Legal Associate

Background

The United Nations Development Programme is the global development network of the United Nations system that is on the ground in 177 countries, with its Headquarters in New York, USA. The Bureau for Management Services (BMS) is the central operations Bureau in UNDP Headquarters that supports the organization in key management areas, including legal affairs. The Bureau provides operational/management infrastructure services and solutions for UNDP to achieve programme and development results, among other issues, ensuring policy adherence in operations management within UN Rules & Regulations and safeguarding UNDP’s accountability vis-à-vis United Nations Member States and other relevant partners.

The Office of Legal Services (OLS) is part of the Bureau for Management Services (BMS) and is the exclusive source of legal advice on operational matters to the Administrator and all UNDP business units. The legal services provided by BMS/OLS guide organizational priority-setting and decision-making within UNDP’s mission, as well as the overall framework of the Sustainable Development Goals and UNDP’s Strategic Plan.

The Legal Associate will be supporting BMS/OLS under the direct supervision of the General Counsel and Director, Office of Legal Services (General Counsel).

Duties and Responsibilities

Reporting to the General Counsel and the Deputy Director BMS/OLA, the Legal Associate will carry out general administrative/office support, legal research and related activities which will comprise the following:

Provide administrative support to the General Counsel and the Deputy Director;

Provide administrative support for the Office of Legal Services, including purchasing, recruitment, budget and Atlas functions, in accordance with applicable policies and procedures;

Provide general office support services; process, draft, edit, proofread and finalize for signature/approval a variety of correspondence and other communications, specialized legal documentation; set up and maintain files/records (electronic and paper); schedule appointments/meetings, monitor deadlines, etc.;

Conduct basic research on assigned issues, using existing legal files and alternative sources (e.g.computer-assisted searches using the internet, intranet or other databases) verify facts, identify citations, precedent, issues to be addressed, etc.;

Assist in the maintenance of a body of legal reference files, both paper and electronic, to ensure rapid retrieval of critical information; conduct reference searches upon request; review material and determine appropriate file classification category; identity material for inclusion in files; coordinate with archives on retirement, storage and retrieval, including development of proposals for consideration;

Review, verify and process legal instruments, ensuring conformity to relevant guidelines and requirements; extract key data and update databases; monitor requisite follow-up actions, approvals, etc.;

Draft, edit and conduct final check for accuracy of a variety of documentation, legal publications, and related correspondence;

Handle a variety of verbal written inquiries from internal and external parties, including providing detailed information on processes and procedures related toa a range of legal activities, instruments, issues, etc.;

Maintain internal databases on cases for tracking and trend analysis; assist in maintenance of the legal page of the intranet;

Perform other ad hoc duties as assigned.

Competencies

Core

Innovation

Ability to make new and useful ideas work

Adapts deliverables to meet client needs

Leadership

Ability to persuade others to follow

Proactively seeks and recognizes contributions of others

People Management

Ability to improve performance and satisfaction

Appropriately involves team in different stages of work and decision-making

Communication

Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform

Expresses information and views with adaptive reasoning and appreciation for complexity and variation

Delivery

Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement

Takes responsibility for addressing critical situations and delivering core value

Technical/Functional:
Legal (General)

Knowledge of legal issues facing the UNDP and ability to apply them to strategic and/or practical situations

Design Thinking

Knowledge of method(s) for practical, creative resolution of problems and creation of solutions with the intent of an improved future restuls.

Knowledge Management

Ability to capture, develop, share and effectively use information and knowledge.

Research (General)

Knowledge of analytical tools, market research and methods for undertaking substantive research on various policy related issues.

Priority Setting

Ability to scan and synthesize diverse sets of information to arrive at strategic priorities and positioning recommendations.

Quality Assurance

Ability to perform administrative and procedural activities to insure that quality requirements and goals are fulfilled.

Office Administration

Ability to manage day to day office activities to meet operational needs.

Team building

Ability to work effectively with diverse groups of professionals towards common goals.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:
Completion of secondary education is required; legal/paralegal education is an advantage;

University degree is desirable.

Experience:
A minimum of six years’ progressively responsible administrative and general office experience, involving wide contact with diplomatic personnel, and including extensive experience in research paralegal/legal work, conference servicing or library work;

Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) is required; and experience in handling of web-based management systems (e.g. atlas), is an advantage.

Language Requirements:
Proficiency in the English language is required.

Working knowledge of other UN language is desirable.

Disclaimer

Disclaimer

Important information for US Permanent Residents (‘Green Card’ holders):

Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment.

UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

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