Org. Setting and Reporting
The International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. It is composed of 15 judges, elected by the General Assembly and the Security Council. The Court has a twofold role: first, to settle, in accordance with international law, through judgments which have binding force and are without appeal for the parties concerned, legal disputes submitted to it by States; and, second, to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by duly authorized United Nations organs and specialized agencies.
The Court is the only principal organ of the United Nations not serviced by the Secretariat and has its own Registry, which provides judicial support to the Court and acts as a permanent administrative organ. The Registry is headed by a Registrar, elected by the Court. The Registry of the International Court of Justice is seeking to create a roster of suitable candidates to serve, on a temporary basis, as Executive Assistant to Judges, in particular to temporarily replace, sometimes at short notice, staff members on different types of leave, such as parental leave or sick leave.
Executive Assistants report directly to a Member of the Court. For administrative purposes, their work is also subject to the supervision of the Co-ordinator of Judges' Executive Assistants and the overall guidance of the Deputy Registrar.
Responsibilities
The Executive Assistant (EA) provides executive support to the Judge and ensures smooth and efficient administrative support that is aligned with the organization's values. Responsibilities include performing executive and administrative functions, supporting the Judge's judicial work and relationships with the Registry, as well as providing support in personnel management processes, financial processes, procurement, travel administration, and communications. The EA also supports office decision-making processes, administrative processes, protocol, benefits, and performs other executive duties as needed.
1. Provide Support in the administration of the Judge’s office: The EA performs executive and administrative duties such as: managing calendars informing Judges about office administrative tasks i.e. keeping an updated worklog of the Judge’s team and following up, when necessary, on the completion of tasks assigned to other team members discussing task prioritisation with the Judge paying attention to the confidential and sensitive nature of the information handled ensuring deadlines are met for own tasks preparing documentation for meetings
acting as the main contact for internal and external administrative requests screening calls bringing urgent administrative matters to the Judge's attention supporting office meetings, drafting summaries, and ensuring follow-up actions are completed on time providing support to Judges on administrative and financial processes and queries providing basic IT assistance as may be required collaborating with other EAs and ensuring seamless administrative coverage and task coordination across the office.
2. Provide effective communication and information support to the Judge’s office: The EA supports the Judge by reviewing, prioritizing and routing routine correspondence in English and/or French and/or Dutch to and from the Judge’s office and taking proactive follow-up action and keeping the Judge informed. The EA prepares routine correspondence; reviews documents and reports to ensure spelling, punctuation and formatting are correct. The EA interacts with the Associate Legal Officers (Law Clerks) and the Legal Department in the preparation of documents related to draft decisions, legal opinions, and committee reports. EAs will help ensure these documents are submitted accurately and in line with Court deadlines.
3. Assist the Associate Legal Officer & Judicial Fellow with the preparation and organisation of documentation essential for judicial work, supporting the production of a diverse range of documents and presentations.
4. Compile information and documentation and downloads legal articles as required by the Judge. Maintains legal reference collections in both physical and electronic formats, coordinating with Archives Department for file storage and retrieval. The EA also updates databases and contact lists to ensure data accuracy; performing other assigned administrative duties as necessary.
5. Provide support in the administration of the Judge’s relations with the Registry and external relations: The EA assists in matters pertaining to administrative, financial, travel, and diplomatic affairs; ensuring timely communication of administrative instructions, guidelines, and reports from the Registry to the Judge's office; identifying and presenting potential administrative efficiencies in the office; calendarizing the Judge’s interactions with Court Members, the Department for legal matters, diplomatic corps, international organizations, academic institutions, and external entities; involved in organizing visits and events involving the diplomatic community, high ranking officials and UN executives.
6. Provide support, as required by the Judge, in matters related to dealings and interactions with local government and municipal offices. This is done in collaboration with the office of the Registrar or the Deputy Registrar and typically pertains to issues such as documentation registration, taxation matters and other personal matters resulting from the Judge’s relocation to the Hague.
7. Assist in the onboarding for newly elected Judges, handling logistics, administrative tasks, and travel arrangements. The Executive Assistant will also assist with installation needs. For retiring Judges, the EA arranges administrative and travel logistics and provides support for six months post-separation to ensure compliance with UN guidelines.
