Legal Affairs Specialist o/p Brussels, P-4, Office of Executive Director, Rome, PAT 133709
Descrizione dell'offerta
Job no:
Contract type: Fixed Term Appointment
Duty Station: Rome
Level: P-4
Location: Italy
Categories: Legal Affairs
About UNICEF
UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children's lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.
At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.
UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.
Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.
About the Legal Team
UNICEF’s Legal Team in the Office of the Executive Director supports the organization’s business units around the world – its clients – by delivering strategic legal solutions through collaboration. We provide legal advice that is risk‑informed, timely, responsive, and pragmatic. We empower clients and build their capacity to self‑help. We proactively engage with clients to anticipate trends and challenges and develop systemic solutions; we protect UNICEF by identifying legal, reputational and other risks, and helping to mitigate those risks. Our lawyers are based in several UNICEF locations, including in Rome, Italy.
The Legal Affairs Specialist will provide legal advice to internal clients on data protection matters, including interpretation of the Policy on Personal Data and Privacy and related regulatory documents, data protection in relation to a broad spectrum of agreements and MOUs, and any other data protection matters, as well as supporting other business units globally on a broad spectrum of legal matters ranging from commercial contracts, disputes, and institutional matters. The Legal Affairs Specialist will report to the Senior Legal Affairs Specialist who reports to the Chief Legal Counsel.
We seek to hire an experienced lawyer to join the Legal Team in Rome, Italy under a fixed‑term appointment. The initial appointment will be for two years, with the possibility of extension subject to organizational needs and satisfactory performance.
Key Responsibilities
Members of the UNICEF Legal Team are expected to be open‑minded and resourceful, responsive, dynamic, transparent, approachable, and clear and authoritative. The overall direction of the Legal Team is set by the Chief Legal Counsel in New York.
The Legal Affairs Specialist will work autonomously, collaborating regularly with other team members, all under the supervision of the Senior Legal Affairs Specialist.
Lead lawyer duties include:
- Provide substantive legal advice in the following areas from a data protection and privacy perspective:
- partnerships with governments and international financial institutions;
- commercial and financial transactions;
- institutional matters, including privileges and immunities;
- policy development and interpretation;
- human resources matters (except tribunal cases);
- dispute resolution.
- Collaborate closely with the UNICEF Data Protection Team, and with teams across the organization at the headquarters/divisional level, and at the regional and country office level, in widely varying development and humanitarian contexts.
- Lead representation of the Legal Team in the Data Protection Programme Working Group and provide inputs and advice as necessary, including developing and rolling out divisional and regional implementation plans, tools, guidance and joint training with the Data Protection Team.
- Advising on and negotiating data protection framework agreements with key partners, and data processing agreements at all levels, including structuring and governance of UNICEF digital products and related documentation.
- Advise on data breaches and remedial actions, and other information security incidents as needed.
- Legal interpretation of decisions, regulations, rules, procedures and other elements of UNICEF’s regulatory framework, including but not limited to the Policy on Personal Data Protection & Privacy.
- Develop and provide training and capacity building to teams across the organization; proactively share knowledge with other team members.
- Support projects managed by the Team (legal knowledge management, office governance, case management) throughout their lifecycle, including design & planning, stakeholder engagement, monitoring & evaluation.
- Take on other tasks and duties as required.
Essential Skills & Capabilities
- Be alive to the bigger picture. Connect dots, identify trends, develop solutions. Show initiative, be proactive, create and use networks, think outside the box.
- Take leadership in action. Communicate with staff; maintain high responsiveness; keep supervisors informed; manage expectations; know when to escalate.
- Take charge – be responsible and accountable.
- Take a risk‑based approach, prioritise, and apply a forward‑looking strategic approach – demonstrating coherence, rigor and thought over matters.
- Be proactive in stakeholder management, follow up on outstanding matters and queries.
- Be resourceful; use networks to unlock matters.
- Exercise good judgment on emerging challenges. Escalate to avoid or overcome impasses and involve supervisors promptly.
Minimum Requirements
- Education: A minimum of an advanced university law degree (LL.B., LL.M., J.D.) in a relevant field of law (e.g. international law, commercial law) or equivalent is required. At the discretion of the Chief Legal Counsel, a first‑level university law degree with an additional two years of qualifying work experience may be accepted instead of an advanced degree.
- Work Experience: A minimum of eight (8) years of progressively responsible experience in the practice of law in a relevant field (e.g. data protection law). Experience in a law firm, private practice or in‑house counsel, or in an international organization (UN, related organisations, international financial institutions, development banks, regional banks) is required.
- Skills:
- Expertise in data protection law and practice.
- A constructive and client‑oriented approach to problem resolution.
- Excellent research, legal writing and drafting skills.
- Excellent verbal communication and negotiation skills; excellent interpersonal skills with staff at all levels; ability to work with discretion in handling sensitive and confidential matters.
- Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required. Proficiency in another UN official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish) is desirable.
Desirables
- Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.
UNICEF Core Values & Competencies
UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability underpin everything we do.
The required competencies include:
- Build and maintain partnerships.
- Demonstrate self‑awareness and ethical awareness.
- Drive to achieve results.
- Innovate and embrace change.
- Manage ambiguity and complexity.
- Think and act strategically.
- Work collaboratively with others.
EEO & Inclusion Statement
UNICEF embraces a diversity of talent and values every participant’s unique qualities. We provide a supportive environment for all people, including persons with disabilities. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of gender, age, race, disability, or other protected characteristics. Applicants will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
Important Information
Appointments are subject to medical clearance, visa and COVID‑19 vaccination requirements. Mobility and potential deployment to humanitarian contexts are part of the role.
All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advanced to the next stage of the selection process. Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.
Advertised & Deadline
Advertised: 02 Nov 2025 W. Europe Standard Time
Deadline: 13 Nov 2025 W. Europe Standard Time
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