Org. Setting and Reporting
This position is located in the Sri Lanka accountability project (¨the Project¨) in the Human Rights Inquiries Branch of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva, under the overall supervision of the Chief of the Investigation Support Section.
Responsibilities
Within delegated authority, the Senior Legal Officer is responsible of the following duties:
Serves as lead officer and coordinates the overall direction of the Sri Lanka accountability project, and independently handle a wide range of multi-discipline, highly complex, and often sensitive and/or conflicting legal matters involving issues relating to international law, including in relevant humanitarian, human rights and international criminal law; as well as in criminal law, both substantive and procedural aspects, public, private and administrative law, to include interpretation and application of instruments in that area of concentration;.
Coordinates and direct teams of other legal officers, guides and supervises the work of junior officers; organizing and prioritizing the workload and providing general coordination and supervision of assignments as regards the legal project.
Makes various types of recommendations to senior officials with respect to actions to take; recommendations are usually accepted as proposed.
Provides and supervises legal research, analysis and advice on diverse range of highly complex or novel substantive and procedural questions of law related to the project.
Organizes and supervises the collection, consolidation, analysis and preservation of information and evidence in relation to gross violations of human rights or serious violations of international humanitarian law in Sri Lanka and the preparation of legal opinions, studies, briefs, reports, indictments and correspondence as well as performs and supervises extensive legal research and analysis on highly complex or novel legal issues/questions and prepares legal opinions, studies, briefs, reports, and correspondence.
Advises on and supervises the review, and drafting of institutional and operational modalities, legal, and other legal documents; develops new legal modalities to meet unique needs/circumstances.
Services diplomatic conferences, commissions, committees, task forces, expert groups and other bodies, including preparation of background materials, summaries of issues and views of delegations, meeting reports, etc.
Represents, or supervises the representation of, the organization where applicable.
Serves on various standing boards, committees, ad hoc working groups and task forces, as required; promotes the work of the United Nations and represents the organization at meetings, conferences, seminars, etc.
Contributes to review and design of new, or new applications of, legal instruments, policy, guidelines, systems, etc.
Supervises and participates in preparing legal publications of the unit.
Competencies
PROFESSIONALISM: In-depth knowledge of national and international criminal law (both substantive and procedural) and the functioning of criminal prosecutions at the national and international levels extensive experience in applying legal expertise to analyzing a diverse range of highly complex and novel legal issues and problems and in developing innovative and creative solutions, or in prosecuting complex criminal cases original and creative thinking, independent and impartial judgment and discretion in handling major legal issues/cases capacity to absorb and analyze large volumes of material
superior skills in legal writing and expression and ability to prepare indictments, briefs, opinions and related documents a high degree of commitment to ensuring the professionalism to the IIMA’s work demonstrated planning, management and organizational skills and ability to coordinate the work of teams and individuals, ensuring the quality and timelines of outputs and good understanding of the dynamics of working in an international environment.
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.
Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing.
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.
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.
LEADERSHIP: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow: empowers others to translate vision into results; is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support; anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions; drives for change and improvements; does not accept the status quo; shows the courage to take unpopular stands.
Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing JUDGEMENT/DECISION-MAKING: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly gathers relevant information before making a decision considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization
proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information checks assumptions against facts determines the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision makes tough decisions when necessary.
Education
Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in international law is required. A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Work Experience
A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in criminal law, including legal analysis, research and writing is required. Experience in carrying out criminal investigations in an international court, tribunal or accountability mechanism, or in national jurisdictions is desirable. Experience in managing a team is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage. 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
Assessment
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.
Special Notice
This position is temporarily available until 31 December 2026, and extension is subject to extension of the mandate and/or the availability of funds. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment. While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post.
Pursuant to section 7.11 of ST/AI/2012/2/Rev.1, candidates recruited through the young professionals programme who have not served for a minimum of two years in the position of their initial assignment are not eligible to apply to this position. Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply. Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation.
Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as "retirement." Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless
(a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and
(b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service. At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs.
The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application.
United Nations Considerations
According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, 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 the United Nations 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.
The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions.
The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.
Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process.
By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised.
This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account-holder homepage.
The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the 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. All external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2
(a) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment without limitation and all external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2.
(c) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment limited to the entity are subject to an initial probationary period of one year under a fixed-term appointment. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.