Job Description

Please note that this vacancy is only open to eligible staff members who have been individually notified of their eligibility to apply for positions advertised in the Accelerated Posting Compendium.

June 12, 2026

H (no hardship)

Family

PR3

Professional

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

2026-05-26

Legal Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Legal Officer is a member of the protection or legal team either at Headquarters (within the Division of International Protection or in a Regional Bureau), or in a Country or Sub-Office and may, depending of the size and structure of the Office, be Head of the Protection or Legal Unit. He/she may report to the Senior Protection or Senior Legal Officer, Head of Sub-Office or to the Assistant Representative for Protection. In smaller Offices, the post may report directly to the Representative. The incumbent has direct supervisory responsibility for protection or legal staff who may include community services, registration, resettlement and education. He/she provides functional protection oversight to information management and programme staff; and supervises protection standards, the provision of legal and policy advice, operational procedures and practices in protection delivery at local or country level. The incumbent also acts as an advisor to senior management in designing a comprehensive protection strategy and represents the organization to authorities, UN sister agencies, partners and other stakeholders on protection doctrine and policy.

The Legal Officer is relied upon by the Office to plan, lead and coordinate quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of forcibly displaced and stateless persons This includes ensuring that operational and advocacy responses in all sectors are shaped in a protection optic, mainstream protection methodologies and integrate protection safeguards. Another important function of the position is to ensure that forcibly displaced and stateless persons are involved with the 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 build and maintain effective interfaces with communities of concern, authorities, protection and assistance partners as well as a broader network of stakeholders who can contribute to enhancing protection.

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.
- Advocate for proper interpretation of law and doctrine as well as in the development of standards of protection.
- Provide legal advice on these issues and drafting of position papers and guidelines on pertinent legal and operational issues.
- Provide guidance and support in the formulation of protection strategies.
- Liaise with DIP, Division and Bureau work units and external actors to enhance awareness of protection principles.
- Engage with external partners and stakeholders, including governments, non-governmental organizations, international organizations, etc, on issues related to legal protection principles and related international law.
- Handle individual cases and situations raising special questions of application or interpretation of international law, refugee and human rights law.
- Represent Office in meetings within UNHCR and with external counterparts.
- Prepare protection documents and policies in cooperation with supervisor.
- Participate in the development of project proposals and project implementation. Perform other related duties as required.

- 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).

Minimum Qualifications

Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P3/NOC - 6 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 5 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 4 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education
Law; Refugee Law; Human Rights Law;
International Humanitarian Law; or other relevant field.;

Certificates and/or Licenses
HCR Learning Prog;
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Excellent legal research, analytical and drafting skill.
Desirable
Completion of UNHCR learning programmes on protection would be an asset or any other equivalent external courses.

Functional Skills
CO-Drafting and Documentation;
LE-Legal Research;
(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.

Essential Attributes:
- Specialized and in-depth technical knowledge and expertise of law and policy related to internal displacement, including significant familiarity with relevant international and regional standards, national and sub-national legal and policy developments as well as jurisprudence related to internal displacement worldwide
- Significant first-hand experience in supporting IDP related law and policy-making in at least 2 regions
- Significant first-hand experience in work on IDP solutions in at least 2 regions
- Experience providing technical support on IDP law and policy to governments
- Proven track record in drafting high-quality analytical documents, policy briefs both to senior UN officials, donors, government counterparts
- Proven track record in drafting high-quality talking points, and reports tailored both to senior UN officials, donors, government counterparts
- Proven experience in drafting guidance and providing technical support to UNHCR colleagues (yes/no)
- Proven experience delivering capacity building both to government officials and to UNHCR colleagues, including webinars and peer exchange sessions
- Strong analytical capacities and strategic thinking.
- The incumbent must bring excellent interpersonal, presentation, negotiation, and coordination skills, and be comfortable engaging actors across humanitarian, development, and political spheres.
- Positive managers’ evaluations throughout the career.
- Experience in engaging with different levels of UNHCR – HQ, RBs, COs.
- Experience in engaging with donors and Member States
- Experience in coordination
- Knowledge of French or Spanish

Desirable attributes:
- knowledge of Arabic or Russian is desirable.
- DIPS seeks diversity in its workforce and will consider gender and geographic diversity in the composition of its teams.
- DIPS encourages colleagues with disabilities and lived experience of displacement to apply.

