During the implementation of this contract, the consultant will work under the immediate supervision, guidance and responsibility of the Chief of the Legal Unit of the CITES Secretariat and is expected to have frequent and inclusive consultations with other members of the unit and the Secretariat.
The consultant will support the Chief of the Legal Unit to prepare for, and deliver upon, the 74th meeting of the Standing Committee (SC74) and 19th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES (CoP19).
The primary focus will be on verification of legal findings. The consultant will independently handle a wide range of multi-discipline and complex legal and compliance matters involving interpretation and application of the text of the Convention and its appendices, Annotations, Resolutions, Decisions, Reservations and procedural matters.
Remote
6 months from 25 January 2022 to 24 July 2022 on part-time basis (50%)
Under the direct supervision of the Chief of the Legal Unit, the legal consultant will contribute to the work programme of the Unit and assist in the servicing of the meetings for the governing bodies of the Convention by:
• Maintain a dedicated webpage regarding the verification of legal acquisition on the CITES website and update it regularly;
• Organize workshops and other capacity-building activities related to the implementation of Resolution Conf. 18.7 and disseminate training material for the verification of the legal acquisition of CITES specimens.
• Assist with conducting research and analyses related to the implementation of specific CoP Decisions and Resolutions allocated to the Legal Unit;
• Assist in conducting background research for the preparation of substantive meeting documents;
• Compile and prepare analyses of information submitted by Parties in response to various calls for information related to their implementation of the Convention; and
• Performing other duties as assigned.
a) Relevant legal work experience or related area are required.
b) Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, and authorities at different levels;
c) Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel;
d) Ability to work under tight deadlines;
e) Excellent communication skills (written and orally);
f) Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.) and email/internet; familiarity with database management; and office technology equipment;
g) Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines;
h) Have affinity with or interest in conservation and sustainable use of wildlife, and the UN System.
i) Required field of work and where applicable, area of specialty: knowledge of the CITES convention, environmental and international law. Previous experience on CITES legal-related matters would be an advantage.
j) Required education qualifications: Advanced university degree in law (environmental, trade, international). A first-level law university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
k) Required knowledge of languages: English, French and Spanish are the working languages of the CITES Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Fluency in any of the other working languages would be an advantage.
l) Competencies:
To successfully undertake this consultancy role the incumbent will demonstrate the competencies of Professionalism, Teamwork and respect for diversity, Planning and Organizing and Communication.
• Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operations relevant to CITES Secretariat; technical capabilities or knowledge relevant or transferrable to CITES Secretariat procedures and rules; discretion, political sensitivity, diplomacy and tact to deal with clients; ability to apply good judgement; ability to liaise and coordinate with a range of different actors, especially in senior positions; where appropriate, high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; resourcefulness and willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented;
• Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, mixed-gender environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity; sensitivity and adaptability to culture, gender, religion, nationality and age; commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of UN operations; ability to achieve common goals and provide guidance or training to colleagues;
• Planning and organizing: effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities;
• Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups;
• Genuine commitment towards CITES Secretariat’s mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values.
More specifically, the incumbent should have the ability to
- independently structure and organize the work
- compile, review and structure large amounts of information and data
- orally communicate in a clear and friendly manner
- work under time constraints with tight deadlines
- present complex technical matters in a simple and straightforward way (using graphics where relevant)
- understand and work with political sensitivities and respect for confidentiality where necessary
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.