Legal Consultant

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1. Purpose of the Consultancy

The Consultant is expected to support the work of the Staff Relations, Policy and Internal Justice Team (SPIJ), in delivering its mandate throughout 2026. The consultant will provide high level strategic advice to the RHRM and Director BOS regarding HR legal matters with potentially significant implications (advice when to engage in settlement negotiations, , legal implications of further potential organizational reorganization and other sensitive disciplinary and other HR legal issues with potential political implications in country offices).The consultant will mainly focus on following up (drafting charge letters and disciplinary recommendations) on assigned disciplinary cases and providing input to HQ HPJ queries. The latter concern administrative review requests (EMRO staff) and related decisions.. The consultant will provide HR policy interpretation and implementation advice and draft relevant documents (Administrative Instructions, Circulars, memoranda, etc.) as required.

2. Background

SPIJ is under the direct supervision of the Regional Human Resources Manager. It is responsible for providing strategic advice to management in connection with grievances, due process, disciplinary matters and to protect the integrity and efficiency of WHO. In addition, the Unit works with managers, other offices, and staff representative bodies, to advance WHO's approach to protection from abusive conduct and promote a healthy workplace environment and constructive staff-management relations, including through consultations on policy initiatives and through informal resolution of grievances and potential workplace conflict. Considering the large in-flow of work (both disciplinary cases as well as direct staff complaints and queries) and staffing issues faced by HRT EMRO, the team requires assistance so as to maintain its output, especially in the area of disciplinary procedures where speediness is one of the pillars of due process.

3. Work to be performed:

Output 1: Follow-up on substantiated disciplinary cases:

Deliverable 1.1: Draft charge letters; and

Deliverable 1.2: Draft disciplinary recommendations.

Output 2: Provide HR policy interpretation and implementation advice

Deliverable 2.1: timely feedback on queries re. HR policy interpretation

Deliverable 2.2: draft amendments or implementation documents (circulars, administrative instructions) re. eManual rules and other HR matters (as directed by RHRM) as required.

Output 3: Provide strategic advice in HR legal matters with far reaching financial, legal and political consequences.

4. Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

• Educational Qualifications:

Essential: Minimum Advanced (Master’s) University Law Degree;

Desirable: Specialization in international administrative law

• Experience:

Essential: Minimum of 10 years of experience in industrial relations, labor law, international administrative law in international organizations

• Skills / Technical skills and knowledge:

Strong drafting skills, strong analytical skills, excellent understanding of international administrative law with emphasis on ILOAT jurisprudence.

• Languages and level required:

Essential: Fluent in English

5. Location:

The consultant can be home based. However, one trip per trimester to Cairo, Egypt is required.

6. Planned duration (subject to confirmation)

6 months (the dates are to be confirmed)

7. Medical clearance

The selected Consultant will be expected to provide a medical certificate of fitness for work.

8. Travel

The Consultant is expected to travel 1 trip per trimester to Cairo

Additional Information

• This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.

• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
• A written test may be used as a form of screening.
• If your candidature is retained for interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO 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)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.
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• The WHO is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The WHO recruits workforce regardless of disability status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, race, marital status, religious, cultural, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, or any other personal characteristics.

The WHO is committed to achieving gender parity and geographical diversity in its workforce. Women, persons with disabilities, and nationals of unrepresented and underrepresented Member States (https://www.who.int/careers/diversity-equity-and-inclusion) are strongly encouraged to apply for WHO jobs.

Persons with disabilities can request reasonable accommodations to enable participation in the recruitment process. Requests for reasonable accommodation should be sent through an email to reasonableaccommodation@who.int

• An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential. WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter (https://www.who.int/about/who-we-are/our-values) into practice.

• WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of short-listed candidates.
• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
• Consultants shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority.
• WHO shall have no responsibility for any taxes, duties, social security contributions or other contributions payable by the Consultant. The Consultant shall be solely responsible for withholding and paying any taxes, duties, social security contributions and any other contributions which are applicable to the Consultant in each location/jurisdiction in which the work hereunder is performed, and the Consultant shall not be entitled to any reimbursement thereof by WHO.
• Please note that WHO’s contracts are conditional on members of the workforce confirming that they are vaccinated as required by WHO before undertaking a WHO assignment, except where a medical condition does not allow such vaccination, as certified by the WHO Staff Health and Wellbeing Services (SHW). The successful candidate will be asked to provide relevant evidence related to this condition. A copy of the updated vaccination card must be shared with WHO medical service in the medical clearance process. Please note that certain countries require proof of specific vaccinations for entry or exit. For example, official proof /certification of yellow fever vaccination is required to enter many countries. Country-specific vaccine recommendations can be found on the WHO international travel and Staff Health and Wellbeing website. For vaccination-related queries please directly contact SHW directly at shws@who.int.
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