Description

Only candidates who are not nationals of the country of assignment are eligible to apply to this position Hardship Level H (no hardship) Family Type Family Residential location (if applicable) Grade PR3 Staff Member / Affiliate Type Professional * Staff members will not normally serve in International Professional positions in the country of their nationality. In addition, in case of a first appointment upon recruitment, the assignment must be outside the staff member’s country of nationality. In practical terms this means that you are not eligible to apply for International Professional vacancies advertised in the country where you are national of. Reason Regular > Regular Assignment Remote work accepted No Target Start Date 2023-11-30 Job Posting End Date December 21, 2023 Standard Job Description Legal Officer - France Organizational Setting and Work Relationships The incumbent plays a major role within the protection team and an important role within the overall office team. Among his/her major tasks, s/he will maintain a close working relationship with the two main actors active in Refugee Status Determination (RSD) in France, i.e., the French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons (OFPRA) and the National Court of Asylum (CNDA) (second instance). To ensure the quality of the asylum procedure, the incumbent will coordinate and implement initiatives such as quality control of decisions taken and regular trainings to officials involved in status determination. UNHCR plays a very exceptional role in France as it is participating in RSD decision processes. The incumbent will act as a judge at the asylum national court. To be able to attend the very high number of court sessions, Country Office (CO) Paris works with a pool of some 160 adjudicators (consultants) all of whom are legal experts and sit as UNHCR designated judges at the Court on a daily basis. The incumbent of the post is the legal focal point for these consultants; s/he delivers expert training on guidelines and case-law and provides them with updated Country of Origin Information (COI) information in the context of the French legal system. Legal advice is also regularly provided to OFPRA and CNDA and lawyers, with the support of the Division of International Protection (DIP) when needed, especially on sensitive issues. The advisory role also includes the broader protection and asylum networks, including academic judges and lawyers. French nationality is required for this post because of the activities performed by the incumbent as an adjudicator at the CNDA. Currently, only French citizens can act as adjudicators as they render justice on behalf of the French People. Furthermore, the Legal Officer is also in charge of monitoring the adoption and implementation of laws and decrees in France regarding the whole asylum procedure, as well as France's position in the context of the reform of the asylum system in European Union, coordinating UNHCR's comments and relaying them to high-level institutional partners. The incumbent is in charge of the monitoring of the situation in overseas territories, such as Guyana and Mayotte and maintain strong cooperation with authorities and operational partners. S/he is also responsible to provide strategic political and legal advice to the Representative, together with her/his supervisor, the Senior Protection Officer (SPO). The incumbent’s role is essential to support and provide specialist advice to the office in its high-quality dialogue on RSD and other important protection issues in France. 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 Develop good working relationships with UNHCR’s interlocutors in the RSD field (French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons, National Court of Asylum, lawyers, academics, NGOs involved in RSD activities in France) and maintain close contacts with them in order to positively influence RSD practice in France and promote UNHCR protection guidelines. Ensure the management (including coordination of the administrative management) and the provision of specialised guidance to a pool of French consultants designated by UNHCR at the National Court of Asylum and supervise the activities of the protection clerk related to it. Prepare and deliver training courses to the UNHCR consultants involved at the National Court of Asylum as well as the relevant authorities and NGOs. Monitor the work of the consultants designated by UNHCR and identify possible gaps in the decision-making and avenues to modernize practices in line with international standards. Attend the Court session as a judge and promote the principles and guidelines published by UNHCR. Analyse reports, statistics, legal developments on asylum in France and in Europe and provide legal commentaries. Contribute to quality assurance measures for the first and second instance asylum procedures. Assist in drafting policy papers, briefing notes and reports. Monitor the situation of reception conditions in overseas territories, especially in French Guyana and Mayotte and maintain strong cooperation with authorities and operational partners. Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s). Perform other related duties as required. Minimum Qualifications Years of Experience / Degree Level For P3 - 6 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 5 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 4 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree Field(s) of Education Law; or other relevant field. Certificates and/or Licenses HCR RSD Learning Program (Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential) Relevant Job Experience Essential In-depth knowledge of French domestic law (particularly administrative, aliens and refugee law), to be able to provide specialist guidance to the adjudicators, many of whom are experienced Law professors. Proven professional experience in dealing with eligibility and legal issues and procedures concerning aliens and refugees in France, to be able to provide specialized quality advice. Desirable Previous experience in training on RSD is an important asset. Functional Skills PR-RSD - Principles and Procedures, operational arrangements/assistance LE-Drafting & development of data protection policies & guidelines based on best practices (Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential) Language Requirements Essential: English (C1) and French (C2). Competency Requirements All jobs at UNHCR require six core competencies and may also require managerial competencies and/or cross-functional competencies. The six 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 Cross-Functional Competencies Stakeholder Management Policy Development &Research Political Awareness 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. Desired Candidate Profile The incumbent should, additionally, be fully conversant with the complex french political, administrative, judiciary context, including at decentralised and central level. She/he should be a team player, but also capable to take initiatives, to lead with creativity some activities, to liaise with diplomacy and tact the full range of interactions with diverse stakeholders. Also, she/he should be in capacity, immediately upon arrival, to provide, together with the SPO and per request, strategic advise on political and legal advocacy around the main priorities of the HCR operation. Required languages (expected Overall ability is at least B2 level): French , , Desired languages , , Operational context Occupational Safety and Health Considerations: Please visit https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel Nature of Position: The Legal Officer - France reports to the Senior Protection Officer based