Legal Specialist

Role Overview

As the Legal Specialist, Commercial, you will act as a seasoned in-house counsel for UNOPS, providing independent and authoritative legal advice across a defined portfolio of commercial matters. Day-to-day, this means reviewing, negotiating, and interpreting agreements, guiding project offices through complex legal questions, and ensuring that every commercial decision aligns with established policy while managing emerging client needs. Your work directly shields UNOPS from legal, financial, and reputational exposure, and your advice helps keep project implementation moving forward under sound legal frameworks.

Key Responsibilities

• Advise project offices on commercial law questions, including the review and negotiation of legal agreements and the interpretation of UNOPS’ internal legal framework.
• Provide legal support on partnership, framework, and funding arrangements, including model agreements with partners, procurement contract templates, and grant agreements.
• Offer counsel on hosted initiatives, joint programmes, and multi-donor trust funds, helping project teams navigate the legal dimensions of these collaborative structures.
• Represent UNOPS in negotiations with external parties on contracts and other legal instruments, and coordinate with local counsel, outside legal advisors, OLA, and other UN agencies on complex matters.
• Recommend and implement improvements to policies, processes, and operating standards based on field experience, ensuring that legal frameworks remain practical and effective for country offices.
• Support the documentation of legal precedents and templates, and contribute to research and knowledge sharing that informs consistent legal advice across practice areas.
• Deliver training sessions to internal colleagues on commercial legal topics, translating complex concepts into clear guidance for varied audiences.
• Act as a regional focal point, liaising with the Regional Office and stakeholders in a specific region, coordinating legal support provided by team members, and aligning strategy with other focal points on high-risk issues.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Education: An advanced university degree (J.D., Master of Laws, or equivalent) in law, or a first-level law degree combined with an additional two years of qualifying experience in place of the advanced degree.
• Experience: At least five years of relevant legal experience in commercial law, international law, public international law, or commercial dispute resolution, with demonstrable expertise in legal analysis, advice, research, and drafting.
• Drafting skills: Strong legal drafting skills with the ability to produce accurate, clear, and concise documents under tight deadlines.
• Communication skills: Proven ability to explain complex legal concepts effectively to diverse audiences, including non-legal stakeholders.
• Technical skills: Solid analytical ability, sound judgment in risk management, negotiation acumen, and familiarity with corporate law and legal research methods.

What We Offer / Why Join

This is a senior legal role with meaningful scope to become a trusted regional focal point, giving you direct responsibility for shaping legal strategy and supporting project delivery across a dedicated region. You will work inside a UN service-oriented environment, collaborating with regional offices, UN agencies, and external partners while contributing to the development of policies, tools, and training that strengthen the entire organization.