UNHCR - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is looking for a Legal Officer

Deadline for Applications

January 5, 2026

Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)

H (no hardship)

Family Type (not applicable for home-based)

Family

Staff Member / Affiliate Type

UNOPS IICA2

Target Start Date

2026-03-01

Terms of Reference

Title: Legal Officer
Duty station: Home Based
Section/Unit: DIPS/PLS/PPLA
ICA Level: IICA-2
Corresponding level: P3
Duration: from 01/03/2026 to 31/12/2026

1. General Background

The Division of International Protection & Solutions (DIPS) leads UNHCR’s global protection and solutions work, combining legal expertise, operational support, and partnerships to uphold rights and resolve forced displacement and statelessness. It promotes inclusion, accountability to affected populations and community-based protection. DIPS anchors UNHCR’s mandate by linking protection and solutions, combining legal and policy leadership with pragmatic operational support to safeguard rights and advance solutions for forcibly displaced and stateless persons.

The Protection Policy and Legal Advice (PPLA) Section leads UNHCR's work on the development of international law relevant to the rights of refugees and other displaced people pursuant to UNHCR’s mandate and supervisory responsibility for refugee law instruments. UNHCR is undertaking a project to update and consolidate its legal guidance, including the 1979 Handbook on Procedures and Criteria for Determining Refugee Status (HB) and Guidelines on International Protection (GIPs).

2. Purpose and Scope of Assignment

The Legal Officer, under the supervision of the Project Coordinator, is responsible for legal research in the field of international law, in particular international refugee law and international human rights law, for development of updated and consolidated guidance on international refugee law, in line with the Project’s internal research guidance. The incumbent will focus in particular on work on criteria for determining refugee status under the 1951 Convention, its 1967 Protocol and regional refugee law instruments. In accordance with the project terms of reference, key responsibilities and duties include:

• Undertake desk-based documentary research to determine the current state of international refugee law and related areas of international law, including any emerging approaches to the interpretation of that law by analysing a range of UNHCR and non-UNHCR sources, including international, regional, and national legislation, case-law, State and judicial guidance, travaux préparatoires, and academic commentary.
• Coordinate with and guide any external partners assisting with research.
• Undertake a meticulous review of all UNHCR’s relevant legal guidance to identify and document: any internal inconsistencies; convergences and divergences between UNHCR’s interpretation or position and State practice and academic commentary; and any significant gaps.
• Based on the research findings and the outcomes of the review of UNHCR guidance, draft the research note, background research papers and discussion notes based on the instruction of the Head of Research and of the Project Coordinator.
• Maintain an accurate record of research findings, drafts, review outcomes, and the rationale for the legal guidance and reasoning presented in the drafts.
• Ensure documentation of project activities and deliver regular status updates to the Project Coordinator.

3. Monitoring and Progress Controls

For each of the topics of research agreed at the beginning of the contract, the contractor will need to provide:

• An internal research mapping note
• A short discussion note on contentious, controversial or sensitive substantive issues identified as requiring decisions by the Editorial Committee.
• An archive of the following
  • The list of materials surveyed;
  • The list of issues and sub-issues for analysis;
  • The Background Research Document documenting each of these issues/sub-issues;
  • The drafts of the discussion note
  • Revised drafts in line with the feedback received;
  • All the materials deposited in the SharePoint folder indicated.

Any other research tasks discussed and agreed upon with the Head of Research and the Project Coordinator.

Regular (weekly or bi-weekly) meetings are scheduled with the Head of Research and the Project Coordinator to discuss progress, challenges and plan forward.

