Legal Associate (Unops), Individual Contractor

Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)
H (no hardship)
Family Type (not applicable for home-based)
Family
Staff Member / Affiliate Type
UNOPS LICA6
Target Start Date
2023-05-15
Job Posting End Date
June 9, 2023
Terms of Reference

• General Background

UNHCR is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people. We deliver life-saving assistance like shelter, food and water, and develop solutions that ensure people have a safe place to call home where they can build a better future. Every year, millions of men, women and children are forced to flee their homes to escape conflict and persecution. We are in over 125 countries, using our expertise to protect and care for millions.     
For over a decade, UNHCR has worked on policy analysis and technical engagement with the U.S. government, to support alignment of U.S. practices with international standards in relation to asylum-seekers, refugees and stateless persons. Since 2013, asylum-seekers from the North of Central America, Mexico, and other regions have arrived in growing numbers in the U.S., putting pressure on the U.S. asylum system. Rising numbers of family units and unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) within mixed flows have also created new challenges. This context has spurred vast changes to U.S. asylum policy and practice. In this context, UNHCR is recruiting for an Individual Contractor (UNOPS) function in the UNHCR Multi Country Office, Washington DC. The successful candidate will be part of a legal team that focuses on the intersection of international law and US domestic law and policy. The candidate will provide support with a wide range of legal activities, including: researching and analyzing international refugee law, other international laws, and U.S. domestic law; drafting legal analysis, for instance comparing international standards to U.S. standards; tracking and analyzing changes in U.S. refugee and asylum policy (including issues such as detention, statelessness, UASC; complementary forms of protection; resettlement; etc.); and providing specific assistance to individual cases of concern to UNHCR through a hotline or otherwise, among other responsibilities.

• Purpose and Scope of Assignment

UNHCR is recruiting for a Legal Associate (Individual Contractor - UNOPS) in MCO Washington D.C. The successful candidate will be part of a legal team that focuses on the intersection of international law and US domestic law and policy. The candidate will provide support with a wide range of legal activities, including: researching and analyzing international refugee law, other international laws, and U.S. domestic law; drafting legal analysis, for instance comparing international standards to U.S. standards; tracking and analyzing changes in U.S. refugee and asylum policy (including issues such as detention, statelessness, UASC; complementary forms of protection; resettlement; etc.); and providing specific assistance to individual cases of concern to UNHCR through a hotline or otherwise, among other responsibilities.

• Monitoring and Progress Controls

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Support internal reporting activities as necessary.
• Provide advice on protection issues to persons of concern; liaise with colleagues and competent authorities in relation to the protection of persons of concern; manage individual protection cases as necessary, including those for particularly vulnerable persons of concern.
• Research and analyze international refugee law and the U.S. domestic framework for UNHCR’s persons of concern, as necessary. Draft internal and external reports.
• Participate in initiatives to build capacity of authorities, relevant institutions and NGOs to strengthen protection procedures.
• Stay abreast of developments in policy and practice that have an impact on the legal framework and protection environment for refugees, asylum-seekers, and refugees in the United States.
• Assist in providing comments on existing and draft legislation related to persons of concern; monitor Congressional hearings and statements as necessary.
• Consistently apply international and national law and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policy, standards and codes of conduct.
• Contribute to areas of work such as child protection, statelessness, and detention in line with the protection strategy.

Accountability

• The protection of populations of concern is met through the application of international and national law, relevant UN/UNHCR protection standards and IASC principles.
• Protection incidents are immediately identified and reported.
• Protection activities are guided by the UNHCR country protection strategy.

Authority

• Fluency in English required; proficiency in other UN languages is an asset.
• At least 4 years of relevant work experience. Up to 2 of those years may be substituted by time spent in higher education (for instance, a candidate with a juris doctor may count higher education for 2 years and needs to show 2 more years of relevant work experience).
• Strong research capacities and strong written and oral communication skills.
• Direct services experience or other experience with U.S. immigration law is an asset.
• Team orientation and demonstrated capacity to work collaboratively in a high-paced and often stressful environment.
• Enforce compliance with, and integrity of, all protection standard operating procedures.
• Qualifications and Experience
• Education: Completion of a juris doctor (JD) or an LLM from a U.S. law school mandatory. Coursework in public international law, international refugee law and/or U.S. immigration law is strongly preferred.
• Education
• Good time management skills.
• Work Experience

Desirable skills and competencies:

• Completed the UNHCR Protection Learning Programme.
• Strong IT and information management skills.

   

• Key Competencies

Judgement and Decision Making
Analytical Thinking
Political Awareness
Stakeholder Management
Accountability

• Application Requirements

Please submit a cover letter, resume and writing sample (under 10 pages and unedited by others) with your application to this position.
[IMPORTANT]
This is a local UNOPS individual contractor position, and all applicants must have a valid work authorization or permanent residence (green card holders) in the U.S.A. at the time of applying. The selected candidate must provide proof of vaccination against Covid-19 with WHO approved vaccine.
Standard
Required Languages
,
Desired Languages
,
Skills
Additional Qualifications
Education
Certifications
Work Experience
Other Information
This is a local UNOPS individual contractor position, and all applicants must have a valid work authorization or permanent residence (green card holders) in the U.S.A. at the time of applying.This position doesn't require a functional clearance