Associate Legal Officer, Field Legal Office

Mission and objectives

UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and is mandated to help and protection to a population of 5.7 million registered Palestine refugees. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank, and the Gaza Strip to achieve their full potential in human development, pending a just solution to their plight. UNRWA’s services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, microfinance, and emergency assistance. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions.

Context

The Jordan Field Office, UNRWA provides technical and operational direction, supervision and monitoring to the delivery of the Agency’s programmes of education, health, relief and social services, infrastructure and camp improvement at field level; develops and implements the field’s strategic and operational plans and budget, responds to emerging needs, working to directly influence the protection and care of Palestine refugees. The Field Legal Office provides legal assistance to the Jordan Field Office management and staff in order to facilitate its operations.

Task Description

Under the direct supervision of the Head, Field Legal Office, the UN Volunteer will be assigned various responsibilities depending on the key needs for support to the Agency’s operations. The UN Volunteer will assist the Field Legal Office in providing legal and technical advice to the Jordan Field Office. The UN Volunteer will assist the Head, Field Legal Office in ensuring consistent interpretation and application of the Agency’s regulatory framework and in providing legally sound, timely, easily applied, politically sensitive and consistent advice on matters related to UNRWA’s operations in the Jordan Field. Specifically, the UN Volunteer may be assigned to any of the following duties:

• Conduct legal research and analysis on the interpretation and application of public international law, including United Nations law, international human rights, humanitarian and refugee law and practices, particularly in relation to the protection of Palestine refugees and the provision of humanitarian assistance to them.
• Assist with the drafting, review and negotiation of all types of field-related contractual modalities, including contracts for procurement of goods and/or services, the construction and maintenance of buildings, use of land, lease agreements, memoranda of understanding, related to Field operations and in support of the Agency’s delivery of services to the Palestine refugees.
• Assist with advising on the status and mandate of the Agency, privileges and immunities and related responsibilities of the Agency and its personnel.
• Support the Agency’s operations by providing legal advice, training, outreach and assistance on matters relating to administrative and employment law, including on matters related to investigation and disciplinary processes.
• Advise on resolution of contractual and tortious claims against the Agency and its staff members in their official capacity, including assisting in overseeing, supporting and conducting negotiations and settlements.
• Participate in the development and delivery of training programmes to UNRWA employees working in the areas of operations on topics relevant to the legal framework of UNRWA. During the first month of the assignment, the UN Volunteer will work closely with his/her direct supervisor to finalize an agreed-upon work plan. The work plan should outline key objectives and activities and include regular check ins with the supervisor to review progress and receive performance feedback.

Competencies and values

• Accountability
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Client Orientation
• Commitment and Motivation
• Communication
• Creativity
• Ethics and Values
• Integrity
• Planning and Organizing
• Professionalism
• Respect for Diversity
• Working in Teams

Living conditions and remarks

Location: The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is located in the Middle East. Bound by Syria to the north, Iraq to the northeast, Saudi Arabia to the east and south, Red Sea to the south and the Palestinian National Authority to the west. Weather: Jordan’s climate can be classified as semi-arid (Bsh) on the Koeppen-Geiger classification. It features a hot, dry climate characterized by long, hot, dry summers and short, cool winters. The climate is influenced by Jordan's location between the subtropical aridity of the Arabian desert areas and the subtropical humidity of the eastern Mediterranean area. January is the coldest month, with temperatures from 5°C to 10°C, and August is the hottest month at 20°C to 35°C. Daily temperatures can be quite hot, especially in the summer; on some days it can be 40°C or more, especially when a hot, dry southerly wind blows. Such winds can sometimes be very strong and can cause sandstorms. About 70 percent of the average rainfall in the country falls between November and March; June through August are often rainless. Rainfall varies from season to season and from year to year. Precipitation is often concentrated in violent storms, causing erosion and local flooding, especially in the winter months. Safety and Security: Jordan is a relatively stable country. The potentials for internal or external armed conflict are considered very unlikely in the current political environment. Peaceful demonstrations, and sometimes road blockages, do occur in Jordan, motivated by domestic factors such as unemployment, deprivation of resources and development or for regional issues such as solidarity with the Palestinian cause or with the Syrian crises. Most of these events are driven by civil society unions and Islamic parties. Domestic tribal civil unrest sometimes turns violent, especially outside main cities, due to tribal disputes or socio-economic reasons. In all occasions law enforcement agencies usually manage to contain the situation rapidly. Road traffic accidents are the primary threat against UN personnel in Jordan. Poor road conditions and bad driving behaviours are the main reasons for the high rate of traffic accidents. Amman is a category A duty station with security level 1. Transportation and housing: Taxis as well as ride-hailing services (Uber and Careem) are abundant and affordable in Amman. Medical facilities are generally very good, particularly in Amman where there are several modern, well-equipped public and private hospitals. Public minibuses are the most common form of public transport. They normally only leave when full, so waiting times of an hour or more are inevitable, especially in rural areas. The larger air-con buses offer a speedy and reliable service, departing according to a fixed schedule. Housing is readily available with rents for one- to two-bedroom apartments ranging between 500 and 800 JD (1 JD = 0.708 USD) depending on the location. Health Services: Medical facilities are generally very good, particularly in Amman where there are several modern, well-equipped public and private hospitals. Almost all doctors (and most pharmacists) speak English; many have studied abroad. Language: The official language of Jordan is Arabic, but English is widely spoken – especially in the cities. Many Jordanians have travelled or have been educated abroad so French, German, Italian and Spanish are also spoken, but to a lesser extent. Learn more about Jordan from the Ministry of Tourism’s website: https://www.mota.gov.jo/Default/En Conditions of Service The Conditions of Service, available here: https://explore.unv.org/cos, outline the policies and rules governing UN Volunteer assignments. Full information on entitlements at the duty station can be accessed here: https://app.unv.org/calculator.