The Legal Office (LEG) ensures that the Organization's activities are carried out in accordance with its Constitution and the other Basic Texts of the Organization, in a manner consistent with its status as an inter-governmental organization of the United Nations system, and that its relationships with governments, organizations and individuals are on a sound legal basis.

The post is located in the - Development Law Branch (LEGN).
The Development Law Branch (LEGN) provides legal advisory services to Governments on sustainable food and agriculture and utilisation of natural resources (including land, water, fisheries and aquaculture, plants, animals, food, forestry, wildlife, environment and biodiversity), as well as general agricultural issues (institutions, trade, economic reform).

This position is has its duty station in the FAO Sub regional Office for Eastern Africa in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia.

Reporting Lines

The Legal Officer reports to the Senior Legal Officer (Branch Head, LEGN) and is under the overall guidance of the Legal Counsel.

Technical Focus

Development Law, including legal and institutional aspects of sustainable food and agriculture and natural resource management, in line with the Organization's Strategic Objectives.

Key Results

Comprehensive legal support in the planning and delivery of multi-disciplinary legal activities, services and products pertaining to the Organization's mandate, in support of the FAO Strategic Objectives, Regional Initiatives, and related Delivery Mechanisms, and in alignment with the Organization's Policy on Gender Equality.

Key Functions

• Performs legal research and analysis, reviews and prepares, or assists in the preparation of, legal opinions/advice on a wide range of multidisciplinary and complex legal matters involving issues of international, public, private, and development law;
• Drafts or supports or supervises drafting of recommended texts of legislation, commentaries, regulations and other legal instruments, legal opinions, briefs, reports and related correspondence at the national level;
• Prepares or assists in the preparation of background papers, studies, reports and other legal texts of subregional, regional and global scope or relevance;
• Prepares or assists in the preparation of legal opinions/advice on a wide range of international and/or development law issues;
• Contributes to the work of relevant Strategic Programme Teams, Technical Units at FAO Headquarters and FAO Decentralised Offices in order to ensure best synergies between legal, policy and governance related work in support of Member Countries;
• Participates, as required, in working groups, meetings, seminars and conferences.

Specific Functions

• Provides advice to Member Governments, to FAO Technical Units and to FAO Decentralised Offices on development law issues, in particular on the legal and institutional aspects of food and nutrition security, sustainable agriculture and the management of natural resources, in line with the Organization's Strategic Objectives, Regional Initiatives, programmes and priorities;
• Contributes to the preparation and implementation of field projects and conducts legal assistance missions, primarily in the Region;
• Provides technical supervision for assignments of national and international non-staff personnel on activities involving substantive legal work on development and international law issues;
• Contributes to the implementation of FAO's Policy on Gender Equality, FAO's Climate Change Strategy and other policies of the Organization, including through the above-mentioned areas of work;
• Represents LEGN on various committees, ad hoc working groups and task forces, as required;
• Promotes the work of LEGN and represents the Organization in meetings, conferences, seminars, webinars, etc.
• Performs other duties as required.

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CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Law degree and advanced university degree in law in a field relevant to FAO's mandate
• Five years of relevant legal experience in the field of food and agriculture, natural resources or development law
• Working knowledge of English and limited knowledge of another FAO official language Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish.

Competencies

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions is desirable.
• Extent and relevance of experience in legal and institutional aspects of sustainable food and agriculture and utilisation of natural resources (including land, water, fisheries and aquaculture, plants, animals, food, forestry, wildlife, environment and biodiversity), and related cross sectoral issues such as climate change and gender equality.
• Knowledge of and extent and relevance of experience in one or more areas of development law related to FAO's mandate (agriculture, forestry, fisheries, food systems, etc.) and in public international law.
• Extent and relevance of experience in implementing technical assistance projects related to national and regional implementation of international normative and voluntary instruments and best practice including through policy and legislation
• Extent and relevance of experience in conducting legal research and analysis involving considerable complexity, in writing clear and concise reports, and in preparing legal texts (legislative and regulatory instruments)
• Extent and relevance of experience with international organizations, governments, academia or non-governmental organizations is considered a strong asset.