Senior Legal Officer / Coordinator (Temporary Job Opening)

The Senior Legal Officer leads and coordinates the Sri Lanka accountability project within the Human Rights Inquiries Branch of OHCHR. The role involves handling complex legal matters related to international law, supervising legal teams, providing legal research and advice, and representing the organization in various forums.

Responsibilities

• Serve as lead officer and coordinate the overall direction of the Sri Lanka accountability project.
• Handle a wide range of multi-discipline, highly complex, and often sensitive legal matters involving international law, humanitarian, human rights and international criminal law, criminal law, public, private and administrative law.
• Coordinate and direct teams of other legal officers, guide and supervise junior officers, organize and prioritize workload.
• Make recommendations to senior officials with respect to actions to take.
• Provide and supervise legal research, analysis and advice on complex substantive and procedural legal questions.
• Organize and supervise the collection, consolidation, analysis and preservation of information and evidence related to gross human rights violations in Sri Lanka.
• Advise on and supervise the review and drafting of institutional and operational modalities and legal documents.
• Service diplomatic conferences, commissions, committees, task forces, expert groups and other bodies including preparation of background materials and meeting reports.
• Represent or supervise the representation of the organization where applicable.
• Serve on various boards, committees, working groups and task forces; promote the work of the United Nations and represent the organization at meetings and conferences.
• Contribute to review and design of new legal instruments, policies, guidelines and systems.
• Supervise and participate in preparing legal publications of the unit.

Requirements

• 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.
• 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.
• English is required at UN Level III for reading, writing, listening and speaking.
• Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.

Skills

• International Law
• Criminal Law
• Legal Analysis
• Legal Research
• Legal Writing
• Criminal Investigations
• Team Management
• Legal Advice
• Case Coordination
• Legal Representation

Languages

English