Senior Legal Officer

Organizational Context

The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian organization, dedicated to saving lives in emergencies and building pathways to peace and prosperity. WFP operates globally, providing food assistance and working with partners to support people recovering from conflict, disasters, and climate change impacts. The organization values diversity, inclusion, and the personal and professional development of its employees.

Job Purpose

The Senior Legal Officer will provide strategic leadership and comprehensive legal advice to the Global Staff Union (GSU) and its members. This role involves managing the GSU Legal Service, supervising legal staff, and overseeing external counsel engagement. The incumbent will serve as the primary legal advisor on employment and administrative law matters, representing members in internal appeals and before the ILO Administrative Tribunal. Key responsibilities include evaluating cases, advising on legal strategies, supporting dispute resolution, and conducting legal analysis. Additionally, the Senior Legal Officer will review WFP policies, identify systemic risks, and contribute to GSU advocacy on common system issues, ensuring the protection and promotion of staff rights and interests within WFP's regulatory framework.

Responsibilities

The Senior Legal Officer for the Global Staff Union (GSU) will provide strategic leadership and management for the GSU Legal Service. This includes coordinating all legal activities, supervising legal staff and consultants, and overseeing external counsel engagement. The role involves providing authoritative legal advice to GSU leadership and members on employment and administrative law matters, evaluating cases, preparing legal strategies, and supporting dispute resolution. The officer will also represent or assist in representing employees in internal appeals and before the ILO Administrative Tribunal, and conduct legal analysis of sensitive employment disputes. Furthermore, the position requires reviewing and assessing WFP policies, identifying legal gaps, and advocating for improvements to conditions of service and the internal justice system. This includes analyzing decisions from UN entities and contributing to GSU advocacy on common system issues. The role also involves preparing legal opinions, conducting risk assessments, and providing legal support for GSU governance and stakeholder engagement, including liaising with WFP management and other UN bodies. The officer will also contribute to GSU communications and educate staff on legal and policy developments.

Work Experience

The role requires strategic leadership and management of legal services, including supervising legal officers and consultants. Responsibilities include providing authoritative legal advice on employment and administrative law, representing employees in internal appeals and before the ILO Administrative Tribunal, and conducting legal analysis of cases. The position also involves reviewing WFP policies, conducting legal research, and supporting governance and stakeholder engagement. Advocacy on common system issues and liaising with UN system bodies are also key aspects.

Skills

Legal advice, Representation, Policy analysis, Legal research, Drafting agreements, Dispute resolution, Staff relations, Advocacy, Governance support, Stakeholder engagement

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