Job Description

June 17, 2026

Grade

GS6

General Service

Reason

Temporary > Temporary Assignment/ Appointment

H (no hardship)

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2026-09-01

2027-08-31

Standard Job Description

Legal Associate

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Legal Associate is a member of a protection team. S/he normally reports to a higher grade Legal Officer.

The Legal Associate assists the supervisor to prepare legal analysis required for quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern. Another important function of the position is to contribute to the involvement of the persons of concern with an office in making decisions that affect them, whether in accessing their rights or in identifying appropriate solutions to their problems. To achieve this, the incumbent will need to support involvement of communities of concern and relevant authorities in continuous cooperation. Additionally, the Legal Associate is expected to contribute to the capacity building activities for local and central state authorities in the area of protection of persons of concern either directly or in cooperation with partners.

The Legal Associate assists an office in providing quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern. S/he is also required to assist an office in ensuring that persons of concern are involved with the office in making decisions that affect them, whether in accessing their rights or in identifying appropriate solutions to their problems. In addition, the Legal Associate is in charge of the office's corporate legal work and advises on all matters of Labour Law affecting refugees.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR's core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties
- Monitor the development of law and doctrine.
- Provide input to assist in analysis of relevant emerging legislation in line with protection and humanitarian principles, international law and standards.
- Provide inputs to selected advocacy efforts of the operation.
- Contribute to the preparation of legal advice and draft position papers.
- Consistently apply international and national law and UNHCR policies and standards.
- Liaise with relevant state authorities at central and local levels, partner NGOs and other relevant stakeholders.
- Participate in meetings within UNHCR and with external counterparts at the relevant level.
- Contribute to draft protection documents and policies in cooperation with supervisor.
- Provide guidance and support in the formulation of protection strategies.
- Assist in handling individual cases and situations raising special questions of application or interpretation of international law, refugee and human rights law.
- Prepare protection documents and policies in cooperation with supervisor.
- Participate in the development of project proposals and project implementation.
- Assist in the preparation of legal advice and drafting of position papers and guidelines on pertinent legal and operational issues.
- Contribute to advocacy towards proper interpretation of law and doctrine as well as in the development of standards of protection.
- Consistently apply international and national law and UNHCR policies and standards.
- Liaise and intervene with local authorities on the legal issues pertaining to persons of concern.
- Assist in providing legal advice on all cases referred from all units of UNHCR, most notably RSD, RST and Registration.

- Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s).
- Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Years of Experience / Degree Level
For G6 - 3 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 2 years relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher

Field(s) of Education
Not applicable.

Certificates and/or Licenses
Law, Human Rights, Political Science
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Previous relevant legal related work experience.
Desirable
Experience in facilitating training.
Completion of UNHCR learning programmes on protection or any other equivalent external courses.

Functional Skills
*CO-Drafting and Documentation
*LE-Legal Research
TR-Training - Virtual and face to face
(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements
For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.
For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.
For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination and abuse of power.

As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.

OPERATIONAL CONTEXT

UNHCR’s Office in Italy is a multi-Country office responsible for Italy, San Marino, the Holy See, Cyprus and Malta. Italy plays an important role in refugee protection in Europe, remaining one of the major points of arrival for persons seeking protection in Europe, mostly arriving by sea, via the Mediterranean.

In 2024, 66.617 migrants and refugees originating from 57 countries arrived in Italy by sea and Italy received almost 50% of all sea arrivals to Southern Europe through the Mediterranean Sea. In 2025, sea arrivals to Italy were recorded at 66.316, remaining stable compared to 2024. The primary countries of origin for these arrivals included Bangladesh, Egypt and Eritrea.

The number of asylum applications lodged in Italy rose, in 2024, to the record number of nearly 159.000, dropping to 138.000 in 2025. The RSD system, from the access phase to second instance, is facing historical challenges in ensuring fairness and efficiency of the procedure, while preserving its integrity and safeguarding timely access to status recognition and inclusion for people in need of international protection. The EU Pact on Migration and Asylum will become applicable as of 12 June 2026.

In this context, the incumbent, under the supervision of the Senior Protection Associate (RSD and statelessness), will contribute to MCO Italy’s engagement with national authorities in view of a protection-sensitive implementation of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum. In particular, s/he will coordinate the project, jointly implemented by UNHCR and IOM, aimed at providing technical-legal support, through the deployment of legal researchers, to Specialized Divisions on Immigration and international protection, in second instance RSD, detention validation and any other relevant judicial procedure, in line with the novelties introduced by the Pact. The incumbent will oversee the coordination of UNHCR’s legal researchers, as well as the delivery of training and other capacity development and technical support activities, based on relevant international and EU law standards and in line with UNHCR’s relevant guidance and positions. S/he will closely coordinate with IOM project manager, thus ensuring joint planning, strategic implementation of the activities and communication with the Ministry of Justice, continuous monitoring of the quality of the support provided at local level, and the adoption of a harmonized approach across all resources (UNHCR and IOM). At the same time, the incumbent will contribute to ensuring capacity development, consistency and high-quality standards of the whole system, notably by promoting regular communication and robust networking amongst all legal researchers (including IOM’s and EUAA’s), sharing of good practices and relevant materials.

DESIRED CANDIDATE PROFILE

MCO Italy is looking for an extremely solid candidate with excellent legal expertise in international and EU refugee law and, notably, thorough knowledge of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum. The candidate should have proven understanding of the Italian operational context as well as expertise of the asylum system in the country. S/he must be proficient in Italian and English, have excellent legal research, legal drafting and reporting skills in both languages, and have a creative, solution and result-oriented outlook to successfully perform the role and coordinate with national authorities, other UN and EU agencies, and relevant UNHCR colleagues. The candidate should have the ability to think and execute strategically and possess strong institutional and interpersonal communication skills. RSD and other protection experiences would be an asset.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in Italy.
English is the official working language of UNHCR in Italy. Only applications fully completed in English will be considered.
Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
Assessment of short-listed candidates might comprise of both an interview and a written test.
UNHCR is committed to diversity and welcomes applications from qualified candidates regardless of disability, gender identity, marital or civil partnership status, race, colour or ethnic and national origins, religion or belief, or sexual orientation.
We welcome applications from candidates with a refugee or stateless background.
UNHCR has a ZERO TOLERANCE policy on sexual exploitation and abuse, and sexual harassment. Successful candidates will be subject to mandatory UN Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and Sexual Harassment clearance check prior to receiving an offer.
UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing, training or any other fees).
All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality.

This position doesn't require a functional clearance

English

,

Italian

,

,

,

Skills

CO-Drafting and Documentation, LE-Legal Research, TR-Training - Virtual and face to face

Education

Certifications

Human Rights - Other, Law - Other, Political Science - Other

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