Deadline for Applications

December 23, 2025

Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)

A (least hardship

Family Type (not applicable for home-based)

Family

Staff Member / Affiliate Type

UNOPS LICA

Target Start Date

Terms of Reference

Title: UNOPS Senior Legal Associate
Project: CESDI
Duty station: Quito, Ecuador
Section/Unit: UNHCR Protection Unit
Contract/Level: Local Support, LICA 7
Duration: From 01 January –31 May 2026
Supervisor: Juan Rivadeneira, Assistant Protection Officer

1. General Background

In 2024, the digital transformation project for consular services was implemented with the objective of improving administrative efficiency and enabling users to access these services from anywhere in the world, saving time and resources for both applicants and the institutions involved.

Ministerial Agreement of 28 June 2024 established the Digital Services Center (CESDI), with the aim of increasing the efficiency of the services provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility for the management of ordinary visas in the country and abroad, international protection visas, diplomatic visas, and oth-er digital services.

The CESDI implementation framework provides for the support of international cooperation through the involve-ment of volunteers and/or external consultants who will form part of this operational level, without establishing an employment relationship with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility.

The main objective of the project is to optimize and improve visa management through the modernization of digital platforms and the incorporation of specialized human talent to support the process, facilitating access to visa services in general, including the support of two legal consultants to strengthen CESDI.

With this background, and under the leadership of the Vice-Ministry of Human Mobility and with the technical sup-port of UNHCR, assistance will be provided to strengthen the Digital Services Center and to deliver specialized technical support for the implementation of this project, through which it is expected that applicants will gain ac-cess to general visa services and migration regularization processes.

Each project activity will be carried out in the offices of the Undersecretariat for Migratory and Consular Services of the Vice-Ministry of Human Mobility, in coordination with the Zonal Directorates and under the direct supervision of the Undersecretariat for Migratory and Consular Services and/or the Directorate of Visas and Naturalizations, as determined by the Vice-Ministry of Human Mobility.

The Senior Legal Associate activities aim to support the design, coordination, and implementation of the Digital Services Center (CESDI), in accordance with the guidelines of the Undersecretariat for Migratory and Consular Services and/or the Directorate of Visas and Naturalizations, as determined by the Vice-Ministry of Human Mobili-ty.

2. Purpose and Scope of Assignment

The Senior Legal Associate is a member of the protection /legal team and normally reports to a higher-grade pro-fessional staff.

The Senior Legal Associate assists an office in providing quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern. He is also required to assist an office in ensuring 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 and authorities as well as protection and assistance partners.
The incumbent may supervise interns, volunteers and interpreters, and may also supervise some support staff. S/he assists the protection team, in making sure that protection standards, operational procedures and practices in protection delivery are in line with the international standards and provides functional protection support and advice to other protection colleagues and other units.

S/he contributes to implementing, and adjusting, when necessary, the office's comprehensive protection strategy including the role of UNHCR in the context of further strengthening the national capacity of relevant actors, both governmental e.g. Ministry of Justice, and non-governmental, e.g. NGOs and lawyers. In this regard, s/he repre-sents the office externally on protection doctrine and policy as needed and under the guidance by the supervisor.

S/he also works independently in constantly monitoring relevant legal and political developments, in both asylum and statelessness issues, and provides recommendations to the protection team on appropriate advocacy and interventions for the office to make.

The incumbent will be conducting researches and following the judicial developments at the national and regional level. S/he will be supporting the preparation of legal materials that are shared with the national counterparts as recommendations. S/he will be engaged in preparing compilation of good practices and comparative charts on a broad spectrum of topics and reporting of the developments. The incumbent will also support organizing capacity-building activities through preparation of materials and presenting the topics.

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 accountabil-ity 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 professional-ism, integrity and respect for diversity.

