Job Description

Vacancy Notice 2121

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.

INTERPOL actively encourages applications from women and nationals of member countries that are currently unrepresented among our staff (please click on this link to access the list of countries). Candidates from these countries are particularly encouraged to apply.

INTERPOL’s recruitment process is merit-based hence all hiring decisions are made considering the applicant’s qualifications and the needs of the Organization.

Job Title: Counsel and Coordinator - NDTF

Reporting To: Senior Counsel

Location: Singapore

Type of contract: Fixed-term Contract

Duration (in months): 36.00

Grade: 4

Number of post: 1

Level of Security screening: Enhanced

Deadline for application: 26 November 2026

Conditions applying for all candidates

Only professional experience for which candidates can provide official proof of employment will be considered. Candidates could be requested to provide copies of such official documents prior to interviews/test.

• Subsequent extension to this post will be subject to the terms of the Organization’s Staff Manual, to satisfactory performance and to availability of funds.

Tests/interviews in connection to this selection procedure will take place approximately 1/3 weeks after the deadline for applications. Applicants are kindly requested to plan their availability during this period accordingly, in case they are short-listed.

​Selected candidates will be expected to report for duty approximately two to three months after receiving an offer of employment at the latest.

This selection exercise may be used to generate a reserve list of suitable candidates that may be used to address Organization's similar staffing needs in the future.

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

Within the Executive Directorate Legal Affairs, the Notices and Diffusions Taskforce (NDTF) Sub-Directorate is a multidisciplinary team composed of legal, law enforcement, and operational experts. It ensures that Notices and Diffusions comply with INTERPOL’s rules. The team liaises with National Central Bureaus and national authorities, providing guidance, training, and capacity building. It also addresses legal and operational issues related to data processing and implements corrective measures when required.

The Counsel Coordinator serves as a senior legal expert within NDTF, providing authoritative legal advice and leading the legal review of complex and sensitive cases related to Notices, Diffusions and other international police cooperation requests. The role ensures the consistent application of INTERPOL's legal framework, coordinates the work of legal staff, advises management on strategic and policy matters, and contributes to the development of legal guidance, policy and operational practices.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND ACTIVITIES

DUTY 1 : Senior Legal Advice and Review of Complex Cases

• Provide authoritative legal advice on matters relating to the review, publication, maintenance and deletion of Notices, Diffusions and other requests for international police cooperation.
• Lead the legal assessment of complex, sensitive, novel or high-risk cases involving legal, operational, reputational, political or human rights considerations.
• Formulate legal recommendations for management and support decision-making on cases presenting significant legal implications.
• Ensure the consistent interpretation and application of INTERPOL's legal framework across the NDTF.

DUTY 2 : Coordination of Legal Activities and Quality Assurance

• Coordinate and monitor the legal work of Legal Officers and other staff assigned to case reviews, projects and special initiatives.
• Review and validate legal analyses, memoranda, communications and other legal products prepared by team members.
• Establish and maintain quality-control mechanisms, legal review methodologies and operational standards.
• Ensure consistency in legal positions, recommendations and practices across the Task Force.

DUTY 3 : Member Country and Stakeholder Engagement

• Lead legal engagement with National Central Bureaus (NCBs), judicial authorities and other competent national entities regarding complex cases and legal issues.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with external stakeholders, including international organizations, regional organizations, oversight bodies, academic institutions and civil society representatives.
• Represent EDLA and NDTF in consultations, technical exchanges and institutional discussions related to Notices and Diffusions.

DUTY 4 : Meetings, Working Groups and Representation

• Lead and coordinate preparations for internal and external meetings, working groups, expert forums and governance-related discussions.
• Prepare briefing notes, discussion papers, legal analyses, presentations and recommendations for senior management.
• Represent the Organization at international conferences, meetings and expert groups as delegated.
• Support the development of strategic positions and institutional contributions on matters within the mandate of the Task Force.

DUTY 5 : Leadership and Coordination

• May coordinate and support one or more teams through effective leadership, work planning, performance follow-up, coaching and professional development.
• Provide technical guidance and mentoring to Legal Officers and newly recruited personnel.
• Facilitate knowledge sharing and promote consistent legal practices within the team.
• Contribute to workforce planning, prioritization of activities and allocation of resources within the Task Force.

DUTY 6 : Legal Policy Development and Institutional Guidance

• Lead the development and revision of legal guidelines, standard operating procedures, repositories of practice, policy papers and legal frameworks relating to Notices and Diffusions.
• Identify emerging legal risks, operational challenges and trends affecting the processing of INTERPOL data.
• Propose policy, procedural and governance improvements to strengthen compliance, transparency, efficiency and legal certainty.
• Contribute to organizational initiatives concerning data processing, international police cooperation and oversight mechanisms.

DUTY 7 : Capacity Building, Training and Knowledge Development

• Design, coordinate and deliver legal training programmes relating to Notices, Diffusions, INTERPOL's legal framework and international police cooperation.
• Develop training materials, e-learning resources and guidance documents for INTERPOL officials, National Central Bureaus and law-enforcement authorities.
• Promote awareness and understanding of legal developments affecting INTERPOL's information systems and data-processing activities.

Perform any other duties as required by the hierarchy.

QUALIFICATIONS, COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS

Education and qualification required

• At least four years’ legal education at a University or specialized higher education in the field of law.

Experience required:

• At least five years of working experience as a lawyer.
• Experience in supervising junior lawyers and/or in coordinating and supervising projects or teams involving compliance with laws, rules, regulations, and policies.
• Experience in criminal law and/or work in law enforcement is desirable.

languages:

• Fluency in English required.
• Proficiency in a second official working language of the Organization (Arabic, French or Spanish) would be an additional asset.

Abilities required:

• Mature, professional, with effective communication skills, particularly in an international/multicultural and multidisciplinary environment
• Ability to be self-motivated and methodological, to take initiative and work collaboratively in a team or individually to meet deadlines.

As part of our commitment to transparency throughout our recruitment process, INTERPOL's Staff Manual Regulation 11.4: Age-limit, which states that:

'Officials of the Organization shall not normally be retained in service beyond the age of 65 years. The Secretary General may, in exceptional cases and in the interests of the Organization, extend this age limit, in which case he shall inform the official concerned sufficiently in advance.'

Given this Regulation and in case candidates reach the age of 65 during the potential duration of the appointment, should they be selected for the position and the process proceed to appointment, the employment period may be affected by this regulatory limit and may therefore not extend for the full standard contract duration as published in the vacancy notice.

We are sharing this information to ensure transparency at this stage of the process.