Senior Counsel

**Publication Starting Date**:Oct 30, 2025

**Location**: Lyon, France

**Company**:Interpol

**Vacancy Notice**1518**

INTERPOL is the world’s largest international police organization, with 196 Member Countries. Created in 1923, it facilitates cross-border police co-operation, and supports and assists all organizations, authorities, and services whose mission is to prevent or combat international crime.

Job Title: Senior Counsel
Reporting To: Director Institutional Affairs/ Deputy General Counsel
Location: Lyon
Type of contract: Fixed-term Contract
Duration (in months): 24.00
Grade: 3
Number of post: 1
Level of Security screening: Enhanced

** SUMMARY OF THE ASSIGNED DUTIES, INCLUDING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE POST**

The Executive Directorate Legal Affairs (EDLA) assists the Organization in achieving its aims by ensuring that all its activities and programmes are conducted in accordance with INTERPOL’s legal framework. The core mission of EDLA consists in protecting the Organization’s legal interests through the provision of substantive and impartial legal advice to the Secretary General, to the bodies of the Organization and to other Executive Directorates of the General Secretariat, in order to promote and develop the rule of law in all aspects of INTERPOL’s activities. EDLA defends INTERPOL against claims arising from its activities and programmes.

Under the direct supervision of the Deputy General Counsel responsible for institutional affairs, the Senior Counsel/Coordinator provides high-level advisory services on institutional and treaty-related matters, contributing to the implementation of the Organization’s strategic legal objectives and coordination of cross-directorate initiatives.

The incumbent is responsible for advancing the implementation and promotion of the General Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities of the ICPO-INTERPOL (GAPI), bilateral host state agreements for regional bureaus and other duty stations, and temporary agreements for statutory meetings in close coordination with heads of department in other relevant units. The post focuses on facilitating legal assistance to Member States, and ensuring coherence among related legal instruments and partnership agreements.

Given his/her experience, he/she is an important source of proposals to his/her superiors. The incumbent supervises the work of any officials in lower grades under his/her authority, either on a permanent basis or as part of a specific matter or project.

** PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND ACTIVITIES**

DUTY 1: Treaty Implementation and Legal Advisory
- Provide authoritative legal advice and support to facilitate the implementation of the General Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities and related instruments, including the interpretation of obligations, preparation of legal guidance materials, and coordination of internal and inter-agency processes.
- Monitor and assess progress in treaty implementation by Member States and identify opportunities for further engagement.

DUTY 2: Promotion of the GAPI
- Lead and coordinate efforts to promote the GAPI before legal advisers in Ministries of Foreign Affairs, in collaboration with Cabinet and the Executive Directorate Partnerships and Planning (EDPP) or any other Directorate/Unit as required.
- Prepare and deliver targeted briefings, guidance notes, and outreach materials to strengthen awareness and participation in the initiative.

DUTY 3: Facilitation of Legal Assistance to States
- Facilitate the provision of legal assistance to interested Member States seeking to align domestic frameworks with the treaty’s provisions.
- Coordinate expert input, workshops, and advisory exchanges to support States in fulfilling their treaty-related obligations, drafting resolutions, and advancing through the treaty-adherence process in a coordinated and consistent manner.

DUTY 4: Organization of Signature and Accession Events
- Support the planning and execution of treaty signature and accession ceremonies, ensuring legal accuracy, procedural compliance, and coordination across relevant directorates. Especially, ensure that public international law requirements are fully complied with in coordination with Protocol and the United Nations Treaty Section.
- Liaise with Member States and external partners to facilitate smooth and effective diplomatic engagements.

DUTY 5: Coordination of Partnership and Implementation (P&I) Agreements
- Enhance coherence across existing Privileges & Immunities agreements, ensuring their alignment with the treaty’s objectives and INTERPOL’s institutional priorities.
- Maintain regular exchanges with relevant directorates to ensure coherent and coordinated policy, activity, and defined roles to maximize organizational efficiency.

** DUTY 6: Institutional and normative developments**
- Contribute to the drafting and review of amendments to INTERPOL’s Constitution, rules, and procedures where relevant to treaty-related matters.
- Support working groups and s