Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located within the International Trade Law Division (ITLD), Office of Legal Affairs (OLA), which serves as a substantive Secretariat to the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) and is based in Vienna, Austria. The Associate Legal Officer reports to a Senior Legal Officer as first reporting Officer, and to the Director of the Division as second reporting Officer. For more information on UNCITRAL please visit https://uncitral.un.org/

Responsibilities

Within assigned authority, the Associate Legal Officer will be responsible for the following specific duties: • Conduct legal research and analysis and prepare studies in international trade and investment law, comparative studies, briefs, reports and correspondence. • Assist legal officers in the review of legal documents, instruments, or other material; identify important issues, similarities, and inconsistencies, etc. • Assist in the preparation of drafts of background papers, studies, reports, legislative texts and commentaries on those texts, also prepare or assist in the preparation of teaching materials in the field of international trade and investment law as well as private international law, etc. • Assist senior colleagues in servicing meetings of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) and its subsidiary bodies, conferences, expert groups and other bodies (in-person and hybrid), including preparation of background materials, summaries of issues and views of delegations, meeting reports, etc. • Assist senior colleagues in organizing and servicing informal sessions and in preparing portions of draft reports. • Assist in administering programmes of legal technical assistance. • Assist with the preparation of international trade law seminars and symposia, lecture on various legal issues at such events. • Assist legal officers managing the legal content for the UNCITRAL website and social media platforms in developing and maintaining the content of the UNCITRAL website and help to ensure that information is posted in a coordinated and structured manner. • Contribute to the collection and analysis of data as well as identification of trends or patterns and provide draft insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods for data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting. • Perform other work-related duties as assigned.

Competencies

Professionalism: Is able to apply legal principles, concepts and procedures and terminology for review, examination, and processing of a range of legal documents. Has knowledge of various legal research sources, including electronic, and is able to conduct research and analyse information on a wide range of legal issues. Has knowledge of the civil law and/or common law legal systems and principles. Is able to interpret and apply legislative instruments, develop and present results, recommendations, and opinions clearly and concisely. Is able to draft legal papers and work under pressure. Is able to apply good legal judgement in the context of assignments given. Has ability to analyse 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. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed. 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.

Education

An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in international law is required. A first-level university degree in law in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. A first-level university degree and no experience will be accepted for candidates who have passed the Young Professionals Programme Examination/United Nations National Competitive Recruitment Examination (NCRE) or the General Service to Professional Examination (G to P).

Job – Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of two years of progressively responsible professional experience in commercial law, comparative law, international trade or investment law, including legal analysis, research and writing OR the successful completion of the Young Professionals Programme Examination/United Nations National Competitive Recruitment Examination (NCRE) or the General Service to Professional Examination (G to P) is required. Work experience in international dispute settlement, preferably investor-State dispute settlement in international finance including secured transactions using a wide range of assets is desirable. Work experience in servicing formal inter-governmental meetings including agenda setting and identification of speakers is desirable. Experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another United Nations official language is desirable.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise and a competency-based interview.

Special Notice

This temporary position is expected to be available until 31 March 2025. Filling of this position and actual duration of the assignment are subject to availability of funding. If the selected candidate is an internal staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection may 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. 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. 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. 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. Vienna is classified in the H category (family duty station). Pursuant to section 7.11 of ST/AI/2012/2/Rev.1, candidates recruited through the young professionals programme who have not served for a minimum of two years in the position of their initial assignment are not eligible to apply to this position.

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.

No Fee

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.