Senior Legal Officer and Chief (P5)

Job Posting Organization:
The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian organization, established to save lives in emergencies and use food assistance to build pathways to peace, stability, and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters, and extreme weather shocks. WFP operates globally, with a mission to ensure that effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people across the globe. The organization is committed to diversity and equal employment opportunities, encouraging qualified candidates from all backgrounds to apply. WFP has received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020, highlighting its significant contributions to global humanitarian efforts. The organization invests in the personal and professional development of its employees through various training and mentorship programs, fostering a multicultural working environment.

Job Overview:
The Senior Legal Officer and Chief (P5) position is a leadership role within the WFP's Legal Office, specifically overseeing the LEGC (Public) portfolio. This role involves providing authoritative legal advice on governance and constitutional frameworks, public law" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">international law, and partnerships with public donors and NGOs. The job holder will lead a team of legal professionals, manage resources, and establish strategic priorities to ensure effective delivery of legal services. The position requires a high degree of expertise in legal matters, particularly in public international law, and the ability to navigate complex legal issues while maintaining quality control over legal outputs. The role also entails advising on the interpretation and application of governance instruments and supporting WFP's representation in contentious matters. The job holder will be responsible for developing and implementing strategies that align with WFP's objectives and will play a crucial role in managing legal risks and ensuring compliance with legal standards.

Duties and Responsibilities:
As the Chief of Branch for the LEGC (Public) portfolio, the Senior Legal Officer will lead and manage the branch's professional and support staff, ensuring high performance and effective delivery of legal services. Key responsibilities include developing and implementing strategies and policies, managing financial resources, and promoting an equitable workplace. The job holder will serve as a recognized expert on legal matters, handling complex issues related to WFP's constitutional instruments and public partnerships. The role involves providing legal advice on governance compliance, supervising the drafting and review of legal submissions, and promoting proactive risk identification and mitigation. The Senior Legal Officer will also coordinate with other UN entities and maintain relationships with relevant stakeholders to ensure coherent legal service delivery.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree in Law or a first university degree in law with additional relevant experience. They must be qualified or admitted to practice law by a recognized national or state bar or law society, or have equivalent professional legal practice experience. The position requires at least 11 years of progressively responsible legal experience, including substantial experience in legal matters relevant to the portfolio, and demonstrated expertise in managing and supervising a team.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes an advanced university degree in Law. Alternatively, a first university degree in law combined with additional relevant experience and training may be acceptable. Candidates must also be qualified or admitted to practice law by a recognized national or state bar or law society, or possess equivalent professional legal practice experience.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 11 years of progressively responsible legal experience. This experience should include substantial exposure to legal matters relevant to the portfolio, ideally within an international organization, law firm, or comparable institutional setting. Candidates should demonstrate expertise across the subject areas of the portfolio and possess the ability to manage, motivate, and supervise a team effectively.

Languages:
Fluency in English (level C) is mandatory, along with intermediate knowledge (level B) of a second official UN language, which could be Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish, or Portuguese, as these are recognized working languages within WFP.

Additional Notes:
This is an International Professional position classified as non-rotational, meaning the incumbent will not be subject to the regular reassignment process unless the position is reclassified. The selected candidate will be employed on a fixed-term contract with a one-year probationary period. The position is open to all nationalities, and the selected candidate will be required to relocate to Rome, Italy. WFP offers an attractive compensation and benefits package in line with ICSC standards, including a basic salary, post adjustment, relocation entitlement, and various allowances. Employees are entitled to 30 days of annual leave, home leave, an education grant for dependent children, a pension plan, and medical insurance.