Legal Advisor

Job Description

Closing: 11 19 2022

The Staff Association is a statutory body whose main purpose is to defend the professional interests and improve the working conditions of all members of staff at the OECD. It is consulted over any projected modification of the Organisation’s conditions of employment. It also proposes measures aimed at strengthening staff members’ rights. Lastly, it offers legal counselling to its members. It therefore plays an essential part in ensuring that the Organisation functions properly.

The Staff Association is seeking to recruit a Legal Advisor with sound expertise in the field of international civil service law. Under the direction of the Staff Association’s Deputy Executive Secretary, the successful candidate will principally be responsible for providing staff legal advice and carrying out appropriate legal research and analysis.

Main Responsibilities

Legal advice to staff members

• Meet and provide legal advice to members of staff asking for the Staff Association’s support.
• In the context of dealing with individual requests for advice from staff members, collaborate effectively with other OECD resources (Human resource management, Head of ethics, medical and social team, etc.)
• Analyse, in direct collaboration with the Deputy Executive Secretary, conflicts between members of staff and the Secretary-General in law and in equity in order to prepare the following steps (engaging with the Administration or applying to the Mediator, the Re-evaluation Commission, the Joint Advisory Board or Administrative Tribunal). Encouraging the parties to settle whenever possible.
• Defend the interests of members of staff before the Joint Advisory Board, where necessary, under the supervision of the Executive Secretary or her deputy.
• Advise members of staff in the management of appeals filed with Staff Association’ support before the appeal bodies of the Organisation, in collaboration with external counsel and under the supervision of the Executive Secretary or her deputy.

Research and drafting

• Conduct research and analysis in the drafting legal papers, reports and comparative studies for consultation by the various bodies of the Staff Association, on subjects of concern to the staff of the Organisation.
• Draft the Staff Association’s annual fact file, alternating with the other Legal Advisors, in collaboration with the Executive Secretariat and the Communications Officer .
• Participate in the development of the Staff Association’s topical legal fact sheets.

Documentary and legal watch

• Maintain a documentary watch in line with the instructions of the Executive Secretary and her deputy.
• Closely monitor changes in the laws of Member countries and the statutory texts and case law of international organisations.
• Respond occasionally to questions from Staff Associations in other international organisations on statutory and practical texts in force at the OECD.

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Academic Background

An advanced university degree in law with specialisation and/or experience in international civil service law or an equivalent qualification.

Professional Background

• A minimum of two years’ experience in international civil service law, administrative law or employment law.
• Proven capacity for sound legal knowledge in an international environment; ability to effectively execute research or project assignments;
• Proven ability to master new topics rapidly, and to draft clear and concise material, including under short deadlines.
• Excellent drafting skills; proven ability to organise and summarise complex material.

Tools

• Proficiency in the use of the Microsoft Office Suite, and the ability to learn new systems quickly.

Languages

• Fluency in one of the two OECD official languages (English and French) and knowledge of the other, with a commitment to reach a good working level.
• Knowledge of other languages would be an asset