INTERN – LEGAL AFFAIRS, I at United Nations, (Temporary Job Opening)

Posting Title: INTERN – LEGAL AFFAIRS, I (Temporary Job Opening)

Job Code Title: INTERN – LEGAL AFFAIRS
Department/Office: International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals
Duty Station: ARUSHA
Job Opening Number: 19-Legal Affairs-RMT-127122-J-Arusha (O)
Staffing Exercise N/A
United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity
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Org. Setting and Reporting

The United Nations International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (“Mechanism”) is a court of the United Nations established in 2010 to carry out a number of essential functions of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (“ICTR”) and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (“ICTY”), after the completion of their respective mandates. The ICTR closed on 31 December 2015 with the ICTY following on 31 December 2017. The Mechanism started operating on 1 July 2012 in Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania, and on 1 July 2013 in The Hague, the Netherlands. Since these dates, the Arusha branch has inherited functions from the ICTR, and the Hague branch functions from the ICTY. The Mechanism has also established its own structure to govern its activities and developed rules, procedures, and policies that harmonize and build upon the best practices of both Tribunals. The Mechanism operates simultaneously on two continents, with a small team of dedicated professionals based in the respective branches in Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania, and in The Hague, the Netherlands.

In accordance with its mandate, the Mechanism has assumed responsibility for a number of former functions of the ICTR and the ICTY. These essential functions include: (i) tracking and prosecuting of remaining fugitives; (ii) conducting appeal proceedings; (iii) conducting review proceedings; (iv) conducting retrials; (v) conducting investigations, trials, and appeals in cases of contempt of court and false testimony; (vi) monitoring cases referred to national jurisdictions; (vii) protecting victims and witnesses; (viii) supervising the enforcement of sentences; (ix) providing assistance to national jurisdictions; and (x) ensuring the preservation and management of Mechanism, ICTR, and ICTY archives.

This position is located in the Office of the President of the Mechanism. It is under the supervision and direction of the Head of the Arusha branch of the Office of the President. The Office of the President is seeking legal interns on an ongoing basis at the Arusha branch.

A Mechanism internship is unpaid and full-time. Core working hours for interns are Monday to Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 2.00 p.m. Interns work under the supervision of a staff member in the office to which they are assigned. The duration of an internship at the Mechanism can range from a minimum of three months to a maximum of six months, according to the needs of the intern’s assigned office.

General information on the internship programme of the Mechanism may be found on the Mechanism website’s internship page, http://www.irmct.org/en/recruitment/internship-programme, which includes:

• Programme Guidelines;
• Application Procedures;
• Terms and Conditions of the Mechanism’s Internship Programme; and
• Internships in Context.

Responsibilities

• The President is the institutional head of the Mechanism and fulfils functions both in Arusha and The Hague. The President is responsible for the overall execution of the institution’s mandate, represents the Mechanism before the United Nations Security Council and the United Nations General Assembly, presides over the Chambers, and is responsible for appointing judges to hear cases as required. The President of the Mechanism is a member of the Appeals Chamber and presides over its proceedings.
• In the President’s Office, interns provide legal support with respect to a wide range of mandated residual functions, including by conducting independent legal research, analyzing laws and policies, drafting and editing orders and decisions, and advising on press and policy matters. Interns may also observe hearings and deliberations, attend meetings of the President with interlocutors inside and outside the Mechanism, assist in the preparation of reports to the United Nations Security Council and United Nations General Assembly, and prepare drafts of speeches.

Competencies

• Professionalism – Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and master of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations.
• Communication – Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets message from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match the audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.
• Teamwork – Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

Education

Candidates for legal internships in the Office of the President are required to be, at a minimum, in their final year of law school/university. If the candidate has already completed a four-year undergraduate university degree before commencing graduate legal studies, he or she must have completed at least one year of graduate legal studies by the time the internship commences. Applicants must be computer literate in standard software applications.

Work Experience

Applicants are not required to have professional work experience for participation in the programme, and must be at least 18 years old. Prior experience in a legal work environment is an asset.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the Mechanism. Fluency in oral and written English and/or French is required. Knowledge of other languages – particularly Kinyarwanda or Swahili – is an asset.

Assessment

Short-listed candidates may be contacted by the hiring team directly if further information is needed during the review of their application. Due to the high volume of applications received, candidates who have not been short-listed will not be contacted.

Special Notice

Applicants must attach the following documents to each application:
1. A completed application form (available from the Mechanism website http://www.irmct.org/en/recruitment/internship-programme);
2. Two (2) letters of recommendation;
3. Copies of university/law studies transcripts (including courses taken and grades received); and
4. A sample of the applicant’s written work preferably in a field relevant to the work of the Mechanism and not longer than ten (10) pages.

Please note that documents may only be in English or French, and that incomplete applications may not be reviewed. Please list the dates you are available in the cover letter on your application. Please contact us at internshipoffice@un.org if you have any problems uploading these documents.

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.

Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.

Deadline:  27 November 2020

CLICK HERE TO APPLY