Deputy General Counsel

March 9, 2026

H (no hardship)

FamilyFamily

PR5

Professional

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

2026-02-06

Deputy General Counsel

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

The Legal Affairs Service (LAS) serves as a central legal office for UNHCR on non-refugee law matters, providing legal advice and services to promote and defend the legal interests of UNHCR and to ensure that the Organization’s activities are carried out in conformity with the applicable rules and regulations, coordinating legal services for UNHCR Headquarters and the field, and serving as liaison with the UN Office of Legal Affairs (OLA).

The Deputy General Counsel reports to the General Counsel and Head of the Legal Affairs Service (LAS) and provides legal advice on a broad range of topics within the scope of LAS’s work including overseeing various legal matters related to UNHCR's human resources legal issues and policies, and in all matters relating to the UN internal justice system.

The incumbent functions largely autonomously and has supervisory responsibility. S/he works with a wide array of clients, including various UNHCR HQ and field-based colleagues, external legal counsels, the Office of Legal Affairs and other stakeholders.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR’s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties

• Provides legal advice on a broad range of topics within the scope of the work of LAS.

• Lead and manage LAS’s work on the UN internal justice system and human resources legal issues.

• Lead and assist the General Counsel and Head of LAS in the overall management of LAS activities.

• Manage and assist LAS advice on interpretation of the UN Staff Regulations and Rules, and UNHCR’s internal legal framework with reference to, inter alia, standing United Nations Dispute Tribunal (UNDT) and United Nations Appeals Tribunal (UNAT) jurisprudence

• Manage and assist LAS advice on UNHCR policies with an emphasis on human resources policies, promoting and sharing institutional knowledge to inform policy development and adopting a risk-based approach to workforce changes

• Manage and assist LAS advice on legal issues relating to investigations and disciplinary proceedings; provide legal advice, to the Inspector General’s Office on investigations and to the Director, DPM, on disciplinary proceedings.

• Manage and assist LAS advice on requests for management evaluation; draft legal pleadings and represent the Organization at oral hearings before outside Tribunals including the UNDT and UNAT. Liaise with the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs (OLA) on legal issues relating to appeals before the UNAT and on miscellaneous legal issues in order to ensure consistent application of UN Staff Regulations and Rules

• Manage personnel through regular performance appraisals, coaching, and assessments of staff training and development needs.

• Lead risk assessments and discussions with team(s) to proactively manage risks and seize opportunities impacting objectives. Ensure that risk management principles are integrated in decision-making both at strategic and operational levels. Allocate resources for planned treatments with resource requirements in Strategic Plans. Ensure that risks are managed to acceptable levels and escalate, as needed. If a Risk Owner, designate the Risk Focal Point and certify that the annual risk review is completed and ensure that the risk register is updated during the year, as needed.

• Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Years of Experience / Degree Level

For P5 - 12 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 11 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 10 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education

Law;                                                       International Law;

International Business Law;                Litigation Practice;                              

or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses

*Law;                                        *International Law;

*Bar examination;                

(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience

Essential

In-depth knowledge and experience of international administrative and employment law, preferably including the law and practice of the United Nations. Excellent skills in conducting legal research on complex and intricate issues requiring strong analytical skills.

Excellent skills in drafting and negotiating a broad range of documents of a legal nature, including legal opinions, pleadings, and briefing notes. Demonstrated experience in providing oral briefings on complex legal issues to legal and non-legal audiences. Excellent skills in legal research and drafting legal opinions on complex matters. Qualification as a lawyer (bar exam or equivalent) in a national jurisdiction.

Desirable

Thorough understanding of the UN system and UNHCR's mandate and its operational structure. Experience in and knowledge of UN/HCR field operational realities, regulatory frameworks and policies. Demonstrated experience in dealing with multiple tasks courteously and service-oriented in a demanding working environment with often short deadlines.

Functional Skills

*LE- Legal Research;

*LE-Contract Law applied by the UN;

*IG-UN Administration of Justice system mechanisms;

*LE-UN Administrative Law;

*LE-Litigation and oral and written court advocacy skills;

*LE-Litigation and case management;

IT-Computer Literacy;

CO-Cross-cultural communication;

(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements

For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.

For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.

For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

Competency Requirements

All jobs at UNHCR require 6 core competencies and may also require managerial competencies and/or cross-functional competencies. The 6 core competencies are listed below.

