which may include those related to administration, staff relations and management, institutions support, procurement and legal partnership agreements with donors, implementing partners and multi-stakeholders platforms and initiatives as well other operational matters. • Review, draft and negotiate agreements and legal instruments, including Memoranda of Understanding, Host Country Agreements, Donor Agreements, and other implementing legal agreements between UNEP, Member States and external partners in a timely manner with solution-driven approaches, while adhering to internal controls. • Advise on risk management, compliance and accountability frameworks and contribute to the formulation of internal policies, administrative instructions and standard operating procedures. • Organize and supervise research studies and the preparation of legal opinions, as well as perform extensive legal research and analysis on highly complex or novel legal issues /questions and prepare studies, briefs, reports, and correspondence. • Manage conduct and discipline cases using an effective case management system that keeps track of progress; acts as the key liaison officer for investigations managed by the Office of Internal Oversight services (OIOS); leads on management of assessments and investigative cases to be handled directly by UNEP. • Supervise the defense and pursuit of claims on behalf of the organization; negotiate dispute settlements and prepare legal documentation relating to such settlements. • Represent, supervise the representation of the organization before the Management Advice and Evaluation Section (MAES) in the Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance (DMSPC) and Office of the Under-Secretary-General (OUSG) and the United Nations Dispute Tribunal (UNDT). • Provide legal guidance on the interpretation and application of the UN Charter, UN staff regulations and rules, UN financial regulations and rules, administrative issuance's and internal policies . • Serve on various standing boards, committees, ad hoc working groups and task forces, as required; promote the work of the UN and represent the organization at meetings, conferences and seminars. • Leads team members efforts to collect and analyze data and provides insight to identify trends or patterns for data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting. Ensures that everyone can discover, access, integrate and share the data they need. • Perform any other related duties assigned.

PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of international national and international public law both substantive and procedural. Ability to apply legal expertise to analyzing a diverse range of complex and unusual legal issues and problems and in developing innovative and creative solutions in prosecuting complex criminal cases. Strong analytical skills and ability to conduct comprehensive legal research on a range of issues, including those of a unique and/or complex nature; proficiency in legal writing and expression and ability to prepare legal briefs, opinions, indictments or legal submissions/motions, and a variety of legal instruments and related documents. Ability to lead and cross-examine witnesses and make substantial legal arguments before Chambers of Judges. Discretion and sound judgment in applying legal expertise to sensitive, complex legal issues. Strong negotiating skills and ability to influence others to reach agreement. Ability to work under tight deadlines and handle multiple concurrent projects / cases. Demonstrated knowledge of contemporary international relations, the UN system and its organizational interrelationships, with proficiency in leveraging artificial intelligence as a supporting tool. The ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. TEAMWORK: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others' ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect one's own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings. CLIENT ORIENTATION: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be "clients" and seeks to see things from clients' point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients' needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients' environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client. LEADERSHIP: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow; empowers others to translate vision into results; is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support; anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions; drives for change and improvements; does not accept the status quo; shows the courage to take unpopular stands. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing. JUDGEMENT/DECISION MAKING: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly; gathers relevant information before making a decision; considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization; proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; checks assumptions against facts; determines the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary.

An advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in public international, or international corporate law or related fields is required. A first level university degree in law in combination with two (2) additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is desirable.

Additional training in public international law, institutional law or international administrative law is desirable.

A minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in law, including legal analysis and negotiation in an international or multicultural setting is required. At least five (5) years of experience in the drafting, reviewing, negotiating, and developing of international agreements and other legal instruments, such as Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs), Host Country Agreements, and Conference Agreements between the UN and Member States or other stakeholders, is required. Experience in reviewing administrative instructions, legal representation in matters related to the UN or a similar international organization’s internal justice system, including coordination and preparation of responses, is required. Experience in reviewing legal partnership agreements with donors, implementing partners and multi-stakeholders and providing legal advice including on any contractual and/or commercial claims made against the organization is required. Experience in leading/ conducting independent assessments under strict confidentiality, of conduct and discipline related cases with legal advice to senior management is required. A minimum of three (3) years of experience in managing a legal office or unit and supervising the work of legal officers within the UN system or a similar international organization, including responsibility for work planning, strategic planning, and preparation of financial or administrative documents, is required. Experience of preparing, coordinating and delivering trainings on international law, including UN regulations and rules or from similar international organization is desirable. Experience providing legal advice at the senior management level on complex institutional or operational matters is desirable. Experience with legal risk management and compliance in organizational decision-making is desirable. Experience in data analytics or related area such as using artificial intelligence in legal practice is desirable.

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English is required. There are no additional desirable languages. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult

https://languages.un.org

for details).

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Required Languages

Language

Reading

Writing

Listening

Speaking

English

UN Level III

UN Level III

UN Level III

UN Level III

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which will be followed by competency-based interview.

Appointment against this position is for an initial period of one (1) year and may be subject to extension. External candidate selected for this position will be granted a fixed-term appointment limited ("FTA-limited") in accordance with section 2.2 (b) of administrative instruction ST/AI/2013/1 on Administration of fixed-term appointments. Renewal of appointment is contingent upon continued existence of mandate and availability of funding. If this position is discontinued, the incumbent will be separated from service. United Nations Secretariat staff members who meet the definition of "internal candidate" in staff rule 4.10 who are selected for this position will be reassigned or transferred to the position, without a lien to their parent position. Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures. Staff members of the United Nations Secretariat must fulfil the lateral move requirements to be eligible to apply for this vacancy. Staff members are requested to indicate all qualifying lateral moves in their Candidate Profile (CP) and motivation statement. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. When completing the Candidate Profile form, ensure ALL fields, ALL professional experience and contact information are completed and up to date. This information is the basis for the hiring manager to assess your eligibility and suitability for the position and to contact you. Individual Contractors and Consultants who have worked within the UN Secretariat in the last six months, are ineligible to apply for or be appointed to any professional and higher temporary or fixed-term positions, within six months of the end of their current or most recent service. For such positions, at least six months need to have elapsed between the end of a consultancy or individual contract and the time of application and consideration for an appointment as a staff member under the Staff Rules and Regulations of the United Nations. The requirement is not applicable when a person considered for appointment is serving or has previously served as an affiliated personnel (for example as a consultant, individual contractor, intern or gratis personnel) with a specialized agency or an Office, Fund or Programme – such as UNHCR, UNICEF, UNDP or UNOPS – which is separately administered and funded from voluntary contributions. At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. On-line applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply on-line as soon as possible after the job opening has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the job opening. If you do not receive an e-mail acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. If the problem persists, please seek technical assistance through the Inspira "Contact Us" link.

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. All external candidates recruited in accordance with section ‎2.2 (a) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment without limitation and all external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2. (c) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment limited to the entity are subject to an initial probationary period of one year under a fixed-term appointment. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.