Associate Legal Counsel - Employment and Data Protection

Job Description

Position title:

Associate Legal Counsel – Employment and Data Protection

Location:

Geneva

Purpose of the position:

Under the direction of the Director, Legal, the Associate Legal Counsel provides legal advice in the areas of international administrative law, employment disputes and data protection matters.

Department:

Legal

Team:

Legal

Reports to:

Director, Legal

N° of positions supervised:

N/A

Career step level:

4

We commit to fostering a just, equitable and diverse culture free from racism and discrimination in which all staff, partners and stakeholders feel empowered, safe and heard.

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance is a public-private partnership committed to saving children’s lives and protecting people’s health by increasing equitable use of vaccines in lower-income countries. The Vaccine Alliance brings together developing country and donor governments, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank, the vaccine industry, technical agencies, civil society, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other private sector partners. Gavi uses innovative finance mechanisms, including co-financing by recipient countries, to secure sustainable funding and adequate supply of quality vaccines. Since 2000, Gavi has contributed to the immunisation of nearly 822 million children and the prevention of more than 14 million future deaths.

BACKGROUND

The Legal Team provides legal risk analyses, proposes effective mitigation strategies and supports the Gavi Secretariat on all legal matters. The Legal Team helps develop effective and efficient structures for Gavi projects, and negotiates and drafts all agreements for the Gavi Alliance and Gavi affiliated entities as appropriate including agreements with donors, Alliance partners, vendors and consultants.

The Legal Team also advises the Gavi Secretariat on matters concerning operations, employment, intellectual property rights, media and public relations, conflicts of interests, privileges and immunities, policies, governance and compliance with relevant laws and regulations, including in the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Switzerland.

Associate Legal Counsel – Employment and Data Protection primarily advises on employment matters and data ownership and data protection matters.

MAIN DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

Advising on employment matters by:

• Reviewing formal complaints raised against Gavi staff members for alleged misconduct and providing legal and procedural advice on how to handle the matter;
• Assessing preliminary investigation reports to recommend appropriate action to senior management, ensuring that all procedural requirements are met whatever decision is taken;
• Drafting pleadings on behalf of Gavi in grievance and appeals proceedings before the first-tier and appellate internal justice decision-making bodies;
• Drafting legal analyses (including risk assessments), conducting extensive and complex research on administrative law and personnel practices of international organisations, analysing jurisprudence of international organisations’ administrative tribunals;
• Drafting proposals for personnel-related policies, internal guidelines, information circulars and standard operational procedures;
• Providing legal advice and delivering internal trainings on procedural questions, interpretation of the staff rules and regulations and other legal provisions;
• In consultation with key stakeholders, formulating, implementing and delivering internal trainings on data ownership, personal data protection and privacy policies, with a view towards aligning with Gavi’s policies and procedures and international requirements and best practices;
• Drafting and negotiating agreements between Gavi and other international organisations, sovereigns, independent contractors and suppliers.

Note: The essential functions listed in this section are not exhaustive of the job responsibilities; other duties may be assigned consistently with the department needs.

QUALIFICATIONS

Academic:

• A law degree from a leading university. Specialisation in international administrative law is desirable;
• Admission to practice law in at least one jurisdiction.

Work experience:

• Minimum of 8 years of post-qualification and progressively responsible legal experience is required;
• Minimum of 4 years of experience spent working on international administrative law and HR matters is required;
• Experience with commercial contracts is desirable;
• Experience with data protection matters is highly desirable; alternatively, the candidate should have a considerable interest in and willingness to develop expertise in this area;
• Experience in litigation is desirable;
• Experience in handling conduct and discipline matters is desirable;
• Experience before an international administrative tribunal is desirable.

Skills/Competencies:

• Knowledge of the jurisprudence of international administrative tribunals is essential;
• Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously and maintain focus on priorities;
• Conscientiousness and efficiency in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results;
• Sound judgment, initiative and discretion when handling confidential and sensitive material;
• Ability to communicate effectively to a wide variety of audiences both within and outside Gavi;
• Impeccable drafting skills;
• Excellent analytical and problem solving skills;
• Team player equally able to work autonomously;
• Excellent interpersonal and diplomatic skills.

Languages:

• Excellent command of English language, including a demonstrated skill to draft and negotiate legal documents in English;
• Ability to work in French is an asset.

Contacts:

• Gavi Secretariat;

· Stakeholders and external partners involved in agreements that Gavi and affiliated entities enter into;

· Outside legal counsel.

If you wish to apply, please provide a cover letter and resume through our Careers webpage and apply by clicking on “Associate Legal Counsel - Employment and Data Protection”. Application deadline is 5 March 2021.

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About the Organization

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance is a public-private partnership committed to saving children's lives and protecting people's health by increasing equitable use of vaccines in lower-income countries. The Vaccine Alliance brings together developing country and donor governments, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank, the vaccine industry, technical agencies, civil society, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other private sector partners. Gavi uses innovative finance mechanisms, including co-financing by recipient countries, to secure sustainable funding and adequate supply of quality vaccines. Since 2000, Gavi has contributed to the immunisation of nearly 822 million children and the prevention of more than 14 million future deaths.