Senior Assistant Legal Adviser (international law)
🔍 Belgium
- 📅
- 240687 Requisition #
This vacancy is for a Senior Assistant Legal Adviser post with a focus on international law, including NATO missions and operations. See also vacancy no. 240686 for a Senior Assistant Legal Adviser post with a focus on financial rules, procurement law, and other institutional law.
1. SUMMARY
The Office of Legal Affairs (OLA) at NATO headquarters in Brussels is an Independent Office within the International Staff (IS). It is responsible for providing advice and other legal services to the Secretary General, the IS, the North Atlantic Council and other NATO Committees. From time to time, OLA also advises NATO subsidiary bodies, including Agencies, as well as the NATO Allies directly.
Substantively, OLA advises on all legal matters impacting the responsibilities, functions, operations and other activities of NATO. This includes advice under international law on high-profile and fast-paced international defence and security matters, the development of associated policy, the facilitation of consensus amongst Allies on strategic legal issues, the negotiation and drafting of international treaties, defending NATO’s privileges and immunities, conducting litigation, and other administrative law matters typical of a large international organisation.
OLA is also mandated to represent the wider legal interests of the whole Organisation, including by improving legal coordination across different NATO bodies, by advising on some of the most complex or sensitive legal issues impacting Allies, and in representation before the Administrative Tribunal on cross-cutting legal issues.
The incumbent works as a Senior Assistant Legal Adviser within the core legal team at the heart of NATO HQ. Whilst expected to advise, as a legal generalist, on a variety of questions of international and domestic law, the focus of their work will be on questions of public international and administrative law, including those arising in the context of NATO missions and operations, planning, and exercises. The work entails close cooperation with the Operations Division and other divisions within the IS, the International Military Staff, as well as legal offices within the Supreme Allied Commands.
In addition, the incumbent may support the OLA team in other fields of relevance to the Organisation. They work to a wide and demanding portfolio, maintain and develop contacts with clients, and help manage the day-to-day running of the office. They are also expected to provide substantive input and guidance as well as supervision and line management to other OLA lawyers.
2. QUALIFICATIONS
ESSENTIAL
The incumbent must possess:
- a university degree in law from an institute of recognised standing and professional legal qualifications, as appropriate;
- at least 8 years’ experience in similar posts involving the provision of dedicated legal advice;
- a track record in providing legal advice, both orally and in writing, on public international law (including questions of the use of force), administrative law, and policy development;
- demonstrated knowledge of the legal framework pertaining to international defence and security matters;
- people management experience and the demonstrated capacity to lead, motivate and engage colleagues;
- excellent communications skills, and the capacity to present orally and in writing in a compelling, accurate, and clear manner;
- excellent analytical skills;
- a strategic mind set as well as a practical and collegiate approach to problem solving;
- resilience and experience managing a significant workload and maintaining calmness under pressure;
- the following minimum levels of NATO’s official languages (English/French): V (“Advanced”) in one; II (“Elementary”) in the other.
DESIRABLE
The following would be considered an advantage:
- experience in international organisation, national ministry or similar complex environment including stakeholder Nations, providing legal advice on issues comparable to those arising at NATO;
- expertise and experience in operational law and/or military planning, ideally acquired within an Allied ministry of defence;
- an advanced understanding of legal questions arising from the use of emerging and disruptive technologies (EDTs) in a defence and security context;
- understanding of NATO structures, practices, issues and procedures;
- experience of working in an international environment;
- higher level in both NATO official languages.
3. MAIN ACCOUNTABILITIES
Expertise Development
Apply knowledge and experience to identify the legal implications/interpretation of internal rules and regulations as required. Follow major activities in the field of international law of other International Organisations and international or national courts with a direct impact on assigned tasks. Maintain up-to-date knowledge of legal publications and jurisprudence in the field of international law. Independently plan, research and prepare decisions on questions of legal and policy matters. Draft and, as required, assist in discussing and reviewing policies for use within NATO. Initiate relevant policies when required and contribute to development and monitoring for compliance with those policies. Exercise substantial latitude in executing responsibilities, including overseeing other OLA members on particular matters as requested by the Legal Adviser or the Deputy Legal Adviser.
