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 to 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 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 employment and administrative law portfolio. The job holder will provide authoritative legal advice on WFP’s employment framework and related internal instruments, supporting senior management in addressing complex staff-related legal issues. This includes leading legal support for contentious personnel matters, such as litigation and dispute resolution, and advising on legal and reputational risks. The role requires strong leadership and people management skills, as the job holder will supervise senior legal staff and ensure the delivery of consistent, timely legal services across multiple workstreams. The position also involves maintaining relationships with senior stakeholders and providing guidance on sensitive personnel matters, requiring deep subject-matter expertise and a commitment to quality control.

Duties and Responsibilities:
As the Chief of Branch for the LEGA portfolio, the job holder will lead, supervise, 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 within the LEGA portfolio, managing financial resources, and promoting an equitable and inclusive workplace. The role also involves initiating and leading change processes, serving as a recognized expert on legal matters, and independently handling complex issues related to WFP Staff Rules and Regulations. The job holder will provide legal advice on contentious matters, supervise the drafting and quality control of legal documents, and coordinate with relevant counterparts across the UN system. Additionally, the position requires promoting proactive risk identification and mitigation, maintaining legal templates and guidance, and ensuring compliance with evaluation and audit recommendations.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree in Law or a first university degree in law with additional relevant experience and training. 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 relevant to the portfolio, including substantial experience in employment and administrative law, preferably in an international organization or comparable institutional setting. Demonstrated expertise in staff rules and regulations, internal justice mechanisms, and the management of contentious personnel matters is essential, along with the ability to manage and motivate a team effectively.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes an advanced university degree in Law. Alternatively, candidates with a first university degree in law may be considered if they have additional relevant experience and training. It is crucial that candidates are 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, particularly in employment and administrative law. Candidates should have substantial experience in an international organization or a comparable institutional setting, demonstrating expertise in staff rules and regulations, internal justice mechanisms, and the management of contentious personnel matters. The ability to manage, motivate, and supervise a team is also a critical requirement for this role.

Languages:
Fluency in English (level C) is mandatory, along with intermediate knowledge (level B) of a second official UN language, which may include 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 probationary period of one year. The position is open to both internal and external candidates, 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 basic salary, post adjustment, relocation entitlement, visa, travel and shipment allowances, 30 days of annual leave, home leave, an education grant for dependent children, a pension plan, and medical insurance.