Head, Administrative Law Section

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING APPLICATION DEADLINE:  please note that the deadline for applications is indicated in local time as per the time zone of the applicant’s location.

1.     Organizational Context

a.    Organizational Setting

The post is located in the Office of the Legal Counsel (OLC). OLC is responsible for providing legal advice and assistance to the Director General, to the bodies of WIPO Member States and to the Secretariat on constitutional, administrative, contractual, and general legal matters, and in respect of the depository functions of WIPO-administered treaties, in harmony with statutory requirements and applicable law.

b.    Purpose Statement

The incumbent is required to manage the activities of the Administrative Law Section and assume primary responsibility for, and advise and act on, legal aspects of administrative and personnel matters, ensuring high standards of quality and timeliness of service delivery.

c.     Reporting Lines

The incumbent works under the immediate supervision of the Deputy Legal Counsel, and overall supervision of the Legal Counsel.

2.     Duties and Responsibilities

The incumbent will perform the following principal duties:

a.   Lead, plan and control the Section’s program of work, determining priorities and allocating resources for the completion and timely and quality delivery of work products in accordance with results-based management principles; manage staff of the Section and consultants and evaluate their work.

b.   Represent the Organization before the WIPO Appeal Board and the ILO Administrative Tribunal; prepare and review pleadings and other necessary documents submitted to these bodies.

c.   Provide legal advice and recommend solutions on complex administrative and personnel matters, including employment contractual arrangements for and obligations of staff, pension matters, secondments, transfers and loans of staff members from other United Nations common system organizations.

d.   Assist in the resolution of legal questions relating to the interpretation of the Staff Regulations and Rules and to disputes as to their application.

e.   In close collaboration with the Human Resources Management Department, leading and coordinating the work of the Administrative Law Section in creating and upgrading HR practices and policies.

f.    Provide legal advice and recommend solutions on the functioning of the administration of justice system in the Organization, including revisions, amendments or a complete overhaul thereof; provide legal advice and represent the Organization’s interests in disputes relating to disciplinary matters, and in the rebuttal/appeal process related to the performance appraisal system.

g.   Review, comment upon, and clear draft documents prepared by other offices of the Organization in respect of administrative law matters; participate in meetings and closely coordinate with concerned programs on issues with legal implications.

h.   Represent the Office of the Legal Counsel and the Organization in conferences and meetings with representatives of other international organizations on administrative law issues, as well as other legal matters as required.

i.    Perform other related duties as required.

3.     Requirements

Education (Essential)

Advanced university degree in law, preferably with a specialization in international administrative law. A first-level university degree in law plus two years of relevant professional experience in addition to the experience requested below may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience (Essential)

At least ten years of relevant professional experience in the practice of law, including in the field of international administrative law.

Supervisory experience and extensive legal experience in an intergovernmental organization, preferably the UN or a UN system organization, government legal department or law firm, with experience in the interpretation of staff regulations and rules, or equivalent experience.

Experience (Desirable)

Admission to the Bar in a national jurisdiction.

Language (Essential)

Excellent written and spoken knowledge of English or French and good knowledge of the other language.

Job Related Competencies (Essential)

Expert knowledge of the law of the international civil service, including policy issues pertaining thereto.

Wide knowledge of the legal problems, practices and procedures of the organizations of the United Nations system.

Ability to formulate legal opinions on complex questions and draft complex legal texts.

Skilled in the identification and in-depth consideration of implications of new or revised policies, and in the formulation of legal advice and alternative solutions to problems.

Supervisory skills and ability to provide leadership.

Ability to negotiate legal instruments and providing advice on matters of international administrative law to competent authorities, delegations, bodies, as well as contacts with other legal offices of the United Nations common system.

Ability to communicate complex legal subject-matters to a diverse audience.

Excellent organizational skills.

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and ability to maintain effective partnerships and working relations in a multicultural environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.

Competent user of Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint, and the internet, and the ability to adapt quickly to new software.

Ability to manage diverse and multicultural teams.

4.     Organizational Competencies

1.     Communicating effectively.

2.     Showing team spirit.

3.     Demonstrating integrity.

4.     Valuing diversity.