DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

20 October 2026-23:59-GMT+01:00 Central European Time (Rome)

WFP celebrates and embraces diversity. It is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status or disability.

ABOUT WFP

The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity, for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of extreme weather shocks.

At WFP, people are at the heart of everything we do and the vision of the future WFP workforce is one of diverse, committed, skilled, and high performing teams, selected on merit, operating in a healthy and inclusive work environment, living WFP's values (Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity, and Inclusion) and working with partners to save and change the lives of those WFP serves.

To learn more about WFP, visit our website: https://www.wfp.org and follow us on social media to keep up with our latest news: YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok.

WHY JOIN WFP? 

• WFP is a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.
• WFP offers a highly inclusive, diverse, and multicultural working environment.
• WFP invests in the personal & professional development of its employees through a range of training, accreditation, coaching, mentorship, and other programs as well as through internal mobility opportunities.
• A career path in WFP provides an exciting opportunity to work across the various country, regional and global offices around the world, and with passionate colleagues who work tirelessly to ensure that effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people across the globe.
• We offer an attractive compensation package (please refer to the Terms and Conditions section of this vacancy announcement).

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

This role is in the Legal Office in Global Headquarters (GHQ) and report to a more senior Legal Officer or designate.

The Legal Office is organized into three branches that advise on the various aspects of WFP’s work:

• The Administrative and Employment Law Branch (LEGA) provides advice to management on all aspects of the employment relationship between WFP and its employees;
• The Contractual and Constitutional Law Branch (LEGC) provides advice on all aspects of public international law, WFP’s internal governance, public and private sector contributions, commercial and other operational activities, including also cash-based transfer programmes, treasury functions, and communications; and
• The Maritime, Transport, and Insurance Law Branch (LEGM) provides advice on all aspects of WFP’s supply chain activities, including Procurement (Food, Goods & Services), maritime, aviation, logistics (inland transportation, storage, and warehousing), United Nations Humanitarian Response Depots, real estate and insurance.

WFP is seeking to fill Legal Officer P2 position in LEGM, based in our headquarters in Rome, Italy. Please note that the Legal Office is adopting a pooled service arrangement for posts at this level aimed at promoting inter-branch engagement and expanding staff knowledge and skills. This includes an expectation to undertake up to 50% of work on matters pertaining to the other branches of the Legal Office.

BRANCH SPECIFIC INFORMATION

LEGM provides legal support on matters arising from WFP's supply chain, commercial and common services operations, with particular focus on procurement, transport, logistics, shipping, aviation, insurance, construction, engineering, real estate and contract law, including international trade-related matters. Its work includes:

·       Providing legal advice in connection with the procurement of food, goods and services and with commercial arrangements for shipping, aviation, logistics, overland transport, service provision, construction, engineering, office and premises leases, real estate and insurance;

·       Advising on the interpretation and application of WFP rules, policies, contractual frameworks, international conventions and agreements relevant to supply chain and common services operations;

·       Supporting commodity management actions, including legal and technical advice to mitigate risks arising from commodity loss, establish liability and pursue recovery from third parties;

·       Advising on and participating in the preparation, pursuit, negotiation and settlement of claims and disputes with public and private entities;

·       Supporting dispute resolution and litigation proceedings within LEGM's areas of competence, including liaison with external counsel where appropriate; and

·       Promoting awareness of potential liability exposure and the proactive mitigation of legal and operational risks across the organization.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive, within delegated authority):

Under the guidance and supervision of a more senior Legal Officer, the P2 Legal Officer will perform a range of the following duties within delegated authority:·      

