Legal Officer P3, LEGC, Private Law Team

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS 21 October 2026-23:59-GMT+01:00 Central European Time (Rome)

ABOUT WFP

WFP celebrates and embraces diversity. It is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status or disability.

The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity, for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of extreme weather shocks. At WFP, people are at the heart of everything we do and the vision of the future WFP workforce is one of diverse, committed, skilled, and high performing teams, selected on merit, operating in a healthy and inclusive work environment, living WFP's values (Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity, and Inclusion) and working with partners to save and change the lives of those WFP serves.

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WHY JOIN WFP?

WFP is a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. WFP offers a highly inclusive, diverse, and multicultural working environment.

WFP invests in the personal & professional development of its employees through a range of training, accreditation, coaching, mentorship, and other programs as well as through internal mobility opportunities.

A career path in WFP provides an exciting opportunity to work across the various country, regional and global offices around the world, and with passionate colleagues who work tirelessly to ensure that effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people across the globe.

We offer an attractive compensation package (please refer to the Terms and Conditions section of this vacancy announcement).

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The Legal Office is responsible for providing support to WFP and its organizational units to ensure that the implementation of WFP’s activities is in compliance with the relevant legal framework and that any legal risks that arise are considered and managed.

The Legal Office is seeking to fill two Legal Officer positions at the P3 level within the Private Law Team of the Contractual and Constitutional Law Branch (LEGC), based at WFP Headquarters in Rome, Italy. If selected, LEGC will be the base branch for the posts. LEGC works closely with the other branches of the Legal Office and operates in a collaborative environment that provides opportunities for lawyers to broaden their legal expertise and contribute across a wide range of legal matters affecting WFP’s global operations.

BRANCH SPECIFIC INFORMATION

Contractual and Constitutional Law Branch (LEGC) consists of two teams: the Public Law Team and the Private Law Team.

The Private Law Team advises on private-sector partnerships and resource mobilization initiatives, technology, data protection, intellectual property, cash-based transfer programmes and implementation of a host of other programmes (except for food distribution), financial service provider arrangements, treasury operations, investments, and matters of a more commercial nature that are private-sector facing. It also supports the development of norms and guidelines in these areas, as well as on innovations, ensuring efficiency in the process and common risk standards are reflected in a large, decentralized organization with the objective of continued and timely implementation of WFP’s programmes.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive, within delegated authority)

• Under the general supervision of a more senior Legal Officer, the P3 Legal Officer will perform the following duties within delegated authority and may supervise more junior colleagues, as required.
• Undertake extensive legal research and analysis, and handle a wide range of complex, multi-disciplinary legal matters of a substantive and procedural nature, including interpretation and application of applicable legal instruments, to facilitate the provision of timely and quality legal services.
• Review and draft a variety of legal documents, including agreements, memoranda of understanding, and contracts, to identify legal issues and risks and ensure compliance with the applicable legal framework.
• Prepare legal advice on the interpretation and application of WFP’s General Regulations, General Rules, Financial Regulations, Rules of Procedure of the Executive Board, other normative instruments issued thereunder, policies, and procedures, as well as applicable conventions, resolutions, and agreements.
• Prepare legal opinions, reports,