Principal Legal Officer

To provide independent, authoritative and practical legal advice and legal services to enable the Organization to implement its mission of global public health consistently with its mandate and to protect the Organization’s resources, reputation, integrity and its responsibility to its Member States. To provide legal input, during the planning and implementation of WHO’s activities, so as to facilitate effective cooperation among those taking part – Member States, international bodies, international officials, collaborating institutions, individuals and commercial entities; to ensure that the activities are carried out on a firm legal basis; and to defend the Organization from legal action.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

• To provide authoritative high quality legal services to WHO staff, including in particular WHO senior managers, on all legal issues relating to corporate and commercial matters, contracts and relations with industry and other relevant stakeholders, with particular emphasis on product research and development, intellectual property rights, licensing, confidentiality of data and information, the donation and distribution of, and equitable access to, health related products, various collaborative activities with the private sector and other relevant stakeholders, donations in cash, and a broad range of other commercial, corporate and contractual matters relating to the Organization’s activities and day to day operations.
• To conduct high level negotiations with pharmaceutical and other companies, as well as other relevant stakeholders, on a wide range of issues and draft complex tailor-made agreements which effectively respond to the Organization’s needs, contribute to the achievement of its objectives, protect its interests, and avoid exposure to liabilities.
• To provide expert legal advice to WHO senior management on the development and further enhancement of relevant WHO policies, including for example in the area of interaction with non-state actors in the context of WHO’s Framework of engagement with non-State actors (FENSA), Anti-terrorism and UN sanctions, Fraud and Corruption, etc.
• To promote the awareness and understanding of WHO senior management and technical staff as well as external parties regarding commercial and contractual legal and policy matters, and thereby effectively contribute to greater adherence.
• To oversee the drafting and negotiation of relevant agreements with governments, financial institutions and other stakeholders, pertaining to funding to and from the Organization, including in the context of innovative financing mechanisms.
• To manage a team of commercial lawyers to the highest degree of professional excellence, while contributing to good communications and harmonious relations within the CCM team, with the other teams in LEG, as well as with WHO staff in general.
• To coordinate the CCM workload in order to ensure appropriate distribution of work, and provide guidance on workload and substantive issues to staff under the PLO’s direct supervision.
• To manage CCM’s financial resources and promote the availability of sufficient financial resources so as to allow CCM to be adequately staffed for a smooth, effective and timely response to its workload, including in times of emergencies.
• To generally protect the Organization’s legal interests in specific areas, such as the use of WHO’s name and emblem, and general legal questions confronting international organizations.
• To conduct high-level negotiations, review and draft constituting and hosting documents in respect of WHO hosted partnerships, managed networks and other collaborative arrangements.
• To advise senior management and hosted partnerships, managed networks and other collaborative arrangements on legal and governance matters.
• To represent the Organization in relevant arbitration proceedings in the corporate, commercial and contractual arena.
• This involves: reviewing the complainant’s legal arguments; consulting with senior managers to gather facts and decide on strategy; providing leadership in coordinating research and legal arguments necessary to best represent the Organization’s interests involving difficult, complex and varied fact patterns; and preparing the Organization’s responses that are legally sound, well-reasoned and persuasively presented (where necessary, by engaging suitably qualified external legal counsel and working closely with such external legal counsel in respect of the foregoing).
• All other related duties as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential:

• An advanced level university degree in law (Masters or equivalent).
• Study or specialization in commercial and contractual law.

Desirable:

• A course in or study of public international law and/or the law of international organizations.
• A professional legal qualification, such as having passed a national bar exam.

Experience

Essential:

• A minimum of 15 years of progressive professional experience in practicing commercial/contractual law in an international organization.
• Proven track record and experience in advising on the legal aspects of, and drafting and negotiating complex contracts and/or other legal documents for, product research and development, intellectual property rights, licensing, confidentiality of data and information, the donation and distribution of, and equitable access to, health related products, financing mechanisms, the hosting and governance of multi-stakeholder partnerships, networks and other collaborative arrangements, and other matters covered by LEG/CCM’s area of work , including in particular in an international context.
• Demonstrated experience in actively engaging with senior leaders on complex and strategic matters and develop innovative legal solutions.
• Experience in managing human and financial resources (including by promoting the availability of sufficient financial resources), as well as experience the area of developing and establishing policies and strategies.
• Proven experience in the presentation and communication of legal considerations to non-lawyers in a practical and solution oriented manner.

Desirable:

• Experience in advising on public international law and/or international organizations law.

Skills

• Ability to provide legal advice and expertise to external stakeholders on commercial and contractual matters (including policy and governance issues), as well as on a wide range of legal matters relevant to the work of the Organization.
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to present legally authoritative and complex ideas clearly and persuasively within WHO and to external stakeholders in a business oriented, practical manner.
• Demonstrated ability to actively engage with senior leaders on complex and strategic matters and develop innovative solutions.
• Excellent skills in analysing and organizing facts, legal and policy considerations and in presenting clear, convincing, politically and practically sensible advice, services and support.
• Ability to coordinate, direct and manage the work of a team with a high degree of independence.
• Ability to provide sound judgement necessary to evaluate risks/benefits/opportunities to WHO, and to protect WHO’s interests and avoid costly errors.
• Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills.

Use of Language Skills

Essential:

• Expert knowledge of English.
• Intermediate knowledge of French.

Source: https://careers.who.int/careersection/ex/jobdetail.ftl?job=2405582