Company Description
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an international organisation comprised of 38 Member countries, that works to build better policies for better lives. Our mission is to promote policies that will improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world. Together with governments, policy makers and citizens, we work on establishing evidence-based international standards, and finding solutions to a range of social, economic and environmental challenges. From improving economic performance and creating jobs to fostering strong education and fighting international tax evasion, we provide a unique forum and knowledge hub for data and analysis, exchange of experiences, best-practice sharing, and advice on public policies and international standard-setting.
The Directorate for Legal Affairs (LEG) provides advice and information on the legal, institutional and procedural aspects of the Organisationโs activities. The International Law and Accession Division (ILAD) serves as co-ordinator of the OECD standard-setting activities and provides legal support to OECD governing and substative bodies in relation with their governance and global relations. ILAD also serves as co-ordinator of the discussions with candidate countries for OECD membership, which involves acting as interlocutor for the candidate countries, OECD Members and the different parts of the Secretariat. It further involves supporting the review by OECD committees of the candidate countriesโ alignment with some 260 OECD legal instruments as well as their evaluation of the candidate countriesโ policies and practices.
We are looking for a Junior Legal Advisor whose work will focus on assisting in the co-ordination of accession discussions. In this context, we are currently co-ordinating the accession discussions with Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Croatia, Indonesia, Peru, Romania and Thailand. The successful candidate, who will work under the relevant Heads of Unit and Legal Advisers, will be adept at legal analysis and drafting, whilst also possessing excellent organisational skills and attention to detail. S/he will thrive on multi-tasking in a fast-paced environment, process large quantities of information and demonstrate good political and diplomatic sensitivity.
Job Description
Main Responsibilities
Legal Work on Accession
Assist in providing legal and procedural advice and support to Directorates in the preparation of accession reviews of candidate countries. Participate in the discussions of relevant OECD bodies, as appropriate.Carry out research and provide legal advice on the interpretation of the OECD legal instruments against which candidate countries are evaluated.Assist in preparing reports and providing legal advice to the OECD governing bodies on the status of the accession discussions and external relations.Assist in the negotiation of an agreement with the candidate country on the privileges and immunities of the Organisation.Liaise with, and provide legal and procedural advice to the candidate countries on the accession process.Accession Co-ordination
Prepare first drafts of briefing materials and analysis on the status of the accession process for the Secretary-General and other senior officials.Help facilitate the liaison between candidate countries, the Secretariat and Member countries, and actively contribute to the organisation of the visits to candidate countries.Develop drafts of guidance for Directorates on legal and procedural issues and contribute to the organisation of regular inter-directorate meetings to facilitate internal co-ordination.Keep track of developments in the accession process and ensure the appropriate flow of information amongst the various Directorates.Assist, as necessary, in any other work that may be required as part of the co-ordination of the accession process.Other duties
Carry out any other legal work that may be required from the Directorate.Qualifications
Ideal Candidate Profile
Academic Background
An advanced degree in law (e.g. masters), with specialisation in public international law.Professional Background
Languages
An excellent written and oral command of one of the two official languages of the OECD (English and French) and working knowledge of the other. Ability to verify the equivalence of texts in both languages.A working knowledge of Portuguese, Spanish, Bahasa or Thai would be an asset.Core Competencies
OECD staff are expected to demonstrate behaviours aligned to six core competencies which will be assessed as part of this hiring processes: Vision and Strategy (Level 1); Enable People (Level 1); Ethics and Integrity (Level 2); Collaboration and Horizontality (Level 2); Achieve Results (Level 1); Innovate and Embrace Change (Level 1).To learn more about the definitions for each competency for levels 1-3, please refer to OECD Core Competencies.Additional Information
Closing Date
This vacancy should be filled as soon as possible, and applications should reach us no later than midnight 20 May 2025 (Paris time).Contract Duration
12 month fixed-term appointment, with the possibility of renewal to a maximum of 36 months.What the OECD offers
Depending on level of experience, monthly salary starts at 5 185 EUR, plus allowances based on eligibility, exempt of French income tax.Click here to consult the Staff Regulations applicable to officials of the OECD. Please note that from 1 July 2025, all Official appointments will be made under the OECDโs new contractual modalities.Click here to learn more about what we offer and why the OECD is a great place to work. Click here to browse our People Management Guidebook and learn more about all aspects relating to people at the OECD, our workplace environment and many other policies supporting staff in their daily life.Please note that the appointment may be made at one grade lower in the specified job family, based on the qualifications and professional experience of the selected applicant.This vacancy may be used to create a pool of candidates for comparable positions, both for open-ended and fixed-term functions.Selection Process
For retained candidates, the selection process may include a video-recorded interview, job-based assessment and panel interviews. We plan to hold panel interviews in mid-June.
The OECD is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes the applications of all qualified candidates who are nationals of OECD member countries, irrespective of their racial or ethnic origin, opinions or beliefs, gender, sexual orientation, health or disabilities.
The OECD promotes an optimal use of resources in order to improve its efficiency and effectiveness. Staff members are encouraged to actively contribute to this goal.