• Undertake legal research and analysis on multidisciplinary legal matters in LEGM's areas of concentration, including procurement, transport, logistics, shipping, aviation, insurance, commercial and contract law, construction, engineering and related international trade matters, to facilitate the provision of quality legal services;·      
• Review legal documents, identify and analyse issues, and present findings and recommendations for internal review to support informed decision-making;·      
• Assist in preparing legal opinions, advice, background papers, studies, memoranda, reports, correspondence and other legal documents, ensuring clarity, coherence and quality;·     
• Contribute to drafting and reviewing agreements, contracts, amendments, policies, guidelines and procedures relating to LEGM's areas of work;·      
• Contribute to the preparation, pursuit, negotiation and settlement of claims and disputes with suppliers, contractors, transporters, insurers and other commercial counterparties;·      
• Identify potential liabilities, particularly vis-a-vis third parties, and assist in managing legal and operational risks arising from WFP activities;·      
• Prepare and assess briefs of evidence and supporting documentation to contribute to legal analysis, claims management and dispute resolution;·      
• Assist in providing legal advice and interpretations on relevant WFP Regulations, Rules, policies, procedures, international conventions, agreements and administrative decisions on the LEGM portfolio;·      
• Provide support, under guidance, to WFP Country Offices, Global Offices and Headquarters units on legal matters within LEGM's areas of competence;·      
• Assist more senior Legal Officers in servicing committees, task forces, expert working groups and other bodies through legal research, advice and the preparation or review of legal documents;·      
• Support dispute resolution or litigation proceedings, including liaison with external counsel, as instructed;·      
• Contribute to commodity management actions and to legal awareness or training activities for WFP business units; and·      
• Perform other related duties as required by the Legal Office.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Education:

• Advanced University degree in Law, or First University degree in Law with additional relevant experience and training in private, commercial or public law.
• Must be qualified to practice or admitted to practice law by a recognized national or state bar or law society, or have equivalent professional legal practice experience.

Experience:

• At least three years or more of relevant experience in law and provision of legal services.
• Relevant experience in one or more of LEGM's areas of work, such as private commercial law, international trade law, procurement, contracts, logistics, transport, shipping, aviation, insurance, construction, engineering, real estate, commodity management, claims or dispute resolution, is desirable.
• Experience in an international organization, law firm, government institution or multinational environment is an advantage.

Language: Fluency (level C) in English language. Intermediate knowledge (level B) of a second official UN language: Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish, and/or Portuguese (a WFP working language).

MORE ABOUT YOU:
You have:

• Knowledge of, and ability to apply, legal principles, concepts, procedures and terminology for review, examination and processing of a range of legal documents;
• Knowledge of various legal research sources and techniques, and the ability to interpret and apply legislative instruments, international conventions and agreements and draft legal papers;
• Ability to draft clear, concise and context-appropriate legal documents, with sound analytical skills and attention to detail;
• Good negotiation skills and a practical, problem-solving approach;
• Business acumen and awareness of the operational context in which legal advice is provided;
• Strong time-management and priority-management skills;
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills;
• Tact, discretion and ability to handle confidential information;
• Openness to learning, receiving guidance and development through coaching and feedback;
• Ability to work effectively in multicultural and multidisciplinary teams; and
• Ability to manage competing priorities and work under pressure to meet deadlines.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

• This is an International Professional position and is open to all nationalities. Mobility is and continues to be a core contractual requirement in WFP.
• This position is however classified as “non-rotational” which means the incumbent shall not be subject to the regular reassignment process unless the position is reclassified as rotational.
• The selected candidate will be employed on a fixed-term contract with a probationary period of one year.
• This position is open to both internal and external candidates. WFP offers an attractive compensation and benefits package, including basic salary, post adjustment, relocation entitlement, travel, visa and shipment allowances, 30 days’ annual leave, home leave, an education grant for dependent children, a pension plan, and medical insurance. For more information, visithttps://icsc.un.org/.
• The selected candidate will be required to relocate to Rome, Italy to take up this assignment.

WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK

 

WFP Leadership Framework guides to the common standards of behavior that guide HOW we work together to accomplish our mission.

Click here to access WFP Leadership Framework

 

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

 

WFP is committed to supporting individuals with disabilities by providing reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process. If you require a reasonable accommodation, please contact:  global.inclusion@wfp.org

NO FEE DISCLAIMER

 

The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.

 

REMINDERS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

• All applications must be submitted exclusively through our online recruiting system. We do not consider CVs or applications sent by email, LinkedIn, or any other channel.

• We strongly recommend that your Workday profile is accurate and complete, and that all sections are filled in, including your employment history, academic qualifications, language skills, and UN grade (if applicable). Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application.

• If you experience technical issues while submitting your application, you may contact us at global.hrerecruitment@wfp.org. Please note that this email is only for technical issues with an application - unsolicited applications or documents sent to this inbox will not receive a reply.

• At the application stage, the only required documents are your CV and Cover Letter. Additional documents (passport, certificates, recommendation letters, etc.) may be requested later in the process.

• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the recruitment process.

All employment decisions are made on the basis of organizational needs, job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse, all forms of discrimination, any kind of harassment, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. Therefore, all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.