This position is located in the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia. The Legal Officer will be based in Bogota, Colombia. The Legal Officer will report directly to the Senior Legal Officer. **Responsibilities**: Under the supervision and overall coordination of the Senior Legal Officer and within the limits of delegated authority, the Legal Officer will be responsible for the following duties: - Prepares and assists in the preparation of legal opinions/advice on diverse substantive and procedural questions, which may include those related to administration and management, institutions support and other operational activities and separately administered programmes and funds. - Conducts extensive legal research and analysis and prepares or assists in the preparation of legal opinions, studies, briefs, reports and correspondence. - Undertakes review of legal documents, instruments, or other material; identifies important issues, similarities, and inconsistencies, etc. - Handles and assists in the provision of legal advice on a wide range of issues relating to special political missions and other operations in the field, including contribution agreements, XBs and other collaborative arrangements with Member States, other international organizations, members of the United Nations system and external actors, administrative and management issues, including personnel administration and entitlements, conduct and discipline and United Nations compensation schemes, commercial issues, including commercial contracts, disputes and insurance arrangements, United Nations investigations, Boards of Inquiry and third party claims. - Reviews, advises on and drafts complex contracts, agreements, institutional and operational modalities and other legal documents and advises on and participates in negotiations and settlement of claims and disputes; - Assists senior colleagues in servicing diplomatic conferences, commissions, committees, task forces, expert groups and other bodies, including preparation of background materials, summaries of issues and, meeting reports, etc. - Serves on various standing boards, committees, ad hoc working groups and task forces, as required. - Performs other duties as assigned. Competencies Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively. Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately. Asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication. Tailors language, tone, style and format to match the audience. Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed. 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. Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client. Education An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in law. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Work Experience A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in law, including legal analysis, research and writing is required. Experience working in a law firm or in an international organization or in governmental service dealing with matters of international law is required Experience with Mission-State relations; privileges and immunities; laws relating to the international civil servants; contract negotiation and interpretation; procurement and boards of inquiry is desirable. Legal experience with a United Nations entity or International Organizations is desirable Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in oral and written English and Spanish is required. Assessment Special Notice United Nations Considerations Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The U