Legal Officer

Job Posting: 22/Jan/2025

Closure Date: 12/Feb/2025, 4:59:00 PM

Organizational Unit: LEG

Job Type: Staff position

Type of Requisition: Professional

Grade Level: P-4

Primary Location: Italy-Rome

Duration: Fixed-term: two years with possibility of extension

Post Number: 0011711

CCOG Code: 1G02

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device
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- **FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture**:

- **Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply**:

- **Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO's values**:

- **FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination**:

- FAO’s commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations._

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for _better production_, _better nutrition_, _a _better environment,_ and _a better life_, leaving no one behind.

**Organizational Setting**

FAO’s commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations.

FAO is the specialized Agency of the United Nations leading international efforts to defeat hunger. FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide to achieve food security for all and ensure that people have regular access to high-quality food.

As part of the Office of the Director-General, the Legal Office (LEG) provides authoritative legal advice and assistance on a wide range of issues to the Director-General, units in headquarters and in the field, the Governing and Statutory Bodies and Members of the Organization.

The position is located in the General Legal Affairs Service (LEGA) at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.

LEGA provides legal advice to all units of the Organization and its Governing and Statutory Bodies on constitutional questions, the interpretation of its Basic Texts, international treaties, internal legal rules and policies, as well as on legal aspects of relations with the Host and other Governments, other international organizations, private sector and other entities, and specific legal aspects of personnel matters. It represents FAO in judicial proceedings and in settlements of disputes.

**Reporting Lines**
The Legal Officer reports to the Deputy Legal Counsel.

**Technical Focus**
International law and law of international organizations, including international administrative law.

**Key Results**
The provision of legal advice on questions pertaining to the Organization's mandate.

**Key Functions**
- Provides legal advice on diverse substantive and procedural questions of considerable complexity, which may include those related to administration and management, institution support, procurement, contracts and other operational matters.
- Performs extensive legal research and analysis and prepares legal opinions, studies, briefs, reports and correspondence; provides legal advice to the Member Nations.
- Reviews and advises on and drafts complex contracts, agreements, institutional and operational modalities, or legal pleadings/submissions and other legal documents; develops new legal modalities to meet unique needs/circumstances.
- Advises on and participates in negotiations and settlement of claims and disputes, recommends legal course of action/approach, legal text for terms and conditions of contracts, etc.
- Serves on various standing boards, committees, ad hoc working groups and task forces, as required; promotes the work of LEG and represents the organization in meetings, conferences, seminars, etc.

**Specific Functions**
- Provides legal advice on matters linked to FAO Governing and Statutory Bodies, prepares relevant documentation and consults with counterparts in other United Nations Specialized Agencies and other relevant entities as appropriate.
- Provides legal advice on matters related to FAO's operations and status, including on questions related to privileges and immunities of the Organization and that of its personnel, as well as on the conclusion of host country agreements and operational arrangements.
- Provides legal advice on a variety of issues arising from complex contractual arrangements, including for the receipt of voluntary contributions, as well as modalities for collaboration with a variety of partners including the privat