Key Legal Expert - International (Project Management Support Specialist) - Retainer

Remote | Home Based - May require travel

Organization: UNOPS - United Nations Office for Project Services
Location: Remote | Home Based - May require travel
Grade: Mid level - LICA-10, Local Individual Contractors Agreement
Occupational Groups:
- Legal - Broad
- Legal - International Law
- Project and Programme Management
- Documentation and Information Management
Closing Date: 2025-04-22

Job categories Legal

Vacancy code VA/2025/B5131/29968

Department/office ECR, AUMCO, Albania

Duty station Home based

Contract type Local ICA Specialist

Contract level LICA Specialist-10

Duration Up to 70 working days within 1 years, with possibility of extension subject to performance and availability of funds.

Application period 07-Apr-2025 to 22-Apr-2025

Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement.

Functional Responsibilities

Under the supervision and guidance of the Senior Project Manager, the Key Legal Expert is responsible for providing support to the project team for the implementation of the activities, as follows:

Legal Analysis: Assess existing national laws, regulations, and policies relevant for the implementation of project activities and provide the overview of the legislative base related to the identified processes and data flows;; identify potential legal gaps, risks and compliance issues, and if necessary propose the judicial amendments.
Stakeholder Engagement and Legal Updates: Regularly consult with stakeholders, including government agencies, judicial institutions, and EU representatives, to stay informed about developments on property rights, state cadastre and land parcel management. Monitor changes in national laws, regulations, and best practices, adapting strategies to address emerging legal risks and ensure alignment with current standards.
Alignment with EU Regulations, Standards and Integration: Analyze and consider relevant EU regulations, standards, practices, and requirements related to property rights, land parcel management and administration. Ensure that project activities and outputs align with EU acquis and support Albania's broader objectives of harmonization with EU frameworks.
Technical and Quality Support: Contribute to the design and development of proposed solutions by offering relevant legal analysis and advisory support, ensuring compliance with national and EU regulations. This includes evaluating legal gap analysis, including addressing data protection and privacy concerns.
Risk Assessment and Mitigation: Support the project manager in conducting preliminary risk assessments to identify factors that could impact project viability from regulatory perspectives, and recommend proactive solutions.
Due Diligence and Documentation: Prepare a due diligence checklist, document legal advice and compliance activities as requested by the supervisor.
Review and Advisory: Evaluate local best practices and research on copyright, intellectual property, data protection, information security, procurement, and contracting.

The advice provided by the Law Advisor will be limited to providing necessary local law advice in the context of project implementation and the matters listed above. Any issue that relates to other legal matters shall be referred to UNOPS Legal Group.

Matters falling under the purview of UNOPS Legal Group include, but are not limited, to the following:

Legal clearance and interpretation of engagements and any amendments thereof;
Legal clearance of deviations to and interpretation of General Conditions in UNOPS grant agreements and procurement contracts, including works contracts;
Legal advice related to disputes between UNOPS and external parties, including representation of UNOPS in legal proceedings;
Other legal advice related to UNOPS’ operations that does not require local law advice;
Legal advice related to UNOPS privileges and immunities and UNOPS’ status as a UN entity;
Administrative law advice and personnel disputes.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

Education

Advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) preferably in law or a closely related area is required or 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.
A certification in Law is an advantage.

Experience

At least 5 years experience in legal analysis, with specific emphasis on property rights and land administration.
Familiarity with EU regulations especially in relation to property rights, land administration and LPIS is required.
Experience in providing legal advisory on Eu accession is an asset.
Expertise in data protection and privacy laws (e.g., GDPR or local data protection regulations) is desirable.
Knowledge of information security regulations, and best practices for protecting sensitive data and systems is an asset.
Experience in the region is an advantage.

Language Skills

Fluency in English is required.

We do our best to provide you the most accurate info, but closing dates may be wrong on our site. Please check on the recruiting organization's page for the exact info. Candidates are responsible for complying with deadlines and are encouraged to submit applications well ahead.

Before applying, please make sure that you have read the requirements for the position and that you qualify.
Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.

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