Va legal officer p 3 hq amman

UNITED NATIONS RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY FOR PALESTINE REFUGEES IN THE NEAR EAST UNRWA UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and is mandated to provide assistance and protection to a population of some 5 million registered Palestine refugees. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and the Gaza Strip to achieve their full potential in human development, pending a just solution to their plight. UNRWA’s services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, microfinance and emergency assistance. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions. For its international team, UNRWA is seeking a qualified candidate for the position of:

Legal Officer (UNRWA Dispute Tribunal) Vacancy Announcement Number Grade

14-HQ-AM-8 P-3

Deadline for Applications Duty Station

4 March 2014 Amman

Under the supervision of the Registrar, the Legal Officer (UNRWA Dispute Tribunal) will be responsible for providing substantive technical and administrative support to the Registrar and the Judge(s) of the UNRWA Dispute Tribunal in the discharge of their functions in accordance with the Statute, Rules of Procedure and any Practice Directions of the UNRWA Dispute Tribunal. In accordance with the Statute, Rules of Procedure and Practice Directions of the UNRWA Dispute Tribunal and the established Agency policy and procedures and within delegated authority, the incumbent will: Primary Duties and Responsibilities • Identify legal issues; draft, review and advise on Judgments and Orders; respond or assist in the preparation of responses to complex legal inquiries and correspondence involving interpretation and application of administrative law; assist the Tribunal in producing accurate, comprehensive judgments by reviewing draft judgments for any inconsistencies or inaccuracies to ensure editorial uniformity prior to dissemination; • Provide substantive technical and administrative support and prepare background materials and summaries of issues, as required, to the Judges of the UNRWA Dispute Tribunal in the adjudication of cases; • Attend meetings and provide legal and ad hoc advice on diverse substantive and procedural questions and emerging issues, as required; Review submissions to the Tribunal to ensure that they meet procedural requirements and identify, where applicable, cases that are amenable to

informal resolution, such as third party conciliation or mediation, to be brought to the attention of a Judge for possible referral to the Mediation Division; Conduct extensive legal research and provide detailed analysis of cases and jurisprudence; Assist in maintaining the Tribunal’s Registers (electronic and online), including the Tribunal’s case law and jurisprudence databank, and ensure the publication and dissemination of the decisions, rulings and judgments rendered by the Tribunal, in the official languages, through the agreed media; Assist in the preparation of reports on the work of the Tribunal to the Commissioner-General and other bodies, as may be mandated; Assist the Registrar in the overall supervision and guidance of the administrative officers and translators.

Professional Knowledge and Experience A university degree from an accredited educational institution in law, with an emphasis on administrative or international law; • At least six years of progressively responsible experience in law, two years of which should be at an international level outside one’s home country; experience in administrative law and judicial structures and procedures at the international level is preferred; experience in an international public organization is preferred; • Excellent command of written and spoken English at native language level.

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Competencies Excellent communication, negotiation skills and demonstrated ability to handle sensitive situations diplomatically; Excellent interpersonal skills; independent, disciplined, loyal, self-confident and self-assured; Excellent writing and legal research skills; Ability to work under pressure and within a team; Flexible, able to assess and analyse situations quickly, objectively and prudently; Ability to establish priorities and to plan work assignments; Good knowledge of MS Office applications and computer/IT systems.

Desirable Qualifications Comprehensive knowledge of Staff Rules relevant to UNRWA or other United Nations common system agencies; experience working in or appearing before an administrative tribunal; • Advanced university degree in law.

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Additional information The incumbent will be required to travel in the Agency’s area of operations.

Equivalency When the minimum requirements are not fully met, the Director of Human Resources may exceptionally substitute part of the unmet requirements with a combination of relevant academic qualification, additional professional training and progressive relevant work experience. NB: Work experience alone or formal qualifications with no relevant work experience are not considered an acceptable combination.

Conditions of Service UNRWA offers an attractive compensation package including annual salary starting at $60,205 net tax free with dependants or $56,198 single, plus post adjustment of 48%

(subject to change without notice). Other benefits, subject to eligibility, include education grant, dependency allowance, home leave, pension fund, health insurance and 6 weeks annual leave. All UNRWA duty stations (with the exception of Gaza and Syria) are family duty stations. Initial contract is for one year, with the possibility of further extensions subject to the availability of funds and the continuing need for the post.

How to Apply To start the application process, applicants are required to register at http://jobs.unrwa.org by creating a personal profile and completing UNRWA Personal History Form. Please note that UNRWA only accepts degrees from accredited educational institutions. Only applications received through http://jobs.unrwa.org will be considered. Due to the large number of applications received for UNRWA vacancies, only applicants short-listed for interview will be contacted.

The United Nations does not charge fees at any stage of the recruitment process (application, testing, interviewing, etc). The United Nations does not concern itself with information related to bank accounts.

General Information UNRWA encourages applications from qualified and experienced women.

UNRWA welcomes applications from qualified candidates with disabilities.

UNRWA is a United Nations organization whose staff are expected to uphold the highest standards of integrity, neutrality and impartiality. This includes respect for and commitment to human rights, diversity, and non-violent means of dealing with all kinds of conflict. UNRWA staff are expected to uphold these values at all times, both at work and outside. Only persons who fully and unconditionally commit to these values should consider applying for UNRWA jobs. UNRWA is a non-smoking work environment.

The Agency reserves the right not to make an appointment, to make an appointment at a lower grade, or to make an appointment with a modified job description.

On appointment, all individuals will be asked to sign a self attestation, confirming that they have not committed, been convicted of, or prosecuted for, any criminal offence and that they have not been involved, by act or omission, in the commission of any violation of international human rights law or international humanitarian law.

Date of issue: 3 February 2014/CF