Senior Legal Assistant (Meeting Services),
New York (G-7)
Office of Legal Affairs
Closing date: Wednesday, 30 August 2017
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| Posting Title: | Senior Legal Assistant (Meeting Services), G7 |
| Job Code Title: | SENIOR LEGAL ASSISTANT |
| Department/Office: | Office of Legal Affairs |
| Duty Station: | NEW YORK |
| Posting Period: | 01 August 2017 - 30 August 2017 |
Responsibilities
The Senior Legal Assistant (Meeting Services) will be responsible for the following duties:
(a) Legal Assistance:
• Conducts legal research on assigned topics, using existing legal files as well as web-based sources, verifies facts, identifies citations, precedents, issues to be addressed, etc., and drafts statements of findings. Oversees similar tasks performed by legal assistants.
• Maintains legal reference files, both paper and electronic, to ensure rapid retrieval of critical information; conducts reference searches; reviews material and determines appropriate file classification category; identifies material for inclusion in files; identifies vital records and determines the priority of access to them, conducts record risk assessment, develops proposals on retirement, storage and retrieval of files in coordination with Archives; takes initiatives to enhance existing systems for records management and retrieval.
• Reviews, verifies and processes a variety of specialized documentation, such as reports on oceans and the law of the sea issues, legal publications and/or studies on oceans and the law of the sea as mandated by the General Assembly, with a view to ensuring accuracy and conformity to relevant guidelines and requirements.
• Drafts, edits and/or conducts final check for accuracy of a variety of correspondence, such as circular notes verbales, depositary notifications, etc.
• Drafts procedural notes for the chairpersons of bodies serviced by the Division.
• Independently handles a variety of relatively complex verbal and written inquiries from internal and external parties, including providing detailed information on processes and procedures related to a range of legal activities, instruments, issues, etc.
• Assists in administering programmes of legal and technical assistance, such as global, regional or national meetings and workshops.
(b) Meeting Servicing Assistance:
• Coordinates general service staff in the provision of technical assistance for meetings arrangements and servicing as well as in the provision of other services to various bodies, including expert bodies, including in relation to invitations to Member States, specialized agencies and intergovernmental organizations to attend sessions of meetings/conferences, processing of pre-, in- and post-session documents and making logistic arrangements, initiates and oversees projects for enhancing efficiency and level of services provided.
• Ensures that all preliminary logistic arrangements are made in advance for the efficient conduct of committee meetings/conferences.
• Oversees the maintenance of a database of invitees to meetings, including Member States, Specialized Agencies and other intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations.
• Coordinates with host countries on scope of and requirements for meetings/conferences/workshops to be held away from Headquarters and on the provision of logistical support to such meetings/conferences/workshops.
• Prepares, in coordination with the Department for General Assembly and Conference Management (DGACM), tentative schedule of meetings for current and future years.
• Evaluates all documents submitted for processing, in order to verify legislative mandates, ensures the compliance with submission dates, page-limitation, etc., in accordance with relevant policies, guidelines, rules and regulations on control and limitation of documentation.
• Establishes and maintains a database in order to monitor and follow up submission of documents, provides the Director, Deputy Director as well as professional staff who are secretaries of various bodies serviced by the Division with updated information, as well as electronically-generated reminders, compiles statistics on compliance as required, and provides necessary information for forecast of documentation.
• Provides expert inputs to the preparation and development of the unit’s work programme and prepares budget performance submissions.
• Participates in the recruitment of general service staff and schedules and supervises as required the work of general staff in the unit.
• Provides guidance, training and supervision, as required, to other general service staff in the area of responsibility.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
Competencies(a) Legal Assistance:
• Conducts legal research on assigned topics, using existing legal files as well as web-based sources, verifies facts, identifies citations, precedents, issues to be addressed, etc., and drafts statements of findings. Oversees similar tasks performed by legal assistants.
• Maintains legal reference files, both paper and electronic, to ensure rapid retrieval of critical information; conducts reference searches; reviews material and determines appropriate file classification category; identifies material for inclusion in files; identifies vital records and determines the priority of access to them, conducts record risk assessment, develops proposals on retirement, storage and retrieval of files in coordination with Archives; takes initiatives to enhance existing systems for records management and retrieval.
• Reviews, verifies and processes a variety of specialized documentation, such as reports on oceans and the law of the sea issues, legal publications and/or studies on oceans and the law of the sea as mandated by the General Assembly, with a view to ensuring accuracy and conformity to relevant guidelines and requirements.
• Drafts, edits and/or conducts final check for accuracy of a variety of correspondence, such as circular notes verbales, depositary notifications, etc.
• Drafts procedural notes for the chairpersons of bodies serviced by the Division.
• Independently handles a variety of relatively complex verbal and written inquiries from internal and external parties, including providing detailed information on processes and procedures related to a range of legal activities, instruments, issues, etc.
• Assists in administering programmes of legal and technical assistance, such as global, regional or national meetings and workshops.
(b) Meeting Servicing Assistance:
• Coordinates general service staff in the provision of technical assistance for meetings arrangements and servicing as well as in the provision of other services to various bodies, including expert bodies, including in relation to invitations to Member States, specialized agencies and intergovernmental organizations to attend sessions of meetings/conferences, processing of pre-, in- and post-session documents and making logistic arrangements, initiates and oversees projects for enhancing efficiency and level of services provided.
• Ensures that all preliminary logistic arrangements are made in advance for the efficient conduct of committee meetings/conferences.
• Oversees the maintenance of a database of invitees to meetings, including Member States, Specialized Agencies and other intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations.
• Coordinates with host countries on scope of and requirements for meetings/conferences/workshops to be held away from Headquarters and on the provision of logistical support to such meetings/conferences/workshops.
• Prepares, in coordination with the Department for General Assembly and Conference Management (DGACM), tentative schedule of meetings for current and future years.
• Evaluates all documents submitted for processing, in order to verify legislative mandates, ensures the compliance with submission dates, page-limitation, etc., in accordance with relevant policies, guidelines, rules and regulations on control and limitation of documentation.
• Establishes and maintains a database in order to monitor and follow up submission of documents, provides the Director, Deputy Director as well as professional staff who are secretaries of various bodies serviced by the Division with updated information, as well as electronically-generated reminders, compiles statistics on compliance as required, and provides necessary information for forecast of documentation.
• Provides expert inputs to the preparation and development of the unit’s work programme and prepares budget performance submissions.
• Participates in the recruitment of general service staff and schedules and supervises as required the work of general staff in the unit.
• Provides guidance, training and supervision, as required, to other general service staff in the area of responsibility.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
• Professionalism: Knowledge of organizational legal framework, relevant legal processes, procedures and terminology for review, examination, preparation and processing of legal documents. Knowledge of various legal research sources, including electronic, and ability to conduct research and analyze information on a wide range of legal issues. Ability to develop and present results, recommendations, and opinions clearly and concisely. Ability to draft legal documents and variety of correspondence. Knowledge of the UN conference policies or that of a similar organization procedures and practices. Ability to research, select, organize and summarize information required for the preparation of meetings. Knowledge of the UN documentation upstream planning or that of a similar organization processing and distribution work flow. Ability to perform administrative functions related to budget/work programme.
Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
• Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
• Planning & Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.
EducationShows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
• Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
• Planning & Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.
High school diploma or equivalent.
Work Experience
A minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in paralegal work, conference servicing, general office support or related area is required. Experience in conference or meeting servicing is required. Experience in document processing and management in a United Nations common system organization or other international organization is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is desirable.
Assessment
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.