General Counsel and Director, Office of Legal Services (OLS)

Background
  Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP:  we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.
  UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
UNDP’s General Counsel and Director, Office of Legal Services (OLS), in the Bureau for Management Services (BMS/OLS), provides strategic legal services of the highest possible standard for UNDP, UNCDF and UN Volunteers. The General Counsel provides strategic legal advice to the Administrator, Associate Administrator, Director of BMS, the Executive Group and other headquarters units, regional centers and country offices, on all aspects of the mandate and operational issues, covering administrative, corporate and institutional legal matters. The legal services provided by BMS/OLS guide organizational priority-setting and decision-making within UNDP’s mission, as well as the overall framework of the Sustainable Development Goals and UNDP’s Strategic Plan.  
The General Counsel leads and ensures efficient and effective management of the Office of Legal Services including its staff and financial resources. He/she works under the overall strategic guidance of the Administrator, reports to BMS Director and works closely with the Executive Group to ensure effective communication and information flow that facilitates smooth and predictable decision-making. The General Counsel also serves as the main interlocutor for UNDP's liaison to the UN Office of Legal Affairs and represents UNDP's interests and those of its affiliated funds in the HLCM Legal Network and the UNDG Legal Group.
  Duties and Responsibilities:

Under the direct supervision of the Director, Bureau for Management Services, the General Counsel has the overall responsibility for the following areas:

• Strategic legal advice, guidance and counsel to the Administrator and Executive Group
• Prepare and negotiate standard and non-standard legal instruments, contractual arrangements and other agreements.
• Effective management of the Office of Legal Services and its resources.
• Keeps abreast of general conditions from a legal perspective that affect all UNDP offices/divisions and its affiliated funds, as well as the broader UN, and the specific issues that may have direct effect on UNDP and its affiliated funds.
• Represent UNDP with other legal entities at meetings with other United Nations entities, Members States and national authorities and institutions.

The General Counsel is expected to:

1) Provide strategic legal advice, guidance and counsel: 

• Serves as the head of the corporate legal office and is responsible for providing the highest quality legal analysis and advice to the Administrator and the Executive Group on a wide range of complex and strategic issues in relation to UNDP operations in Headquarters, Regional Hubs and Country Offices. 
• Through the OLS staff, provides counsel to Headquarters units, Regional Hubs, Country Offices and other offices/unites, as well as to UNDP’s affiliated funds/offices.
• Leads the development of a corporate legal strategy that promotes and protects organizational interests. Provides strategic advice during senior-level negotiations of complex contracts, and other legal instruments, agreements and arrangement with external partners (including but not limited to other United Nations organizations, civil society and the private sector). 
• Provides advice and counsel towards ongoing alignment and implementation of evolving programme initiatives, strategies and operational practices, from the corporate and institutional perspective.
• Prepare and negotiate standard and non-standard legal instruments, contractual arrangements and other agreements.
• Prepare and/or negotiate standard and non-standard legal instruments and contractual arrangements. including complex commercial contracts, agreements to implement UNDP operational and programmatic activities with various development partners.
• Prepare and/or negotiate standard and non-standard legal instruments and agreements for the recei