4. Qualifications and Experience

• Education (Level and area of required and/or preferred education)
  University degree in law, international law, refugee law, human rights law and/or humanitarian law.
• Expertise and Work Experience
  • 6 years relevant experience with undergraduate degree; or 5 years relevant experience with graduate degree; or 4 years relevant experience with doctorate degree.
  • In-depth knowledge of international refugee law and human rights law.
  • Demonstrated excellent legal research, analytical, and drafting skills.
  • Attention to detail.
  • Demonstrated experience of drafting legal guidance in a clear and concise manner in English to publication standard.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
  • Proficiency in the use of legal research tools.
  • Excellent written and spoken English.
  • Desirable: Proficiency in other UN languages.
• Key Competencies
  • Accountability
  • Communication
  • Organizational Awareness
  • Teamwork & Collaboration
  • Commitment to Continuous Learning
  • Client & Result Orientation
• Managerial Competencies
  • Empowering and Building Trust
  • Managing Performance
  • Judgement and Decision Making
• Cross-Functional Competencies
  • Analytical Thinking
  • Policy Development and Research
  • Political Awareness

Location and Conditions

This is a full-time assignment and the successful candidate will be homebased.

Shortlisted candidates might be required to sit for a written test. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified. No late applications will be accepted.

The remuneration level and the applicable entitlements and benefits may differ based on the residence of the most suitable selected candidate.

Please note that UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (application, interview, meeting, travelling, processing, training or any other fees).

All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination, and abuse of power.

As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.

Standard Job Description

Legal Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

The Legal Officer is a member of the protection or legal team either at Headquarters (within the Division of International Protection or in a Regional Bureau), or in a Country or Sub-Office and may, depending of the size and structure of the Office, be Head of the Protection or Legal Unit. He/she may report to the Senior Protection or Senior Legal Officer, Head of Sub-Office or to the Assistant Representative for Protection. In smaller Offices, the post may report directly to the Representative. The incumbent has direct supervisory responsibility for protection or legal staff who may include community services, registration, resettlement and education. He/she provides functional protection oversight to information management and programme staff; and supervises protection standards, the provision of legal and policy advice, operational procedures and practices in protection delivery at local or country level. The incumbent also acts as an advisor to senior management in designing a comprehensive protection strategy and represents the organization to authorities, UN sister agencies, partners and other stakeholders on protection doctrine and policy.

The Legal Officer is relied upon by the Office to plan, lead and coordinate quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern (POC). This includes ensuring that operational and advocacy responses in all sectors are shaped in a protection optic, mainstream protection methodologies and integrate protection safeguards. Another important function of the position is to ensure that POC are involved with the Office in making decisions that affect them, whether in accessing their rights or in identifying appropriate solutions to their problems. To achieve this, the incumbent will need to build and maintain effective interfaces with communities of concern, authorities, protection and assistance partners as well as a broader network of stakeholders who can contribute to enhancing protection.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR's core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties

• Monitor the development of law and doctrine.
• Advocate for proper interpretation of law and doctrine as well as in the development of standards of protection.
• Provide legal advice on these issues and drafting of position papers and guidelines on pertinent legal and operational issues.
• Provide guidance and support in the formulation of protection strategies.
• Liaise with DIP, Division and Bureau work units and external actors to enhance awareness of protection principles.
• Engage with external partners and stakeholders, including governments, non-governmental organizations, international organizations, etc, on issues related to legal protection principles and related international law.
• Handle individual cases and situations raising special questions of application or interpretation of international law, refugee and human rights law.
• Represent Office in meetings within UNHCR and with external counterparts.
• Prepare protection documents and policies in cooperation with supervisor.
• Participate in the development of project proposals and project implementation. Perform other related duties as required.
• Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s).

Minimum Qualifications

Education & Professional Work Experience

Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P3/NOC - 6 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 5 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 4 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education
Law; Refugee Law; Human Rights Law;
International Humanitarian Law; or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses
HCR Learning Prog;

(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience

Essential
Excellent legal research, analytical and drafting skill.

Desirable
Completion of UNHCR learning programmes on protection would be an asset or any other equivalent external courses.

Functional Skills

• CO-Drafting and Documentation;
• LE-Legal Research;

(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements

For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.
For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.
For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination and abuse of power.

As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.

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