8. Assist in HR administration activities such as recruitment processes for the Judge’s office, onboarding support for new law clerks and judicial fellows, and provide support for internal and external training activities. The EA also assists in organizing ICJ tours, supporting the coordination of high-level meetings and events, and may serve as a contact point for projects chaired by the Judge.
9. Upon request, the EA provides informal translations of legal or academic documents in both English and French for the Judge.
Competencies
Professionalism: 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. Commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects 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 the audience. Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed. Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals. Solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others. Places team agenda before personal agenda. Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position.
Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings. Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments. Delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards. Operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules. Supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments. Takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.
Education
High school diploma or equivalent is required. A university degree is an asset.
Work Experience
A minimum of seven (7) years of relevant and progressively responsible experience in a professional and/or international environment, supporting senior executives is required. The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced to five (5) years for candidates who possess a first university degree. Experience in the use of computer applications and software packages such as Microsoft Office is required. A solid understanding and etiquette and diplomatic protocol is desirable. Experience in a legal/judicial environment is desirable. Familiarity with the United Nations Common System or similar international organizations is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the official languages of the Court. UN Level III (Advanced) in one of these languages is required. UN Level II (Intermediate) in the other language is required. Knowledge of other official languages of the United Nations or Dutch would be an asset. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult https://languages.un.org for details) .
Required Languages
Language | Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking
English | UN Level III | UN Level III | UN Level III | UN Level III
French | UN Level II | UN Level II | UN Level II | UN Level II
OR
French | UN Level III | UN Level III | UN Level III | UN Level III
English | UN Level II | UN Level II | UN Level II | UN Level II
Desirable Languages
Language | Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking
Arabic | UN Level I | UN Level I | UN Level I | UN Level I
Chinese (Mandarin) | UN Level I | UN Level I | UN Level I | UN Level I
Russian | UN Level I | UN Level I | UN Level I | UN Level I
Spanish | UN Level I | UN Level I | UN Level I | UN Level I
Dutch | UN Level I | UN Level I | UN Level I | UN Level I
Assessment
Assessments will include a written test and a competency-based interview.
Special Notice
The Registry of the International Court of Justice is seeking to create a roster of suitable candidates to serve, on a temporary basis, as Executive Assistant to Judges, in particular to temporarily replace, sometimes at short notice, staff members on different types of leave, such as parental leave or sick leave. Candidates should have no expectation of any fixed-term appointment possibility after the end of a temporary appointment.
If the selected candidate is a Registry staff member, the selection will be recorded as a temporary assignment.
A staff member holding a temporary appointment shall be regarded as an external candidate when applying for other positions. The Court is an equal opportunity employer and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons with disabilities, to apply to become a staff member. This post is subject to local recruitment pursuant to United Nations Staff Rule 4.4.
All staff in the General Service and related categories are in principle recruited in the country or within commuting distance of the seat of the Court, irrespective of their nationality and of the length of time they may have been in the country. A staff member subject to local recruitment is not eligible for the allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment. Candidates living outside the Netherlands or beyond commuting distance of the seat of the Court may apply for the position but will be regarded as local applicants and be subject to the same conditions.
Candidates meeting the requirements of the position may be invited for tests and interview remotely or at the seat of the Court in The Hague. In the latter case, those candidates will be required to cover their own travel, accommodation and subsistence costs. The selected candidate may be subject to security clearance, including verification of the information provided and a criminal record check. All candidates should be prepared to submit an electronic copy of their passport and all diplomas listed on their profile when requested.
The Registrar reserves the right not to appoint any candidate to the post, or to appoint one at a lower level or on the basis of a modified job description. Applications that are found by the Court to meet the vacancy announcement criteria may be added to a reserve list in case a similar vacancy arises in the future. Depending on professional background, experience and family situation, a competitive compensation and benefits package is offered.
In addition to a salary paid in euros, the Court offers an attractive benefits package including 30 days of annual leave, a pension plan and subsidized medical insurance. If the selected candidate is a staff member from an organization applying the United Nations Common System of Salaries and Allowances, the provisions of the Inter-Organization Agreement concerning Transfer, Secondment or Loan may be applied.
United Nations Considerations
In accordance with the ICJ Staff Regulations and Rules, 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 ICJ 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.
Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, Inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on "Manuals" hyper-link on the upper right side of the Inspira account-holder homepage.
The evaluation of applicants will be conducted based on the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable 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 in Inspira will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.