3. Duties

- Assist in the preparation of legal advice and drafting of position papers and guidelines on pertinent legal and operational issues.
- Stay abreast of the domestic legal issues and pertinent laws regarding persons of concern and advise the office accordingly.
- Contribute to advocacy towards proper interpretation of law and doctrine as well as in the development of standards of protection.
- Liaise with the Legal Affairs Service on issues related to immunities of UNHCR personnel and provide cor-responding guidance and support locally to concerned staff.
- Liaise and intervene with national, regional or local authorities in relation to the above areas of responsibil-ity, as required.
- Assist in the organization of training sessions for legal professionals and asylum case workers and judges in the field of asylum.
- Consistently apply international and national law and UNHCR policies and standards.
- Assist the office in providing legal counselling to persons of concern.
- Assist in the collection and analysis of relevant legal and protection information.
- Provide assistance in UNHCR's legal publications, in dissemination of legal information on refugee law, in UNHCR's legal website and other legal advice as needed.
- Support translation of legal and policy documents and act as interpreter at high level meetings with the au-thorities when needed.
- Provide advice and support the office reviewing their contracts.
- Provide support on a wide range of corporate and institutional issues, including on the interpretation and application of UNHCR regulations, rules, policies and procedures within the local legislation context.
- Assist the office in providing legal counselling to personnel on various types of contractual arrangements.
- In close cooperation with the Protection team, assist UNHCR's drafting of law commentaries to draft na-tional legislation related to refugee law, in compliance with UNHCR's positions and Guidelines.
- Support the Protection team in maintaining and strengthening relations with governmental, as well as non-governmental, actors in order to strengthen a network for assisting refugees and asylum seekers and also in strategically approach both national and local political figures.
- Prepare drafts for office correspondence concerning protection issues.
- Monitor/make briefing on legislative/judicial developments for the purpose of preparing office responses and/or to feed into briefing kits for external visitors.
- Support the implementation of activities with various institutions and civil society partners.
- Perform other related duties as required.

4. Qualifications and Experience

a. Years of Experience

- 4 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 2 years relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher

a. Field(s) of Education

- Not applicable.

b. Certificates and/or Licenses

- Law, Human Rights, International Humanitarian Law, Political Science

c. Relevant Job Experience

Essential

- Experience in dealing with authorities as well as within a multicultural environment.

Desirable

- Good knowledge of UNHCR's protection mandate. Work experience in human rights issues and/or refugee law is an asset.

d. Functional Skills

- IT-Computer Literacy
- MS-Drafting, Documentation, Data Presentation
- LE-Refugee Law/Policy
- LE-Experience with the Internal Justice System of the United Nations
- LE-International Law
- MS-National legal/admin/judicial/political system of the country of assignment
- LE-Legal Research
- LE-Human Rights Law

e. Language Requirements

- Knowledge of English is desirable

5. Competency Requirements

a. Core Competencies

- Accountability
- Communication
- Organizational Awareness
- Teamwork & Collaboration
- Commitment to Continuous Learning
- Client & Result Orientation

b. Managerial Competencies:

- Empowering and Building Trust
- Judgement and Decision Making
- Managing Performance

c. Cross-Functional Competencies

- Stakeholder Management
- Planning and Organizing
- Political Awareness

5. Submission of applications

A. English Desirable. Level intermediate.
B. Shortlisted candidates may sit a technical test.
A) Foreign candidates, to be considered eligible for this position, must have a temporary or permanent residence in Ecuador that allows them to carry out work activities in the coun-try.
B) If recommended, the candidate must submit a current and updated RUC Unique Taxpayer Registry and a voluntary contribution certificate to the Ecuadorian Institute of Social Secu-rity IESS. Voluntary IESS securities will be covered by the staff member. The salary of-fered is in net terms.
C) If you wish to be considered for this vacancy, please submit your application according to the following instructions:

i. CANDIDATES WITH ACCESS TO THE WORKDAY: In order to apply, you must first create your profile in the WORKDAY system.

ii. EXTERNAL CANIDATES: Candidates who do NOT have access to the WORKDAY system should submit their application through UNHCR's official site for applications:

WHEN CREATING A CANDIDATE PROFILE IN WORKDAY, PLEASE USE CAPSLOCKS FOR LAST NAME AND NO SPECIAL CHARACTERS (Ñ OR ACCENTS)

CVs WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED BY EMAIL. ONLY THOSE APPLICATIONS SENT THROUGH THE SYSTEM WILL BE CONSIDERED.

NOTE

UNHCR is committed to diversity and welcomes applications from qualified candidates regardless of disability, gender identity, marital or civil partnership status, race, color or ethnic and national origins, religion or belief, or sexual orientation.

UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, pro-cessing, training or any other fees).

Standard Job Description

Senior Legal Associate

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

The Senior Legal Associate is a member of the protection /legal team and normally reports to a higher grade professional staff.

The Senior Legal Associate assists an office in providing quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern. He is also required to assist an office in ensuring 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 and authorities as well as protection and assistance partners.
The incumbent may supervise interns, volunteers and interpreters, and may also supervise some support staff. S/he assists the protection team, in making sure that protection standards, operational procedures and practices in protection delivery are in line with the international standards, and provides functional protection support and advice to other protection colleagues and other units.

S/he contributes to implementing, and adjusting when necessary, the office's comprehensive protection strategy including the role of UNHCR in the context of further strengthening the national capacity of relevant actors, both governmental e.g. Ministry of Justice, and non-governmental, e.g. NGOs and lawyers. In this regard, s/he represents the office externally on protection doctrine and policy as needed and under the guidance by the supervisor.

S/he also works independently in constantly monitoring relevant legal and political developments, in both asylum and statelessness issues, and provides recommendations to the protection team on appropriate advocacy and interventions for the office to make.

The incumbent will be conducting researches and following the judicial developments at the national and regional level. S/he will be supporting the preparation of legal materials that are shared with the national counterparts as recommendations. S/he will be engaged in preparing compilation of good practices and comparative charts on a broad spectrum of topics and reporting of the developments. The incumbent will also support organizing capacity-building activities through preparation of materials and presenting the topics.

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
- Assist in the preparation of legal advice and drafting of position papers and guidelines on pertinent legal and operational issues.
- Stay abreast of the domestic legal issues and pertinent laws regarding persons of concern and advise the office accordingly.
- Contribute to advocacy towards proper interpretation of law and doctrine as well as in the development of standards of protection.
- Liaise with the Legal Affairs Service on issues related to immunities of UNHCR personnel and provide corresponding guidance and support locally to concerned staff.
- Liaise and intervene with national, regional or local authorities in relation to the above areas of responsibility, as required.
- Assist in the organization of training sessions for legal professionals and asylum case workers and judges in the field of asylum.
- Consistently apply international and national law and UNHCR policies and standards.
- Assist the office in providing legal counselling to persons of concern.
- Assist in the collection and analysis of relevant legal and protection information.
- Provide assistance in UNHCR's legal publications, in dissemination of legal information on refugee law, in UNHCR's legal website and other legal advice as needed.
- Support translation of legal and policy documents and act as interpreter at high level meetings with the authorities when needed.
- Provide advice and support the office reviewing their contracts.
- Provide support on a wide range of corporate and institutional issues, including on the interpretation and application of UNHCR regulations, rules, policies and procedures within the local legislation context.
- Assist the office in providing legal counselling to personnel on various types of contractual arrangements.
- In close cooperation with the Protection team, assist UNHCR's drafting of law commentaries to draft national legislation related to refugee law, in compliance with UNHCR's positions and Guidelines.
- Support the Protection team in maintaining and strengthening relations with governmental, as well as non-governmental, actors in order to strengthen a network for assisting refugees and asylum seekers and also in strategically approach both national and local political figures.
- Prepare drafts for office correspondence concerning protection issues.
- Monitor/make briefing on legislative/judicial developments for the purpose of preparing office responses and/or to feed into briefing kits for external visitors.
- Support the implementation of activities with various institutions and civil society partners.

- 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).

- Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Years of Experience / Degree Level
For G7 - 4 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 2 years relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher

Field(s) of Education
Not applicable.

Certificates and/or Licenses
Human Rights
International Humanitarian Law

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

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Experience in dealing with authorities as well as within a multicultural environment.

Desirable
Good knowledge of UNHCR's protection mandate. Work experience in human rights issues and/or refugee law is an asset.

Functional Skills
CO-Drafting and Documentation
IT-Computer Literacy
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.

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.

Required Languages

,

,

Desired Languages

,

,

Additional Qualifications

Skills

CO-Drafting and Documentation, IT-Computer Literacy, LE-Legal Research

Education

Certifications

Human Rights - Other, International Law - Other, Law - Other, Political Science - Other

Work Experience

Other information

This position doesn't require a functional clearance

Remote

No

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