Legal Assistant

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the International Trade Law Division (ITLD), Office of Legal Affairs (OLA), which serves as the substantive secretariat to the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) and is based in Vienna. The Legal Assistant reports to the Senior Legal Officer heading the Non-Legislative Section as first reporting Officer and to the Director of ITLD (Secretary of UNCITRAL) as second reporting Officer. For more information on ITLD/OLA and UNCITRAL, please visit the websites at https://www.un.org/ola and https://uncitral.un.org.

Responsibilities

Within assigned authority, the Legal Assistant will be responsible for the following specific duties: • Support the coordination, planning, and preparation of ITLD’s non-legislative activities. • Conduct basic research on issues of international trade law using a range of sources and tools. • Manage databases, including the extraction, analysis, visualization, and presentation of key data and trends. • Draft, edit, and perform final accuracy check for of a variety of specialized legal documents, instruments, publications, and correspondence. • Support the preparation and organization of seminars, symposia, and other meetings, whether online, hybrid, or in-person. • Assist in the preparation of project proposals and budget documentation. • Handle, or refer to the responsible officer as appropriate, a variety of verbal and written inquiries from internal and external parties, including providing information on processes and procedures related to specific legal activities. • Develop and maintain internal procedures/infrastructure (e.g., electronic filing system, internal databases). • Update UNCITRAL website. • Provide orientation and guidance to less experienced staff on relevant administrative procedures and practices. • Assist with the collection and analysis of data as well as preparation of data presentations and reports for information sharing, responding to queries, knowledge management, planning and decision making. • Assist with visualizations and updating information material such as web pages or brochures. • Perform other work-related duties as assigned.

Competencies

Professionalism: Knowledge of organizational legal framework, relevant legal processes, procedures and terminology for review, examination, preparation and processing of legal documents. Ability to conduct research using diverse legal research sources and tools (including electronic sources on the internet, intranet and other data bases). Ability to review and synthesizes information and present findings and recommendations in a required format. Knowledge of information management, classification and retrieval systems. Ability to show tact and discretion in dealing with high-ranking officials and with confidential matters and materials. Has ability to perform analysis, modelling and interpretation of data in support of decision-making. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. Planning & Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently. Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

Education

High school diploma or equivalent is required.

Job - Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of seven (7) years of work experience in paralegal work, programme support, administration, project administration or related areas is required. For candidates who possess a first-level university degree or higher, the minimum number of years of relevant experience is reduced to five (5). Work experience in drafting, editing and proofreading official documents, correspondence, reports or legal publications is required. Work experience with managing databases, records management systems or electronic filing systems and preparing data analyses, reports or presentations is required. Work experience supporting the organization of meetings, conferences, workshops, seminars or other events is required. Work experience conducting research on international trade law or related issues is desirable. Work experience managing website content and using data visualization or reporting tools is desirable. Work experience with administrative rules and regulations within the United Nations System or similar international organizations is desirable. Experience working with enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems (such as SAP/Umoja) is desirable.

Languages

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

This position is funded from regular budgetary resources. Filling of this position is subject to funding availability, and the initial appointment will be for a period of one year. Extension of the appointment will be subject to the availability of funds. This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. Applicants for positions in the General Service and related categories must be authorized to work for the United Nations in the duty station where the position is located. Eligible applicants selected from outside the duty station are responsible for any expenses in connection with their relocation to the duty station. Staff members subject to local recruitment are not eligible for allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment. Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their career in accordance with established rules and procedures. At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. The movement of staff members from the General Service and related categories to the Professional category in the United Nations Secretariat is exclusively allowed through the Young Professionals Programme competitive examinations. Only few staff members pass the competitive examinations. Passing the competitive examinations does not guarantee movement to the Professional category. For further information, please visit https://careers.un.org/lbw/home.aspx?viewtype=GP

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. All external candidates recruited in accordance with section ‎2.2 (a) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment without limitation and all external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2. (c) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment limited to the entity are subject to an initial probationary period of one year under a fixed-term appointment. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.