Senior Legal Advisor, Head of Unit

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an international organisation comprised of 38 member countries, that works to build better policies for better lives. Our mission is to promote policies that will improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world. Together with governments, policy makers and citizens, we work on establishing evidence-based international standards, and finding solutions to a range of social, economic and environmental challenges. From improving economic performance and creating jobs to fostering strong education and fighting international tax evasion, we provide a unique forum and knowledge hub for data and analysis, exchange of experiences, best-practice sharing, and advice on public policies and international standard-setting.

The Directorate for Legal Affairs (LEG) provides advice and information on the legal, institutional and procedural aspects of the Organisation’s activities. The Directorate also serves as co-ordinator of the discussions with candidate countries for OECD membership, which also involves supporting the review by OECD committees of the candidate countries’ alignment with some 270 OECD legal instruments.

Within LEG, the General Legal Affairs Division is responsible for internal legal matters of the Organisation, providing advice on issues including staff employment, internal employment litigation, the Organisation’s governance, budgetary and financial matters and dispute settlement.

We are looking to recruit a Senior Legal Adviser to serve as Head of the Unit in charge of staff and institutional matters (LEG IM) within the General Legal Affairs Division, and manage this Unit, which is a small and highly integrated team of lawyers. The successful candidate will work under the immediate supervision of the Head of the General Legal Affairs Division and under the direction of the Deputy Director and the Director for Legal Affairs.

Job Description

Main Responsibilities

Supervision

• As head of the LEG/IM Unit, direct, provide training, supervise, and review the work of the staff of the Unit with a view to ensuring timely and quality delivery of the work expected by the Unit.

Legal Advice

• Advise on legal issues related to the operations of the Organisation, including:
• staff legal matters, providing day-to-day assistance in interpreting and implementing the applicable legal framework, and providing legal support for individual disputes;
• the privileges and immunities of the Organisation, as well as questions concerning the interpretation and application of the Organisation’s basic texts.
• Provide legal advice to be conveyed to OECD bodies, the OECD Secretariat and national delegations on institutional and procedural matters.
• Draft guidelines and internal briefing notes on legal issues relating to the Organisation’s operations, in the above-mentioned areas.
• In close consultation with the Head of the General Legal Affairs Division, support the establishment and the implementation of arrangements and agreements with Member countries, non-Member countries or other external entities, especially in relation to the privileges and immunities of the Organisation and its staff.

Litigation

• Propose litigation strategies aiming at protecting and defending the Organisation’s interests in the event of disputes with staff, and ensure their implementation.
• Draft and revise legal pleadings and submissions in matters brought before the OECD internal justice bodies (Joint Advisory board and OECD Administrative Tribunal);
• In close consultation with the Head of the General Legal Affairs Division, represent the Organisation, as required, in oral proceedings before the Joint Advisory Board and/or the OECD Administrative tribunal;
• Contribute to ensuring the defence of the Organisation’s interests in relation to claims by third parties involving the Organisation’s privileges and immunities.

Legal norms and policies

• Participate in the development of norms and policies applicable to OECD staff to ensure legal soundness, including the development of Human Resources and Ethics policies, in close collaboration with the Human Resource Management Service and the Ethics Office.

Communication and representation

• Maintain the necessary relations within the OECD Secretariat, especially with the Human Resource Management Service and the Ethics Office, as well as with national delegations to the OECD and other international organisations.
• Represent LEG, as necessary, with the Organisation’s senior management, governance bodies and internal advisory bodies in reviews of institutional issues, in particular those related to the legal framework applicable to OECD staff.
• Assist in responding to the Directorate’s regular reporting requirements, in particular in relation to legal staff matters and the use of the Directorate’s resources.

Other duties

• Participate, as required by LEG Management, in the discharge of files in which LEG may be involved.

Qualifications

Ideal Candidate Profile

Academic Background

• An advanced university degree in law.

Professional Background

• Possess a minimum of 8 years of relevant professional experience in legal affairs, in an international context, preferably within one or several international organisations.
• Demonstrated expertise in advising on employment law, dispute resolution, and privileges and immunities of international organisations.
• Experience in litigation, especially before an international administrative tribunal, is highly desirable.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively in multicultural environment and build effective working relationships with clients and colleagues.
• High degree of persuasiveness and diplomacy.
• Ability to supervise and support the professional development of a small team of lawyers; and
• Ability to work under time pressure and to juggle multiple tasks within tight deadlines.

Core Competencies

• OECD staff are expected to demonstrate behaviours aligned to six core competencies which will be assessed as part of this hiring processes: Vision and Strategy (Level 3); Enable People (Level 2); Ethics and Integrity (Level 3); Collaboration and Horizontality (Level 3); Achieve Results (Level 3); Innovate and Embrace Change (Level 2).
• To learn more about the definitions for each competency for levels 1-3, please refer to OECD Core Competencies.

Languages

• Fluency in one of the two OECD official languages (English and French) and knowledge of the other, with a commitment to reach a good working level.

Additional Information

Closing Date:

• This vacancy will be filled as soon as possible, and applications should reach us no later than midnight 8 September 2024 (CEST).

Contract Duration

• 24-months fixed term appointment, with the possibility of renewal.

What the OECD offers

• Depending on level of experience, monthly salary starts at 9 349 EUR, plus allowances based on eligibility, exempt of French income tax.
• Please note that the appointment may be made at one grade lower in the specified job family, based on the qualifications and professional experience of the selected applicant.
• Click here to learn more about what we offer and why the OECD is a great place to work.
• Click here to browse our People Management Guidebook and learn more about all aspects relating to people at the OECD, our workplace environment and many other policies supporting staff in their daily life.

Selection Process

For retained candidates, written tests/video-recorded interviews and panel interviews are foreseen.

The OECD is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes the applications of all qualified candidates [who are nationals of OECD member countries]*, irrespective of their racial or ethnic origin, opinions or beliefs, gender, sexual orientation, health or disabilities.

The OECD promotes an optimal use of resources in order to improve its efficiency and effectiveness. Staff members are encouraged to actively contribute to this goal.