SENIOR LEGAL OFFICER

Org. Setting and ReportingThis position is located in the General Legal Division (GLD) of the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs (OLA). The incumbent reports to the Principal Legal Officer, and the Director, of the General Legal Division. The United Nations Secretary-General is responsible for the investment of the assets of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF). The Secretary-General has delegated this responsibility to the Representative of the Secretary-General for the investment of the assets of the UNJSPF (RSG). The RSG is assisted in this function by the Office of Investment Management (OIM). OIM manages a US$90+ billion multi-asset class, global investment portfolio, about 85% of which is actively managed in-house. Asset classes under management comprise global equities, fixed income, foreign exchange, private equity, private credit, real estate and infrastructure. ResponsibilitiesWithin delegated authority, and under the direction of the Principal Legal Officer and Director of the General Legal Division, the Senior Legal Officer may be responsible for the following duties: • Works in the area of international commercial law and independently handles a wide range of highly complex, and often sensitive and/or conflicting legal matters involving issues relating to international, public, private commercial and administrative law, to include interpretation and application of instruments in that area. • Provides advice on all legal aspects of the Fund's investments and related investment activities, including the negotiation of a wide range of agreements and documents relating to the investment of multiple classes of assets in global public and private markets, as well as associated custody, advisory and other related arrangements. • Provides legal advice on a wide range of highly complex international investment transactions in sectors such as private equity, real estate and infrastructure. • Provides legal advice on the interpretation of legal instruments and legal frameworks as well as UN and UNJSPF regulations, rules, and policies. • Coordinates with external legal advisors engaged by the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs. • Supervises the work of other legal officers dealing with legal questions related to the investment of the assets of the UNJSPF and the UNU Endowment Fund. • Provides legal advice on a diverse range of highly complex or novel substantive and procedural questions of law relating to the investment activities of the Fund. • Organizes and supervises research studies and the preparation of legal opinions, as well as performs extensive legal research and analysis on highly complex or novel legal issues/questions and prepares legal opinions, studies, briefs, reports, and correspondence. • Undertakes the review and drafting and/or supervision of drafting of highly complex or novel contracts, agreements, institutional and operational modalities, legal submissions, and other legal documents; develops new legal modalities to meet unique needs/circumstances. Advises on and supervises the review, negotiations and drafting of legal instruments, documents or submissions required in connection with the resolution of commercial disputes, as well as contracts, agreements, and other legal documents; develops new legal modalities to meet unique needs/circumstances. • Supervises the defence and pursuit of claims, negotiates settlement of major claims and prepares legal documentation relating to such settlements. • Provides legal advice to senior officials on the interpretation of legal instruments. • Serves in various standing boards, committees, ad hoc working groups and task forces of the UNJSPF and/or the UN Secretariat, as required; promotes the work of the United Nations and represents the Organization at meetings, conferences, seminars, etc. • Contributes to the review and design of new, or new applications of, legal instruments, policy, guidelines, systems, etc. • Supervises and participates in preparing legal publications of the unit. • Performs other duties as assigned. CompetenciesProfessionalism: In-depth theoretical knowledge of, and extensive experience in, the practical application of international law, global investment procedures and transactions, including international commercial matters and/or the law of international organizations. Extensive knowledge of business law and practice relating to, corporate finance, private equity, real estate and other commercial transactions. In-depth knowledge of the legal documentation and processes relating to institutional investments in public and private markets. Ability to apply legal expertise to analysing a diverse range of complex and unusual legal issues and problems and in developing innovative and creative solutions in handling legal matters. Knowledge of various contract management resources, strong analytical skills and ability to conduct comprehensive legal research on a range of issues, including those of a unique and/or complex nature and ability to conduct research and analyse information on a wide range of investment and contract management issues; proficiency in legal writing and expression and ability to prepare briefs, opinions, or legal submission/motions, and a variety of legal instruments or related documents. Ability to apply concepts and procedures and terminology for review, examination, and processing of a range of legal documents. Ability to interpret and apply legislative instruments, develop and present results, recommendations, and opinions clearly and concisely. Ability to draft formal documents and work under pressure. Ability to apply discretion and sound judgment in applying legal expertise to sensitive, complex legal issues and in the context of assignments given. Strong negotiating skills and ability to influence others to reach agreement. Ability to work to tight deadlines and handle multiple concurrent projects/cases. 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. • Planning and 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. • 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. Managerial Competencies • Managing Performance: Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority; makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member; accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches task to skills; monitors progress against milestones and deadlines; regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff; encourages risk-taking and supports creativity and initiative; actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff; appraises performance fairly. • 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 the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary. EducationAdvanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in 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. Admittance to the bar of, or otherwise qualified to practice law in, a Member State of the United Nations is required Job - Specific QualificationNot available. Work ExperienceA minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in commercial law (including international commercial law) with a focus on investment matters, including legal analysis, research and writing, acquired at a law firm or at the legal department of a global investment institution, government or multilateral development bank, or in the legal office of an international intergovernmental organization is required. Experience representing institutional investors is desirable. Experience providing comprehensive general legal services on commercial matters to an international organization is desirable. Experience providing legal advice on derivatives transactions is desirable. Experience in working with the status and the privileges and immunities of international organizations is desirable. Experience representing limited partners and/or fund managers in legal aspects of private markets investment transactions (private equity, real estate, infrastructure) is desirable. LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French is desirable. Knowledge of another official UN language is an advantage. AssessmentEvaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview. Special Notice• This position is temporarily available until 31 December 2025. 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. 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. United Nations ConsiderationsAccording 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 FeeTHE 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.