Legal Analyst at UNOPS

Based in New York, USA, the UNOPS Legal Group serves all the regions and headquarters, primarily with legal advice and services to address issues arising from UNOPS’ operations and activities.

 Functional Responsibilities

• The Legal Analyst will report directly to UNOPS’ heads of Unit or workstream, under the overall supervision of the Deputy General Counsel.  
• The Legal Analyst works with all the teams within the Legal Group, as well as with the Integrated Practice and Support (IPAS) Legal team at UNOPS Headquarters in Copenhagen if necessary, to assist in the provision of legal advice and services under the direct supervision of Unit and workstream leads in LG. The quality of the provision of advice and services must enable UNOPS to deliver its mission to help people build better lives and countries achieve peace and sustainable development. 
• As a Legal Analyst, you will require a good understanding of the operational context UNOPS works in. You must be a good communicator, open to challenges and comfortable learning how to navigate complexity. Your analytical skills will allow you to assist in the preparation and implementation of plans to address operational matters, remove blockages and follow through with opportunities.  
• In order to exercise their legal responsibilities, the incumbent acts with designated authority provided by the Units or workstream leads, under the overall supervision of the Deputy General Counsel. 

Core Functions:

Advice on administrative and commercial law as well as institutional and dispute resolution matters:

• Assist in the provision of legal advice on the application of UNOPS Staff and Financial Rules and Regulations;
• Review and analyze various documents, assessing institutional risk and assisting in addressing institutional, commercial and administrative law issues; 
• Assist in the analysis of human resources and commercial disputes and claims against the Organisation;
• Support the implementation of UNOPS standards and coordination and review of audit responses; follow-up of the implementation of audit recommendations;
• Provide advice on and/or development and institutionalization of new approaches and standards relevant to the legal practice;
• Develop and maintain a system for keeping records of decisions made and actions taken.
• Perform other duties as required.

Business Efficiency 

• Assist in ensuring a systematic approach to collect and address issues, feedback and suggestions from operations in regards to improvements of policies, processes and systems related to finance. 
• Assist in working closely with other HQ and field business units to address business critical issues and find solutions that are fit for purpose and contribute with specialist and practical knowledge to policy development to be responsive to UNOPS strategy; to improve efficiencies and strengthen internal controls.
• Assist in ensuring data analytics of the Legal Group related data to identify risks, opportunities, trends and root causes with a view to mitigate risks;  
• Assist in contributing to cross-functional initiatives to ensure that internal policies, processes and systems and tools are aligned with the overall regulatory framework, practical, relevant and add value to organisational operations. 

Knowledge management and capacity building 

• Assist in contributing towards long-term solutions through the development and improvement of processes for efficient project implementation, including by assisting in ensuring a systematic approach to collect and address issues, feedback and suggestions from operations in regards to improvement of processes related to root causes of legal issues. 
• Assist in ensuring knowledge and information on legal  matters is maintained and shared actively within the team, and packaged in appropriate formats that can be easily communicated with the country offices.  
• Keep abreast of internal and external developments and best practices and assist in providing recommendations to relevant stakeholders.
• Perform any other duties, as requested by the heads of units or workstream in the Legal Group or the Deputy General Counsel and General Counsel, including in respect to human resources, ICT and procurement matters.
•  Education/Experience/Language requirements

Education: 

• Advanced University degree (Master's or equivalent) preferably in international or commercial law or a closely related area is required;
• A first-level university degree preferably in law (Bachelor’s or equivalent) from an accredited university in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• Minimum 2 years of professional experience in law is required;
• Satisfaction of all requirements to practice law in a national jurisdiction of a UN Member State is desirable;
• Within the 2 years of professional experience, experience in the application of regulations and rules, policies, procedures and decision-making processes of an international organisation is desirable;
• Experience analysing legal issues and conducting legal research in support of a legal office/government agency/international organisation is desirable;
• Experience in commercial arbitration is desirable;
• Experience in working with the status and the privileges and immunities of international organisations is desirable.

Language requirements:

• Fluency in English, both written and verbal, required. 
• Knowledge of another UN language such as French and Spanish is an advantage;