Legal Consultant

Organizational Context

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the UN system's entity for global and regional environmental issues. It coordinates environmental policy and brings emerging issues to international attention. This role supports the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) in developing a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, based at the INC Secretariat in Nairobi.

Job Purpose

This role provides high-quality legal and procedural advisory services to support the effective functioning of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC). The purpose is to strengthen UNEP's governance and decision-making processes, facilitating the development, negotiation, and adoption of an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution. This is achieved through rigorous legal analysis, strategic advice, and expert support to intergovernmental bodies and treaty negotiation processes. The consultant will be based in Nairobi, reporting to the Executive Secretary of the INC Secretariat and the Principal Legal Adviser in UNEP's Law Division.

Responsibilities

Provide legal and procedural support for the development of an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution. Conduct research on substantive and procedural legal questions. Prepare in-session documents addressing legal issues and drafting legal instruments. Offer authoritative legal and strategic advice on UNEP's mandate, legal status, and governance framework, including its bodies, rules of procedure, and relevant UN regulations. Conduct in-depth legal research and analysis to produce legal opinions, policy guidance, and reports. Handle complex multidisciplinary legal matters, particularly in international public law. Attend and service diplomatic conferences, treaty body meetings, and other intergovernmental processes, including preparing background materials and reports. Advise presiding officers and coordinate junior staff. Review draft decisions for various UN bodies and intergovernmental platforms.

Work Experience

A minimum of seven years of progressive legal experience, including legal analysis, research, and writing. This must include at least two years in a legal office of a government or international organization, specializing in international law, intergovernmental meeting procedures, and governance. Experience with UN environmental bodies' rules of procedure and institutional questions is required, as is experience with plastic pollution issues and supporting multistakeholder processes.

Skills

Legal analysis, legal research and writing, international law, intergovernmental meeting procedures, governance, UN regulations and rules, plastic pollution issues, multistakeholder process support, advisory services, strategic advice.

Explore related opportunities