Associate Legal Officer – UNHCR Sweden – NOB level

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organisation dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people. Every year, millions of women, men and children are forced to flee their homes to escape conflict and persecution.

The UNHCR Regional Representation for Northern Europe is responsible for eight countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden. Within the Protection Unit at the Regional Representation for Northern Europe, this Associate Legal Officer (National Officer) position covers Sweden and is based at the UNHCR Office in Stockholm, Sweden.

The main roles of the UNHCR Regional Representation for Northern Europe are to:

• support governments in their implementation of European and international legal standards related to asylum and statelessness,
• monitor that asylum-seekers have access to countries in the region and are able to apply for protection,
• support the national asylum authorities to develop fair, efficient, and high quality asylum procedures,
• advise governments, partners, and stakeholders on ways in which refugees can be helped to integrate into countries in the region,
• advocate for governments to find a solution to the situation of stateless persons within their borders,
• ensure that all persons of concern to UNHCR enjoy access to rights, by taking into account age, gender, and diversity, and for governments, partners, and stakeholders in the region to encourage and facilitate the active participation of persons of concern,
• raise awareness of the plight of the millions of refugees around the world and to place refugee and asylum issues on the agenda,
• mobilize financial and other support for the work of UNHCR worldwide.

The Associate Legal Officer is relied upon by the Office to support and coordinate quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern. Another important function of the position is to ensure that persons of concern 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.

Accountability (key results that will be achieved):

• Promotion of protection principles and international law as relevant to persons of concern is undertaken.
• Assistance is provided in preparing legal advice and guidance.

Areas of responsibility are:

• Monitor the development of law and doctrine.
• Contribute to advocacy towards proper interpretation of law and doctrine as well as in the development of standards of protection.
• Assist in the preparation of legal advice and drafting of position papers and guidelines on pertinent legal and operational issues.
• Consistently apply international and national law and UNHCR policies and standards.
• Provide inputs to the formulation of protection strategies.
• Liaise with DIP, Division and Bureau work units and external actors to enhance awareness of protection principles.

Qualifications and Professional experience:

• University degree in law, preferably with focus on human rights, refugee law and/or international humanitarian law.
• At least 4 years (2 years with Advanced University degree) of related professional experience.
• Excellent legal research, analytical and drafting skills.
• Excellent knowledge of English and Swedish.

Salary: Approximate tax free monthly net salary SEK 30 000 to 32 000.

Closing date: 09 July 2018

For more information, please contact swest@unhcr.org

To apply:

IMPORTANT: The applicant must be a Swedish National.

To apply, submit your application in ENGLISH, consisting of a personal letter, CV, copies of diplomas/certificates AND P11 form.

Only short-listed will be contacted. This is a temporary position for one year. Please note testing of shortlisted candidates is obligatory.

Send your application to: UNHCR, Ynglingagatan 14, 113 47 Stockholm, SWEDEN. Mark your application “NOB SWE”.

Applications by e-mail are not accepted.