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Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

The position is based in Geneva, Switzerland, and can accommodate the specific needs for qualified candidates.

Nature of Position:

The position is part of Internal Displacement (IDP) Unit, under the Coordination and IDP Section, within the Division of International Protection and Solutions and reports to Senior Liaison Officer on Internal Displacement.

The incumbent works at Headquarters level and serves as a key technical and policy advisor on legal and policy frameworks related to internal displacement, supporting UNHCR operations, regional bureaux, and headquarters. The position plays a central role in shaping UNHCR’s work on the promotion of international standards on IDP protection and solutions, as well as engagement on the development, reform, implementation, and monitoring of national, sub-national and regional legal and policy frameworks addressing internal displacement, with a particular focus on the incorporation of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement into domestic legislation, the domestication and implementation of the Kampala Convention, as well as the promotion and application of other international and regional standards on IDP protection and durable solutions, including the IASC Framework on Durable Solutions for Internally Displaced Persons.

The incumbent provides authoritative guidance and technical support to field operations and external stakeholders on complex legal and policy questions related to internal displacement, including with regard to definitional issues, interpretation of international standards and obligations, institutional responsibilities, rights-based approaches to solutions, access to justice, inclusion of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in national systems, and legal dimensions of prevention, protection and solutions. The position supports governments and UNHCR operations in legislative drafting, legal and policy review, and in navigating sensitive legal and political issues arising in national law and policy-making processes. The incumbent also contributes comparative legal analysis and practical examples from different jurisdictions to inform advocacy and technical assistance efforts, leads on internal and external capacity-building in this area, collects lessons learnt and good practices and regularly monitors law and policy developments across the globe.

The position contributes directly to strengthening the coherence and quality of UNHCR’s global engagement on internal displacement by developing legal guidance, policy papers, analytical tools, briefing materials, and operational recommendations for a wide range of audiences, including senior UN leadership, donors, government counterparts, field colleagues, and inter-agency partners. It also supports efforts to improve public knowledge and inform policymakers and practitioners on effective responses to internal displacement, particularly through evidence-based legal and policy analysis and engagement with global policy processes.

A key dimension of the role is close collaboration with internal and external stakeholders working on protection, solutions, and data related to internal displacement. Externally, the incumbent serves as a UNHCR focal point to the Global Solutions Hub, and maintains extensive engagement with the Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons, the IDP Protection Expert Group (IPEG), EGRISS, the Global Protection Cluster, regional organizations, academic institutions, development and peace actors, and other global and regional legal and policy networks. Internally, the incumbent works closely with other DIPS services, divisions, regional bureaux, and country operations to ensure consistent and strategic approaches to IDP law and policy engagement across UNHCR.

The position requires strong analytical capacity, political awareness, sound legal judgement, and the ability to engage effectively with senior government officials, humanitarian and development actors, and legal and policy experts across diverse institutional and cultural contexts. The incumbent is expected to represent UNHCR in high-level meetings, consultations, conferences, and inter-agency processes and contribute substantively to shaping global discussions and policy development on internal displacement.

The incumbent will be required to undertake regular missions, including travel on short notice, to support operations and engage in international and regional processes related to internal displacement.

Living and Working Conditions:

The position is based in Geneva, Switzerland. The incumbent will be required to travel, sometimes on short notice. Living and working conditions in Switzerland are up to the level of a highly developed country, where easy access to quality schooling, services, medical support, and higher education is available. The position requires residence in Geneva and cannot be undertaken remotely, although some teleworking is possible, after discussions with the manager.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

Bachelor of Arts: Law

Certifications

HCR Learning Program - UNHCR

Competencies

Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Judgement & decision making, Managing performance, Organizational awareness, Policy research & development, Political awareness, Teamwork & collaboration

https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales

Compendium

Accelerated Posting Compendium 2026 - Part B

Additional Information

This position doesn't require a functional clearance