Senior Legal Officer and Chief

WFP; Roma; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The World Food Programme is seeking a Senior Legal Officer and Chief P5, LEGA, at its Global Headquarters to lead the employment and administrative law portfolio. The role provides authoritative advice on staff governance, rules, and policy development, ensuring risk-aware decision-making across HR policy and practice.

Responsibilities include guiding litigation strategy, managing contentious personnel matters before bodies like the ILO Administrative Tribunal, and coordinating HR policy

Qualifications

• Advanced university degree in Law or equivalent professional experience.
• Bar admission or equivalent practice credentials mandatory.
• 11+ years of progressive legal experience in employment and administrative law.
• Experience in international organizations and internal justice systems preferred.
• Proven leadership and people-management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage LEGA, oversee staff through planning, evaluation and development.
• Provide authoritative advice on staff rules, regulations and HR policy.
• Lead contentious matters, litigation, and dispute resolution, including ILO proceedings.
• Set litigation strategy, advise on risk, and coordinate defense in formal proceedings.
• Collaborate with senior leadership and General Counsel; ensure quality outputs.

Skills

Employment Law

Administrative Law

Litigation Management

Policy Advice

Disciplinary Matters

Dispute Resolution

Legal Strategy

Risk Management

Legal Research

Contract Law

Staff Rules and Regulations

Human Resources Policy

Legal Drafting

Supervision

Team Leadership

Cross-functional Collaboration

UN System Coordination

Education

Advanced law degree

Job description

Organizational context: The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian organization, dedicated to saving lives and building a pathway to peace and prosperity. The Legal Office (LEG) is structured into three branches: LEGA (employment and administrative law), LEGM (maritime and transport law), and LEGC (contracts and constitutional law). This position is within the LEGA branch at WFP Global Headquarters.

Job purpose: The Senior Legal Officer and Chief P5, LEGA, serves as the leader for WFP's employment and administrative law portfolio. This role provides authoritative legal advice on the employment framework, policy, and staff-related governance instruments. A key responsibility is leading legal support for contentious personnel matters, including litigation, dispute resolution, and managing appeals before bodies like the ILO Administrative Tribunal. The position involves setting litigation strategy, advising on legal and reputational risks, and coordinating defense in formal proceedings. It also informs HR policy development and revision, ensuring consistent, risk-informed decision-making on sensitive personnel issues. The role requires strong leadership, people management, and a commitment to quality control in advisory and litigation outputs.

Responsibilities: The role involves leading and managing a legal branch, overseeing staff through work planning, resource allocation, performance management, and development to ensure high performance and effective legal service delivery. This includes supporting workforce and succession planning, and managing financial resources for efficient program delivery while fostering an equitable and inclusive workplace. The position is responsible for developing and implementing strategies aligned with organizational objectives, initiating change processes, and championing the adoption of technology in legal workflows. A key responsibility is serving as an expert on complex legal matters, particularly those involving WFP Staff Rules and Regulations and the internal justice framework, including staff appeals to the ILO Administrative Tribunal. This requires determining legal strategy to protect WFP interests and minimize risk. The role acts as a knowledge focal point, providing technical expertise and guidance, and exercising final clearance on key legal advice. Collaboration with senior leadership, including the General Counsel, is essential for handling sensitive matters. Authoritative legal advice on employment law, staff conduct, and disciplinary processes is provided, alongside leading legal support for contentious matters, litigation, and alternative dispute resolution. The position also involves supervising the drafting of legal submissions, overseeing legal research, promoting risk identification and mitigation, and developing practical guidance and training. Coordination with UN system counterparts and internal WFP divisions ensures alignment and efficient service delivery. Finally, the role establishes monitoring mechanisms, ensures implementation of recommendations, and promotes the organization's mandate, with readiness for emergency response duties.

Education: Candidates require an advanced university degree in Law, or a first university degree in law combined with additional relevant experience and training. Qualification or admission to practice law by a recognized national or state bar or law society, or equivalent professional legal practice experience, is also mandatory.

Work experience: Requires at least 11 years of progressive legal experience, with significant expertise in employment and administrative law. Experience within an international organization or similar setting is preferred. Demonstrated skills in staff regulations, internal justice systems, administrative tribunals, and managing contentious personnel matters are essential. The role also demands the ability to manage and motivate a team.

Skills: Employment Law, Administrative Law, Litigation Management, Policy Advice, Disciplinary Matters, Dispute Resolution, Legal Strategy, Risk Management, Legal Research, Contract Law, Staff Rules and Regulations, Human Resources Policy, Legal Drafting, Supervision, Team Leadership, Cross-functional Collaboration, UN System Coordination

Required languages: English

Desired languages: Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), French, Russian, Spanish, Portuguese