Legal Officer

Job content

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

To provide the legal input, during the planning and implementation of the Organization’s activities, so as to facilitate effective cooperation between those taking part - Member States, international bodies, international officials, collaborating institutions and individuals and commercial entities; to ensure that the activities are carried out on a firm legal basis; to protect the Organization’s legal interests and defend it from legal action.

Description Of Duties

• Commercial legal issues, in particular contracts, intellectual property, and international legal issues relating to the Organization’s programmatic and operational activities. This includes advice to technical units, on legally sound courses of action that comply with the policy, and where applicable, private and international law, and that will avoid costly contractual errors, including institutions where there may be no precedents and where new policy may need to be developed. This work involves in particular working on legal and policy issues relating to relations with the private sector, including:
  

(i) issues relating to patents, copyright, the confidentiality of information, licensing, publication agreements and software development contracts,

(ii) collaboration and donation agreements with commercial enterprises and fundraising arrangements with the private sector, and

(iii) procurement of supplies, Technical Service Agreements, Agreements for performance of Work and similar contractual relationships. In addition, the work involves funding and co-operation agreements with governments (including national regulatory agencies), funding agencies and NGOs, including related project documents.

• Negotiation, review and drafting of a wide range of contracts, including licensing, publication, donation, fundraising, and product research and development contracts, as well as dispute settlement agreements. This work involves working in close liaison with technical programme staff, in order to understand the technical objectives and needs of the programme, determining the legal needs and objectives of the Organization as a whole, researching and analyzing the applicable national and international law, developing a negotiation strategy, and frequent face-to-face and telephone negotiations with technical units and lawyers of commercial enterprises and other organizations interested in collaborating with the Organization.
• General protection of the Organization’s legal interests in specific areas such as the use of the WHO name and emblem, co-sponsorship of meetings for which commercial involvement is an issue, conditioning of acceptance of donations, and general legal questions confronting international organizations.
• Other functions of a legal nature as may be required by the exigencies of the work of the office.
  

Required Qualifications

Education

Essential: An advanced university degree in law, with a specialization in commercial law.

Desirable: Legal studies of more than one legal system.A professional legal qualification, such as having passed a national bar exam.

Experience

Essential: A minimum of seven years’ experience practicing commercial law, within the legal department of a government, an international organization or a company, or within a law firm of which at least 4 years of experience as a lawyer in the private sector, practicing commercial law in a variety of legal areas, including in particular contract negotiation and drafting. Experience in practicing commercial law in an international context. Solid experience in negotiating and drafting agreements in a wide range of areas. Demonstrated exposure at the international level.

Desirable: Experience as a lawyer in different jurisdictions.

Skills

Sound knowledge of private law, in particular commercial law (especially contracts, tort and intellectual property law) as well as a knowledge of international law. Skill in analyzing and organizing facts and in presenting clear, logical and legally sound opinions.Ability to negotiate and draft agreements in a wide range of areas. Excellent interpersonal skills and a good team worker.

WHO Competencies

Teamwork

Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences

Communication

Moving forward in a changing environment

Producing results

Use of Language Skills

Essential: Expert knowledge of English.

Desirable: Intermediate knowledge of French.

REMUNERATION

WHO salaries for staff in the Professional category are calculated in US dollars. The remuneration for the above position comprises an annual base salary starting at USD 74,913 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance, as applicable), a variable post adjustment, which reflects the cost of living in a particular duty station, and currently amounts to USD 5082 per month for the duty station indicated above. Other benefits include 30 days of annual leave, allowances for dependent family members, home leave, and an education grant for dependent children.

Additional Information

• This vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar positions at the same grade level
• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
• A written test may be used as a form of screening.
• In the event that your candidature is retained for an interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.
• Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to WHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and Manual.
• Staff members in other duty stations are encouraged to apply.
• For information on WHO’s operations please visit: http://www.who.int.
• WHO is committed to workforce diversity.
• WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter into practice.
• WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.
• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
• WHO has a mobility policy which can be found at the following link: http://www.who.int/employment/en/. Candidates appointed to an international post with WHO are subject to mobility and may be assigned to any activity or duty station of the Organization throughout the world.
• Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.
  

Grade

P4

Contractual Arrangement

Fixed-term appointment

Contract Duration (Years, Months, Days)

Two years

Job Posting

Nov 3, 2021, 2:54:02 PM

Closing Date

Nov 24, 2021, 11:59:00 PM

Primary Location

Switzerland-Geneva

Organization

HQ/LEG Office of the Legal Counsel DGO

Schedule

Full-time

IMPORTANT NOTICE:Please note that the deadline for receipt of applications indicated above reflects your personal device’s system settings.