National Legal Consultant

The work of the consultant will result in legal and regulatory inputs that support ESCWA’s work on the XB project related to competition-based market studies, business regulations, and market functioning. The consultant’s inputs will help strengthen the legal analysis, improve the clarity and policy relevance of related outputs, and support recommendations aimed at improving competition conditions and institutional arrangements.

UN-House ESCWA

2 Months

Background Promoting fair and competitive markets is a key driver of economic efficiency, private-sector development, and consumer welfare. Across the Arab region, markets are undergoing rapid transformation driven by diversification efforts, evolving regulatory frameworks, digitalization, and global supply-chain shifts. These developments have increased the need for rigorous legal, regulatory, and competition analysis to help governments identify market distortions, assess anti-competitive practices, and design effective, evidence-based policy interventions. Within this context, ESCWA supports member States in strengthening competition frameworks, improving market performance, and building institutional, legal, and analytical capacities for competition assessment and enforcement. The Competition and Consumer Policies portfolio in the Economic Governance and Planning Section combines regional policy development, country-level technical assistance, market studies, capacity-building, and knowledge products, often in close collaboration with national competition authorities and other public institutions. A key area of focus is the use of competition-based market studies to identify structural, behavioral, regulatory, and legal constraints affecting market performance. These studies serve as practical tools for diagnosing market failures, reviewing the adequacy of legal and institutional frameworks, supporting enforcement priorities, and guiding reforms that enhance efficiency, resilience, and consumer welfare. Within this broader regional mandate, ESCWA is currently supporting the Sultanate of Oman in strengthening competition conditions in priority economic sectors. The building materials sector, which is central to construction, infrastructure development, and industrial activity, has been identified as a strategic area for in-depth analysis. The sector plays a critical role in national development yet faces challenges related to market structure, supply chains, pricing dynamics, regulatory requirements, institutional arrangements, and potential anti-competitive practices. To respond to these needs, ESCWA seeks to engage a Legal Competition Consultant to support legal, regulatory, policy, and technical work under the Competition and Consumer Policies portfolio. The consultant will be assigned primarily to the Oman building materials market study and will contribute to legal assessments, competition law and policy analysis, review of regulatory and institutional frameworks, and the identification of legal or procedural constraints affecting market competition. The consultant may also provide support to other related competition-policy activities of the section, as required and in line with the needs of the assignment. Duties and Responsibilities Under the overall supervision of the Project Manager and Economic Affairs Officer, the Consultant will support the legal and regulatory analysis of ESCWA’s work on competition policy, market studies, and business regulation. The Consultant will primarily support the legal analysis of the XB project for Oman building materials sector, while also providing legal and regulatory inputs to related work on market functioning, competition, consumer protection, and business regulations, as required and within the scope of the assignment.

A Master's degree or equivalent in law, business law or related areas is required. A first-level university degree, in combination with qualifying experience, may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree. All candidates must submit a copy of the required educational degree. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. A minimum of 4 years of experience in the fields of law, economics, business, or related field is required. Experience in contributing to analytical papers is required. Understanding of legal frameworks in business environments is desirable. Previous experience in working with international organizations is desirable.

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. In addition, Arabic is a working language at ESCWA. For this position fluency in English and Arabic is required. Note: "Fluency" equals a rating of 'fluent' in all four areas (speak, read, write, and understand).

Recruitment for this position is on a local basis. The incumbent is required to have the legal right to live and work in the specified working location.