TERMS OF REFERENCE
Functional Title:
Associate Expert/Associate Legal Officer
Duty Station:
Geneva, IOM Headquarters, Human Resources Management
Duration of Assignment:
Two years, with possibility of extension
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The primary function of Human Resources Management (HRM) in IOM includes;
Transforming the Organisation through strategic human resources interventions, promoting a broad
understanding of, and compliance with, Staff Regulations and Rules, development and implementation of
human resources policies, programmes and tools that meet the business needs of IOM, provide quality
advice to management on strategies to ensure that the Organization is served by competent and motivated
staff.
SUPERVISION
The Associate Expert (AE) will work under the supervision of the Director of HRM Department, in
coordination with the Office of Legal Affairs. The AE/ALO will assist in providing timely, accurate advice to
Director, HRM in ensuring the functions of the Department are efficiently carried out.
More particularly s/he will be responsible for the following duties described hereafter.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The Associate Expert will assist the HRM Department in the following areas:
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Drafting or advising upon contracts, agreements and other legal documents;
Preparing background papers and conducting research on legal and policy issues relevant to Human
Resources Management
Updating, in coordination with the Policy Unit and other relevant units and departments, IOM policies
and procedures on various issues;
Providing substantive legal advice on staff conditions of service, privileges and immunities, staff rules
and regulations;
Preparing the Administration’s response to staff appeals;
Advising the Director of HRM on all matters of a legal and constitutional nature;
Assisting with the preparation and coordination of agreements, operational agreements, contracts, etc.;
assisting departments and field missions in such activities;
In coordination with HR Policy Unit review, interpret and advise on Staff Regulations and Rules for
Officials and Employees, at Headquarters and in the Field;
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Provides information, advice and trainings to Chiefs of Mission and Resource Management Officers
on HRM legal issues.
Provide legal advice, in coordination with OLA as appropriate, to IOM management on the application
of the Staff Regulations, Rules and procedures governing the internal justice system and other relevant
aspects of human resources management, including disciplinary matters, privileges and immunities,
rights and obligations of staff, legal status of staff and their dependants, finance recovery, taxation and
insurance issues;
Prepares written responses and other submissions as required on behalf of the Administration in
response to applications and other submissions filed before the International Labour Office (ILO)
Administrative Tribunal;
Assist in the drafting and interpretation of policies and procedures involving
administrative/employment law issues; Generally provide advice on a broad range of issues involving
substantive and procedural questions of administrative law;
Provide legal opinions and perform extensive legal research and analysis on legal issues for the office;
Travel on mission as required;
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
Education:
Advanced university degree in Law mandatory. Graduate Degree in Public International Law
or Administrative Law an advantage.
Experience:
Practical experience in one or more of, international, administrative, civil or commercial law,
an advantage. Well developed research skills and knowledge of Strategic Human Resources
Management issues would be an advantage.
Languages:
Thorough knowledge of English mandatory; working knowledge of Spanish or French a
distinct advantage.
COMPETENCIES
Accountability
· Accepts and gives constructive criticism
· Follows all relevant procedures, processes, and policies
· Meets deadline, cost, and quality requirements for outputs
· Monitors own work to correct errors
· Takes responsibility for meeting commitments and for any shortcomings
Client Orientation
· Identifies the immediate and peripheral clients of own work
· Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with clients
· Identifies and monitors changes in the needs of clients, including donors, governments, and project
beneficiaries
· Keeps clients informed of developments and setbacks
Continuous Learning
· Contributes to colleagues' learning
· Demonstrates interest in improving relevant skills
· Demonstrates interest in acquiring skills relevant to other functional areas
· Keeps abreast of developments in own professional area
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Communication
· Actively shares relevant information
· Clearly communicates, and listens to feedback on, changing priorities and procedures
· Writes clearly and effectively, adapting wording and style to the intended audience
· Listens effectively and communicates clearly, adapting delivery to the audience
Creativity and Initiative
· Actively seeks new ways of improving programmes or services
· Expands responsibilities while maintaining existing ones
· Persuades others to consider new ideas
· Proactively develops new ways to resolve problems
Leadership and Negotiation
· Convinces others to share resources
· Actively identifies opportunities for and promotes organizational change
· Presents goals as shared interests
· Articulates vision to motivate colleagues and follows through with commitments
Performance Management
· Provides constructive feedback to colleagues
· Identifies ways for their staff to develop their abilities and careers
· Provides fair, accurate, timely, and constructive staff evaluations
· Uses staff evaluations appropriately in recruitment and other relevant HR procedures
· Holds directly reporting managers accountable for providing fair, accurate, timely, and constructive
staff evaluations
Planning and Organizing
· Sets clear and achievable goals consistent with agreed priorities for self and others
· Identifies priority activities and assignments for self and others
· Organizes and documents work to allow for planned and unplanned handovers
· Identifies risks and makes contingency plans
· Adjusts priorities and plans to achieve goals
· Allocates appropriate times and resources for own work and that of team members
Professionalism
· Masters subject matter related to responsibilities
· Identifies issues, opportunities, and risks central to responsibilities
· Incorporates gender-related needs, perspectives, and concerns, and promotes equal gender
participation
· Persistent, calm, and polite in the face of challenges and stress
· Treats all colleagues with respect and dignity
· Works effectively with people from different cultures by adapting to relevant cultural contexts
· Knowledgeable about and promotes IOM core mandate and migration solutions
Teamwork
· Actively contributes to an effective, collegial, and agreeable team environment
· Contributes to, and follows team objectives
· Gives credit where credit is due
· Seeks input and feedback from others
· Delegates tasks and responsibilities as appropriate
· Actively supports and implements final group decisions
· Takes joint responsibility for team's work
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Technological Awareness
· Learns about developments in available technology
· Proactively identifies and advocates for cost-efficient technology solutions
· Understands applicability and limitation of technology and seeks to apply it to appropriate work
Resource Mobilization
· Establishes realistic resource requirements to meet IOM needs
· Identifies sources of and secures funding from external stakeholders to meet the needs of IOM
Technical
· Effectively provides sound and clear legal advice using knowledge of IOM mandate, privileges and
immunities, and other relevant internal and external regulations and laws.
· Effectively applies knowledge of relevant Human Resources theories and practices, and recognizes
their application within existing IOM processes.
· Delivers Human Resources solutions customized to the needs of IOM
TRAINING COMPONENTS and LEARNING ELEMENTS
After the assignment, the Associate Expert will have:
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Expanded her/his knowledge about IOM’s Human Resource Management Policies;
Gained exposure to and experience in providing legal advice to an intergovernmental migration
agency;
Be able to prepare policy documents on institution legal issues;
Make a significant contribution to strengthening human resources in IOM
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