Legal Officer

About the role

The Administrative Law Division (ALD) of the United Nations seeks a Legal Officer to join the Critical Incident Response Section in Nairobi. Reporting to the Chief of the section, the officer will support the implementation of UN standards of conduct and provide strategic legal advice across a range of internal justice matters.

Key responsibilities

• Lead handling of critical incidents, including sexual exploitation and abuse cases, and enforce the Organization's standards of conduct.
• Provide complex legal advice on international, public, national and administrative law issues related to administration, peacekeeping, programmes, funds, and criminal investigations.
• Conduct extensive legal research, draft opinions, briefs, reports, indictments and correspondence.
• Prepare legal submissions and motions for investigations and prosecutions.
• Support diplomatic conferences, commissions and expert groups by preparing background material, issue summaries and meeting reports.
• Review, advise on and draft complex legal documents, and develop new legal modalities as needed.
• Participate in negotiations and settlement of claims, drafting contract terms and recommending merit of claims.
• Interpret and apply staff regulations and rules, including drafting amendments and reviewing administrative decisions.

Required profile

• Law degree with demonstrated expertise in international, public, national and administrative law.
• Experience handling multi‑disciplinary and complex legal matters within an international organization.
• Ability to work independently and provide high‑quality legal advice on substantive and procedural issues.

Required skills