in Country Office Paris and supervises a Protection Associate and a Senior Protection Assistant. They rely on their legal expertise to provide acute legal insights feeding the CO's strategy and advocacy. Their responsibilities encompass providing strategic political and legal advice to the Representative, collaborating closely with the Supervisor for guidance and support in decision-making. Their primary responsibilities revolve around maintaining close ties with key entities involved in Refugee Status Determination (RSD) in France: the French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons (OFPRA) and the National Court of Asylum (CNDA) and monitoring the integrity of the asylum processes. French citizenship is a prerequisite due to the role's involvement as an adjudicator at CNDA, exclusive to French citizens rendering justice on behalf of the nation. Living and Working Conditions: Paris is a modern capital with all the necessary means of communication and good living conditions. However, like other capitals in Europe, accommodation is expensive. The city has a full range of health and education facilities and easy access to all types of goods and services. to all kinds of goods and services. A metro and bus network serves the whole city, and RER and TER (regional trains) lines serve the suburbs. Commuting times to and from the office can be long, depending on the location of the accommodation. Air and mainline rail connect the city with the rest of the country and the world. The city is classified as an H/family duty station with a low-security threat level. Additional Qualifications Skills Education Bachelor of Arts (BA): Law Certifications HCR RSD Learning Program - UNHCR Work Experience Competencies Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Judgement & decision making, Leadership, Managing performance, Managing resource, Organizational awareness, Planning & organizing, Policy research & development, Political awareness, Stakeholder management, Strategic planning & visions, Teamwork & collaboration UNHCR Salary Calculator https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales Compendium Add. 2 to Bi-annual Compendium 2023 - Part B Additional Information Functional clearance This position doesn't require a functional clearance Important notice: Please note that UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (application, interview, meeting, travelling, processing or training). Read about how to avoid scams and fraudulent job offers. If you were notified about unsuccessful application While our recruitment system successfully implements UNHCR policies, we have noticed some marginal errors. Please rest assured that a human recruiter will duly review your application as per our internal processes when it was declined due to lack of required number of years of relevant work experience. For external applicants: We would like to call your attention on the eligibility of International Professional (P) category: According to our Recruitment and Assignments Policy, P staff members will not normally serve in the country of their nationality, and the first regular appointment in the P category must be outside the staff member's country of nationality. In practical terms this means that you are not eligible to apply for International Professional vacancies advertised in the country where you are national of. Past application data and previously created applicant accounts are not migrated to this platform. Therefore, when applying for current vacancies, external applicants (not current UNHCR workforce members) should create a new account (“Sign In” on the top left corner >> Create account). Once successfully registered, you can start filling in your data and apply for vacancies. Applications for vacancies advertised on UNHCR’s old recruitment platform will be duly reviewed and processed in the old platform (but no data will be migrated to the new platform). In case of technical difficulties when applying, external applicants (not current UNHCR workforce members) can write to Global Service Desk at [email protected]. For former UNHCR Colleagues: Former UNHCR employees who are on mandatory break-in service or have separated from UNHCR after 1 October 2022 should create an account through this platform. Once you fill in your basic personal information (employee ID, birth date, name, email address), Workday will identify you as prior personnel and merge your employee account with your external applicant account. For Talent Pool / Evergreen candidates: Past applications to Talent Pools have not been migrated to UNHCR’s new recruitment platform. As part of the transitional measures, candidates who were successfully accepted to a Talent Pool (now called Evergreens) have received e-mail instructions for re-submitting their application on UNHCR’s new recruitment platform. The Evergreens are advertised per grade/ level; candidates can apply to one or more levels. If meeting all eligibility criteria at the given level and subject to functional clearance (if applicable), candidates will be added to the relevant talent pool. Applications will be valid for one year, after which candidates can re-confirm their interest. Evergreens are for sourcing candidates for Temporary Appointments (TAs). Candidates considering TA opportunities are recommended to keep an eye on the UNHCR Career website and apply once Evergreens are open for new applications (at the end of 2022). For updating a previously submitted Evergreen application, please click on the “withdraw” button against the Profile and reapply. Note: the change(s) will apply only to the relevant profile. You will have to update all other profiles (if any) if your data (i.e. nationality, new BA/MA degree, new language skill) has changed. The UNHCR workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages and opinions. UNHCR seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, takes the lead in protecting people forced to flee wars and persecution around the world, providing life-saving aid including shelter, food and water to ensure their basic safety, rights and dignity. With 18,879 women and men working in 137 countries, we work tirelessly to make a difference in the lives of 89.3 million forcibly displaced people worldwide. Our dedicated and professional staff work around the clock in roles including legal protection, community services, public affairs, health and more. Despite the challenges they can face, our staff are proud to work for UNHCR and determined to make a positive impact. Why a career with UNHCR? Our dedicated staff work to protect and assist people fleeing conflict and persecution at a time when global forced displacement is at a record high. Our colleagues bring a wide range of specialized skills, including expertise in legal protection, administration, community services, public affairs, health and other disciplines. Disability inclusion If you are a person with a disability and you expect you may face challenges during the recruitment process, you can indicate it in your application form. There are options to select any health conditions you may have and outline any necessary adjustments related to disabilities during the recruitment phases. Providing this information is optional. It will be treated as strictly confidential and used only for the purpose of finding out how to better assist you during the recruitment process. If you missed adding it to your application or need further assistance please let us know here. Adjustments for candidates with disabilities will be provided as best as possible and as needed upon request. All candidates will be assessed based on meeting the requirements for each vacancy in relation to experience, skills, and education.