Legal Consultant
Organizational Context
The UNRWA Gaza Field Legal Office seeks a Legal Consultant to support its operations. This role is crucial for managing general law matters, including drafting legal documents, handling disciplinary issues, and ensuring compliance with UNRWA regulations and public international law. The consultant will work remotely but must be available during Gaza Field Office working hours.
Job Purpose
The purpose of this Legal Consultant role is to provide comprehensive legal support to the UNRWA Gaza Field Legal Office. The incumbent will be responsible for drafting, reviewing, and negotiating various legal documents such as memoranda of understanding, donation agreements, and contracts for goods and services. This role also involves advising on contractual and tortious claims, handling disciplinary matters, and ensuring the consistent application of UNRWA's regulatory framework and public international law. The consultant will contribute to the effective and lawful operation of the Field Office by providing timely, accurate, and politically sensitive legal advice, training, and outreach, ultimately supporting the Agency's mandate and operations.
Responsibilities
Uphold and apply the Agency’s regulatory framework, including staff regulations, financial regulations, and organizational directives, alongside public international law. Draft, review, and assist in negotiating field-related contractual modalities, including procurement contracts, memoranda of understanding, donation agreements, and data protection agreements. Advise on the resolution of contractual and tortious claims against the Agency and its staff, supporting negotiations, settlements, and arbitration. Provide legal advice, training, and outreach on administrative and employment law, particularly concerning investigations, disciplinary matters, and standards of conduct. Offer legally accurate, timely, implementable, and politically sensitive advice on administrative, contract, and commercial law, as well as misconduct issues. Advise on the status, mandate, privileges, and immunities of the Agency and its personnel, focusing on personnel conduct standards. Perform other assigned duties as required by the supervisor.
Work Experience
A minimum of five years of progressively responsible legal experience within the UN, another international organization, government, commercial sector, or NGO is required. At least two years of relevant international experience outside UNRWA and outside the applicant's country of citizenship is also necessary, unless already serving as an international staff member within the UN Common System.
Skills
Legal drafting and review, contract negotiation, legal advisory, disciplinary matters, administrative law, employment law, public international law, contract law, commercial law, UNRWA regulatory framework application, communication, planning and organizing, analyzing, relating and networking, adapting and responding to change, persuading and influencing.