Knowledge Management
Analyse the legal questions affecting the Organisation and NATO-led operations under international and applicable national law, including host nation law. Assist or represent OLA, as required, in the preparation and discussion of agreements, Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) or other legal documents to be concluded by NATO.
Information Management
Prepare legal texts, internal memoranda and other legal documents. As required, prepare and give briefings/lectures on the legal aspects of NATO related subjects.
Stakeholder Management
Provide advice to officials of the Organisation on legal issues related to any assigned fields. Assist, as requested, in preparation for, or conduct, the defence of the Organisation before any internal or external Board/Tribunal, in co-ordination with the defence of other subsidiary bodies as well as military Headquarters. As required, represent OLA in meetings of relevant Committees, Task Forces, Boards, Panels and Working Groups, as well as at external seminars, conferences or other gatherings. Maintain and develop contacts NATO-wide, including with NATO member States, as well as with external legal offices. Contribute to co-ordination of legal issues across the NATO enterprise, including in consultation with legal offices of the International Military Staff at headquarters, Allied Command Operations (ACO) and Allied Command Transformation (ACT).
People Management
Assist or represent the Legal Adviser and Deputy Legal Adviser, as required, in overseeing and implementing particular projects. Provide support, feedback, and developmental opportunities. Promote integrity, professionalism and accountability through a sound and inclusive working culture. Supervise and manage other staff of the office. Cultivate a motivating, inclusive and effective workplace. Provide in-depth mentoring and be available to offer guidance and impetus.
Planning and Execution
Determine the required input to short-term work plans relating to projects entrusted to OLA, collaborate as appropriate with other stakeholders within the NATO enterprise, and manage implementation to achieve Office and Organisational objectives.
Policy Development
Determine how a policy will affect the legal position of NATO and its Allies and contribute to wider policy development within the Organisation on the basis of such legal analysis.
Project Management
Prepare and contribute to project work as required in OLA. Assume accountability and drive projects/initiatives to completion. Find timely and creative solutions to problems that meet client and Organisational needs and priorities while respecting rules and procedures.
Perform any other related duty as assigned.
4. INTERRELATIONSHIPS
The Senior Assistant Legal Adviser works under the overall authority and supervision of the Legal Adviser and under the direct supervision of the Deputy Legal Adviser, and collaborates closely with the other members of OLA. As required by his or her duties, the incumbent has contacts with the Private Office of the Secretary General and all other Divisions and entities at NATO HQ, including national delegations, as well as with other NATO bodies. In the exercise of their duties, the incumbent has contact with and represents OLA vis-a-vis the member States as well as other non-NATO states and organisations. The incumbent must be able to maintain good working relationships with high level NATO, national and other officials.
Direct reports: 2
Indirect reports: N/a
5. COMPETENCIES
The incumbent must demonstrate:
- Achievement: Creates own measures of excellence and improves performance.
- Analytical Thinking: Sees multiple relationships.
- Clarity and Accuracy: Monitors others’ work for clarity.
- Conceptual Thinking: Applies learned concepts.
- Customer Service Orientation: Makes things better for the customer, addressing underlying customer needs.
- Impact and Influence: Uses indirect influence.
- Initiative: Is decisive in a time sensitive situation.
- Teamwork: Solicits inputs and encourages others.
7. USEFUL INFORMATION REGARDING APPLICATION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS
Please note that we can only accept applications from nationals of NATO member countries. Applications must be submitted using e-recruitment system, as applicable:
- For NATO civilian staff members only: please apply via the internal recruitment portal (link);
- For all other applications: www.nato.int/recruitment
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More information about the recruitment process and conditions of employment, can be found at our website (http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/recruit-hq-e.htm)
Appointment will be subject to receipt of a security clearance (provided by the national Authorities of the selected candidate), approval of the candidate’s medical file by the NATO Medical Adviser, verification of your study(ies) and work experience, and the successful completion of the accreditation and notification process by the relevant authorities.
NATO will not accept any phase of the recruitment and selection prepared, in whole or in part, by means of generative artificial-intelligence (AI) tools, including and without limitation to chatbots, such as Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer (Chat GPT), or other language generating tools. NATO reserves the right to screen applications to identify the use of such tools. All applications prepared, in whole or in part, by means of such generative or creative AI applications may be rejected without further consideration at NATO’s sole discretion, and NATO reserves the right to take further steps in such cases as appropriate.