Legal Adviser / Director

Unesco

Unesco

Legal

Paris, France

Posted on May 23, 2026

OVERVIEW

Position Number: LA 001

Grade: D-2

Parent Sector: Office of International Standards and Legal Affairs (LA)

Duty Station: Paris

Job Family: Law

Contract Type: Fixed Term

Duration of contract: 2 years, renewable

Recruitment open to: Internal and external candidates

Application deadline (Midnight Paris Time): 25/06/2026

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The Office of International Standards and Legal Affairs reports directly to the Director-General. The Office’s mission is to protect the Organization’s interests by concentrating its efforts along two main lines: ensuring compliance with the Organization’s rules, regulations and procedures; and, pursuing improvements in the legal safety of activities carried out by the Organization.

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

The work of the Legal Adviser/Director of the Office of International Standards and Legal Affairs (LA) is of an advisory and managerial nature. It requires in-depth analysis of legal issues and provision of authoritative, reliable and judicious legal advice on complex and highly varied questions of international and national law. It includes managerial responsibility for a vital area of the Organization’s programmes, the direction and provision of leadership to staff in various organizational units dealing with the analysis of administrative, substantive, procedural and other intricate problems that are of critical concern to the Organization, and contribution to the overall policy and objectives of the Organization.

Long Description

Under the authority of the Director-General, the incumbent will be responsible for the direction and management of the overall Office. In particular, the incumbent will provide organizational leadership and strategic guidance to the Office in the preparation, coordination and supervision of the activities and management related to the financial and human resources of the Office.

KEY ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Specifically, the incumbent will:

  • Be responsible for providing legal advice on all legal issues arising from the Organization’s activities.
  • Advise the Secretariat on legal issues pertaining to the regulatory, statutory and standard-setting activities of the Organization.
  • Be required to provide legal advice, at their request, to the General Conference and the Executive Board of UNESCO.
  • Advise on the elaboration, adoption and revision of international standard-setting instruments, and on the implementation of the procedures for the application of these instruments.
  • Advise on the application, interpretation and amendment of the Constitution and other statutory and legislative texts of the Organization.
  • Direct the preparation and review of briefs for representing the Organization in proceedings before courts of law, administrative tribunals and any other judicial or quasi-judicial bodies.
  • Represent the Director-General on the committees of the governing bodies of UNESCO relating to legal matters.
  • Be responsible for the management of LA and ensure the direction of the activities of the Office and its cooperation with the other units of the Organization.

Long Description

For further information on the specific above-mentioned programmes, candidates may consult our website: https://www.unesco.org/en, and/or the following documents: 41 C/4 (UNESCO’s Medium-Term Strategy for 2022–2029) and 43 C/5 (Draft UNESCO’s Programme and Budget for 2026–2029 quadrennium).

COMPETENCIES - Core (C) & Managerial (M)

  • Communication (C)
  • Accountability (C)
  • Innovation (C)
  • Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement (C)
  • Planning and organizing (C)
  • Results focus (C)
  • Teamwork (C)
  • Professionalism (C)
  • Building partnerships (M)
  • Driving and managing change (M)
  • Strategic thinking (M)
  • Making quality decisions (M)
  • Managing performance (M)
  • Leading and empowering others (M)

Short Description

For detailed information, please consult the UNESCO Competency Framework.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

  • Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in the field of law, with a specialization in public international law.

WORK EXPERIENCE

  • At least fifteen (15) years of progressively responsible relevant professional experience in the legal field at the national level and/or in within a United Nations system organization.
  • Extensive relevant professional experience in senior management or executive positions.
  • Proven experience in providing authoritative legal advice on complex and wide-ranging questions of international and national law.
  • Demonstrated experience in leading diverse teams and managing organizational transformation.

Long Description

SKILLS & COMPETENCIES

  • Knowledge of, and commitment to, the Organization’s mandate, vision, strategic direction and priorities.
  • In-depth knowledge of legal practice and procedures in international organizations.
  • Leadership capacity, high sense of objectivity, strong analytical capabilities, professional integrity and diplomacy.
  • Sound knowledge of general management practices and techniques.
  • Ability to exercise intellectual authority, as well as provide and manage advisory services.
  • Excellent analytical and drafting skills, with the ability to produce high-level reports and briefs for senior leadership and governing bodies.
  • Demonstrated strategic planning and management abilities.
  • Demonstrated ability to direct change processes at the management level within large institutions of national or international scope.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to manage relationships at all levels of the Organization as well as foster collaboration across diverse, multicultural environments.
  • Excellent communication and presentation skills with strong representational abilities.

LANGUAGES

  • Excellent knowledge and drafting skills in one of the working languages of the Organization (English or French) and ability to work in the second language.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

  • Other degrees or short- to medium-term training in disciplines relevant to the post.

WORK EXPERIENCE

  • Demonstrated experience of management at the international level.
  • Experience in conducting complex negotiations diplomatically and tactfully.
  • Experience within the United Nations system and/or in a specialized institution or other international organ would be an asset.

Long Description

SKILLS & COMPETENCIES

  • Awareness and knowledge of UNESCO’s strategic objectives and of wider processes within the United Nations system.
  • Ability to interact with a wide range of high-level partners and demonstrated partnership development.

LANGUAGES

  • Knowledge of other official United Nations languages (Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish).

BENEFITS AND ENTITLEMENTS

UNESCO’s salaries consist of a basic salary and other benefits which may include if applicable: 30 days annual leave, family allowance, medical insurance, pension plan etc.

The approximate annual starting salary for this post is US$ 204,457.

For full information on benefits and entitlements, please consult our Guide to Staff Benefits.

SELECTION AND HIRING PROCESS

Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application and provide complete and accurate information, by the above deadline.

To apply, please visit the UNESCO Careers website. No modifications can be made to the application once submitted.

The process may include pre-recorded video interviews and/or written assessments, interviews with a Panel, as well as reference checks. In addition, candidates may be requested to provide additional information which may be pertinent to the position’s qualifications.

Please note that all candidates, whether selected or not, will be informed of the outcome of their application in due course.

Short-listed candidates may also be added to Talent Pools; subject to their consent (i.e. Data Privacy Statement).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

  • UNESCO recalls that paramount consideration in the appointment of staff members shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, technical competence and integrity.
  • UNESCO applies to a zero-tolerance policy against all forms of harassment.
  • UNESCO is committed to achieving and sustaining equitable and diverse geographical distribution, as well as gender parity among its staff members in all categories and at all grades. Furthermore, UNESCO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Candidates from non- and under-represented Member States (last update here) are particularly welcome and strongly encouraged to apply.
  • lndividuals from minority groups and indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply.
  • All applications will be treated with the highest level of confidentiality.
  • Geographical mobility is required for staff members appointed to UNESCO’s international posts.
  • In the event that your candidature is retained for an interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. UNESCO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO. The list can be accessed through the link: https://www.whed.net
  • The statutory retirement age at UNESCO is 65 years.
  • UNESCO appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by the Organization, is required for International Professional positions.
  • UNESCO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.
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