Core Competencies

Accountability

Communication

Organizational Awareness

Teamwork & Collaboration

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Client & Result Orientation

Managerial Competencies

Empowering & Building Trust

Judgement & Decision Making

Leadership

Managing Performance

Managing Resource

Strategic Planning & Vision

Cross-Functional Competencies

Stakeholder Management

Negotiation & Conflict Resolution

Policy Development &Research

All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination, and abuse of power.

As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.

The Deputy General Counsel will serve as a key legal advisor within the Legal Affairs Service (LAS), covering highly specialized and complex areas of law that require extensive knowledge of UNHCR's policies and procedures, with emphasis on human resources legal issues and the UN internal justice system.

Essential Attributes:
The desired candidate will demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the interpretation of the UN Staff Regulations and Rules, and UNHCR’s internal legal framework with reference to standing United Nations Dispute Tribunal (UNDT) and United Nations Appeals Tribunal (UNAT) jurisprudence. He/she will demonstrate excellent skills in providing senior level guidance and expert advice on legal issues relating to investigations and disciplinary proceedings, and in the review of legal opinions and advice on requests for management evaluation. Proficiency in delivering clear, concise oral briefings on complex legal issues to both legal and non-legal audiences is essential. He/she will demonstrate excellence in legal research and in drafting legal opinions on complex matters, including pleadings and briefing notes. The desired candidate must demonstrate the ability to work autonomously and have supervisory responsibility. Qualification as a lawyer (bar exam or equivalent) in a national jurisdiction.

Desirable Attributes:
Thorough understanding of the UN system and UNHCR’s mandate, including its operational structure. Experience with, and knowledge of, field operational realities, regulatory frameworks, and policies. Demonstrated ability to manage multiple tasks in a demanding work environment with often short deadlines, while maintaining a courteous and service-oriented approach. Working knowledge of written and spoken French would be an asset.

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French

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Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station, please visit this link: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel

Nature of Position:

The Deputy General Counsel reports to the General Counsel and Head of the Legal Affairs Service (LAS) and provides expert legal advice on a broad range of topics within the scope of LAS’s work. Specifically, the position covers highly specialized and complex areas of law that require extensive knowledge of UNHCR's policies and procedures, with emphasis on human resources legal issues and the UN internal justice system.

 

The Deputy General Counsel leads and manages LAS’s advice on interpretation of the UN Staff Regulations and Rules, and UNHCR’s internal legal framework with reference to, inter alia, standing United Nations Dispute Tribunal (UNDT) and United Nations Appeals Tribunal (UNAT) jurisprudence.

 

The Deputy General Counsel provides senior level guidance and expert advice on legal issues relating to investigations and disciplinary proceedings, and review legal opinions and advice on requests for management evaluation. He/she will also liaise with and advise the Office of Legal Affairs in the UN Secretariat on legal issues relating to cases before the United Nations Appeals Tribunal (UNAT) following an appeal of a UNDT judgment and on various legal issues in order to ensure the consistent application of UN Staff Regulations and Rules.

Living and Working Conditions:

This position is based in Geneva which is a family duty station. Geneva offers a high quality of life, combining a dynamic international working environment with excellent public services, efficient transport, and a wide range of cultural and recreational opportunities. The city benefits from a safe, well-organized setting and a strong social infrastructure.

 

Additional Qualifications

Skills

LE-Draft legal settlement agreements, LE-Examination and cross examination of witnesses, LE-Legal advice for senior officials, LE-Legal Research, LE-Litigation and case management, LE-Litigation and oral and written court advocacy skills, LE-Litigation strategy development, risk assessment, and mitigation, LE-Negotiation of settlements of legal disputes (employment and/or commercial), LE-Negotiation with governments to resolve privileges and immunities issues, LE-Opening and closing oral arguments (litigation), LE-Participating and facilitating mediated resolutions, LE-Practical resolution of operational privileges and immunities issues, LE-Risk mitigation in human resources matters, LE-Risk mitigation in reputational risk management, WB-Formal or informal employee dispute resolution

Master of Laws (LLM) (Required)

Certifications

Bar Examination - Other, International Law - Other, Law - Other, Mediation - Other

Legal, Workforce to Supervise

Competencies

Accountability, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Judgement & decision making, Leadership, Managing performance, Managing resource, Negotiation & conflict resolution, Organizational awareness, Policy research & development, Stakeholder management, Strategic planning & visions, Teamwork & collaboration

https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales

Compendium

Bi-Annual 2026 Compendium - Part B

Additional Information

This position doesn't require a functional clearance