Legal and Risk Officer

About the role

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is recruiting an internationally based Legal and Risk Officer for its Executive Office in Nairobi, Kenya. The post reports to the Chief of Staff and works closely with the relevant offices. It covers conduct and discipline, enterprise risk management and grievance redress.

Key responsibilities

• Conduct and discipline: run awareness and training on conduct obligations (discrimination, harassment, abuse of authority), act as first point of contact for misconduct concerns, maintain confidential records, advise the Executive Director and liaise with HR, the Ethics Office, the Ombudsman and Mediation Services and OIOS.
• Risk management: support the Chief Risk Officer and the Enterprise Risk Management Secretariat, prepare documentation for ERM Committee meetings, update risk tools, help write periodic risk reports and promote a risk-aware culture.
• Grievance redress: support the Stakeholder Response Mechanism, screen complaints, advise on protective measures, maintain a roster of independent experts, keep the Case Registry updated, track cases in the Case Management System and contribute to annual complaint reporting.
• Analyze data to identify trends and patterns, and perform other duties as required.

Required profile

• Advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in law or a related field; a first-level degree plus two years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu.
• Minimum of five years of progressively responsible professional legal, advisory, compliance, administration, programme management or related experience.
• Experience in conduct and discipline, enterprise risk management, grievance redress, environmental and social safeguards, ethics, compliance or HR policy.
• Desirable: experience with confidential or sensitive cases, coordinating legal, HR, ethics, risk and compliance functions, stakeholder grievance mechanisms, the UN Common System or a multicultural setting, and two years in data analytics.

Required skills

• English at UN Level II reading and writing; Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish or French is desirable.
• Data visualization and analysis of complaints data.