SENIOR RULE OF LAW OFFICER

Job Description

This position is located in UNMISS’s Rule of Law Advisory Section, with duty station Juba, which is classified in the “E” category and as a non-family duty station. The Rule of Law Advisory Section is charged with supporting government efforts to rebuild justice sector institutions, implement the peace agreement, promote accountability for gross violations of human rights, and reform the security sector. The Senior Rule of Law Officer will report directly to the Chief of Service, Rule of Law.

Responsibilities

• Under the direct supervision of the Chief of Service Rule of Law, the Senior Rule of Law Officer will be responsible for the following duties:
• Supports the Chief of Service, Rule of Law in the development of mission-wide strategies, policy direction and guidance for the mission’s activities in promoting the rule of law and maintaining a repository of such material; • Assists the Chief of Service, Rule of Law in supporting the mission leadership in efforts to strengthen linkages between the police and broader justice and corrections institutions;
• Supports the Chief of Service, Rule of Law in facilitating stronger coordination of rule of law programme activities across all mission components and international community;
• Prepares analytical reports, background papers, talking points and other technical legal documents to advise and guide mission leadership, national partners, and international community on matters related to national legal reform and the broader rule of law architecture;.
• Actively contributes to the formulation of the Team’s overall strategies, policies, programme of work and planning processes;
• Participates in the training of staff of the Rule of Law Advisory Section and other related sections; fosters teamwork and communication among staff in the Rule of Law and across organizational boundaries;
• Perform other related duties as requested.

Competencies

Professionalism: -Knowledge of the substantive role of the UN on the rule of law in general and of UN interventions on specific areas/themes related to the rule of law in particular -Shows ability to produce reports and papers on substantive issues and to coordinate, review and edit the work of others -Shows ability to apply UN rules, regulations, policies and guidelines in work situations -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 -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 Planning & Organizing: -Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies -Identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required -Allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work -Foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning -Monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary -Uses time efficiently Creativity: -Actively seeks to improve programmes or services -Offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs -Promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas -Takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks “outside the box” -Takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things -Is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches BuildingTrust: -Provides an environment in which others can talk and act without fear of repercussion -Manages in a deliberate and predictable way -Operates with transparency; has no hidden agenda -Places confidence in colleagues, staff members and clients -Gives proper credit to others -Follows through on agreed upon actions -Treats sensitive or confidential information appropriately 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 that the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision -Makes tough decisions when necessary

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in law, or bar qualification or equivalent, in addition to a first-level degree in law, is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of relevant legal experience in the field of justice and/or rule of law assistance may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Job – Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience as a practicing lawyer, prosecutor, judge, legal academic, legal consultant, or adviser in the field of justice is required. A minimum of five years of field experience obtained outside of the applicant’s country of nationality providing technical assistance and coordination for the development or reform of corrections, police, and other justice sector institutions is required. Five years of work experience working on the topic of rule of law and transitional justice in conflict and post-conflict societies is required. Experience preparing reports, background papers, talking points, and correspondences on rule of law for senior management is required. Experience working on the development and implementation of transitional justice mechanisms, including providing technical advice or coordination for the establishment of accountability mechanisms and use of informal or traditional justice mechanisms, is desirable. Experience working in a peacekeeping mission in the region is desirable Experience working in multidisciplinary teams is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English (both oral and written) is required.

Assessment

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

Special Notice

• This position is temporarily available for six months with a possibility of extension subject to funding. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment.
• While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post.
• Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station. 
• This temporary job opening may be limited to “internal candidates,” who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15.
• Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply.Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation.
• Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as “retirement.” Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service.
• Qualified women that meet the requirements of this job opening are particularly encouraged to apply and will be given full consideration in accordance with the United Nations efforts to increase women participation in its workforce.

United Nations Considerations

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. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

Source: https://careers.un.org/jobSearchDescription/256689?language=en