Organizational Setting

The Legal Office of FAO ensures that FAO’s activities are carried out in accordance with its Constitution and the other Basic Texts of the Organization, consistent with its status as an intergovernmental organization of the United Nations system, and that its relations with governments, organizations and individuals are based on a sound legal basis.

The Development Service of the Law Office (LEGN) provides legal advisory services to governments on food and agriculture and natural resources (including land, water, fisheries and aquaculture, plants, animals, food, forestry, wildlife, environment, climate change and biodiversity), as well as general agricultural issues (institutions, trade, economic reform).

It is anticipated that LEGN will need external specialists to help provide legal technical support for several FAO projects and other activities in the Africa region and its different sub-regions and in Asia.

This call for expressions of interest is for the purpose of identifying suitably qualified experts in Development Law to be included on the roster for consideration for short-term assignments with LEGN, ranging from a few days to a maximum of 11 months (on a when-actually-employed basis). This call is aimed at experts with various levels of experience. The experts would be located at the various FAO offices or home based. The assignments may cover a number of activities, or be dedicated to a specific issue or activity related to the legal aspects of areas under the mandate of FAO.

Candidates who have already been informed of their inclusion in the LEGN roster list of specialists do not need to resubmit their application to this call for expressions of interest.

Reporting Lines

The Development Law Specialist reports to the Chief, LEGN while day-to-day supervision is provided by a designated Legal Officer (LEGN).

Technical Focus 

Legal research and advisory services to Governments in relation to food and agriculture and the management of renewable natural resources in the Africa and Asia region.

LEGN seeks to identify candidates who may cover one or more of the technical areas under the Development Law Service per FAO’s mandate:
•    Agricultural law, including agricultural health (food safety, phytosanitary and veterinary legislation; antimicrobial resistance), sustainable agricultural production (seeds, pesticides, organic farming and other marketing systems) and other areas of agricultural law (supply chain regulation mechanisms, contract farming, agricultural finance, cooperatives and other farmers’ organisations, agricultural insurance schemes);
•    Food and nutrition security, right to adequate food, school meals and nutrition;
•    Climate change laws in relation to agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture and forests;
•    Enabling environment for responsible investments in agriculture and food systems;
•    Fisheries and aquaculture;
•    Food systems transformation
•    Forests, wildlife, grazing;
•    Gender mainstreaming within legal frameworks;
•    Social protection in rural areas and decent rural employment;
•    Sustainable land management, sustainable water management, sustainable Wildlife production;

LEGN is particularly interested in identifying qualified candidates to support its work in Africa and Asia in the areas of:
•    Plant and animal health, food safety and quality, in particular support to the development, harmonization and implementation of existing animal health laws and regulations, at (sub)regional and national levels.
•    Food and nutrition security and the human right to adequate food, in particular to support the implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines in support of the progressive realization of the right to adequate food in the context of national food security.
•    Fisheries and aquaculture laws to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, including through the implementation of the Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (PSMA) and instruments related to IUU fishing.

Tasks and responsibilities

The tasks and responsibilities of each selected Development Law Specialist will be defined in the Terms of Reference for the specific assignment. Specialists working with LEGN are normally called upon to provide advice to contribute to the progressive development of national legal systems, to review draft laws, to participate in or lead legislative drafting projects, to analyse, evaluate and explain various laws, legal systems or alternative legal approaches. The specialist will carry out his tasks within FAO’s Strategic Framework 2022-31 for the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the FAO Policy on Gender Equality.

The incumbents will work under the supervision and close guidance of the Legal Officers. The nature of the tasks and responsibilities that will usually be assigned to them are:
•    preparing project concept notes;
•    support the design of projects involving different relevant technical units, as well as regional, subregional and national FAO offices;
•    prepare, review and update work plans;
•    support the development and implementation of training and capacity-building activities;
•    preparing materials, conducting legal research, preparing legal notes, reports and written advice;
•    preparing or contributing to legal publications and analyses; and
•    attend internal and external meetings, and report as per the reporting line on the results achieved.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•    University degree in Law.
•    Advanced Legal degree (LLM) would be an asset
•    At least five years of relevant legal work experience in development law.
•    Working knowledge of either French or English, and limited knowledge of the other language (whether English or French). Knowledge of Portuguese and/or Spanish is desirable.

FAO Core Competencies

•    Results Focus
•    Teamwork
•    Communication
•    Building Effective Relationships
•    Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills 

Applicants must have demonstrated interest in the technical areas listed above, as well as strong analytical, legal research and writing skills.

Selection Criteria 

•    Degree of knowledge and experience in legal issues related to a relevant technical areas;
•    Degree of experience in developing national legislative and regulatory measures to implement international agreements, codes, guidelines or other instruments;
•    Experience in legal drafting and development in Africa and Asia;
•    Ability to conduct legal research and analysis;
•    Ability to write clear and concise reports and draft legal texts, legislative and regulatory instruments;
•    Experience working with international or regional organizations or other entities in a relevant field;