Legal Officer

The Legal Officer will administer legal technical assistance and capacity building programmes related to plastic pollution, conduct legal research and analysis, prepare legal documents and opinions, and provide guidance on environmental law to support UNEP's efforts in addressing plastic pollution. The position is based in Nairobi within UNEP's Industry and Economy Division, Plastics Unit, working closely with the Law Division.

Responsibilities

• Administers programmes of legal technical assistance and capacity building related to plastic pollution for individual countries to support the development of laws and regulations on plastic pollution and for different enforcement networks, including judiciary and customs.
• Conducts extensive legal research and analysis at country level in the field of environmental law to address plastic pollution, and prepares studies, comparative studies, briefs, reports and correspondence which guides UNEP delivery of activities at country level.
• Undertakes basic or extensive review of legal documents, instruments, or other material relevant to the plastics value chain and plastic pollution which are relevant for providing support to countries; identifies important issues, similarities, and inconsistencies.
• Handles a range of issues related to the interpretation and application of plastic pollution related law at the national, regional and international level, environmental law (substantive, procedural and comparative), including the environmental rule of law in consultation with senior Legal Officers.
• Prepares or assists in the preparation of drafts of background papers, studies, reports, legislative texts and commentaries on those texts which support UNEP plastic portfolio at national, regional, and global level, teaching materials in the field of international environmental law which are pertinent to addressing plastic pollution.
• Collects and analyzes data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting.
• Prepares or assists in the preparation of legal opinions/advice on issues related to plastic pollution and relevant United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) resolutions and decisions.
• Prepares or assists in the preparation of agreements and contracts with governments, NGOs and other public and private entities, as well as in the negotiation and in handling national law matters, for the carrying out of activities related to plastic pollution under the UNEP Programme of Work and the Montevideo Environmental Law Programme.
• Provides guidance to junior staff.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• An advanced university degree (Masters degree or equivalent) in law, with a focus on environmental laws and regulations is required.
• A first-level university degree in law in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is an advantage.
• A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in drafting national law particularly as it relates to solutions to plastic pollution across the life cycle of plastics, including product design or manufacturing, including legal analysis, and research is required.
• A minimum of two (2) years of service with the legal office of a government department or ministry addressing issues related to plastics manufacturing or plastic pollution, is required.
• Proven and demonstrable experience in professional legal work in advising governments or companies in conjunction with addressing plastic pollution or pollution more broadly is desirable.
• Two (2) years or more of experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.
• Knowledge of, and ability to apply, legal principles, concepts and procedures and terminology in the field of national law for review, examination, and processing of a range of legal documents in relation to addressing plastic pollution across the life cycle of plastics.
• Knowledge of various legal research sources and ability to conduct research and analyze information on solutions to plastic pollution from a legal perspective.
• Knowledge of the civil law and/or common law legal systems and principles.
• Ability to interpret and apply legislative instruments, develop and present results, recommendations, and opinions clearly and concisely.
• Ability to draft legal papers and work under pressure.
• Ability to apply good legal judgment in the context of plastic pollution solutions.
• The ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management.
• English is required; either French or Spanish or Arabic is desirable.

Skills

• Environmental Law
• Legal Drafting
• Legal Research
• Legal Analysis
• National Law
• Plastic Pollution Law
• Data Analytics
• Business Analytics
• Legal Advice
• Legislative Interpretation
• Civil Law
• Common Law
• Legal Document Review
• Legal Judgment
• Capacity Building
• Legal Technical Assistance
• Data Interpretation
• Report Writing

Languages

English, French, Spanish, Arabic