Senior Legal Officer (Head, Development Law Service)

Organizational Context

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) supports the transformation to efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems to achieve the 2030 Agenda. FAO's commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to its strategic objectives. The Legal Office (LEG) provides legal advice to the Director-General, units, and Members. The Development Law Service (LEGN) within LEG advises on legal and institutional means to promote and regulate national development and international cooperation in the food and agriculture sector through law reform, research, technical assistance, and capacity building.

Job Purpose

The Senior Legal Officer (Head, Development Law Service) is responsible for managing the Development Law Service, aligning its goals with FAO's Strategic Framework and Member priorities. This includes setting objectives, monitoring efficiency and outcomes, and providing guidance and quality control for the service's work. The role involves managing the service's resources in collaboration with the Legal Counsel, including financial resources and personnel, and leading resource mobilization efforts. The incumbent ensures the delivery of high-quality, objective legal outputs based on sound technical analysis in a timely and efficient manner, fostering innovation and the use of new technologies to enhance the service's work and identify solutions for emerging challenges in food, agriculture, and nutrition.

Responsibilities

The Senior Legal Officer manages the Development Law Service, setting goals, monitoring performance, and ensuring quality control of legal work. This includes managing financial and human resources, leading resource mobilization, and implementing the work program with an impact assessment framework. The role ensures the timely delivery of high-quality legal outputs and fosters knowledge exchange and innovation within the service. The incumbent provides high-level advice to FAO management and Members on development and international law, supervises development law work across FAO, and contributes to the Legal Office's strategic planning. Additionally, the Senior Legal Officer represents FAO in multilateral forums, promotes teamwork, and performs other related duties as required, including overseeing policy papers and reports on development law.

Work Experience

A minimum of ten years of legal experience is required, with a specialization in natural resources and development law in an international setting. Experience in a legal unit of an international organization or governmental institution, or in legal practice with international dimensions, is essential.

Skills

Key skills include strong communication abilities, both oral and written, and extensive knowledge of civil and common-law systems. Demonstrated ability to manage legal services, guide and train legal professionals, lead research projects, and facilitate multidisciplinary teams is crucial. Experience in planning, implementing, and reporting on strategic frameworks, including impact assessments, is required. Budget management, legal research and analysis, and maintaining effective working relationships with government officials and partner organizations are also essential. Innovation and the use of new technologies in the legal domain are valued. Experience in drafting agricultural and renewable natural resources legislation and providing legal advisory assistance in this area, particularly in field positions, is highly desirable.

Explore related opportunities